Isla’s eyes went dreamy as she spoke. “I don’t think it’s crazy at all. I still get excited to kiss Vera and we’ve been together for over twenty years. It’s just what happens when you find your soulmate. Which,” she smirked as she picked up her coffee cup, “I think we can both agreewasn’tRob.”
“I’ll drink to that.”
After finishing breakfast, Melanie said goodbye to Isla and headed home. She fed Lucy and Hank then opened the package she’d found on the front porch. Melanie didn’t remember ordering anything, so she assumed it was for Rob. But the box of LEGO flowers inside told her it was definitely not for Rob. There was a typed note in the box and Melanie quickly read it.
I know you hate real flowers because they die so quickly so I got you these so you can keep them forever. I love you, Mel.
The note was signed with an emoji heart andCamwritten beside it.
Melanie couldn’t stop her smile from spreading wider than it had been before. Cameron knew her so well; better than Rob ever would. She knew that not only did Melanie love LEGO, but that she also didn’t like real flowers. The gesture moved Melanie to tears as she picked up her phone to send a picture to Cameron.
Posing with the box in front of her, Melanie showed part of her smile and the tears in her eyes as she took the selfie. She sent it to Cameron and attached a text with it.
This was beyond sweet. Thank you. I needed this today. I love you and can’t wait to see you soon.
She debated a plethora of emojis before settling on a simple heart to end the message. It wasn’t long before Cameron texted back. And Melanie’s smile grew even wider.
I love making you happy.
Chapter 11
Cameron
Having known Melanie for so many years, Cameron knew just about everything there was to know about her best friend. She knew how she preferred her coffee and what her favorite snack food was. Cameron knew she needed another coffee halfway through her shift or she was cranky until she clocked out. And she also knew exactly how to make Melanie’s day shift that much better.
Breakfast.
Melanie’s favorite meal of the day was breakfast. She loved all the foods served traditionally at breakfast to the point they made up her regular diet as well most days. Although she frequented Carlson’s Cafe for breakfast most days, Cameron knew the way to her heart was a hot McDonald’s biscuit. And with the fast-food joint near the kids’ school, Cameron had the perfect excuse to stop before dropping the kids off at school.
She had been proud of herself for getting ready and out the door with both kids before they were going to be late. Even with the additional stop for breakfast, Cameron would still get them to school on time. Maybe for the first time all semester. There was a definite spring in her metaphorical step as she tossed herhair playfully over her shoulder as she checked her lipstick in the rearview mirror.
Cameron could admit to herself that she looked good. She wasn’t too vain for that. Having woken up before her alarm, a rarity in the West house, Cameron had time to shower and apply her makeup before arriving at the hospital. The night before she’d picked out the red dress she was going to wear to work and paired it with a matching shade of lipstick. Yes, it was a little more made up than she usually was for work. But that didn’t mean anything.
It wasn’t like she was dressing up for Melanie or anything.
No.
After all, Melanie was always in scrubs at work. Cameron totally understood that considering birthing babies wasn’t exactly the cleanest job at the hospital. But since Cameron mostly met with patients who were fully clothed and didn’t have bodily fluids and tiny humans coming out of them, she took advantage of the ability to dress up because she enjoyed doing it.
And, hell, she wanted to look good for Melanie too. There could be two reasons for the red dress. It was multifunctional, after all.
As she pulled the car around the drive thru, Cameron placed their orders before adding on Melanie’s at the end. She knew her kids wouldn’t think twice about the extra items as she often grabbed extra for Melanie before heading into work. But what she wasn’t expecting was to feel four eyes burrowing into her. Turning toward Jonah in the front seat first, Cameron narrowed her eyes at him before turning to Dylan. Dylan was leaning up between the front seats with the same goofy grin on her face that Jonah had.
“What?” Cameron nervously laughed.
“Why are you so happy?” Jonah’s eyes narrowed at her. “Like, really happy?”
“Yeah,” Dylan piped up. “Are you getting laid?”
“Dylan!” Cameron screeched as she whipped her head around to her youngest. “That’s a very inappropriate question to ask your mother.”
“Well, my mother never dresses this nicely this early in the morning.”
Jonah waved his hand in front of his nose. “Or bathes in that much cologne.”
“It’s perfume,” Cameron quickly retorted. “And I always dress nice for work.”
“Not this nice,” both kids said in unison.
