Chapter 26
CHAPTER 26
T aylor had just settled onto the couch with a mug of tea, the house quiet now that Liam was finally asleep. The glow from the table lamp cast a warm circle of light, and she let herself exhale slowly, trying to untangle the storm of emotions swirling inside her.
It had been two days since she’d heard from Caleb. Two long, lonely days that stretched endlessly, each hour heavier than the last. Taylor tried to focus on her work, Liam, or anything that would keep her mind from circling back to him, but it was useless.
The silence was deafening.
Had he disappeared again? Was this his way of walking away without having to say the words? The thought had fear filling her, even as she tried to push it aside.
She glanced at her phone for the hundredth time that day, hoping it would ring or buzz and show her something. But there was nothing: the blank, unfeeling screen and the growing weight of uncertainty in her heart.
Is it over? The question haunted her, gnawing at the edges of her resolve. She hated how much space he took up in her thoughts, how easily he’d slipped back into her life and now seemed to be slipping away again.
Yet, despite her frustration and doubt, she couldn’t entirely convince herself to give up. Not yet. Not after everything.
Because no matter what, she loved him.
She had been falling in love with Caleb all over again since the moment they’d crossed paths at the convention. After all those years, seeing him again had stirred something in her she thought she’d buried—a longing, a hope she hadn’t even realized was still there.
Every smile, every shared laugh, every moment he spent with Liam had chipped away at the walls she’d built around her heart. And now, those walls were in ruins, leaving her vulnerable and exposed in a way that scared her more than she wanted to admit.
How could he not see it? she wondered, running a hand through her hair as she paced the living room. How could he not feel it too?
But the doubt crept in like a shadow, whispering fears she didn’t want to face. What if he had disappeared again? What if he couldn’t handle the weight of their history, their present, their future?
A knock at the door shattered the silence, and she frowned, setting her mug down as she stood. Who would show up this late?
When she opened the door, her breath caught.
Caleb stood there, his hair slightly tousled from the wind, his expression a mix of determination and vulnerability. He looked at her like she was the only thing keeping him grounded, and for a moment, she couldn’t find the words.
“Caleb,” she said softly. “It’s late.”
“I need to talk to you,” he said, his voice low but steady. “Alone.”
Taylor hesitated, glancing over her shoulder toward the bedroom upstairs where Liam slept. Before she could say anything, her mother appeared in the kitchen doorway, her brow raised.
“I’ll watch Liam,” Grace said, her gaze flicking between them knowingly. “You two go ahead.”
“Thanks,” Caleb said, his shoulders relaxing slightly. Taylor’s mother gave her a small smile before retreating, leaving them alone.
Though it was late, Caleb grabbed Taylor’s hand, his touch warm and insistent. “Come with me,” he said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Where are we going?” Taylor asked, her brows furrowing as he led her outside.
“Someplace special,” he replied cryptically, helping her into the truck before jogging to the driver’s side.
As they drove through the quiet streets of Austin, Taylor studied him in the glow of the dashboard lights. His jaw was set, and his eyes stayed fixed on the road ahead, but a nervous energy about him made her pulse quicken.
“Caleb,” she said softly, “what’s going on?”
“Patience,” he replied, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
Caleb was acting different tonight. Something about him—a calmness, a focus—reminded Taylor of the man she’d reconnected with before she told him about the job offer.
It was subtle, but it was there in the way he carried himself; his eyes seemed less guarded, and the faint curve of a smile hinted he wasn’t weighed down by whatever had been holding him back.
Had he needed time to think? Time to process what her news meant before he could finally talk about it?
She studied him quietly, her thoughts racing. Caleb wasn’t a man who rushed into things. He was deliberate, careful, and maybe he’d taken the time to figure out where he stood and what he wanted.
And, selfishly, she hoped that what he wanted was her.
When they finally reached the state capitol building, Taylor blinked in surprise. The grand structure loomed against the night sky, its dome illuminated by soft golden lights.
“What are we doing here?” she asked, glancing at him as he turned off the engine.
“You’ll see,” he said, stepping out and hurrying around to open her door.
He retook her hand as they climbed the broad stone steps, his grip firm but slightly sweaty. At this hour, the city was quiet, the usual hustle and bustle replaced by the faint hum of distant traffic.
“Caleb,” Taylor said, her tone teasing but tinged with curiosity, “you know we can’t get inside, right?”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “We’re not going inside.”
