grass. It wasn’t sticking to the roads yet, but even if it did, they were staying until Saturday. Snow was especially nice when you didn’t have to drive in it. “How much are we supposed to get, Dad?”
“Just a couple inches. Enough to make it pretty.” He gave her a wink.
“This was the nicest Thanksgiving I’ve had in a long time,” Caden said, drying his hands once they’d finished. “Thank you for letting me be a part of it.”
The sentiment melted Makenna’s heart. She wanted him to enjoy himself so much. He had holiday meals at the fire station or occasionally with friends, but it had been a lot of years since Caden had celebrated a holiday with family. And given how tight her own was, that broke her heart. Everyone needed somewhere to belong, and she really wanted to be that for him. And her family, too.
Her father gave Caden a big smile. “I’m glad to hear it, Caden. But it’s not over yet.”
“Everything’s all set,” Collin said. “Sugar comas to commence in three, two, one.”
“That is if the tryptophan doesn’t set in first,” Cam said.
“Either way, we’ll all be asleep in an hour,” Patrick said, clapping their dad on the back. They settled back around the dining room table, treated this time to a smorgasbord that included Makenna’s pumpkin roll, a pumpkin pie, an apple pie, and a carrot cake that Shima made.
“I’m seriously going to need some of each,” Makenna said.
“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