Page 71 of I Loved You First

“Bye.”

Her smile faded as she turned away, already knowing she wouldn’t be home again until the wee hours of tomorrow morning. But it was no big deal.

Cam waited with Brady by the window in their home office, watching as Fi pulled up. She looked good in the truck she was still borrowing with his family’s name logoed on the side—the name that would have been hers if things had turned out differently.

“She’s here!” Brady ran for the front door in his dinosaur T-shirt and black shorts, opening it and running outside as Fiona killed the engine. “You’re here!”

Cam chuckled as he followed, standing in the doorway in athletic shorts and a T-shirt.

Fiona grinned as she got out of the driver’s seat, settling her sunglasses on top of her head. “Here I am.”

Brady took her hand, pulling her toward the house. “You always have surprises for me and Dad, but today I have one for you.”

“I’m very excited.” She smiled as her gaze met Cam’s. “Hi.”

Sending her a wink, he remembered not to reach out and kiss her like he had when she came over last night. Once they made it upstairs, they’d destroyed each other behind his locked bedroom door into the wee hours of the morning. “Hi.”

He closed them inside, following Brady and Fi down the hall to the couch, sitting on one of the arms.

Brady hopped around, buzzing with excitement. “You have to sit down and close your eyes.”

“Got it.” Doing as she was instructed, Fiona took a seat on the nearest cushion and shut her eyes.

Brady ran to the blanket he’d hidden the present under, yanking it from the center of the heap.

Cam winced, noting how the bow had been crushed. The paper had been taped within an inch of its life, and there was plenty of slack around the box from a five-year-old’s wrapping job.

Brady hurried back to Fiona. “Now you have to put your hands out.”

Fiona did.

Brady plunked the present in her palms. “You can open your eyes.”

She did, beaming as she examined the red dinosaur wrapping paper. “Did you wrap this for me?”

Brady grinned as he nodded. “Yup.”

“I love the dinosaurs. And the bow.”

“It’s pink. ’Cause girls like pink sometimes.”

Fiona grinned again. “That’s true. I certainly do. Is it okay if I open the gift?”

Brady nodded again. “You can.”

Fiona struggled to rip through the tape but eventually made it to the white gift box beneath. “I’m almost there.”

Brady jumped up and down. “You’ll like it.”

Fiona opened the box, and her eyes softened in the irresistible way that they did when something touched her heart. “Brady, I love this.” She lifted the 5x7 frame, examining the image.

“That’s us! From Great-Grandpa’s secret birthday party.”

“Yes, it is,” she said as she touched her hand to her chest. “You and your dad look so handsome.”

“And your face is very beautiful.”

Her eyes softened again. “Thanks, buddy.”