All You Need is Love: Green Mountain Book One (A Green Mountain Romance)

by Marie Force

  With Lucy’s assistance, the PowerPoint presentation came to life, and along with it the design that took into account the family, the store, the town and the state. It had taken hour upon hour—much more time than she’d normally devote to any one client—to capture it the way she saw it in her mind, and judging from the reactions of the family to the panoramic banner photo she’d taken of the town with the store at its heart, she’d managed to get it just right.

  “It’s incredible, Cameron,” Molly said, sounding a bit emotional. “Truly incredible.”

  Fueled by Molly’s praise, Cameron took them through the “About” section, which began with a photo of Elmer, looking adorable and mischievous as he told the story of how the store was founded by his parents during the Depression to help the local residents get through the tough times together. Cameron had used his exact words, which she had recorded, for the text on the opening page. She’d included scanned ledgers and pictures of Elmer with his late wife, Sarah, who’d run the store with him for decades after his parents retired.

  A sniffle in the back of the room caught her attention, and she saw Elmer wipe a tear from his eye. He nodded to her, his approval evident.

  The “About” section continued with a photo of Lincoln and the five siblings who ran the various departments as well as individual photos of Hannah in her studio, Landon sitting outside his barn carving a headboard, Lucas at the Christmas tree farm, and Colton and Max at the sugarhouse. At the bottom was the group photo from Will’s office that she had taken apart one afternoon to scan and put back together before he noticed.

  “You got everyone in there,” Lincoln said gruffly.

  “Even Ringo and George,” Cameron added, to laughter as her favorite picture of the dogs, next to the stove in the store, came on the screen. “And Cletus and Percy.” As she said the name Cletus, she finally glanced at Will and received a warm, amused smile that took her breath away. She quickly diverted her gaze before she lost the thin thread of composure she was clinging to.

  The final portion of the “About” section was devoted to Lincoln’s collection of Beatles memorabilia.

  “Check it out!” Colton said in a teasing tone. “Someone knows how to get in good with the old man!”

  As his siblings laughed and weighed in with their agreement, Lincoln said, “Hush up, all of you, and let me enjoy this.”

  Molly took his hand and squeezed, which Cameron found endearing.

  With Dottie’s help one afternoon, Cameron had ventured into the room the Abbott kids called “The Vault,” which housed their father’s prized collection. She’d taken hundreds of photographs that day, which she displayed on the site in a series of collages featuring Fab Four collectibles.

  “How’d you get into my secret room?” Lincoln asked with a playful scowl.

  She winked at him. “With a little help from my friends.”

  The comment took down the house.

  “Totally awesome,” Lincoln said, beaming with pleasure.

  “Glad you like it,” Cameron said, thrilled with his reaction.

  Next, she took them through the “Vermont Made” section, where she’d spent most of her time ahead of this presentation. It included a text interview with Will about the product line along with an adorable photo of him—she’d had hundreds to choose from, and picking the right one had been her favorite part of the job. Leading from the main page were links to some of the Vermont-originated products that were carried in the store, including Colton’s syrup, Hannah’s jewelry and Landon’s woodwork.

  “I kept it to the family offerings for this presentation, but you can see the potential to add more Vermont Made items as we continue to grow the site. Once we make the e-commerce function live, you can sell products from the store online and begin to recoup your investment.”

  “Excellent,” Hunter said.

  “Had a feeling you might like that part,” Cameron said, smiling at him. “Under the main navigation bar, you’ll note the headings for Health and Wellness, Home and Hearth, Tasty Treats, Clothing and Old-Time Favorites. Any of the headings can be changed. For now they’re placeholders until you all decide what the final subject areas should be. Under the Tasty Treats section, I envision a separate area for Grandma Stillman’s cookie recipes and other family recipes you might want to share.”

  “Sarah would approve of that,” Elmer said, nodding.

  “I thought so, too, Dad,” Molly said.

  “That’s what I’ve done so far,” Cameron said. “As you can tell, we’ve still got a long way to go. At this stage, anything and everything is open for discussion, revision, editing, redoing. It’s your site, and our goal is to make it a reflection of your business and your family. I’m sure you have questions, and I’m happy to answer them.”

  Her comment was met by resounding silence.

  “No questions?” she asked, her heart racing in anticipation of spending time alone with Will soon. “Does that ever happen, Luce?”

  “Never, but I’ve also never seen a site as amazing as this one right out of the gate.”

  Embarrassed by her partner’s blatant praise, Cameron felt her face get hot.

  “I think I probably speak for everyone when I say nothing I could’ve imagined would have come close to what you’ve given us,” Lincoln said. “It’s beautiful and imaginative and sentimental. It’s absolutely wonderful, and I clearly chose the right person for the job.”

  “Couldn’t have said it better myself, Linc,” Elmer said. “I had no idea such things were even possible.”

  “You would if you broke down and got a computer to go with your TV, Gramps,” Lucas said.

  “The TV was more than enough,” Elmer replied.

