A Touch of Heaven Read online

  “A pair of what?” Cam wasn’t sure what Lily was talking about most of the time but that was mainly because her brain was normally going a million miles an hour and her mouth wasn’t that far behind.

  “A sad pair. We can’t even find people to have a meal with. If you won’t come over and have grilled cheese and popcorn with me, then I’ve lost all hope. You were my last hope, Cameron Greene, and even you don’t want to share a midnight snack with me!” Her tone held just a hint of mirth and theatrics and she added a long suffering sigh for good measure.

  “And you know what’s worse?” he asked, ignoring her

  “That I got kicked out of acting classes?”

  Cam sighed. He loved that Lily kept things light and always made him smile but sometimes he wanted to reel her in and have a serious conversation. “Thanksgiving is right around the corner.”

  “And you’ve suddenly lost your love of a turkey dinner?”

  “Focus, Lily!” he snapped and then immediately apologized for his tone. “The holidays are here, my friend. That means that there will be a steady stream of parties and get-togethers that we are going to be forced to go to and will have potential spouses thrown at us from every angle.”

  “Personally I’m waiting for them to just position us at the foot of the driveway with mistletoe over our heads and signs taped to our chests that say ‘Please marry us’.” The thought sent a shiver down her spine because she was really only partially kidding. Lately her mother had really seemed to kick up the campaign to marry Lily off. Not a day went by where Lily wasn’t asked if she’d met anyone decent or what her plans were for the future.

  Dealing with her mother was an exhaustive full-time job within itself.

  “I think it’s safe to say,” Cam began, breaking into her train of thought, “that neither of us is looking forward to another holiday season spent ducking and weaving through get-togethers to avoid the match-making patrol. Agreed?”

  “Agreed. But what choice do we have? Other than packing our bags right now and both of us moving overseas to get away from the insanity?”

  “I’m being serious here.”

  “You’re always serious, Cam. I’m trying to get you to break that habit.” When she got no response from him she sighed with annoyance. “Okay, what do you have in mind?”

  “We take ourselves off of the market. If we’re involved with other people, they can’t spend their time trying to marry us off.”

  “But we’re not involved with other people; that’s the problem. Isn’t that what we’ve been talking about for the last hour? I’m so confused…”

  “You’re not confused, Lily, and don’t play the ditzy card with me,” he said patiently. “I’m saying that we pretend that we are involved. We. You and me.”

  Another snort of laughter broke free before she could stop it. “Are you crazy? Have you completely lost your mind? No one is going to believe that for a second!”

  “Why not?” he snapped, not liking being laughed at.

  “We’ve been friends for, like, ever, for starters. If anything was ever going to happen between us, it would have happened by now. You know it, I know it, and they know it. It will never work.”

  “Just…hear me out, okay?” he asked and was grateful when she didn’t argue. “I’ve got a conference up in New York next week. Come with me.”

  Lily sat there in silence wondering where her level-headed friend went. When he didn’t elaborate on the rest of his plan, she finally spoke up. “What will that prove?”

  “The day we’re due back is the official beginning of the season, at least according to my mother. You know that both of our families get together and map out the party strategies and travel plans. We can show up there together, announce our new-found romance and they’ll be so thrilled that they’ll leave us alone. We can break up after New Year’s and then they’ll be too heartbroken over the whole thing to upset either of us and we can milk the breakup angle for another month or two. If all goes as planned, we can be off of the radar for about four months.”

  “Cameron Greene, I always knew that you were a genius, I just never realized you were an evil genius!” Lily said excitedly. “It’s brilliant! They love us both so they’re not going to have an issue with us dating; they’ll get all giddy at the thought of merging our families and while they’re busy picking china patterns, we will have a relaxing holiday. I’m telling you, you’ve done me proud.”

  “Aw…I’m blushing,” he teased. “So what do you say? We leave Monday morning for New York.”

  “Wow, that’s quick,” Lily said, mentally going over her calendar. “I don’t know, Cam; that’s only three days to get someone to cover for me at the coffee shop and…”

  “When did you start working at a coffee shop?”

  Lily growled in frustration. “You need to keep up, Cam! If we’re going to be all in love and dating and whatnot, you are going to have to keep up with what’s going on in my life.”

  “Maybe try doing a little…shall we say…less with your life for the next couple of months.”

  “What would be the fun in that?”

  “We leave for the airport Monday morning at seven. I’ll make all of the travel arrangements; all you have to do is show up.”

  “What am I supposed to do all day while you’re at your conference?”

  “Seriously, Lil? Do you think you’ll be bored in Manhattan?”

