Page 8 of I Loved You First

But she shook her head, wandering to the window, staring out at the lights brightening the night sky. Somewhere out there, Cam was still here. He and Ally lived in Maple Ridge with their child—or she assumed they did because she couldn’t imagine Cam living anywhere else.

But ultimately, she had no idea because she’d never asked, even if she’d occasionally wondered. Because when she’d walked away from Maple Ridge, she left her past behind.

It made her proud to know she’d followed her mother’s path. She’d picked up the pieces and chosen to thrive when her life had fallen apart.

Long ago, Mom had found solace in her move to Vermont, but Fiona had found hers out West. She had great friends and lived in an exciting city. She’d worked hard to become one of Laurier Groups’ most sought-after event planners. Over the years, she’d even given a couple of new relationships a shot.

It was only recently that things started to unravel. The last twelve months had been rough. The constant back-and-forth between Seattle and LA had taken its toll. Helping Laurier Group cement its position as the go-to events planning firm in the Los Angeles market had equated to numerous eighty-hour weeks and just as many sleepless nights. Simone’s gratitude for a job well done had almost been worth it.

She and her boss both knew that product launches and corporate gigs weren’t her passion. Fiona missed planning the smaller social events that allowed her to build bonds with her clients and help them create memorable occasions.

But ultimately, there wasn’t much she couldn’t handle when it came to her career. It was the latest plot twist in her personal life that had left her reeling. Even after months of trying to come to terms with the doozy of a blow, time had done little to ease her heartache.

And maybe that’s why she’d booked a one-way flight when she made it to the ticketing booth late last night.

After she arrived in Boston and checked on her mom, she made several phone calls, the first one being to her boss. The doctors had mentioned a six-to-eight-week recovery period for her mother, yet Fiona had heard herself telling Simone that she would most likely be gone for ten.

It worried her some that she’d been so impulsive, taking an extended leave of absence without giving it more than a moment’s thought.

She was a planner—a list maker and a weigher of the pros and cons. But as soon as she’d heard Simone’s voice on the other end of the line, she hadn’t been able to stop herself from saying what she’d said.

“You just need a break,” she assured herself—something she hadn’t taken since she dove into her job five and a half years ago. Surely, a few weeks away would do her some good.

If this was what her vacation looked like, it would start now.

Turning away from the window, she headed downstairs. Two bowls of soup needed to be made, and her mom was undoubtedly ready for bed.

four

Cam mindlessly watched his total climb as he filled his tank at the Gas-n-Go. The pump eventually kicked in his hand, yanking him back from his thoughts.

Pulling the nozzle free, he put it back, then pressed the button for a receipt. Pocketing the piece of paper, he turned toward his truck, doing a double take when he glanced across the street.

“Holy shit,” he muttered as he stopped in his tracks, staring at the woman he’d been afraid he would never see again. But there she was, walking through the grocery store parking lot with her cell phone at her ear. Fiona Willis was just as gorgeous as she’d always been.

He swallowed, shamelessly watching her, taking her in after six long years. All of that long, glossy brown hair and her deep dimples that popped every time she smiled… How she still moved with purpose…

He hadn’t laid eyes on her in a long damn time, not that he hadn’t tried a couple of times. But her social media pages had vanished shortly after she did.

He’d heard through the grapevine that she’d graduated from college a semester early and taken the job in Seattle. If he’d occasionally attempted to get a peek at her on the Laurier Group Instagram page over the years… Her name had been mentioned a time or two, but otherwise, he’d had no luck.

She looked so much the same as she waved her thanks to the car that let her cross to go inside. But he also noticed the sheen of city sophistication, even as she wore baggy ripped jeans, a pair of low-rise sneakers, and a snug white spaghetti-strap top.

She’d clearly spent some time in the gym. Fi had always been slim, but now she had a little muscle tone on her drool-worthy five-foot-six frame.

He got in his truck as she disappeared behind the sliding glass doors, debating whether to drive across the street, grab a cart, and accidentally bump into her in one of the aisles. But he hesitated with his finger on the ignition, remembering the devastation in her eyes and the tears streaming down her cheeks on that long-ago summer day.

Steaming out a breath as he shook his head, he sat back. Never had he fucked anything up as supremely as he had things with Fiona.

His cell phone started to ring in the console. Snatching it up, he smiled a little as he answered. “Hey, Mom.”

“How’s my boy this morning?”

He grinned as he thought of his son. “He’s at wilderness camp until lunchtime, undoubtedly having the time of his life.”

Mom hummed her delight, forever adoring her grandson. “Do me a favor and let me pick him up today.”

“You know he’ll be thrilled to see you.”