He let out a mirthless laugh. “Hell, yes. Many. I failed Rowan, and in some ways, my dad too. Finding out he needed me was just another nail in the coffin. Or so I thought. All of it felt like a noose around my neck at first. But I found a relationship with my dad that I didn’t know I needed. And then there’s Gavin and Winnie, who are family now too. Gavin, who lives unapologetically as he is, owning his mistakes and trying to make right what he can. I admire the hell out of that, Piper. And Winnie . . .” He shook his head with a small smile. “Twenty years old and made of one hundred percent bravado and sarcasm. She’s going to be one hell of a mom when she finds her sea legs, but she won’t be in it alone. She’ll have all of us.” He drew a breath. “I’ve fallen for all of them. And there’s something else I fell for too. Someone.” He looked at her. “You.”

She sucked in a breath. “What?”

“I love you, Piper.”

She shook her head. “No. You can’t.”

He gave a small quirk of his lips. “I know you like to control . . . everything. But not even you can tell me how or when or what to feel.”

“But . . .” Boggled, she shook her head. “Why?”

“Why do I love you? Easy. Your energy fuels my soul.”

She blinked. “My bad attitude, you mean? That fuels your soul?”

He smiled. “Your everything. You’re the calm in the storm.”

She stared at him. “Now I know you’ve lost it.”

“I mean every word. I love how you treat people. My dad, for instance. And Sweet Cheeks.”

“She’s not a people. She’s the anti-Christ.”

“You know what I mean. You give respect and dignity, even when it’s not always deserved. I love how you can always make me laugh, especially when I need it most. I love how you kiss me. I love how you just gathered me in and added me to your core unit.” He shook his head. “That means a lot. Actually, it means everything to me.”

There was no air. Why was there no air? “I got into U of C,” she said inanely.

He smiled. “Good. Congratulations. They’re lucky to have you.”

“Cam . . .” She closed her eyes because he was so amazing and gracious and kind. And supportive. She didn’t even know how to tell him how much that meant to her. “I can’t be the girl who changes her plans for the guy,” she whispered.

“I know.” His hand covered hers. “But I can be the guy who changes his plans for a girl.”

Her eyes flew open. “What?”

“I could move to Colorado. With you.”

“But the DEA . . .”

“I’ll figure it out, but I’m not living for my job.”

“But you’d have to move.”