Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 651

As soon as Camila Davis finished her question, she realized something was off.

Wait... was that alcohol she smelled?

She leaned in a little closer to Dennis, discreetly sniffing the air around him.

Yep, there it was—a faint hint of whiskey, sweet and subtle, mingling with his crisp cologne. Instead of being off-putting, the scent was oddly intoxicating.

Dennis noticed her little investigation, a playful glint flickering in his eyes. “Just got done with a fundraiser. Missed you, so I came over. Lucky me, I get to see you right away.”

He pulled her in—no hesitations, no questions asked—and kissed her.

They’d both been so busy lately, barely finding a moment to be together. Now, with her in his arms, Dennis had zero intention of holding back.

But after the kiss, he paused, suddenly remembering. “Does the whiskey breath bother you?”

Camila shook her head, a soft smile on her lips. “Not at all.”

Honestly, there was nothing about Dennis she could possibly dislike. If anything, she was just happy to have him close.

He clearly picked up on that, his smile deepening as he leaned in for another kiss, this one tasting faintly of bourbon and a hint of sweetness, under the silver moonlight.

By the time they broke apart, Camila was still catching her breath, resting against his chest.

Dennis wrapped his arms around her, his broad hand gently tracing circles on her back. “You’ve lost weight. When are you finally going to stop running yourself ragged?”

Camila blinked, genuinely surprised. “Have I?”

She hadn’t noticed any difference herself.

He nodded. “Yeah, I can tell when I hold you.”

Camila glanced up, trusting him completely. “It's just this early phase. Everything’s crazy right now, but it’ll slow down soon.”

She tucked her head under his chin, her voice warm and content. “Sure, it’s exhausting, but I love being busy with something I actually care about. Feels good, you know?”

Dennis saw the spark in her eyes as she spoke about her work, and he couldn’t help but soften a little.

Still, his tone was firm. “You can love your job all you want, but you still need to eat properly.”

He hadn’t forgotten her skipping meals back when she was working in Harrisburg. Back then, he didn’t have an official title—he and Lillian had to sneak over with takeout for her.

Now, he could look after her openly, and he intended to do just that.

Camila felt a little guilty. She’d only skipped a meal or two—was it really that obvious?

“Okay, okay,” she promised quickly. “From now on, I’ll send you a picture before every meal. You can check up on me.”

Sarah Brown stood up, brushing leaves from her hair. Camila hurried over to help her, plucking a couple of stray twigs from her friend’s jacket.

Sarah looked mortified—especially when she caught Dennis’s cool, amused expression.

“I swear, I wasn’t trying to spy on you two!” Sarah rushed to explain. “I got here early to see Lillian, and I thought I’d wait for you. Then I heard your car, so I came outside to say hi—”

Who could’ve guessed she’d walk right into a full-on make-out session?

Suddenly, Camila’s cheeks turned scarlet as she realized what Sarah must have seen. Oh God, had she witnessed everything?

Desperate to change the subject, Camila stammered, “So, uh, what did you need?”

Sarah was grateful for the shift, nodding quickly. “Just wanted to chat for a minute. Something important, actually.”

She glanced anxiously at Dennis, then added, “I promise I won’t keep her long, Mr. Williams. Can I borrow Camila for just a few minutes?”

Dennis had always liked Sarah—she was loyal, and she knew when to make herself scarce. He nodded graciously. “Of course, Ms. Brown. Take your time.”

Sarah looked relieved. “Thanks! You go on ahead. We’ll just talk out here.”

Dennis knew better than to stick around for girl talk. He glanced at Camila, gently squeezing her hand. “I’ll be inside, waiting for you.”