A ghost of a smile passed Cam’s lips. “It’s a deal.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“Mom!” Josh came running into the kitchen, one shoe on, the other goodness only knew where. She could tell from the milk mustache that he hadn’t brushed his teeth like she’d asked him to.
“You have fifteen minutes until we need to leave for breakfast club,” she told him. “There’s no time for running around right now.”
“But Cam’s here. His car just pulled in the driveway.”
Mia’s hand froze mid air, her coffee cup clutched in her fingers. “Cam’s not here. He moved away, remember?”
“He’s here. It’s his car. I’m not stupid.”
“Whose car?” Michael asked, sloping into the kitchen. He glanced down at Josh. “Why’ve you only got one shoe on?”
His mood still hadn’t improved much in the last week. But at least he was being kinder to Josh. As for Mia, he was mostly ignoring her, unless she asked him a direct question. Then she’d get a grunt or a head move in response.
“Because I saw Cam pull in the driveway while I was putting them on.”
“Cam’s not here.” Michael frowned, glancing at Mia from the corner of his eye. “Right, Mom?”
She opened her mouth to reply, but the sound of the doorbell echoed through the hallway.
“See?” said Josh, jumping excitedly. “I told you.”
“He better not be here,” Michael mumbled. “Or I’ll whoop his ass.”
“Can I answer it? Can I?” Josh asked, his energy the exact opposite of his brother’s.
Mia blew out a lungful of air. “Okay.”
She wasn’t ready to see him. Yet a tiny pulse of excitement started to grow inside her, getting stronger as she stood and touched the back of her hair.
“I mean it,” Michael warned. “I’m gonna let him have it.”
“You’ll do no such thing, or you’ll be grounded for the next two weeks.”
Michael shook his head and walked into the hallway. “Turn it the other way, doofus.”
“Michael!” Mia shouted, following him out of the kitchen. “Make that three weeks.”
“Mom!”
“You talk nicely to people or you pay the consequences. I’m not putting up with your attitude anymore.”
Josh finally unlatched the door, jerking it open. But instead of Cam standing on the doorstep, there was a much younger man, his hair pulled into a dark ponytail that hung down his back.
For a moment, the three of them stared at the stranger. Over his shoulder, Cam’s blue Audi glistened in the morning sun.
“Um, hello?” Mia said, walking forward. “Can I help you?”
“Is this the Devlin house?” the man asked. He had a bright smile on his face. “You must be Josh, right?”
Josh’s face lit up at being singled out. “Yeah, I am.”
“Which makes you Michael?”
Michael gave a grunt.