I close the door behind us and lead him over to my built-ins. “Well, my dad rehabs the houses. I’m a bit more specialized…”

His eyebrows lift. “You did this?”

“Yeah. It’s not as impressive if you didn’t see the before. Here.” I pull out my phone and scroll to the old photos. To his credit, Cam seems to really study them.

“That’s incredible. They’re stunning. Is this the original oak?”

“Well spotted,” I say, beaming. “It is. Nothing better than the original.”

He runs his hand along an unfinished piece with a reverence I recognize.

“What about you?” I ask. “Where’ve you been?”

“Here and there,” he says, and I know he’s not being cryptic. He’s honestly been everywhere in the last six years.

“How’s National Geographic?” That’s the spirit. We’ll talk around the memories. Like friends without complicated pasts do.

“It’s good. We just wrapped a series on the cloud forests in Ecuador.”

“Wow. Interesting.”

He nods, a little distracted. “It was, but I’m glad for the break. My mom’s thrilled. She’s been begging me to come home for a visit ever since she and my dad made their split official.”

My heart jolts. Damn. “I didn’t know about your parents, Cam. I’m sorry.”

He shrugs. “It’s okay. It was a long time coming. She moved not too far from here, actually, outside Grand Rapids, and I flew in last night to stay with her for a bit.”

Weird how I’d somehow managed to forget Cameron was born and raised in Michigan, too. It was something of an inside joke with us on the set of Jackson—two Midwestern kids in the middle of all that glitz. (Lyle was a local, of course.) But in the years since, I guess I just always pictured Cameron in some exotic, worldly destination. He felt so far away from the comfort of evergreen-lined lakes and rolling green hills.

Not that I pictured him that often.

“So, what else? Married? Dating? Kids?” I ask, as casual as I can manage, which is admittedly not very casual.

“Not right now, no. You?”

“Nah. A few dates here and there, but I’ve been focused on my work. Speaking of…” I pick up the varnish. “Do you mind? I need to get this done before the crew comes back tomorrow.”

“Can I help?” he asks. I hesitate, and Cam notices. “It’s okay, I don’t have to—”

“No!” I say. “It’s fine. Thank you. There’s an extra brush and a spare mask over by my coat.” I gesture toward the pile. “I’m not used to having other people around, but I can make an exception.”