From Best Friend to Bride Read Free Page B

put her needs behind everyone else’s. And while he may not be the man to settle into her life intimately, he would do everything in his power to make sure her dreams were fulfilled.
     

Chapter Two
    “I ’m so glad you could make it.”
    Bev St. John hugged Cameron after the christening service, then looped her arm through his as they walked back up the wide aisle of Santa Monica Church.
    “You don’t know how much this means to me to have all my boys here for my first grandbaby’s milestone,” Bev said, her wide smile spreading across her face.
    Straight ahead, near the tall double doors, Nora and Eli stood with Megan. Megan held his infant niece, who was just over a year old. Cameron’s heart filled. The glow on Megan’s face as she placed a kiss on top of Amber’s curly blond head solidified the fact he couldn’t be the man for her. She would be an amazing, loving, selfless mother. Just not to his kids.
    Cameron’s dad, Mac, approached and looked over Megan’s shoulder, smiling down at his granddaughter. Cameron didn’t know where Megan would be if it weren’t for his family. She’d taken to them even before her parents had died suddenly, but she’d really leaned on them during that difficult time. Even as strong as Megan was, she’d been so blindsided by the shock of losing both parents, and then taking over the care of her younger brother when she’d barely gotten out of high school herself. “I’m so glad Megan could make it.” His mother’s soft tone pulled him back. “I just love that girl.”
    Over the years his mother had made it no secret she wouldn’t mind Megan being part of the family—in the legal, choosing-china-patterns type of way. Of course now that Eli and Drake were taken, his mom would just have to settle for Megan being a friend and the daughter she’d never had.
    Cameron steered them toward the little grouping, and Megan glanced up, caught his eye and smiled. Yeah, there was that invisible pull once again that threatened to wrap around his neck and strangle him.
    He wanted her. Wanted her so much sometimes he physically hurt. But she deserved more.
    The memory of the darkest time in his life took over. His partner had taken a bullet meant for Cameron. On his last breath, his partner had made Cameron promise to make sure his wife knew he loved her.
    That moment changed everything. Letting a woman into his life, letting her get close enough to be devastated like his partner’s wife had been, was not something he’d ever take a chance with. If he entered into a deeper relationship with Megan and something happened to him, it would kill her. Besides, worrying about her while he was trying to do his job was a sure way for him to get hurt. He needed to concentrate, needed to keep Megan out of his mind.
    If he could only figure out how the hell to do that.
    “Megan, you look beautiful, as always.” His mom leaned forward and kissed Megan’s cheek. “Thanks for being here today.”
    “I wouldn’t miss it.”
    “Are you and Megan coming to eat with us after?” Eli asked Cameron. “We’re heading to that new Italian place just outside of town.”
    Cameron started to agree, but Megan chimed in. “I have to get home, but if you want to go, go ahead.”
    Oh, no.
If she was going home to wait on her freeloading brother to show, Cameron would be right there with her. No way would Evan try to pull her into this latest mess. Hell no.
    “I need to head out, too,” Cameron stated. Work was always beckoning, so he knew everyone would just assume that’s why he needed to go. “And she’s my ride.”
    Cameron and Megan said their goodbyes and stepped out of the church. The bright sun hit them as they descended the concrete steps. Cameron pulled his glasses from his jacket pocket and slid them on to block the brightness. A headache from lack of sleep and plenty of worry had settled in, and the fiery glare was making it worse.
    “Skipping out?”
    Cameron turned to see his other