Cam was glad he was done eating. His throat was suddenly tight and there was no way he could have swallowed anything.

Didi was simplifying this, of course. You didn’t just move in with a woman and her grandmother and start making dinner and entertaining that grandmother in the afternoons when that woman was still unsure how she felt about you.

But that was the part that made him pause.

He wasn’t so sure that Whitney didn’t know how she felt about it. He was pretty sure she knew exactly how she felt but knew that could be complicated.

So he needed to show her it wasn’t complicated. Having him around could actually make things so much easier. She could have it all. Hot Cakes, him, and her grandmother safe and happy.

Hot Cakes was important to her? She wanted to prove that she belonged there? That she could contribute to the company’s growth and success? She wanted a chance to be a kickass corporate tycoon? Fine. What did she need to make that happen? A partner. Not in business but in life.

He wanted to know if they could still fit. He wanted to know who Whitney was now, ten years later, and how he felt about that woman. He wanted to know if they could have a relationship now. He needed to be with her to do that. They needed to spend time together for that.

This was just about the most perfect setup for them both.

“You’ve got a deal,” he finally said to Didi. “But I have to warn you… I’m not going to let you win at checkers or cards or whatever we’re going to be doing all day.”

Didi lifted her chin. “I would be insulted if you did.”

“Good.” He grinned at her.

“And you’ll have to move into the house.”

“Why’s that?” he asked. He wasn’t opposed to that at all. Didi’s house was huge. He was sure there were at least six bedrooms. He was currently staying in one of the rooms at Zoe’s house. But so was Aiden. Well, Aiden was staying in Zoe’s room with her.

He was happy for his sister and his best friend, but it was a little weird being there with them when they were cuddling on the couch, or flirting in the kitchen, or coming out of the bathroom at the same time, wrapped only in towels.

“I’m a night owl,” Didi said. “I always have been. But Whitney feels strange about going to bed before I do. So she sits up with me. Then gets up so early for work. She’s sleep deprived.” Didi frowned. “And grumpy because of it. It would be great if someone else could sit up with me. You can sleep in until noon if you need to. I do.”

Cam thought about that. He didn’t mind staying up late at all. He wasn’t an early morning person. Thankfully, the Fluke guys all liked to get a later start in the morning so their team meetings were certainly not first thing in the day.

And this was for a month. Just until Didi moved to Sunny Orchard. He could flex his hours for a month. Or work from Didi’s house. The Hot Cakes offices were a five-minute drive. If he needed to go in he could pop over there, not leaving Didi alone for too long. Or he could take her with him.

“You have an extra room for me?” he asked.

“I have five extra rooms.”

“How many bedrooms does your house have?”

“Seven.”

“Good Lord.”

“I know.”

He grinned at her. “When do I start?”

“Tonight.” Didi slid her chair back and stood.

“Oh.” He got to his feet as well and dug his wallet out.

Josie was there a minute later. “Don’t you dare try to pay for this,” she said, gathering up their plates and cups.

“Oh, I’m not paying,” he said. “I’m tipping.” He slipped a one hundred dollar bill into the pocket of her apron.

She lifted a brow. “You realize I’m in love with and living with one of your partners, right?”

Yes, Grant had as much money as Cam did. He grinned and nodded. “Be sure to tell him I tipped you a hundred bucks. That will annoy the hell out of him.”

She shook her head, but laughed. “Of course.”

Annoying Grant Lorre was entirely too much fun and since he’d met and fallen for Josie, he’d gotten a bit more laid back, making it harder to rile him up.

“Tell him I said you look hot in that apron too,” he added. That would irritate Grant.

Didi slapped his arm. “If you’re going to marry my granddaughter you need to cool it with the flirting with other women.”

Josie gave him a wide-eyed questioning look.

Cam simply nodded. “That’s a good point.” He took Didi’s hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm. “At least when her grandmother is around.”

Didi smacked his arm again, but she chuckled.

Josie looked very interested.

“Tell Zoe I’ll see her later. And we’ll see you all at dinner at mom’s tomorrow night.”

“We?” Josie asked.

Cam looked down at Didi. “Yep. We.” He was going to take Didi and Whitney to dinner at his mom’s house.

That was really weird.

He couldn’t wait.

8

Whitney couldn’t believe she was actually pacing the foyer of her house waiting for her grandmother to get home from her date.

With Cam.

Where were they? They’d been gone for far longer than an hour. The auction had clearly been for an hour of time.

Of course, she was sure that Elliot and Max were spending more than an hour together, and if Henry and his friends got Ollie going on Warriors of Easton, they could easily hang out the rest of the evening. Ollie might even come to the office with a bunch of new ideas for the game tomorrow.

But Didi and Cam? What were they possibly doing for this long?

She heard a car in the circle drive in front of the house and sucked in a quick breath. She started for the door. Then she stopped. She couldn’t meet them at the door. That would make it seem like she’d been waiting for them. And possibly pacing.

Whitney bolted for the couch in the sitting room off to the side of the foyer and grabbed for the first thing on the coffee table just as the front door opened.

Cam and her grandmother were laughing as they stepped into the house together.

For a moment, Whitney felt her heart flip at the sound of her grandma’s laughter. Didi and Whitney used to laugh like that together when they played dolls or had tea parties or were reading books inside her princess tent.

Didi had always been the one to play with Whitney. Everyone else had been too busy or not even home much of the time. But Whitney hadn’t missed anyone. Not until she was older and realized just how little time her parents actually spent with her. She’d always had Didi to go to the park with and to play dress-up with and to bake with.

She felt her eyes stinging as she thought about how long it had been since they’d spent time like that—just silly, fun time enjoying something together. They hadn’t baked together in years probably.

She blinked the water in her eyes away as Cam and Didi came around the corner. Whitney looked up as if she’d just heard them and smiled. “Welcome home.”

“Hello, darling.”

Whitney had to take a second look at her grandma. She realized Didi was glowing. Actually glowing. She looked happier than Whitney had seen her look in far too long. It made her seem younger.