  “I agree with Lincoln,” Molly said. “It’s astonishing. It’s like a living, breathing testament to our family’s history and what we’ve tried to accomplish here. Kudos, Cameron, on a job very well done.”

  Everyone seemed to be talking at once, weighing in on what they’d liked best and ideas for the unfinished sections.

  Battling a rush of complicated emotions, Cameron glanced at Lucy, who gave her a dimpled smile and a thumbs-up. Cameron was high on the adrenaline coursing through her veins from the successful presentation and the awareness of Will sitting on the left side of the table, watching her every move.

  She couldn’t wait to be alone with him and to finally have the chance to tell him how she felt about him.

  CHAPTER 19

  Sometimes you get and sometimes you get got.

  —The gospel according to Elmer Stillman

  One by one, the family members began to leave the room, each of them praising the site on the way out.

  “I like to think I can admit when I was wrong about something,” Wade said. “I still don’t think we need a website, but you’ve succeeded in showing me how beneficial it can be. Thanks for your hard work.”

  “Thank you, Wade. That’s very nice of you to say.”

  Working around his crutches, Elmer enveloped Cameron in a big hug that brought tears to her eyes. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart, young lady. You’ve helped to ensure that what my parents started and Sarah and I continued will live on long after we’re gone.”

  “I’m so glad you’re happy with it. I knew you’d be my toughest critic if it wasn’t up to par.”

  “You’re darned right about that.” He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “My grandson has been a mess without you. I sure do hope you’re back to stay.” Before she could formulate a reply to the audacious statement, he kissed her cheek and moved along.

  “Great job, Cameron,” Hunter said. “I’ll be in my office.”

  “Thanks. I’ll meet you there in a minute.”

  Only Molly, Lincoln and Will remained as Cameron and Lucy packed up their equipment.

  “Lucy,” Molly said. “Linc and I go to our favorite Italian place in St. Johnsbury every Friday night. I wonder if you might like to join us tonight?”

  “I’d love t
o. Thanks for the invite.”

  “Great. We’ll pick you up at the inn around six thirty.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  Molly hugged Cameron. “I’d invite you, too, but I suspect you’re going to get a better offer.” She kissed Cameron’s cheek. “We sure did miss you while you were gone. Don’t forget about Sunday dinner.”

  As she looked into the face of the woman who’d been more of a mother to her in the short time she’d known her than any other woman ever had, Cameron said, “I wouldn’t miss it.”

  Molly squeezed her arms and left with her husband and the dogs.

  “I need to speak to Hunter about something,” Cameron said to Lucy and Will, who hung back waiting for her. “I’ll be just a minute.”

  Will’s brows knitted with what might’ve been displeasure, but he didn’t say anything.

  “Don’t say anything to make him run away,” Cameron said to Lucy on her way out the door.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” Lucy said with an angelic smile that made Will snort with laughter.

  Cameron knocked on Hunter’s open door. “Here I am. Mind if I close the door?”

  “Do you promise you’re not going to hammer me about Megan?”

  “I promise. This time anyway.”

  He gave her a reluctant grin and gestured for her to close the door.

  The moment the door clicked closed, Cameron experienced a flutter of nerves. This was the part of her plan she was most unsure of. “I was wondering if I could speak to you in your capacity as HR director.”

  He sat back in his chair, pencil in hand. As always, he was impeccably turned out in a starched dress shirt. “What about?”

  “I’d like to apply for a job that doesn’t yet exist within your company.”

  One dark brow lifted toward his hairline. “And what job would that be?”

  “Webmaster.”

  “The word master in the title tends to connote something slightly above an entry-level position.”

  Cameron smiled. “Maybe just above entry level. I’m willing to take a pay cut if necessary. I’ve heard the cost of living in Vermont is slightly less than New York City.”

  “Slightly. So you’d manage this proposed position from here rather than there?”

  “That’s the plan.”

  Hunter tapped his pencil against his lips as he appeared to think it over. “Does Will know about this?”

  “Nope.”

  “Why not go to him with it?”

  “Because I didn’t want our personal relationship to influence a business decision.”

  “But your personal relationship is influencing your desire to relocate, right?”

  “That question is highly inappropriate in a job interview, Mr. Abbott, which you should know as director of HR,” she said with a grin.

  “It’s also highly inappropriate to invent a job for yourself within someone else’s company.”

  “Touché,” she said, enjoying the sparring match. Underneath his stuffy exterior was a nice guy with a dry wit.

  “Tell me you’re here for him, will you, please? Inappropriate or not, I’d really like to know the answer to that question.”

  “I’m here for him.”

  “Thank goodness,” Hunter said with a sigh of relief. “He’s been a wreck since you left. It’s been hard to see him like that. Reminds us of another time, only this has been far worse.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. If it makes you feel any better, it’s been the same for me.”

  Hunter eyed her, as if there was something he wanted to say but wasn’t sure he should.

  “What?”

  “I probably shouldn’t tell you this . . .”

  “Tell me what?”

  “He’s going to kill me for telling you.”

  “If you don’t tell me right now, I’m going to kill you.”

  “He’d planned to go with you.”

