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“Let me guess,” Ben said.

“Get off her desk,” Cam said, shaking his head like Why do we have to keep going over this?

Ben chuckled and stood.

Winter blue slid to me. “Morning.”

“Good morning,” I said, all breathy and weird.

He smirked, ducking back into his office.

I was fairly useless at our marketing meeting that morning, but Cam had an announcement at the end. “We finalized terms with Gray-Freeman last week. They’ll be sending over the contracts today. Our lawyers will have a look, but I anticipate the deal will be in the works by the end of this month.”

“Hell yeah, Shepherd,” Ryan said. “Way to turn things around.”

“It was y’all, really. Your quick response saved us, so thank you.” His gaze fell on me, and a smile warmed his face while golden sunlight gleamed over his brown sugar hair. “Anyway, since we’re on the straight and narrow, I think we can dispense with these weekly meetings. Or, at least, you don’t have to deal with me every week.”

Booboo let out a hearty guffaw. “Been a pleasure, Shepherd. What’re you talking about?”

Cam laughed, though he looked none too believing. “Sure.”

Edmond, still pouting from his probation, merely headed back to his desk. Xavier shook Cam’s hand, then did the same to me. When we were alone, I tugged him away from the door, daring a quick embrace and a peck on his lips. “Congratulations, Shepherd. You did it.”

He shrugged. “It’s just the first step. Shep still has to approve everything and sign it.”

“What would possibly stop him?”

He drew a deep breath, his gaze flitting to the view out the window—morning sun, Main Street bustling with Christmas shoppers. “Sometimes he does things I don’t really understand, but Mom has been on him to work less, so I think we’re close.”

We stepped out of the small conference room.

“Let’s celebrate,” he said close to my ear. “Let me take you out Friday. Just you and me. A real date.”

I bumped his shoulder with mine, throwing out a teasing smile. “I won’t need another designer dress, will I?”

“Nothing fancy,” he said. “We’ll go out, and I’ll drop you off at your door.”

“A proper date? With a goodnight kiss and everything? Wow.”

We stopped at my desk, and he leaned on it the way Bennett always did.

“Is that a yes?”

I nodded.

In my purse, my phone vibrated. When I noted the caller ID—City of Sugar Springs—I exchanged a quick glance with Cam. “They’re probably calling about the job.”

He motioned toward my phone. “Answer it.”

So I did.

“Is this Shay Honeycutt?” asked the woman on the line.

“It is.”

“Hello, this is Ashley Gardner from the Department of Community Development. I was calling regarding the position you recently interviewed for.”

I settled into my chair, but Cam’s body was a palpable presence beside me while he fiddled with the papers on my desk. “Yes. Have you made a decision?”