“Hi, Natalie.”
Natalie smiled at her, then banged on the tray of her high chair.
“I think she wants me to hold her,” Haley said, smiling.
“I think that’s a great idea.” I glanced at Alyssa, a smile on my face, then took Natalie out of her high chair and gave her to Haley, who seemed very comfortable with her. Seeing them together, I warmed to the idea of asking her to babysit once or twice. It would be nice for me to be able to hang out with the grown-ups.
Our breakfast came a few minutes later, and Haley ordered her breakfast. When Haley’s food arrived, I took Natalie back. “Haley, would you be willing to babysit Natalie for me once or twice at night while we’re on the cruise?”
Her face lit up. “Really?”
I smiled at her enthusiasm. “Yes.”
“I’d love to.”
“I don’t want to keep you from doing any activities that you want to do, though.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. It would be fun to babysit.”
“If it’s at night, she might be sleeping most of the time you’re babysitting.”
Her smile dimmed. “Oh.” She paused. “But that’s okay. I still want to.”
“Okay. I’ll let you know when I need you.” Happy that I’d been able to make arrangements for Natalie that I felt good about, I enjoyed the rest of my breakfast. “What are you going to do today,” I asked Alyssa.
“I’m not sure. I think Ty wants to hit the slot machines for a little while, but that’s not really my thing.” She paused. “What about a massage in the spa?”
“I can babysit,” Haley quickly said.
I smiled at her, thinking this would be a good chance for me to see how she did when Natalie was awake. “Okay.”
“Great,” Alyssa said. “I’ll see when they have openings today and I’ll let you know.”
Later that morning Alyssa brought Haley to my room so she could babysit while we went to the spa.
“I just fed her,” I told Haley, “so she should be fine as far as that goes. There are toys in the diaper bag.” I looked around the room, wondering what else I needed to tell her. “You can call the number for the spa if you need me.” I was glad that I knew exactly where I’d be, as otherwise it could be hard for her to track me down.
Haley held out her arms for Natalie. “We’ll have fun together.”
I handed her over, suddenly nervous about leaving my baby, but knew it would be fine. “We’ll be an hour or so.”
“Thanks, Haley,” Alyssa said, hooking her arm through mine and tugging me toward the door.
“Yes, thanks,” I added.
A short time later we were getting massages, and I felt myself finally beginning to relax. “This was a great idea,” I murmured.
“I know,” Alyssa said.
After the massage, I went to my room to see how Natalie and Haley were doing, and Alyssa went to check on Ty at the slot machines. When I opened the door to my room, I was relieved to see the two of them getting along fine.
“How did it go?” I asked, eager for a report.
“Great. She’s such a sweet baby.”
I smiled. “I know. She really is.” I picked her up and held her in front of me. “How’s my good baby girl?”
She smiled at me, clearly happy to be with Mommy again.
I turned to Haley. “We never discussed how much I would pay you.”
“Oh, you don’t have to pay me. It was fun.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I love to babysit.”
“You must be saving for something though, right?”
She looked thoughtful. “Yeah. But that’s okay.”
“It would make me feel better if I paid you, okay?”
She finally agreed and I gave her some cash. “Thank you, Haley.”
She walked toward the door.
“Wait.”
She stopped and looked at me.
“Do you know your way back to your room?”
She bit her lip. “I think so.”
“Natalie’s probably ready for a walk, so why don’t you let us walk with you back to your room?”
Her face brightened. “Okay.”
I put Natalie in her stroller and followed Haley out the door. We took the elevator to her floor and I walked with her to the room she shared with her parents. After dropping her off, I went to the Lido deck to get a soft serve ice cream cone. I filled a cone and wheeled Natalie to a table next to a window, then sat down.
Halfway through my cone, I heard a voice behind me.
“Hey, Lily,” Cameron said as he stopped next to the table.
“Hi.”
“Do you mind if I join the two of you?”
