“Oh, good. I was hoping I wouldn’t be the only one,” Caden said, taking a piece of her pumpkin roll. He passed her the plate.
The food went around and the conversation resumed, and even Ian seemed done with making little digs at her and Caden. So Makenna finally allowed herself to relax about the visit. Caden was doing great, just like she knew he would, and her family had taken him into the fold. Just like she told him. There’d been absolutely nothing to worry about.
CHAPTER FIVE
Standing in her childhood bedroom, Makenna shrugged into her favorite oversized sweatshirt, chilly after hours of watching movies with everyone in the basement. If Cameron hadn’t been there, she would’ve just changed into pajamas given the late hour, but somehow it felt too familiar to do that given their history.
Why was he there? And what was he up to? All day, she’d felt him looking at her, watching her, trying to catch her eye. And all day, she’d pretty much ignored him and stuck by Caden’s side, hoping to avoid giving Cam an in. Over the past few years, he’d texted or emailed her occasionally, and she heard stories about what he was up to from Ian when the family got together, but generally, they didn’t have much contact anymore. Which was fine by her.
She tugged her boots off and ran a brush through her hair, then stepped out into the hall. When she rounded the bannister to go downstairs, her stomach dropped.
“Hey,” Cam said, almost at the top of the steps.
“Hey,” she said, waiting to go around him.
“Can we please talk for a minute?”
Alarm bells went off in her head. The final conversations they’d had several years ago hadn’t been pleasant. Whatever this was, she wasn’t looking forward to it. “I don’t know.”
“Come on, Makenna. Please?” He gave her the look, the one that once had melted her on sight.
She studied him for a moment—he had all-American good looks with blond hair, blue eyes, and a square jaw that was to die for, and wore a light gray V-neck cashmere sweater over a blue button down that made his eyes even brighter. Once, she’d thought there was no hotter man. And she’d been as attracted to his brain and his ambition as she was his looks. Not to mention his long association with her family, because she’d known Cam since her age ran in the single digits.
With a sigh, she nodded. “Okay. What do you want to talk about?”
He gestured toward her room. “Can we, maybe, talk somewhere more private?”
“I’d rather do it here,” she said, crossing her arms. She was feeling a bit ambushed, which in turn made her irritated with both Cameron and Ian for setting it up. Because whatever it was he wanted to talk about was why he was here today. She knew that in her gut.
“Okay, then,” Cameron said. “Well…the thing is…” He chuffed out a laugh. “I had this all planned, but now that you’re standing in front of me, my tongue’s all tied like I’m a teenager.”
The self-deprecation was charming, as was the sheepish look on his face, but the sentiment set off more alarm bells.
He gave her a smile. “I miss you. That’s the first thing I wanted to say. I miss you and I now know I made a huge mistake when I didn’t take the fellowship in DC.” Makenna’s stomach flipped and the floor wobbled beneath her feet. “Actually, I knew it was a mistake almost immediately, but I was too immature and proud to admit it, and too scared to ask you to take me back.”
No. Nonono. “Cam—”
“Please let me finish,” he said with a tilt of his head. “I know I might not deserve it, but please?”
Heart racing fast, Makenna nodded. Even though she felt a little like she might throw up that second piece of apple pie she’d sneaked an hour ago. She didn’t still have feelings for him, but that didn’t make hearing this from someone she’d once loved any easier.
“I’ve done a lot of growing up and a lot of thinking about what I want in life. A prestigious match is still important to me, but not as important as having someone I care about to share my life with. I could’ve had that with you. I should’ve had that with you. And I still want it. With you,” he said, his eyes blazing.
“Cameron, I’m with someone else now,” she said, her insides all a-jumble at the surprise of this conversation. Never in a million years would she have expected this from him.
“I know,” he said. “And I’m sorry for that. It’s why I had to say something now, before you got serious with him. But you’ve only been dating for two months. We have a history that goes back twenty years. We were together for three of those. And we’d be married right now if I hadn’t been a stubborn, selfish prick.”