[This post is from Cameron’s point of view.]
“Do you think I should ride out with them?”
It was a long time before the words came, and longer still before Neve answered him. Her voice was quiet, muffled by his shirt. “What do you think you should do? What does your heart say?”
He reached down, his fingers brushing over her arms where they were wrapped around his waist. “I don’t know. I can’t hear it right now. There’s too much rattling around in my head.”
Neve huffed a quiet laugh. “I suppose I know how that feels. Do you think it’s as conflicted as your head is?”
“Maybe,” he murmured. “I feel like I should go with them, but at the same time, I feel like my place is with you and the kids. If I go, who protects you? Who protects all the others that are staying behind?”
“We’ll manage,” Neve said, her arms tightening for a second. “Besides, we’re not going to need protection. Everything will be fine, Cam, no matter what. This attack—this preemptive strike—it’s not going to fail. I know it. It can’t.”
“I wish I had your confidence,” he whispered. “God, Neve, I wish I could be as sure as you are.”
“Well, someone has to be while everyone else is being maudlin and losing hope. Don’t worry, it won’t last.” She peeked around his shoulder, grinning playfully. Cameron couldn’t help but smile.
“I love you,” he said. “I don’t say it often enough.”
“You say it pretty often.”
“Not enough.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek. Cameron squeezed her arm.
“I still haven’t decided,” he said.
“You will.” She kissed the back of his neck, then let go. “Come take a nap. It’ll help.”
“Are you sure of that, too?”
Neve shot him a crooked smile. “Pretty sure, at least.”
She turned, then, and started to leave. Cameron sighed, watching her, then racked the brush and followed her out. Maybe she was right.
Even if she wasn’t, that was fine. She wasn’t wrong about him being able to use the rest.