  “Go with me where?”

  “Back to New York when you left. He borrowed clothes from me and asked my folks to watch his dogs. He wanted to see where you lived and meet your friends and get a look at the place. He didn’t think it was fair, if you two were going to make a go of it, that he should assume you’d be the one to move.”

  “Why didn’t he come?” Cameron asked in a whisper, stunned by what Hunter was telling her.

  “Because he heard you tell your friend you weren’t moving to Vermont, and you told him you needed some time to figure things out. So he gave it to you.”

  “Oh God. Poor Will! I would’ve loved to have more time with him and to show him my city.”

  “You still can do that, you know, before you make any decisions about moving.”

  She shook her head. “I’ve already made my decision. I’ll let you think about the job proposal. No pressure. If it’s not doable, I’ll figure something else out. But this is where I want to be.”

  “It’s probably time you told Will that.”

  “It’s past time. Thanks for listening to my idea.”

  “Cam?”

  His use of her nickname warmed her heart. “Yes?”

  “We’ll figure something out with the job. I can’t imagine turning that beautiful website over to anyone but you. I could feel your affection for my family and our business in every frame of that presentation.”

  “Thank you, Hunter.”

  “Thank you—especially for coming back and for dealing with Will for us.”

  “I’ll take very good care of him. Don’t worry.”

  He nodded his approval, and she left his office, wanting to be with Will more than she’d ever wanted anything in her entire life.

  She found Lucy alone in the conference room, attempting to check her e-mail on her phone and scowling in frustration. “What’ve you done with Will?”

  “He’s in his office. He said he’d wait for you there. Didn’t seem too pleased that you were powwowing with his brother before you sucked face with him.”

  “Very funny. Will you be able to find your way back to the inn, or do I need to escort you?”

  “Since I know you’re dying to jump his sexy bones, I’ll put you out of your misery and tell you I’m more than capable of finding my way next door.” She gathered up her things and stood. “I’ll get my stuff out of the car and leave the keys for you under the driver’s side mat so you can get your bag. Leave me the keys, and I’ll lock it up when I go to dinner.”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Great job today, partner. You were on fire.”

  “Thanks for being here. It helped.”

  “Anytime. Call me in the a.m.?” Lucy had a return ticket for a Monday morning flight back to the city. Cameron had left her return open-ended.

  “Will do, but probably on the landline in your room. The cell service sucks.”

  “So I’ve discovered.” She rested a hand on Cameron’s arm. “Tell him everything, Cam. Don’t leave anything unsaid.”

  “I won’t.”

  “Good luck, not that I think you’ll need it. That man was devouring you with his eyes every minute of your presentation.”

  Lucy walked out, said good-bye to Mary and went down the stairs.

  Cameron’s stomach twisted with nerves as she picked up her lightweight jacket and purse and headed for Will’s office.

  When she appeared in the doorway, he looked up from what he was doing. “All done?”

  “Yes. For now.”

  “Want to get out of here?”

  The lump in her throat made it impossible to speak so she nodded.

  He got up, grabbed his coat and keys and gestured for her to lead the way. “I’ll be gone the rest of the day, Mary.”

  His gruffly spoken words had every cell in Cameron’s body standing at full alert, intensely aware of him and the hand he placed on her lower back as he ushered her out the door.

  “Thanks again for the gift, Cameron,” Mary called after them. “So good to see you.”

  “You, too!”

 
“Where’s your stuff?” Will asked when they reached the foyer at the bottom of the stairs.

  “In the rental car across the street.”

  “Why don’t you grab it, and I’ll pick you up out front.”

  “Okay.”

  “Unless . . .”

  “Unless what?”

  He was adorably uncertain as he propped his hands on his hips. “Unless I’m being presumptuous as all hell thinking you want to come home with me as badly as I want you there.”

  Her heart beat fast with excitement and relief that nothing at all had changed between them during the long month apart. “You’re not being presumptuous.”

  “Good. I’ll be right there.”

  Not wanting to waste a second with him, she ventured across the street to the car. The keys were right where Lucy had said they would be. Cameron retrieved her small bag from the trunk and returned the keys to the hiding spot under the mat, which is something else she’d never dare do in the city. But here in Butler the car would be perfectly safe until Lucy locked it up later.

  Will came along in his truck and pulled into a parking space near where she was standing. Like always, he got out to hold the door for her and stashed her bag behind the seat. When she was settled, he closed the door and jogged around the front of the truck to get in the driver’s seat.

  She expected him to immediately back out of the parking space and head for the cabin, but he didn’t. Rather, he looked over at her, seeming to drink her in with his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

  “Absolutely nothing. For the first time in a very long month, absolutely nothing is wrong.”

  “I missed you, too.”

  “I can’t believe you’re actually sitting in my truck again like you never left. I’m not going to wake up to discover this very nice day was all a dream, am I?”

  Smiling, she shook her head.

  “I need to kiss you right now. I can’t wait until we get home, not after having to sit through your awesome presentation and pretend like I wasn’t dying to drag you out of there—”