  “Okay, you’ve got a point.” She stopped and thought of all of the possibilities. “I do have one request as your girlfriend.”

  “Already?”

  “I’ve only just begun,” she teased. “Can I get an afternoon at a spa? You know, manicure, pedicure, facial, massage…the works?”

  “Is that all?” he asked, knowing that with Lily, things were never quite that cut and dry.

  “And can I eat food from the street vendors without getting a daily lecture from you?” Lily waited for Cam’s response. And waited. And waited. “Cameron?”

  “You’re going to be the death of me, you realize that right?”

  “Me? After your traumatic date with Kitten?”

  “Her name wasn’t Kitten,” he laughed. “And it wasn’t traumatic.”

  “Okay, maybe it wasn’t traumatic but you have to admit, dating me is going to be way more fun than any of the other women you’ve dated.”

  “That is certainly true,” he agreed and then paused. “I’ll be in meetings during the day and we have a couple of dinners to go to but maybe we can take a night to just go sightseeing. What do you say?” Lily was quiet and if Cam knew anything it was that a quiet Lily was not a good thing. “Lil? What’s the matter?”

  “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea,” she said quietly. “I mean, this conference is a big deal for you I’m sure and I don’t want to do anything to embarrass you.”

  Cam wished that he was there with her right now so that he could hug her. “Why would you even think such a thing?”

  “Because you’re you – this super genius guy – and I’m…me. A woman with no real job, no real talent and no idea of what I want to do with my life. I don’t want your colleagues looking at you like you’re an idiot for dating someone like me. I mean, you can go to the dinners and all that; I can hang out at the hotel. You don’t have to take me along.”

  “Are you kidding me?” he asked, more than a little offended. “Lily, I am tired of you putting yourself down. I know why you do it; your parents have made sure that you feel like you’re inferior but let me tell you what I see. I see a beautiful woman with an amazing smile and the greatest laugh that always makes me feel better. You have a way of making everyone around you feel special and I am going to be the envy of every man at that conference because I’m going to have the most beautiful woman in the world on my arm.”

  And he was telling the truth. For as far back as Cameron could remember, he’d been in love with Lily Cavanaugh. While everyone else around them treated him like a freak because of his intelligence, L
ily always just treated him as Cam; her friend. He’d never once considered telling her how he felt because the last thing in the world that he wanted was to lose Lily as his friend. Most days she was the only thing that kept him sane.

  “Thank you,” she finally whispered and Cam knew that people didn’t compliment Lily nearly as much as she deserved.

  “Get some sleep,” he said softly, loving the fact that Lily’s voice was the last thing he was going to hear before going to bed. “I’ll call you on Sunday and let you know our itinerary.”

  “Cam?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you for asking me to be your pretend girlfriend,” she said sleepily. “I promise that I’ll be the best pretend girlfriend that you ever had. You may never want to let me go.”

  That was Cam’s biggest fear.

  “Good night, Lil,” he said in a near whisper. “Sweet dreams.”

  “Night, Cam.”

  About the Author

  New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan's Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40's to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.

  Her second book, a holiday novella titled "The Christmas Cottage" hit #10 on Amazon's Overall Best Seller List on Christmas Eve. It was a great Christmas gift! Watching the numbers rise and fall is a daily roller coaster ride but definitely an exciting one! And on February 25th, she released the follow up novella - "Ever After".

  In March 2013, "The Christmas Cottage" was nominated for two Indie Romance Convention Award - Best Indie Romance Novella and Best Indie Contemporary Romance while Samantha was nominated for Indie Author of the Year! In August 2013, the video trailer for "Wait for Me" won an Oscar for Indie Author Book Trailer!

  More titles quickly followed: "Catering to the CEO", "Wait for Me" (Montgomery Brothers book 1), "Trust in Me" (Montgomery Brothers book 2), "In the Eye of the Storm", and "Stay With Me" (Montgomery Brothers book 3) and she shows no signs of slowing down. "Catering to the CEO" was included in the romance bundle "Loving the CEO" - a five-book package - that made the New York Times and the USA Today Bestseller list. The second half of 2013 has Samantha planning another five releases.

  When she's not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, blogging, playing way too many games of Scrabble on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 24 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

  Where to Find Samantha Chase

  Facebook –

  https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaChaseFanClub

  Twitter –

  https://twitter.com/SamanthaChase3

  Website –

  www.chasing-romance.com

  Amazon -

  http://www.amazon.com/Samantha-Chase/e/B006CZWRGC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

  Samantha Chase

  A Touch

  of Heaven

  © 2013, Samantha Chase

  Self publishing

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author / publisher