18 Months Later

Isabel walked out of NYU’s Medical School after taking her last final. Even though she was exhausted, she was happy. It was over. Elation swept through her. It’d been a difficult year, but she’d done it, and she was pretty sure that she’d aced all of her exams, which was no small feat. The spring air hit her, and her phone buzzed. Pulling it out of her pocket, she was surprised to see a text from Cam.

They’d sporadically texted all year, and it’d been hard because … she still thought about all those moments they’d been together. The moments she’d been falling in love with a man who could never love her back.

Her mind flitted to the fact that when the Storm had won a championship game this past year and she’d texted him, he’d texted her right back a bunch of happy emoji’s. Then, a couple of days later, he’d texted her quite a long response, telling her thank you, and also telling her about how he’d been going to non-mandated therapy and how it was helping. He told her he’d bought a house in Castle Rock, a suburb of Denver. He’d asked her if she wanted to have dinner and see the house the next time she was in town.

She’d texted him back and explained that she wouldn’t have a break from med school until the end of May. It’d surprised her because they’d actually been texting a bit more regularly since then. Nothing serious, just little inside jokes about monkeys hitting you in the face or “catching a baby.” Or just things only they would get.

The text today had a random Hawaiian emoji and asked, ‘I wonder how your boyfriend is doing?’

She laughed and immediately sent back a salsa dancer.

‘Can we have dinner?’ The next text asked.

She stopped to text him that she wasn’t coming back to Fort Collins for the summer. She was staying in New York.

Before she could text him back, a limo pulled up to the curb, and the door opened.

Without warning, Cameron Cruz stepped out, wearing jeans, a button-down shirt, and that perfect facial hair.

Her heart sped up like she was racing in the Indy 500. Dang, the man was larger than life and didn’t EVER disappoint.

A huge grin was on his face.

“Wh-what are you doing here?” She thought of the fact her hair was swept back in a bandana thing, and she was wearing jeans and a plain blue Storm t-shirt. The same one he’d given her.

“Nice t-shirt,” he said, a twinkle in his eyes. Not just a twinkle, but if she were looking at him as a possible client, she would say the man was rested, happy, and excited about something.

“Cam?” She was breathless, and emotion welled inside of her. “What?”

Then he was in front of her, taking her hand. “I’ve wanted to come for a while, but I didn’t want to distract you from school. I’m ready now.”

Stupefied would be a good way to describe how she felt. She blinked.

He squeezed her hand and let out a long breath. “I mean, Persuasion, right?” He grinned. “That is, if you’re ready.”

Overwhelmed, she couldn’t believe he was really here. She couldn’t believe that he was saying this.

“Persuasion, Izz, remember?” he said again.

She laughed and knew tears were misting her eyes. “I remember. Timing.”

Then he was leaning in, and she met his lips, and … then pulled back, looking into his eyes and seeing that, not only was he healed, but he might be …

“I love you, Izz.” He blinked. “I fell in love with you clear back when I was in the middle of a bunch of crap, but now … I want you.”

The center of her chest filled with love and hope and everything she’d wanted way back then with him. “I love you, too.”

He let out a light laugh. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

They kissed again and everything seemed to happen in that moment.

A whole lifetime.

A romance that could only happen with a billionaire, flying back and forth by private jet between New York and Denver.

A proposal at the top of the Empire State Building when her sister and mother and Alicia and Craig and Jon and Paul were in town with him.

A wedding in Storm Stadium that felt more like a movie.

Delivering babies at Denver Hospital.

Her own pregnancies—four kids, all boys—all little football players, and Cam proudly carting them to work at the stadium with him anytime she was on call.

A life of …

Pain.

Loss.

Grief.

Grace.

Love.

A life of everything together.

And it was perfect.

Thank you for reading ‘The Midnight Groom.’

Available now—

The Betting Groom—Will Kent’s story

The Risky Groom—Dalton Ruff’s story

The Haunted Groom—Evan Cook’s story