Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
T aylor set the dishrag aside and leaned against the counter, sipping her tea. The house was quiet for the first time in days, with Liam resting upstairs in his room. His recovery had been slow but steady, and she wasn’t taking any chances. No playdates, no outings—just rest, books, and her mother’s endless stash of homemade cookies.
She exhaled, savoring the rare moment of calm. Calm wasn’t something she had much of these days—not with work, Liam, and her lingering frustration over her impulsiveness at the convention.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Frowning, she glanced at the clock. Visitors were rare, especially unannounced ones.
She crossed the living room, brushing a strand of hair from her face as she peered through the window. Her breath caught, and the mug in her hand wobbled precariously.
Caleb Burnett stood on her porch, his broad shoulders and familiar stance unmistakable. His signature cowboy hat rested atop his mass of unruly brown hair, and his casual tilt gave him that effortless charm she both admired and resented. Taylor’s heart skipped as she darted to the peephole, her pulse quickening with a mix of irritation and something far more confusing.
What the hell is he doing here?
She considered ignoring him, but the second knock was firmer, insistent. The last thing she needed was for Liam to wake up and Caleb to start asking questions she wasn’t ready to answer. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door, bracing herself for whatever Caleb Burnett had come to say this time.
The one man she’d spent years trying to forget, the one she’d sworn she’d never let back into her life, was now before her like a ghost from the past she hadn’t invited.
With a sigh, she unlocked the door and pulled it open, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Caleb.”
He gave her that crooked, self-assured smile, though there was an edge to it like he wasn’t entirely sure of his welcome. “Taylor.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked, crossing her arms.
“I found you,” he said as if that explained anything.
“Congratulations,” she said dryly. “You want a cookie?”
His smile faltered, and he shifted his hat in his hands. “I wanted to see you. Talk to you.”
“About what?”
“Can I come in?”
She hesitated, every instinct screaming at her to say no. But then she thought of Liam upstairs, oblivious to the man standing on the porch. With a tight nod, she stepped aside, motioning him in.
“Thanks,” Caleb said, stepping past her into the living room. His eyes roamed the space—her parents’ neatly arranged furniture, the framed photos on the wall, and the faint smell of cookies lingering in the air.
He turned back to her, his expression more serious now. “You left without saying good-bye.”
“I had to go,” she said.
“Who does that? Especially when they are in a relationship. To just leave without saying anything.”
“We aren’t in a relationship this time ,” she said.
She watched Caleb shift uncomfortably, the tension in his jaw betraying how much he hated being called out for what he’d done all those years ago. The flicker of guilt in his eyes only made her press harder.
Taylor raised an eyebrow, her tone sharp. “So, you decided to track me down? Ever heard of a phone? I could’ve saved you the trouble and told you the same thing you told me back then—‘Something came up, and I had to leave.’”
Caleb winced, rubbing the back of his neck. “I figured I owed you... something,” he said, his hand sliding through his hair in that familiar, restless way.
“Something?” she repeated, her tone sharp. “What exactly do you think you owe me, Caleb? An apology? Closure? Because whatever you think you’re here to say, you’re about three years too late.”
Before he could respond, a small voice called from the stairs.
“Mommy?”
Taylor turned sharply, her heart racing as Liam appeared at the top of the staircase, clutching his favorite stuffed bear. He blinked sleepily at the sight of Caleb.
“Who’s that?”
Taylor glanced at Caleb before heading to the stairs, scooping Liam into her arms. “Just someone Mommy used to know,” she said lightly, kissing his forehead. “What are you doing out of bed?”
“I’m thirsty,” Liam said, his voice soft.
“Let’s get you some water,” Taylor said, carrying him toward the kitchen. She paused, her back to Caleb, and took a deep breath before turning around. “Wait here.”
She had to get him out of there before he pieced it together—before Caleb realized Liam was his son.
Taylor’s heart raced as she glanced between them, her nerves fraying with every passing moment. The way Liam looked up at Caleb, his expression mirroring that same easy charm Caleb had always carried, was almost too much to bear.
If Caleb lingered any longer, if he noticed the familiar tilt of Liam’s head or the way his smile crinkled just like his own, it would all come crashing down. She wasn’t ready for that. Not yet.
