Hometown Holiday Reunion by Mia Ross Page B

taking her time and arranging their things just so. “He’ll be back at lunchtime, and I wanted to make sure his stuff is ready for him when he gets here.”
    â€œSounds like a mom,” Cam said in a quiet voice that pulled her attention away from her search. She almost fell over when he smiled at her. “When he was checking out my truck, he couldn’t tell me enough about how great you are. You’re making a huge difference in that kid’s life, and under the circumstances, that can’t be easy.”
    â€œIt’s not,” she acknowledged soberly, then felt a little smile creeping in. “Thanks for the compliment.”
    â€œNot a compliment at all,” he corrected her in a firm, matter-of-fact tone. “An observation. Flattery’s really not my style anymore. Gets me in too much trouble.”
    The unexpected confession made her laugh. “Seriously? And all these years I thought you were the master.”
    â€œThings change,” he said with a frown. “People change.”
    Erin honestly had no idea if her old nemesis had changed or not, but she couldn’t deny that he’d treated her better than she’d expected. So, in the spirit of détente, she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. At least for now.
    â€œI guess you’re right about that.” Casting around, her eyes lit on the box she’d foolishly tucked into the corner farthest from the tiny galley kitchen. “Oh, there it is!”
    She started pushing her way toward it when he stopped her with a hand on her arm. “Just stay there. I’ll get it.”
    Being a single parent and independent by nature, Erin was used to taking care of everyday things herself. Her large, loving family was a wonderful safety net if she needed them, but she found a lot of satisfaction in fending for herself. As the only Kinley girl, she considered her three overbearing brothers both a blessing and a curse, depending on the day.
    When they were growing up, she’d lumped Cam Stewart right in there with them. But now they were business partners, and she had to learn how to work with him. Allowing him to retrieve her gourmet coffeemaker was a small step in that direction, and she congratulated herself on keeping the peace by simply keeping her mouth shut.
    â€œThank you.” Tearing open the box, she set the gleaming machine on the breakfast bar and in no time the scent of vanilla-and nut-flavored caffeine filled the small living space. She handed a cup to her guest and indulged in a long whiff of her own before taking a sip. “Ahh...that’s the stuff.”
    â€œI wouldn’t spit it out, that’s for sure.”
    â€œOh, stop it,” she teased in an overdone Southern-honey voice, fanning her face with her hand. “You’ll turn my head.”
    He laughed, then angled a look at her. “I don’t remember you being so funny.”
    â€œYou were too busy yanking my chain to notice much else.”
    â€œYeah, I guess.” Suddenly his expression shifted to something much less humorous. “Things were a lot simpler back then, weren’t they?”
    Sensing that he wasn’t referring to high school pranks, Erin set down her mug and gave him her full attention. “It’s been tough on you, being there for your mom all the time.”
    â€œNatalie’s got her hands full with Sophie.”
    â€œI wasn’t talking about Natalie,” Erin reminded him gently. “I was talking about you. It’s not easy to put your own life on hold and take care of someone else.”
    Her sympathy seemed to be getting through the brave front he was trying to maintain, and he dragged his fingers through his hair with a deep sigh. Staring down at his coffee, he admitted, “No, it’s not, but I’m doing my best.”
    â€œOf course you are. You always do, because that’s who you are. You keep at something until you figure