Close to You (Fusion 2)

And, I can breathe again.

“I’m nervous and surprised, and I might need a day or two to wrap my head around it all, but I don’t want to get rid of it.” She takes my hand and kisses my palm, then snuggles her cheek into it. “It’s you, Landon.”

I grin and pull her in for a soft kiss.

“It’s us.”

“HEY, MIA, I need you to do me a favor,” I say as I drive to my parents’ house the next afternoon.

“I’m working,” she says, then pulls the phone away from her mouth so she can yell at someone who didn’t toss the Caesar salad enough. “I’m working with idiots.”

“You hired them,” I remind her.

“And what does that say about me?” She sighs. “What do you need?”

“I need you to set up a table in the new space and get it all pretty.”

“Pretty?”

“Yeah, you know, candles, flowers, stuff like that.”

“Do you need food for this romantic getaway you’re taking yourself on?” Her voice is dry, making me smile.

“It’s for Cami.”

“What’s the occasion?”

“Can you just do it for me?”

“When do you need it done?”

“In an hour.”

“An hour?” she shrieks. “I’m running a kitchen here, Landon.”

“I knew you’d do it for me. Thanks!” I hang up on her, still grinning, and pull up to my folks’ house. I’ve never knocked on the door before going in, even after I’d grown up and left. I’m not about to start now.

I walk through the door and am immediately enveloped in home. Mama’s cooking something for dinner. The furniture hasn’t changed much since I was a kid. The only difference being a new TV for Dad to watch football on.

And then it hits me: this is my childhood home, but it’s not home. Cami is my home.

“Mama?” I call out, and make my way to the kitchen.

“Landon!” She comes around the corner, wiping her hands on her apron, and gives me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “This is a surprise. I don’t see you enough. Are you hungry?”

I laugh and shake my head. “No, and I can’t stay too long. I need a favor.”

“Oh?” She picks up a spoon and stirs the pot of red sauce on the stove. “What can I do?”

I lean against the counter and watch her for a moment. She’s my mother, and that’s how I’ve always looked at her, but now I wonder if my father looks at her the way I do Cami. Does she take his breath away? Her hair has some gray in it now, and her hands are more frail than they used to be, but she’s the same woman that I remember from my childhood, holding me when I was sick and loving me when it felt like I didn’t deserve it. She’s an amazing woman.

“I’m going to propose to Cami.”

Her eyes fly to mine and immediately fill. “Oh, my sweet boy.”

“It’s time,” I say, purposely not telling her about the baby. I want to tell her and Dad when Cami and I are together. “I was hoping I could have Nonna’s ring for her.”

She pats my cheeks as the tears start to roll down her own. “Of course you can. She promised it to you, after all. You stay here and I’ll get it.”

She rushes from the room to her bedroom and is back quickly, carrying a small black box.

“Your nonna wore this ring for sixty-four years,” she says as she passes it to me. I lift the lid and stare down at the vintage diamond-and-sapphire ring. “But even more special than that, your nonna knew.”

“Knew what?”

“That it would be Cami who would wear it one day.”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

“She said to me one day, ‘Cami is for our Landon. She will make him a good wife one day.’”

“How did she know?”

“We all have eyes, don’t we?” Mama asks with a smile. “You’ve always looked at her differently than anyone else. She is for you.”

“Yes.” I swallow and close the box. “She’s the only one for me.”

I MANAGE TO sneak into the new construction side of the restaurant without Cami knowing and sigh in relief. Mia is putting the finishing touches on some sunflowers on a small table, adorned with a red tablecloth and flickering candles.

“So what’s the big secret?” she asks when she sees me. “You’re acting weird. Cami’s acting weird. Based on the flowers and candles, I’m led to believe you fucked up big-time and are about to beg for forgiveness.”

I smirk. “No, we aren’t fighting. I guess Cami didn’t say anything to you yet, but you’re my sister, and I have to tell someone, but I need you to keep this on the down low.”

Her brows climb into her hairline. “Okay.”

“I’m going to ask her to marry me.”

“Holy shit!”

“And we’re going to have a baby.”

Her mouth drops, and then, to my utter shock, she starts to laugh. “You always surprise me,” she says when she can breathe again. “Life is never dull with you around, Landon.”

“True.” I smile and tap the box in my pocket, suddenly nervous. “I hope Cami’s okay with the thought of that for the rest of her life.”

“You already know the answer to that,” she says with a smile, and gives me a hug before heading back to the kitchen. “Break a leg!”

I’m hoping I don’t get a broken heart.

I take a minute to look around the new space. The booths are already in and ready to go. All that’s left is some trim work and decorations and it’ll be ready.