“No shit,” he said.
Cameron walked Derek to the door and rested his hand on the knob. “There’s got to be a way.”
Derek smiled. “Cameron, Jackson’s smart and beautiful, and she stands up to you. I probablyshouldn’t say this, but I’ve seen her looking at you when she thinks no one sees. If you want this badly enough, you’re going to find a way to make it work.”
“Thanks for nothing,” he grumbled and opened the door.
And came face-to-face with Jackson McAllister.
“Oh.” She gasped.
Shit. How much of their conversation had she heard? But she wasn’t paying attention to him. She was peeringinto her little red book again. What the hell did she write in it?
Derek slipped by her with a nod, and then it was just the two of them. Alone.
“Ms. McAllister?”
Jackson stuffed the little book into her bag. “Right. Sorry.”
Cameron covered her hand. She looked up at him, her lips parted as if she were ready to kiss him. Except that wasn’t going to happen. Not here, in the BlackmoreInc. hallway.
“I’ve seen you pull that little book out a few times,” he said softly. “Can I see it?”
“It’s nothing,” she said, but her face was bright red. “It’s just a bunch of lists. Nothing interesting.”
“I’m interested.”
She glanced down the hallway. Derek had disappeared.
“Let’s go into your office,” she whispered. That shouldn’t sound so seductive, but he must have reactedbecause she added, “Not forthat.”
Right. Take it easy.
Cameron stepped back, and Jackson walked into his office. She pulled up a chair to his desk and sat down. Leaning back against his desk, his legs were inches from hers.
Keep focused. The book. She had taken it out a few times, so it meant something. It had to be the key to figuring out her ten-year plan.
“What’s in that book,Jackson?”
“Boring stuff,” she said quickly. “Just places I want to go, things I want to visit.”
“Can I see it? Please?”
Jackson looked up at him. “Okay. But promise not to laugh.” She pulled it from her bag and handed it to him.
The cover was soft and worn, and some of the pages had come loose from the binding. He opened the book to the first page.My Dream Tripswas underlinedthree times and surrounded by little hearts. He glanced up at Jackson, and she smiled.
“I got it when I was about twelve, in case you’re wondering.”
Cameron chuckled. “You never know.”
“No laughing.” She took a swat at his leg as he turned the page.
“‘Paris,’” he read. “Of course. ‘The Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa...’ All the things you want to see there?”
“Yep. Some placeshave more details than others. I had to add another Paris page.”
She took the book from him and flipped to a page in the middle. She handed it back to him.
