“You did amazing.” Cameron rested her head on Melanie’s shoulder as her eyes fluttered around the photos. “Oh, look, my finest moment.”
She pointed at one of her and Melanie in the back of Isla’s Jeep after Cameron had birthed Jonah. He was on her chest as they arrived at the hospital, and Vera insisted on a photo first.Cameron could have killed her then, but looking at the picture now conjured up so many emotions. Especially with the way Melanie was looking at her with so much love.
It was the same look Melanie had in almost every photo. How had Cameron missed that over the years? How had she just chalked Melanie up to being her best friend and nothing else?
“Look how little Dylan was,” Melanie pointed to one of Cameron, Dylan, and Jonah when she brought Dylan home from the hospital. “She was so perfect.”
“They both were. And are.”
“Agreed.”
“Thank you for this.”
“You’re welcome, Cam.” They kissed quickly before Cameron got called into the kitchen to blow out the many, many candles on the cake.
The party was nothing short of spectacular. Melanie, Isla, and Vera had gone all out with the decor and the food. Cameron felt like a queen being served all her favorite appetizers on a plate as she mingled around with her guests. When one plate got empty, Melanie would miraculously appear with another. Same with her wine glass.
“You’re handy to have around,” Cameron giggled as she kissed Melanie again.
“Gotta keep my woman happy.”
Cameron felt like she was dreaming as she watched Melanie wink before she disappeared back into the crowd of people. How had she gotten so lucky to fall in love with her best friend? Someone who knew her so well and cared about her so deeply? She’d never understand why she deserved that.
The party was full of fun and laughter, which was exactly what Cameron needed. She opened thoughtful gifts from her friends and kids and enjoyed the night with everyone. Melanie’s gift had, of course, been her favorite. It was a blanket with thesame photos as were on the wall, with the wordfamilywritten in cursive across the middle. Finding Melanie in the crowd, Cameron mouthed athank youto her.
As the party wound down, she noticed the Mackenzie kids as well as her own kids helping to clean the place up. Cameron loved how helpful they all were without being asked.
“You look happy,” Isla commented with a smirk. They were sitting on the couch beside each other as they were somehow able to get out of the cleanup crew.
“Iamhappy.”
“I’m glad.” Holding up their wine glasses, Isla and Cameron tapped them together. “You know, I always thought you two would make the perfect couple. But seeing it actually happen has been even more amazing than I thought it would be. I’m glad I get to watch my two best friends fall in love.”
“Isla,” Cameron felt tears nipping at the corner of her eyes, “you can say shit like that to me when I’m tipsy. You know I’ll cry.”
Isla chuckled. “I’m sorry. I just needed you to know how happy I am for you.”
“Thanks, friend.” Cameron wrapped her arm around Isla’s neck as they hugged each other. “I hope you know that you and Vera are my role models for this relationship, so if something goes wrong, I’m blaming you two.”
“Nothing is going to go wrong.”
“How can you say that?” Cameron was glad they were in a corner of the living room off by themselves. The sizable crowd from earlier had dwindled down some as the clock had clicked past nine p.m. “Do you have a crystal ball or something that I need to know about?”
“No. I just have years of experience being best friends with you and Melanie to back up my thoughts.”
Across the room, Cameron watched Melanie laughing with Ellie, Mason, and Vera. She looked so happy, so beautiful. Everyone else in the room seemed to fade away so Melanie turned her head and caught Cameron’s eyes. They smiled as if they were school kids who had been caught by their crushes. Cameron felt her heart soar with happiness as she watched Melanie turn back to the conversation she was in.
“That right there,” Isla pointed at Cameron’s face, “that’s how I know nothing is going to go wrong. You two look at each other like Vera and I look at each other.”
“High praise coming from the Cove’s best couple.”
Isla rolled her eyes. “We’re not the Cove’s best couple. We just love each other.”
“I would normally negate you on the first part of that statement, but I need a refill.”
Holding up her empty wine glass, Cameron headed for the kitchen. She found the bottle of wine on the island and refilled her glass. Behind her, she felt Melanie wrap her arms around her waist and rest her head on her shoulder.
“Did you have a good birthday?”
