A Forever Kind of Family (24 page)

“Was it only this morning?”

He smiled. “It’s been a helluva day, hasn’t it?”

“Not one I ever want to repeat,” she assured him.

“The interview,” he prompted.

“I think it went well. Annette said she’d be in touch before the end of the week.”

“For a second interview or an offer?”

She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.”

“What do you mean—it doesn’t matter?”

“Even if she offered me the job, I wouldn’t take it.”

“Why not?” he demanded.

“Because it’s in Miami.”

“And?” he prompted.

“And...you’re here. You and Oliver and Coco.”

“I offered to go to Miami with you,” he reminded her.

“For the interview,” she acknowledged.

“For anything you need.”

Her brow furrowed. “I’m not sure I understand.”

“This is the opportunity you’ve been working toward—if you need to go to Miami to make it happen, then we’ll go to Miami.”

“Just like that?”

“Do you want me to make it difficult?”

“Of course not. But what about your career?”

“I’m the national sales manager of Garrett Furniture. My office is in Charisma because I’m here, but I could do the job from almost anywhere.”

“What about Oliver?”

He paused, as if considering the question. “We should probably take him with us,” he finally decided. “And Coco, too.”

She rolled her eyes. “I was asking if you think Darren and Melissa would approve of us taking Oliver to Florida.”

“They trusted us to do what’s best for their son,” he reminded her. “And I’m certain they wouldn’t care where we’re living so long as we’re together.”

“You’d really move to Florida?”

“It’s better than either of the alternatives—you giving up a job you really want or living apart from you.”

“They haven’t actually offered me the job yet.”

“They will,” he said confidently. “And I wanted to be prepared for when they did, which is why I’ve already talked to the board of directors about relocating.”

“Is your mother on the board of directors?”

He laughed softly. “No, but she’ll understand.”

Harper wasn’t entirely convinced of that, but she had a more important question to ask. “Why?”

“Why do I want to do this?”

She nodded.

“Because I know this is important to you, and because you’re important to me. Because I love you.”

And she was finally beginning to believe that he did. “You mentioned that...before I left for Miami. And I didn’t say anything back.”

“Actually, you did—you said my timing sucked,” he reminded her.

“I was scared,” she admitted. “Because I thought you were using your feelings to manipulate me, because I didn’t know what to do with all of the feelings that I had inside me.”

“Are you still scared?”

“No.” She looked into his eyes, wanting him to see the truth of her feelings in hers. “Because I know now that I love you, too.” Then she leaned forward and kissed him, softly, sweetly. “For now and forever.”

* * * * *

Don’t miss the next installment of
THOSE ENGAGING GARRETTS!
by award-winning author Brenda Harlen!

Garrett Furniture heiress Jordyn Garrett doesn’t believe in happily-ever-after—no matter what her love-struck relatives tell her! Can sexy bartender Marco Palermo convince her that some people are destined to be together—and that forever is the right path for them?

Look for THE BACHELOR TAKES A BRIDE, on sale September 2015, wherever Harlequin books and ebooks are sold.

Keep reading for an excerpt from FROM BEST FRIEND TO BRIDE by Jules Bennett.

http://www.harlequin.com/harlequinexperience

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Chapter One

“Y
ou know how to please a man.”

Megan Richards desperately wished those words coming from her best friend’s kissable lips had been said in a different context. Alas, Cameron St. John was only referring to the medium-well steak she had grilled, and not a bedroom romp.

One day she would shock them both when she declared her desire, her need for the man she’d known since kindergarten, when he’d pulled her pigtails and she’d retaliated by taking her safety scissors to his mullet. A mutual respect was instantly born, and they’d been friends since—sans pigtails and mullet.

“I figured you’d been eating enough take-out junk and needed some real food,” she told him, watching in admiration as he picked up their dinner plates and started loading her dishwasher.

Oh, yeah.
His mama had raised him right, and Megan didn’t think there was a sexier sight than a domestic man...especially one with muscles that flexed so beautifully with each movement.

Since his back was turned, she soaked up the view. The man came by his rippled beauty honestly, with hours dedicated to rigorous workouts. She worked out, too—just last night she’d exercised with a box of cookies—which would be the main reason his body was so perfectly toned while hers was so perfectly dimpled and shapely.

Cameron closed the dishwasher door and gave the countertop a swift swipe with the cloth before turning to face her. With his hands resting on either side of his narrow hips, he might have looked all laid-back and casual, but the man positively reeked of alpha sexiness. His impressive height and broad shoulders never failed to send a sucker punch straight to her active hormones.

