From This Moment On: Heartwarming Contemporary Romance (Windswept Bay Book 1) by Debra Clopton Page A

than she’s let on. She’s been very private about it. But she’s different. More closed off and it’s like a light went off inside her. Shar called and said she lights up when you’re around.”
    “Cam, there’s something there but that’s all I’m saying. I’m on rocky land right now and it’s obvious Cali is too. So if you’re joining in with your sisters on matchmaking—”
    “No matchmaking for me. I’d urge caution while at the same time a date couldn’t hurt either one of you.”
    Grant thought about Cam’s words long after they’d hung up. Exterior walls took more time to prep. Applying cleanser to the wall to strip off any excess dirt or oils that might hinder his painting gave him mindless labor to do and plenty of thinking time. Laying on the primer added more time and though people passed by as he worked and some asked questions, most left him to himself. People had gotten used to seeing him working and were keeping back and giving him space. After all, they were too busy enjoying their vacations to get involved with what he was doing. He enjoyed hearing the laughter of children and the moms and dads playing with them in the pool. That was the part of his job that he loved: replacing a boring wall with something beautiful that would enhance the enjoyment of those who would be viewing it. Two days from now, if these families were still visiting at the resort, he hoped his mural would make them laugh and smile in wonderment. And that was the gift his talent gave him. Those smiles and happy faces. But today his mind was lost in thought of only one face: Cali’s.
    When he was finished with his priming, he gathered up his supplies and cleaned up his tools.
    “How’s it going?” Cali’s sweet voice broke into his musings. He turned to find her just steps away from him. His pulse had jumped at the sound of her voice and it surged when he found her smiling face. “Do you want me to get someone from maintenance to do that for you?”
    He placed his hands on his hips and just took her in. “I like to do this myself. That way I know it’s right. Besides, Horace already offered.”
    “I see. As long as you’re sure. Look, I have to go to my parents’ house for dinner. I completely forgot about it until Jillian mentioned it a few minutes ago. They’d love for you to come too.”
    He paused. She looked conflicted about asking him. Disappointment washed over him. “You don’t look real enthusiastic about the prospect.”
    She rubbed the crease that formed between her eyes.
    Behind her, a child squealed with glee and then jumped from the side of the pool into the water. He saw this out of his peripheral vision because his eyes held Cali’s.
    “Don’t get me wrong. I love my family desperately. But…since my divorce, they…” Her nose wrinkled slightly and he almost smiled. “They hover. They want what’s best for me and I almost think…” She paused and shook her head. “Sorry, scratch that. Family events can be suffocating at times, that’s all. I want to make them happy and to stop their worry at the same time. But it’s exhausting. And that sounds terrible.”
    He smiled and held back a laugh at her truthfulness. “Go, relax and just enjoy your time with them. They mean well. I know Cam does, if he pushes, and I think he probably does. He didn’t talk about you much before I came out here but in the little he told me, I could hear the protectiveness in his voice. Him not telling me about you was, in a way, part of that, I think.”
    She tucked hair behind her ear. “He’s giving me space, but then, he’s a long way away from Windswept Bay.”
    “True.” He couldn’t take his eyes off her and didn’t like seeing her like this. Almost uncertain of herself.
    “Come with me. Really. My family would love to meet you. My mom is actually planning on asking you to dinner one night. She’s probably planning on discussing that tonight. She just didn’t want to interfere with your