“Too late.”
There’s a beat of quiet, then he reaches out, brushing his thumb lightly across my hand—a touch so fleeting I almost think I imagined it.
“We can tell Evie tonight if you want. That way she hears it directly from us,” he says.
I nod again, throat tight. “Okay. Come over for dinner around six?”
His grin returns, softer now. “I’ll be there. And for the record? You pull off ‘fake girlfriend’ really well.”
“Cam—”
He backs away, walking toward his truck, eyes still on me. “See you tonight, sweetheart.”
I stand there on the sidewalk, heat climbing up my neck as he walks away with that easy confidence that’s starting to drive me insane.
It was supposed to be an argument. Instead, I’m leaving with a boyfriend.
Chapter twenty
Cam
Knox picks up on the second ring.
“Please tell me this isn’t a ring-shopping call.”
I snort. “Relax. I’m not at that point yet.”
“Yet?” His voice is pure shit-stirring amusement.
I roll my eyes even though he can’t see it. “Can you just let me talk?”
“Okay, okay.” He laughs. “What’s up?”
I lean against the truck, staring at the field like it can hand me answers. “She said yes.”
Silence—then a long exhale. “Well, shit.”
“Yeah.” My thumb taps the edge of the hood. “We’re going to start with the dating thing. Telling Evie tonight.”
A low whistle. “You work fast, Wells.”
“I didn’t expect her to agree so quickly, especially after your wife set Haddie lose on us,” I admit. “And now that she’s agreed to it, I’m trying not to overthink it—but I’m having trouble.”
Knox doesn’t tease this time. “What’s tripping you up?”
“Evie, mostly. And Kate.” I kick at the gravel. “I’m around kids three months out of the year, but I just don’t want to mess this up or confuse her. Evie’s too sweet for that.”
“Step one,” Knox says, “don’t say the word ‘fake’ around Evie. Children know when adults are bullshitting, especially smart ones.”
“Helpful,” I deadpan.
I start pacing along the fence line, kicking at a stray baseball someone left behind. “I just don’t want to confuse Evie. She’ll see right through it if it feels forced. And Kate…” I trail off, searching for the right words. “She’s carrying so much already. I don’t want this to make things heavier.”
Knox hums thoughtfully. “You know, when Brynn and I got back together, it wasn’t about fixing anything. It was about showing her she didn’t have to hold the world by herself anymore. Sometimes that’s all it takes. Someone who stays, who accepts, who understands and puts in the effort.”
“Yeah,” I say quietly. “I just don’t want her to think I’m doing this for the wrong reasons.”
“She won’t,” he says. “I think she knows you better than that.”
