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“Of what?”
“Of falling in love with him and having him leave. I mean, he checks off a lot of boxes on my list, but—”
“Honey, you need to get rid of that ridiculous list. I wish you would stop thinking with your mind and start feeling with your heart. Falling in love with someone isn’t about ticking items on a list and measuring his pros and cons. It’s about whether he makes your heart soar.”
“I thought I had that with Josh and look how that turned out. And Alex is in the Army. He could be sent overseas at any time. How can anyone live like that?”
“A lot of men and women do. You’ve seen that for yourself, living in St. Judith.”
Cameron flopped her head into her arms. This was all too much. She’d married Josh and thought that was it. That she was done with dating and falling in love. But here she was, a single mother faced with that emotional turmoil all over again. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Cameron, look at me.”
Cameron lifted her head.
“You’ve been happier recently. Since you met Alex and started spending time with him, even if that time is in the presence of two precocious ten-year-olds. But I think the girls have the right idea. Alex is a good man, he’s a good father, and your daughters get along. If you ask me, that sounds like a solid foundation to build a relationship on. I’m not saying you can’t be cautious, but unless you plan to spend the rest of your life alone, you have to give yourself permission to be happy. Permission to fall in love again. And personally, I think Alex is the perfect man to explore a relationship with.”
Mom sipped her coffee like she hadn’t just completely turned Cameron’s life upside down. But Cameron couldn’t disagree with Mom’s words. Or the butterflies that built houses in her belly any time Alex smiled at her.
He had a great smile.
Maybe Mom was right and it was time to shove her fears down and take a chance.
Chapter Six
Alex brushed down his jacket and shifted the bouquet of flowers from hand to hand. He didn’t know why he was so nervous. This was just a date. With a beautiful woman.
Heck, he should have sprung for the roses. But she’d told him her favorite flower when she thought he’d sent them to her. After the dinner he thought he’d been invited to.
He and Mariana had been invited, just not by Cameron.
This time was different. He had called her two nights ago and asked if she would go out to dinner with him. She only hesitated a moment before saying yes.
And he’d been nervous ever since. It had been a long time since he’d officially asked a girl, no, a woman, out on a first date. High school, really, when he’d asked Valentina to go to the school dance. And he hadn’t dated since she’d died.
Yet here he stood, after leaving Mariana with his teenaged neighbor for the evening, about to go out to dinner with Cameron.
But not if he didn’t stop thinking about everything that could go wrong and ring the bell.
He drew in a deep breath and pressed the button.
The chime had barely finished ringing inside when Cameron opened the door.
And right behind her, the huge white dog that had nearly thrown up on his shoes the first day bounded across the living room.
He stepped into the house and slammed the door before the dog launched himself down the street. A runaway dog would derail their date for sure.
“Boomer!” Cameron yelled, but the warning came too late to stop Boomer from colliding with him. Alex threw his arms out. No luck. This dog was huge… and strong… and pressing his front paws to Alex’s chest.
“It’s the flowers.” Cameron reached unsuccessfully for the bouquet that he had painstakingly assembled this afternoon. “He loves flowers. Even though they are. not. good. for. him.”
Boomer swung his head back and forth, his thick nails digging into Alex’s chest, trying to reach his snack. Alex yanked the crushed blossoms out of the way and practically threw them at Cameron.
“Boomer, down,” she yelled as she held the flowers high above her head.
After two attempts, Alex grabbed Boomer’s collar and wrestled the dog away from Cameron.
“He’s not mean at all. I think he just doesn’t know his size. Or what not to eat. Or when to behave.” She slumped. “Okay, so he’s not a very good dog, but he’s the one Lizzie picked out from the shelter and I just couldn’t say no.”