Too bad he was married to his job as chief of police in Stonerock, Tennessee. Besides, she was too afraid to lose him as a friend to really open up and let years of emotions come pouring out. Well, that and Cameron and his family had been the only true stability she’d known since her parents were killed in a car accident during a snowstorm when they’d been traveling up north to visit friends. Megan couldn’t risk damaging the bond she had with Cam.

Oh, and he’d made it perfectly clear on more than one occasion that he wouldn’t get into a committed relationship. Not as long as he was in law enforcement, thanks to an incident involving his partner when they’d been rookies.

Yup, he didn’t do relationships; just like he didn’t do healthy food.

“I don’t eat junk,” he defended himself.

Megan tipped her head, quirking a brow.

“I’ll have you know that Burger-rama is real food, and they know my order without me even repeating it.” Cameron crossed his arms over his wide chest and offered her that lady-killer smile.

Laughing, Megan came to her feet. “I rest my case.”

With a quick glance at his watch, Cameron pushed off the counter and sighed. “I better get going. I need to rest before heading out tonight.”

She had no clue what he was working on; she rarely did. He was pretty adamant about keeping his work absent from their conversations. He’d tell the occasional funny drunken-fight story, but when it came to a serious investigative case, he was pretty tight-lipped.

Whatever he was working on must be major, seeing as how he’d been heading out to work at midnight several nights a week—not something a chief normally did. The new lines between his brows and the dark circles beneath his eyes spoke volumes about his new schedule.

“You’re working yourself to death. You know that, right? Between all the crazy hours and the junk food. You can’t be getting enough sleep.”

One corner of his mouth tipped up in a smile. That cocky, charming grin always had the same heart-gripping impact. How many women had been mesmerized by that beautiful, sexy smile?

“I’ll be fine,” he assured her, pulling her into a friendly hug. “This case should wrap up soon, and I’ll be back to somewhat normal hours, complete with sleep. The junk food remains, though.”

Two out of three wasn’t too bad. Besides, normal for him meant ten-hour days instead of twelve or fourteen. Reminding him of his father’s bypass surgery last year would do no good. The St. John men were a stubborn bunch. She should know; she’d been the family sidekick since grade school.

Megan kept her mouth shut and wrapped her arms around his waist as she slowly inhaled his familiar scent. Closing her eyes, she wished for so much. She wished Cam would wake up and see how deeply she cared for him, she wished her brother would straighten his life out and she wished she knew what to do about the out-of-town job offer she’d just received.

None of those things were going to happen right now, so she held on tight and enjoyed the moment of being enveloped by the man she’d loved for years. If friendship was all they were destined for, then she’d treasure what she had and not dwell on the unattainable.

Cameron eased back, resting his firm hands on her shoulders. “You okay? You seem tense.”

Really?
Because she’d pretty much melted into his embrace. The cop in him always managed to pick up every little detail around him, yet the man in him was totally oblivious to the vibes she sent out. It would be so much easier if he just magically knew how she felt and took that giant first step so she didn’t have to. The passive-aggressive thing was never her style, but in this instance she really wished he’d just read her mind.

“I’m fine,” she assured him, offering a grin. “Just a lot on my mind lately.”

Wasn’t that an understatement?

His dark brows drew together as those signature bright blue St. John eyes studied her. “What can I do to help?”

Oh, if he only knew. One day.

“Nothing.” She reached up, patted his stubbled jaw and stepped back to avoid further temptation. “Go rest so you can head out and save Stonerock from all the bad guys.”

The muscle in his jaw jumped. “I’m working on it.”

“I hope you’re careful,” she added, always worried she’d get a phone call from one of his brothers or his parents telling her the worst. Because Cameron would put his life on the line for anybody. He just wouldn’t put his heart on the line.

He laughed. “Yes, Mom, I’m careful.”

Swatting him on his hard pec, Megan narrowed her eyes. “I have to ask. You make me worry.”

“Nothing to worry about,” he assured her, with a friendly kiss on her forehead. “I’m good at my job.”

“You’re so humble, too.”

With a shrug, he pulled his keys from his pocket. “Eli and Nora’s baby is being christened tomorrow. You’re still planning on coming, right?”

“Are you going to make it?”

Cameron nodded and headed toward the back door. He always came and went via her back door. He never knocked, just used a key when it was locked and made himself at home.