Part 17 (1/2)

Becca was up before dawn and had all of her stuff packed. She knew she couldn't just take Ty and disappear so she'd made a call to Jasmine and asked to stay at her house for a few days. Jasmine had been surprised but said yes. She also knew she'd have to talk to an attorney and hammer out some kind of legal agreement with Cam. She was more than willing to do whatever she had to do so that Ty was the winner in this. He shouldn't have to suffer because love had dealt her a losing hand.

Becca had no other choice but to leave. She had figured out at about two this morning that if she was ever going to be able to function again, she was going to have to stay away from Cam. Being around him would mean staying in love with him, and that wasn't healthy.

She wished it had turned out differently.

It didn't matter what she wished. Real life had intruded on her fairy tale, and it was time to just stop pretending that it hadn't.

She opened the room to her room. Sitting in the middle of the hallway was a large framed print. She closed the door behind her and walked closer to it.

It was a Chagall. She didn't know the name of the painting, but she immediately knew who had given it to her. She went into Cam's bedroom to see if he was there, but he was nowhere to be found. She sat down in front of the painting. It was a print, she realized on closer inspection.

A man held a woman in his arms as they floated near a house. There were three candles in the foreground illuminating the scene. But what really caught her attention was the way the man held the woman.

He was protecting her and, to Becca's eyes, loving her. He seemed like a man who would do anything necessary to protect the woman he loved. And not just against physical dangers but also against loneliness.

She hugged Ty close to her chest and blinked to keep from crying. She loved Cam-and his giving her a gift like this sure wasn't going to make her stop loving him.

In fact, it made her want to do whatever he asked. Anything just so she'd have some small contact with him during the rest of her life.

She put Ty down when he started squirming. She stayed where she was, keeping her eyes on the painting.

”Hi, dadada,” Ty said.

Becca glanced over her shoulder at Cam, who was approaching from down the hall. She had to fight not to cry. He looked ragged and tired. He wore an oxford broadcloth s.h.i.+rt untucked over a pair of faded jeans. And though this was the most casual she'd ever seen him, he looked perfect to her.

”Did you hear what he called me?” Cam asked as he picked up his son and held him.

”Yes, we have been practicing it.” After a brief pause, she said, ”I...I love this painting. Thank you so much. But why did you give it to me?” she asked as he set Ty down.

Ty toddled over to them and tugged on Cam's pant leg. Cam ruffled Ty's hair, but that wasn't enough for the boy, who held his arms up.

Cam picked Ty up again and then kissed him on the top of his head. Becca knew it wasn't going to take these two very long to bond with each other. She was glad. Every child should have a solid relations.h.i.+p with his father. And she wanted that for Ty and for Cam.

”I had purchased the Chagall for you before we had our argument. And in my mind it was already yours.”

”Oh. So it doesn't meant you've changed your mind?”

”No, Becca, I haven't changed my mind.”

She nodded, a tear trickling down her left cheek. ”I love you so much, Cam, it hurts. But I can't keep begging you to stay in my life.”

”I don't want to hurt you, Becca. I want to be that hero who makes all your dreams come true. So I'm asking you to give me a second chance. Can you do that?”

”What? Oh, my G.o.d. Yes. Yes, I can,” Becca said, a huge smile spreading on her face. ”So you have have changed your mind?” changed your mind?”

”I haven't. It's what I wanted all along but was afraid to reach out and take. My only real desire was to be part of the family you and I have been building. I need to make you mine. To have Ty is a sweet bonus. So I'm asking you to give me a another chance. Let's start over this time with the air cleared between us. I think we have a real shot at happiness.”

Becca ran to his side and threw her arms around his neck. ”Me, too. You won't regret this.”

”I know I won't,” he said. ”I want you to marry me, Becca.”

”When?” she asked.

He laughed. ”Is that a yes?”

”Yes, it is. I love you, Cam.”

”I love you, too, Becca. I know our lives are going to be better than either of us imagined.”

”Me, too,” she said, hugging him and Ty close. Cam lifted her off her feet and spun them all around. Then he kissed her hard and deep, and she knew he was back to stay.

Epilogue.

The Sat.u.r.day morning of Memorial Day weekend dawned bright and sunny. Cam woke Becca early with a kiss.

”Why are you waking me up at 5:00 a.m.?”