“Not at all.”
He slid into the seat across from me and grinned, his dimple deepening. “I see you found the chocolate ice cream.”
My face reddened, embarrassed that my sweet tooth was so obvious. “Yes, you caught me.”
He laughed. “I’d get one too, but I had one earlier.”
I smiled. “Ahh. So you’re just as bad as me.”
“Maybe so.” He paused. “How’s your day going?”
“Good. Alyssa and I went to the spa earlier to have a massage.”
His eyebrows went up. “What’d you do with your baby?”
“I listened to your suggestion and asked Haley to babysit. It looks like she did a good job, too.”
“Did she now?” He smiled slowly. “Does that mean you’d let her babysit in the evening so you can come out and play with the grown-ups?”
“Maybe.”
“I hear the comedy shows are really fun.”
“I saw those listed on the schedule.”
“Do you want to go?”
“Tonight?”
“Sure.”
I felt bold. “Is this a date?”
His blue eyes sparkled. “Do you want it to be?”
I didn’t like the way he turned the tables on me—I didn’t want to be the one to say this was a date. I tilted my head to the side. “I asked you first.”
He laughed. “So you did.” He stood.
I raised my eyebrows, enjoying our flirtation. “No answer, huh?”
He gazed at me for a moment. “Time will tell.” Then he grinned, and walked away.
I watched him go, delighted by our budding friendship. It had been so long since I’d felt carefree—it felt wonderful. Natalie began getting restless and I knew it was past her nap time, so I strolled her back to our room, fed her, then put her down for a nap.
Forty minutes later, as I was beginning to doze while reading a book, I heard a knock on my door.
“Hi, Alyssa,” I said, when I saw her standing in the hall.
“I thought you might be in here.”
I held the door open in invitation. “It’s Natalie’s nap time.”
Alyssa came in and pointed to the balcony. I nodded and followed her out, then we sat on the deck chairs and gazed out at the ocean. The clear blue of the sky, and the wide, wide ocean relaxed me. I felt far removed from my everyday life, loving the feeling of freedom that gave me.
“Cameron invited me to go with him to a comedy show tonight,” I said.
Alyssa’s eyebrows shot up. “When did this happen?”
I laughed at the look of surprise on her face. “A little while ago. He ran in to me on the Lido deck.” I thought about our conversation. “It’s unclear if it’s a date though.”
“Why do you say that?”
I replayed what Cameron had said, and she laughed. “He’s such a flirt.”
While it was fun to flirt with him, I hoped I was more than just mere entertainment to him. My sudden hesitation must have shown.
“What’s wrong?” Alyssa asked.
“I just don’t want him to play games with me.” I’d had enough of that with Trevor, and lately it seemed, with Marcus. I needed a man who would be honest and up-front.
She reached out and touched my arm. �
��The last thing I want is for you to get jerked around—you’ve been through way too much to have to deal with that. But give Cameron a chance. He’s a good guy. You’ll probably only see him while you’re on the cruise anyway. You might as well have some fun.”
That was true. My life was normally pretty quiet and I knew I could use some excitement. Plus, the loneliness I’d been feeling since Marcus had rejected my suggestion to move our relationship beyond friendship was really getting to me. I wanted more. Though I’d discovered my inner strength over the last year, and knew I was capable and could take care of myself, I also longed for the love and attention of a man. Like any girl my age—I was only twenty-one after all—I wasn’t ashamed to admit how much I enjoyed flirting and feeling attractive and wanted.
I looked at Alyssa and nodded. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be so serious about this. It’s not like I’m going to jump in bed with him. We’re just going to hang out and have fun. Nothing permanent.” Something permanent is what I wanted with Marcus, but that seemed less and less likely. I needed to put aside that desire for now and just enjoy myself. No reason to think beyond that. In that direction lay heartache and disappointment.
“Right.” She gently squeezed my arm. “I have some wedding stuff I need to take care of, but I’ll see you later?”
