Dani, perched on the arm of the couch, nearly choked on her muffin. “Hold up. He cleaned? Like, voluntarily? You left that part out!”
“Yep,” I said, grinning. “Didn’t even have to ask.”
She pointed her mug at me. “That’s husband material, Cam.”
“Daniela,” Mom warned, though the edge of her mouth twitched.
“What?I’m serious. Men who do dishes are unicorns.”
I rolled my eyes, fighting back a smile. “It’s not like that. We’re just… taking it slow.”
Mom sat beside me, her smile softening. “That’s good. Taking it slow is smart. But, honey…” She hesitated—the same pause she always took before saying something she wasn’t sure I’d want to hear. “You said he was military, right?”
I recognized that tone, the one she used when she wanted toshield me without pushing me away. She was always the first to nudge me out the door, whether it was brunch with Dani or a rare date night while she kept the kids. But I knew her worries about dating came from somewhere deep, carrying the weight of old hurts she never quite put down.
“Former Marine,” I said quietly. “He got out a couple of years ago.”
Her face softened, but the worry lingered there, the kind that had lived in the lines around her eyes for as long as I could remember.
“You know I respect that. But it’s not easy, being with someone who’s seen that kind of life. I just don’t want you walking into something that could break your heart.”
Dani leaned forward, always ready to defend me. “I think Hunter’s different. He’s not Cami’s dad.”
Mom exhaled slowly. “Different is good. I just want you to have fun, to get out of the house, to smile more. Just don’t lose yourself in someone else’s story.”
Her face gentled, but the worry stayed, etched into the lines at the corners of her eyes. The kind that had settled there over the years. Her words weren’t sharp, just heavy with old ache. I understood. She spoke from scars, not from judgment. Still, something in me bristled, a quiet urge to defend what I was starting to feel.
I reached for her shoulder, my fingers tracing the tension until it eased.
“I know, Mom,” I murmured, hoping she could feel the truth in my touch as much as in my words. “I promise I’ll be careful.”
I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t had my own concerns. I could see the subtle ways that the military left its mark on Hunter,and I’d spent enough time in school to know what trauma can do to a person; I wasn’t naive. But Hunter hadn’t given me any reasons to be concerned. If anything, he was the one with all of the reasons to run for the hills. I was the one who came with what felt like hundreds of pounds of baggage.
Mom sighed, but her eyes softened. “I’m glad, sweetheart. I really am. It just makes me nervous, that’s all. You’ve been through so much. I don’t want anyone undoing all the strength you’ve built.”
“I know,” I said quietly. “He’s not perfect. But he shows up, makes me laugh. He actually cares. And that’s… more than I’ve had in a long time.”
Dani leaned back, crossing her arms with a satisfied smirk. “See? I like him already. Plus, he’s a major upgrade from that guy—”
I groaned, cutting her off. “Oh my gosh, don’t start.”
“What?… I mean, it sets a high bar. Maybe it’s time I rethink my own standards.” A playful, yet honest tone slipped through. “Does he have any single Marine friends?”
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed against the table. Once. Twice.
Dani’s brows lifted. “Oh, look who can’t wait for his good-morning text.”
I ignored her and picked up the phone, though the smile was already tugging at my mouth.
Hunter:Good morning, Beautiful.
Hunter:Thank you for last night.
I’m pretty sure I liked it just as
much as they did. Maybe more.
Me:You only say that because you