Caleb nodded, his gaze following her and Liam as they disappeared into the kitchen.
Taylor returned a few minutes later, Liam clutching a glass of water and his bear. His eyes darted to Caleb again, his curiosity evident.
“What’s your name?” Liam asked, his voice shy.
“Caleb,” he said, crouching slightly to meet the boy’s eye level. “What’s yours?”
“Liam,” he said proudly.
“Nice to meet you, Liam,” Caleb said with a small smile.
Taylor watched the interaction, fear gripping her as her heart did somersaults at the sight. Could he really not see it? Could he not recognize his own features reflected so clearly on Liam’s face—the curls and the dimpled grin? Did it not occur to him that the child he had just met was his son? What the hell was wrong with him?
The weight of it hit her all over again like it always did. How could he not know?
“Okay, kiddo,” Taylor said quickly, her voice brighter than she felt. “Why don’t you go show Grandma your bear? I think she’s waiting for you.”
“Okay!” Liam bounded off, leaving Taylor and Caleb alone again.
Caleb straightened, his gaze lingering on the spot where Liam had been.
“Cute kid,” he said. “How old is he?”
Taylor’s stomach twisted, but she kept her expression neutral. “Liam is two and a half years old.”
It was a lie, a carefully constructed one, meant to keep him from figuring it out. If he didn’t ask too many questions, if he didn’t do the math, he’d never realize that Liam was his son.
His eyebrows lifted slightly, but he said nothing.
“He’s big for his age. Where’s his dad?” he asked casually, the question so offhand it felt like a punch to the gut.
Taylor’s hands tightened into fists at her sides, but she kept her voice even. “Not in the picture.”
Caleb nodded slowly as if processing her answer. “His loss, then.”
Taylor exhaled sharply, the old wound reopening as she forced herself to meet his gaze. “Why are you really here, Caleb?” she asked, her voice steady despite the storm inside her.
He hesitated, his jaw tightening. “I don’t know. I just... I couldn’t stop thinking about you. About everything I didn’t say.”
Taylor let out a sharp, humorless laugh, crossing her arms tightly. “Everything you didn’t say? Our relationship must not have meant much to you if you could leave without a word,” Taylor said, her voice sharp and unwavering. “It wasn’t until I called you over and over that you finally bothered to call me back. And even then, you didn’t explain—you just said we were done like it was that simple. Like I didn’t even deserve a reason.”
His jaw tightened, his voice dropping. “Taylor, I?—”
“The other night was a mistake,” she interrupted, her tone sharp enough to cut through his attempt at explanation. “I don’t know why you’re here now, Caleb, and honestly, I don’t think I want to.”
“I’m not asking for forgiveness,” he said finally, his voice tight, his gaze steady but conflicted.
“Maybe you should,” she shot back, her voice laced with the sharp edge of years of pain. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to have the man you’re dating just vanish without a word? To spend weeks wondering if you did something wrong, only for him to finally return your countless calls and end it without even giving you a real reason?” Her throat tightened, but she forced herself to keep going, her words unwavering. “Do you know what kind of hell that was, Caleb? Because I do.”
“I don’t understand. We had the best time together the other night.”
In some ways, she almost felt sorry for him—how could he not see the tangled mess of emotions she carried for him? It wasn’t simple, not by a long shot. What she felt for Caleb straddled a fine line between love and hate, each emotion battling for control depending on the moment.
“Well, here’s something to understand,” she said, her tone sharp. “I’m fine without you. I’ve been fine for a long time. So, if you came here looking for something, you’re wasting your time.”
For a moment, Caleb said nothing, his gaze locked on hers. Then he nodded once, his jaw set. “I’m sorry, Taylor. I can see I hurt you. Take care.”
Those two words— I’m sorry. She had waited years to hear them, dreamed of how they might undo the pain he’d left behind. But when he finally said them, all she felt was anger, sharp and unyielding. And yet, deep in her heart, buried beneath the resentment, she knew the truth she hated to admit – she still loved him.
Now, as she watched him walk out the door, that love twisted into something bitter, leaving her torn between letting him go and wishing he’d turn back around. Tears filled her eyes with the weight of his absence and presence both unbearable. She stood there for a long moment, Liam’s laugh echoing faintly from the other room, wondering if, this time, she’d made the right choice in letting him leave.