Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“Good,” she says with an emphatic nod. “That’s all that matters. And Travis?”
My stomach pitches because I might be ready to move on, but is he ready for me to do the same? “I don’t know. I need to talk to him. Camden has been helping him with hockey, and Travis really looks up to him as a friend”
Travis was crushed that Camden couldn’t stay and play his hockey game with him last night. He said a doleful goodbye but was heartened by Camden’s promise that they’d find time to play soon.
Travis was upstairs in his room using the thirty minutes I allow him each night when Camden called. He’d just made it back to his place.
“Hey, super cool mom,” he drawled when I answered the phone. “Will you let Travis play hockey with me online?”
“You can do that? That’s a thing?” I had no idea.
Camden laughed. “Yes, it’s a thing.”
And sure enough, it was. My son flipped out when I went upstairs to tell him and was so overjoyed, I let him play an extra half hour with Camden. I’m not sure I understand what was going on, but they were on the same team and communicating through headsets. I watched for only a few minutes and left them alone, although I was dying of curiosity.
Later, after Travis was asleep, Camden called me. “You’ve got an amazing kid,” he said.
I agreed with him and we talked for almost an hour.
“I don’t know where you went just now,” Brienne quips, “but that smile on your face tells me a lot.”
I flush hot and shake my head with a laugh. “Sorry… I was thinking about Camden.”
“I’m happy for you, Danica.” Brienne takes my hand in hers. “Don’t you dare have regrets.”
“No,” I rush to assure her. “I don’t have regrets at all. I really like Camden and I don’t know… I guess I hope this will turn into more. But I’m not ready to let this out yet. I think Camden is still unsure about some things.”
“With the team?”
“Yeah, and he has to work through that on his own. I’ll follow his pace.”
“Nothing wrong with that.” Brienne squeezes my hand gently. “You’ve got me cheering you on.”
“I’m so glad to have you as a friend.” I stand, packing up my laptop and planner in my leather satchel. “Let me know of any further changes and I’ll update the agenda.”
Brienne stands too. “Want to grab some lunch later? I’ll see if Jenna wants to come too. Maybe Kiera can meet us.”
It’s with true regret that I decline. I’ve enjoyed our lunches and getting to know other women associated with the team. “Um… I can’t today.”
“Plans already?” she asks with enough innuendo that she knows exactly why I can’t join her.
“Something like that.” I wink and head out of her office.
CHAPTER 18
Danica
I can’t believe I’m this nervous, but my hands are shaking as I ring the doorbell to Camden’s condo.
We have a lunch date planned, but I’m not sure if his invitation was code for sex or if we’re actually going to eat.
I’m bolstered by my talk with Brienne a few hours ago. She validated my desire to test the waters with Camden. She made me feel confident that I can still hold Mitch close, can still even mourn him, but also find happiness with someone else. I’d suspected it, but damn if it’s not better when someone else says the same thing.
The door swings open and Camden is there looking unlike I’ve ever seen him before. He’s usually in warm-weather clothing—jeans, sweaters, boots and the like. But I’m guessing he hasn’t been outside today as he’s wearing workout shorts and his gray T-shirt stretches slightly over his chest but loose through the abdomen. I notice so many things in that first glance. His arms are amazing—pure porn in my mind—with cut muscles and dark golden hair from elbow to wrist. His skin is tan, but not like he’s been in a tanning bed. Just a normal healthy glow from whatever his ancestral roots are. That same golden hair catches my attention on his legs, equally muscled.
It’s not like I haven’t seen those body parts before, because we did have sex and I saw him slide out of bed the next morning. But for some reason, he’s as sexy with parts of him covered up, hinting at the mystery of what’s underneath.
Although not an absolute mystery.
Best of all is what he’s got going on from the shoulders up, his beautiful, light brown to dark golden hair that he wears wildly untamed. His facial scruff is a bit longer than normal, almost thick enough to be a playoff beard. I’m guessing these last handful of days off he didn’t feel like shaving, but I didn’t notice how much it had grown out until now.
Camden rubs a hand along his jaw as he lets his gaze slide down my body and then up again. I’m wearing a brown tweed wool skirt and espresso-colored tights. A mustard-colored turtleneck is hidden under my puffy winter coat. There’s nothing sexual about my outfit, but the way he’s eating me up makes me hot and self-conscious.