“Yeah. I think I’ll order something from room service for lunch since Natalie’s still napping.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later then.”
I walked her to the door, then called room service and ordered some food. I was starving—that ice cream hadn’t filled me up—and it was a long time until dinner.
Chapter Eleven
That night at dinner Cameron got to the dining room before I did, and saved me a seat. I had to admit, I was a little surprised. Did he really find me that interesting? I decided to just go with it, and sat next to him. I put Natalie’s high chair on the other side of me, between me and Alyssa’s dad.
Between eating the appetizer and the entree, Cameron leaned toward me and said, “I asked Haley if she’d babysit for you tonight—if that’s okay with you, of course.”
I stared at him a moment, surprised by his boldness in arranging a babysitter for my child, but I let it slide, deciding he was just being thoughtful. And he had made it clear that it was up to me. “I suppose I should thank you.” I smirked, just a little. “You must want to take me on this date really bad.”
He grinned, and his dimple deepened. “Maybe I do.”
The waiter set my entree in front of me—salmon and rice—and I picked up my fork, then looked at him. “What time does this date begin?”
“As soon as you say it does.”
I looked at my plate, hiding my smile, excited to have some time to spend with grown-ups, then looked back at him. “Let’s say, nine thirty?” That would give me time to get Natalie settled before I left for the evening.
“Sounds good.”
I gave him my room number. “Do you want to confirm with Haley, or shall I?”
“I will,” he said. “Since I’m the one who suggested it.”
“Okay.” I ate my salmon, which was delicious, and asked Cameron about his family.
“I have a younger brother, and no sisters. What about you?”
“I don’t have any siblings.” I sipped my water. “Are you close to your brother?”
“Not really. He’s a senior in high school, so he was pretty young when I moved out.”
“How old are you, anyway?”
“Twenty-six.”
I nodded. “How long have you known Ty?”
“Just a few years. We were roommates our freshman year of college and got along really well. After I moved to Sacramento, we stayed in touch.”
We finished our dinners and the waiter brought out the dessert menu. I read it over and decided to go with the melting cake again.
“You really are a chocoholic, aren’t you?” Cameron asked.
I smiled. “Guilty as charged. Plus, those things are so good.”
“I know. I told you.”
A few minutes later our desserts arrived. By then I had Natalie on my lap as she’d gotten tired of sitting in the high chair. “Where are you from originally?” I asked Cameron.
“My family lives in Texas.”
“I’ve never been there.”
“I like it. We have some land there, even a few horses.”
My eyebrows went up. “Oh, so you’re a cowboy.”
He laughed. “I’ve ridden a horse or two in my time.”
“But did you wear a cowboy hat?”
“Of course.”
I liked the imagery that came to mind—his tan showing off the blue of his eyes, his cowboy hat placed confidently on his head, his strong arms holding the reins of his horse as he galloped across an open field. I felt a little thrill as I imagined those strong arms around me. Don’t get ahead of yourself, Lily. “What brought you to Sacramento?”
“A job offer. But I like it there. I’ve lived there just over a year now, and it feels like home.”
Natalie started getting fussy. I tried to soothe her, but it didn’t help. “It’s getting past her bedtime. I’d better go put her down.”
“Okay. I’ll bring Haley with me when I come to pick you up.” He paused, a twinkle in his eyes. “For our date.”
I smiled. “Okay, see you in a while.”
After I put Natalie down for the night, I went into my bathroom and added more mascara, then curled my eyelashes. Pleased with the way my eyes seemed to stand out, I smiled at my reflection, remembering what it was like to anticipate going on a date. As I gazed at myself, I felt my confidence growing. I look good. I could see why a handsome man like Cameron would be interested in me.
When I heard a knock at my door, I opened it to find Haley and Cameron standing in the hall. I glanced at Cameron, excitement washing over me, then focused on Haley. “She should sleep the whole time you’re here,” I whispered to her.
