“I know you did,” she agreed quickly. “And I believe you. I do.”
“But what?” he pressed when he suspected there was more.
“But I just need this time,” she answered, “to put some things in perspective.”
“All right,” he agreed slowly. “Whatever you decide, Piper and I will be here. We’re not going anywhere.”
She paused longer than Cameron was comfortable with. “I know.”
But did she?
Audrey had ended her second day in Boulder by FaceTiming with Cameron and Piper. They’d talked for almost an hour, keeping Audrey in the loop while they cooked meat loaf and mashed potatoes. Cameron had made a big show of using heavy whipping cream in the potatoes instead of half-and-half, smirking at her the whole time because he knew it would bug the shit out of her. Meanwhile, Piper had talked her ear off about Pinkie Pie, the French toast they’d made for breakfast, and a trip to some video arcade.
Audrey had listened to Piper’s rambling storytelling as best she could, while watching Cameron in the background. She’d wanted to reach into the screen and run her fingers through his hair. The past few days, her thoughts had been occupied with the night they’d spent together. How right it had felt and, at the same time, how it had scared her, because she’d known there had been no going back. And she’d gone into it with her eyes wide open, knowing there was a good possibility of getting hurt.
At the time, she hadn’t cared. All she kept thinking about was how much she wanted him. But in the mix of all those thoughts had been their argument, an argument that had left her even more confused than before. Cameron had brought up a lot of really good points. Did she know what she wanted?
She wanted the dream. The home, the family, the house full of noise. Maybe even a golden retriever. But could she have that with Cameron? How was she supposed to think she could, when he’d told her to go back to Boulder?
Audrey was sure, in the back of her mind, that he wasn’t kicking her out. Maybe it was a test? Or perhaps he was giving her permission.
Hell, she was so confused Audrey didn’t know which way was up.
She’d decided to have Sunday brunch with her best friend. Roxy always had a way of putting things into perspective, and Audrey needed to talk things out.
She and Roxy had planned to meet at a café that served the best breakfast croissants and vanilla lattes. Calories be damned, because she planned to indulge.
Her friend was already waiting for her, having snagged a table outside. Dark sunglasses covered her eyes and her legs were crossed.
“I ordered for you,” Roxy announced as Audrey sat down.
“Thanks,” she breathed, and immediately reached for her latte.
Roxy just grinned. “Maybe I should have ordered something stronger,” she joked.
Audrey set the drink down and placed a napkin in her lap. “The last thing I need is something to rev me up even more.”
Roxy wagged her fingers in a “give it to me” gesture. “Okay, spill. Why’re you here?”
Audrey blinked at her friend. “Because we’re having brunch,” she stated.
“No,” Roxy responded with a sigh. “I mean here in Boulder.”
Okay, that. “To catch up on some work,” Audrey responded, avoiding Roxy’s gaze.
Roxy chuckled. “Try the truth this time. Why did you rush back here? You know Stevie’s handling things.”
“Yeah, she and her sister,” Audrey muttered.
Roxy tilted her head to one side. “Doth I detect some resentment?”
“No,” Audrey insisted. Then her shoulders sagged in defeat. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“You think you’re being pushed out,” Roxy concluded. “That you’re not needed.”
Audrey picked up her drink. “Well, I hadn’t really thought that until you said it,” she muttered grudgingly.
Even though her friend had sunglasses on, Audrey could still detect an eye roll. “Yes, you were. Admit it.”
“Okay, yeah. I feel a little strange about someone else stepping into my shoes in the company I helped build,” Audrey admitted.
“And that’s a totally normal reaction,” Roxy soothed. “But maybe Stevie’s not trying to fill your shoes.”
Audrey knew her business partner and friend would never deliberately push Audrey out. Still, she couldn’t help but feel slighted.
“Maybe Stevie knows you don’t really want to come back,” Roxy went on.
Audrey sighed as their food was delivered. “How can she know that when I don’t even know that?”
“But I think you do,” Roxy pushed softly as she picked up her fork.
Audrey grabbed her own fork, but hesitated before cutting into her breakfast croissant.
“You haven’t been happy since Dianna died,” Roxy continued. “Her death changed you.”
What had changed her more than anything was seeing how Piper had been left alone. Left to wonder why she had no other family. Why her only grandparent, Dianna and Cameron’s father, had no interest in her. Left to wonder why she had no dad, no siblings. Audrey had seen a bit of herself in the six-year-old and had vowed to protect the girl, to make sure Piper was never left to wonder why no one cared enough to bother.
“Why shouldn’t you change things up a bit?” Roxy asked as she cut into her own food. “There really isn’t anything here for you, anyway.”
Audrey stabbed her fork into her croissant. “That’s not true. I have my business. And you.”
“You can build another business somewhere else.” Roxy reached across the table and covered Audrey’s hand with her own. “And you’ll always have me.” She shrugged. “Besides, you barely talk to your father, and you have virtually no relationship with your brother. Go make new memories somewhere else.”
Audrey gazed at her food before shoving the bite in her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she responded, “You make it sound so easy.”
“Why should it be hard?” Roxy countered. She jabbed her fork toward Audrey when Audrey opened her mouth to argue. “And don’t start coming up with excuses. You always do that.”
Audrey snapped her mouth shut. “I don’t always do that.”
“And what about this guy?” Roxy went on. “You find the one man
