She squeezes it. "Ready?"
"Not even slightly."
Aiden opens the door before we knock and his face cycles through about six emotions. Confusion. Recognition. A glance down at our linked hands. Back up to my face. Over to Camille. Back to the hands.
"What the?—"
Beth appears behind him, takes one look at us standing on the porch holding hands, and her jaw drops so far I'm worried she broke it.
"Hi," Camille says, with the calm of a woman who has clearly rehearsed this. "So, funny story."
“WHAT IS GOING ON?” Beth says, and it's a seismic event.
"Can we come in?" I ask. "This requires sitting down."
Beth hustles us is and we sit. Then tell them.
Not the full version—absolutely not the full version; some things are between me and Camille and the anonymous messaging system of a dating website—but the broad strokes.
How we both signed up for Mountain Mates. We matched anonymously. We talked for weeks without knowing who the other person was. We went to the retreat and discovered we'd been falling for each other while they'd been trying to set us up the whole time.
Beth finally lets out a scream so high-pitched that Aiden flinches and I'm pretty sure a dog barks somewhere in the neighborhood.
"I KNEW IT," she shrieks, grabbing Camille's arm. "I knew you two would be perfect together! I've been saying it for MONTHS!"
Aiden, meanwhile, is sitting back in his chair with his arms crossed, staring at me with the most insufferably smug expression I've ever seen on a human face. He doesn't say a word. He doesn't have to.
"Don't," I warn him.
"I didn't say anything."
"You're thinking it."
"I'm thinking a lot of things." He grins. "But mostly I'm thinking…I told you so."
"There it is."
He stands up, crosses the room, and hugs me. "I'm happy for you, brother," he says quietly.
Then Beth demands to know every detail, and Camille gives her a very curated, very PG version of our online conversations while I sit next to Aiden and he shakes his head at me with a grin that won't quit.
The next morning, Aiden shows up at the station, points at me in front of the entire crew, and says, "I told you so." Then he takes a victory lap…a literal lap around the apparatus bay, while the guys cheer.
I want to be annoyed, but I'm too happy. Jasper asks if this means I'll stop complaining about everyone being in love. Perrysays it's about damn time. Even the Captain gives me a nod, which from him is basically a standing ovation.
For a few days, it's perfect.
Texts all day. I make her my mom's enchiladas at my place and she brings boxed wine that's so bad I nearly pour it down the drain. But when she kisses me, the wine somehow tastes a hell of a lot better.
Then I meet Simon.
Camille says she’s talked to him about me. Been honest about dating me and he hasn’t been pleased about it. But I can understand that. It’s going to take time.
I come by to pick Camille up for our second date. She opens the door and she looks amazing in a sundress, earrings, and her hair down the way I adore it.
But behind her, in the living room, there's a boy sitting on the couch with the energy of a pressure cooker about to blow.
Simon wasn't supposed to be home, but Camille texted that Javi dropped him off early—some change of plans, because apparently Javi's schedule can be unreliable. Simon’s friend was coming over to get him and they were going to the movies.