She nodded and held up a book. “I’m in the middle of a good book, so I’ll be fine.” She hesitated. “Is it okay if I sleep if it’s getting late?”
“Of course.” Then I glanced at Cameron. “I don’t think I’ll be out that late though.” As much as I was looking forward to our evening, I didn’t want to leave Natalie for too long.
He shrugged. “It’s up to you.”
“Okay.” I smiled at Haley. “Thank you for coming over to stay with her.”
“It’s fine. I think she’s adorable.”
A moment later Cameron and I left. It felt strange to be on a date. It had been a long time since I’d been on one—since before Natalie was born. And when Marcus had taken me out back then, I’d been living a lie, pretending to be a widow named Kate. Now, I had nothing to hide. I felt liberated—I could be myself with this man and he could take it or leave it. But the more time I spent with him, the more I hoped he’d like me.
“So, where are you taking me?” I asked as he pressed the button for the elevator.
“There’s a comedy show at ten, so I thought we’d head over there.”
The place was filling quickly, but we found good seats. Waiters circulated among the guests, taking drink orders.
“Do you want anything?” Cameron asked.
I picked up the menu, which was on the small circular table in front of us, and read it over. “Sure.”
He motioned for the waiter, who came right over to us. I ordered an alcohol-free fruity drink. Cameron glanced at me, then ordered the same thing.
A few minutes later the waiter brought our drinks, then the show began. The comedian was funny, but I noticed he picked on the people sitting in the front row. I leaned toward Cameron. “I’m glad we didn’t sit up there.”
“Yeah. Talk about embarrassing.”
At the end of the show, Cameron turned to me. “Do you like to dance?”
“I’m not that good at it, but yeah, I like to.”
He grinned. “Great. We can suck together. But
at least we can have fun.”
I liked his attitude, and when he stood and held out his hand, I took it. He didn’t let go as we walked out of the comedy club. The warmth of his hand warmed my heart, making me feel cared about. I’d just met this man the day before, but I was really enjoying his company, and he seemed to be enjoying mine.
Marcus’s face flashed into my mind, and I thought about our self-defense refresher course not long before, and how much I’d enjoyed sparring with him. For a moment I’d thought he’d felt toward me the same as I felt toward him—wanting to take our relationship to the next level. But he’d clearly stated that he didn’t want that.
Now, as I walked with Cameron, our fingers intertwined, I felt the promise of a budding relationship, a relationship that had the potential of more than friendship, which, I admitted, was what I wanted. At heart, I was a traditional girl, and now that I had Natalie, I wanted to complete the picture with a husband who could also be a father. I’d had high hopes that Marcus would be that man—after all, he really cared about my sweet Natalie. But since he didn’t see me as anything more than a friend, I had to move on.
I glanced at Cameron, and when he looked at me, I smiled. His blue eyes sparkled and I felt excited at my attraction to him. I wanted to feel attracted to him. After my experience with Trevor and Justin, I wanted to be drawn to a good man who was also drawn to me. I wanted to choose the right man.
I’d chosen poorly when I’d chosen Trevor—I’d ignored all the warning signs, as well as Alyssa’s guidance. If I’d listened to her and chosen Justin, I wondered where I’d be now. Of course I wouldn’t have Natalie, and I could never regret having her, but would I be happily married if I’d chosen Justin? I would never know.
Loud music with a strong beat filled the air as we approached the dance club.
“Are you ready?” Cameron asked, grinning.
“I guess so.”
Still holding my hand, he led me inside the room where couples were swaying and dancing to the music. Colorful lights illuminated the room, flashing in time to the beat of the music. The energy in the room was palpable, and Cameron pulled me right onto the dance floor. At first I felt self-conscious as I danced—I hadn’t been dancing in a long time—but after a little while I felt more comfortable and began to have a good time.
Love At Last (Lily's Story, Book 3) Page 8
