politician.”
Sage laughed and looked at Sarah. “I like this guy.”
Sarah didn’t know what to make of Cam. Yesterday, the world as she knew it had tilted on its axis. Maybe he didn’t deserve all of the scorn, but he still wasn’t blameless, and changing two decades of attitude didn’t happen overnight.
“How long do you plan to be here, Cam?” Ali asked.
Cam darted a glance toward Sarah before saying, “We’re not on a set schedule. People are covering for me at the tour office, and Devin’s teachers have given him independent-study projects to make up for missed class time.”
“I have a thought,” Sage said. “Community service is always appreciated. Colt could use an assistant coach for his baseball team. Devin says you taught him how to swing a bat. You should consider helping Colt with the Grizzlies, Cam. I know he’d be happy to have your help.”
Nic pointed toward Cam. “That’s a great idea. You need to do that. Still, there is one thing I want to point out. The ultimate success of this project is as much up to us as it is to Cam. You all know that most of the talk about Cam will take place behind his back. We need to be out there, speaking up every time anyone says something negative. You especially, Sarah.”
“I don’t know that I’ll have the chance,” she replied. “I expected to be bombarded with questions this morning, but believe it or not, nobody said a word. I had a lot of curious looks, and business from the locals this morning was at an all-time high, but people didn’t mention Cam. Everyone asked about Mom’s accident, though.”
“Pauline Roosevelt didn’t say anything?” Ali asked, aghast.
“She didn’t come in.”
Celeste said, “She left town after the festival closed yesterday. She’s meeting friends in Denver.”
“I bet the timing of that killed her,” Sage observed.
“At least she had a front-row seat for yesterday’s thrill,” Nic added.
Cam muttered, “This is humiliating.”
“It’s for Lori,” Sarah said, speaking to him directly for the first time. “They’re right. If we can pull this off, it will make her life at home easier. She’ll see that. She’s not stupid. And this is really a separate issue from what sort of relationship she’ll want to have with you. That’ll be between you and Lori.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Could I talk with you? Privately?”
She swallowed a sigh. She guessed it was time they finished the conversation they’d had yesterday. Might as well just get everything out on the table. “Sure.”
She glanced at Celeste, who made a little go-along sweeping motion with her hands. Both Ali and Sage gave her smiles of encouragement as she walked past. Nic winked at her.
In the hallway, she looked at Cam and asked, “Here?”
He shook his head. “No. Outside. I’m done with walls.”
They didn’t speak as they made their way downstairs and out into the sunshine. There, Cam took the lead, walking in the opposite direction of the gazebo where they’d had their aborted discussion the day before. He took an old path that led away from the hot springs into the stand of aspen that hugged the base of the mountain rising behind the estate. It was the most isolated section of the Angel’s Rest property, one she rarely visited. No one would look for her here. They wouldn’t be interrupted today.
Okay. That’s good . They needed to come to an understanding about Lori. Celeste’s idea to rehabilitate his name was a good one, and for Lori’s sake, she appreciated the effort. But that was a separate issue from any relationship Cam might forge with her daughter. Sarah needed to finish yesterday’s interrupted conversation with him. She needed to know what his intentions were toward Lori. She wouldn’t keep secrets from her daughter, but neither would she keep her opinions to herself. She darn well wanted ammunition for her arguments. Just how big of a fight did she have on her hands?
Abruptly, Cam
Sage laughed and looked at Sarah. “I like this guy.”
Sarah didn’t know what to make of Cam. Yesterday, the world as she knew it had tilted on its axis. Maybe he didn’t deserve all of the scorn, but he still wasn’t blameless, and changing two decades of attitude didn’t happen overnight.
“How long do you plan to be here, Cam?” Ali asked.
Cam darted a glance toward Sarah before saying, “We’re not on a set schedule. People are covering for me at the tour office, and Devin’s teachers have given him independent-study projects to make up for missed class time.”
“I have a thought,” Sage said. “Community service is always appreciated. Colt could use an assistant coach for his baseball team. Devin says you taught him how to swing a bat. You should consider helping Colt with the Grizzlies, Cam. I know he’d be happy to have your help.”
Nic pointed toward Cam. “That’s a great idea. You need to do that. Still, there is one thing I want to point out. The ultimate success of this project is as much up to us as it is to Cam. You all know that most of the talk about Cam will take place behind his back. We need to be out there, speaking up every time anyone says something negative. You especially, Sarah.”
“I don’t know that I’ll have the chance,” she replied. “I expected to be bombarded with questions this morning, but believe it or not, nobody said a word. I had a lot of curious looks, and business from the locals this morning was at an all-time high, but people didn’t mention Cam. Everyone asked about Mom’s accident, though.”
“Pauline Roosevelt didn’t say anything?” Ali asked, aghast.
“She didn’t come in.”
Celeste said, “She left town after the festival closed yesterday. She’s meeting friends in Denver.”
“I bet the timing of that killed her,” Sage observed.
“At least she had a front-row seat for yesterday’s thrill,” Nic added.
Cam muttered, “This is humiliating.”
“It’s for Lori,” Sarah said, speaking to him directly for the first time. “They’re right. If we can pull this off, it will make her life at home easier. She’ll see that. She’s not stupid. And this is really a separate issue from what sort of relationship she’ll want to have with you. That’ll be between you and Lori.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Could I talk with you? Privately?”
She swallowed a sigh. She guessed it was time they finished the conversation they’d had yesterday. Might as well just get everything out on the table. “Sure.”
She glanced at Celeste, who made a little go-along sweeping motion with her hands. Both Ali and Sage gave her smiles of encouragement as she walked past. Nic winked at her.
In the hallway, she looked at Cam and asked, “Here?”
He shook his head. “No. Outside. I’m done with walls.”
They didn’t speak as they made their way downstairs and out into the sunshine. There, Cam took the lead, walking in the opposite direction of the gazebo where they’d had their aborted discussion the day before. He took an old path that led away from the hot springs into the stand of aspen that hugged the base of the mountain rising behind the estate. It was the most isolated section of the Angel’s Rest property, one she rarely visited. No one would look for her here. They wouldn’t be interrupted today.
Okay. That’s good . They needed to come to an understanding about Lori. Celeste’s idea to rehabilitate his name was a good one, and for Lori’s sake, she appreciated the effort. But that was a separate issue from any relationship Cam might forge with her daughter. Sarah needed to finish yesterday’s interrupted conversation with him. She needed to know what his intentions were toward Lori. She wouldn’t keep secrets from her daughter, but neither would she keep her opinions to herself. She darn well wanted ammunition for her arguments. Just how big of a fight did she have on her hands?
Abruptly, Cam
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