When they reached the top of the steps, Caleb stopped and turned to face the city. The view was breathtaking. The lights of Austin stretched before them, sparkling like a sea of stars, while the cool night air carried the faint scent of jasmine from the nearby gardens.
“It’s beautiful,” Taylor whispered, her gaze sweeping over the cityscape.
“It is,” Caleb agreed, though his eyes were fixed on her instead of the view.
He took a step closer, his hands sliding down to hers, and she felt the shift in his energy. Gone was the nervous tension—replaced by something deeper, something raw and vulnerable.
“We need to talk,” he said, his voice steady but soft.
Taylor turned to face him fully, her heart pounding. “Okay,” she said, her voice cautious.
He took a deep breath, his hands tightening around hers as he searched for the right words.
“I need to tell you something. And I need you to listen, Taylor. No interruptions, no walls—just... listen.”
Her heart thudded inside her as she nodded. “Okay.”
“I’ve spent my whole life running from things,” he began, his voice quiet but raw. “From emotions, from people, from love. And I told myself it was because I didn’t want to hurt anyone. But the truth is, I was scared. I’ve been scared for as long as I can remember.”
Taylor stayed silent as she watched him.
He looked up at her then, his eyes filled with an emotion so raw, it made her nervous. “When I left college without saying good-bye, it wasn’t because I didn’t care. It wasn’t because I didn’t love you. It was because my father was tearing our family apart with an extramarital affair. He wanted to leave my mother, and she was threatening to kill him. Not long after I got home, my father, a very good pilot, took my mother up in the family plane. I don’t know what happened up there, but they were killed in a plane crash.”
Taylor’s breath caught, her hands freezing mid-twist. “Oh my God, Caleb,” she whispered. “I had no idea.”
He nodded, his jaw tightening. “I didn’t tell anyone. Not you, not anyone at school. I just... shut down. I came home to deal with the fallout, and then I found out something that...” He paused, swallowing hard. “I suspect my father crashed that plane on purpose. If my mother wouldn’t divorce him, he’d end it for both of them.”
The words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Taylor’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.
“My parents’ marriage was a disaster,” Caleb continued, his voice cracking. “They fought constantly. My father was controlling, my mother was miserable, and the house was filled with tension every single day. When I found out about the crash, all I could think was he couldn’t take it anymore. Maybe he decided if he couldn’t be happy, no one would.”
Taylor reached out instinctively, her hand covering his. His fingers trembled beneath hers.
“I thought if I stayed with you, I’d ruin us the way my parents ruined each other,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I thought I wasn’t good enough to make a relationship work. That I wasn’t good enough for you.”
Tears burned at the corners of Taylor’s eyes, and she squeezed his hand. “Caleb...”
“I was wrong,” he said, his voice firmer now. “I was wrong to leave you, wrong to run from what we had. And I’ve been wrong ever since. You deserved better, Taylor. You and Liam both deserve better.”
She blinked back tears, her throat tightening. “Why are you telling me this now?”
“Because I love you,” he said. “I’ve always loved you. And I can’t let you leave without knowing that.”
Taylor’s heart stuttered as the words she had longed to hear for so long washed over her like a wave. She stared at him, her emotions tangled with relief, anger, and love.
“I needed you to fight for me, Caleb,” she said, her voice trembling. “I needed you to fight for us, for Liam. And when you didn’t...”
“I’m fighting now,” he interrupted, his eyes locking onto hers. “I’m here, Taylor. And I’m not going anywhere.”
Before she could respond, Caleb pulled a small velvet box from his pocket. He dropped to one knee, his hands trembling slightly as he opened it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring.
“Taylor,” he said, his voice steady despite the emotion in his eyes, “I love you. I love Liam. I want us to be a family, and I’m ready to do whatever it takes to make that happen. If you want to move to Chicago, we’ll go as a family. If you want to stay here, we’ll stay. I need you to know I’m all in. No more running, no more hiding. Will you marry me?”
Tears streamed down Taylor’s face as she stared at him, the sincerity in his words breaking down every wall she had built to protect herself.
“Yes,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. Then, stronger, “Yes, Caleb. I’ll marry you.”
Relief flooded his face as he slid the ring onto her finger, his hand steady despite her tremor.
“I never stopped loving you,” Taylor said.
Caleb rose to his feet, pulling her into his arms, and their lips met in a kiss filled with every unspoken word, lingering emotion, and promise for the future.
For the first time in years, Taylor felt truly whole.
They would face the future together, one step at a time. And this time, there would be no looking back.