Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
Caden
According to Brielle, it was late and way past Stella’s bedtime. When we entered the apartment, she told Stella to go and get ready for bed.
“Thank you for tonight.” She smiled. “I had a really good time, and I know Stella did too.”
“You’re welcome.” I took hold of her hand.
“I’m ready, Mommy!” Stella came running into the living room. “Can Caden tuck me in?”
“Sure. I think I can do that. I’ve never tucked a tiny human in bed before, so you may have to show me how.”
“It’s not rocket science.” She giggled.
“Are you sure it’s not rocket science?” I scooped her up, and she giggled all the way to her room.
I tucked her in bed and tapped her on the nose.
“Goodnight, tiny human.” I smiled.
“Goodnight, Caden. Maybe you can come over again, and we can play the piano.”
“I’d like that.”
I turned off the light and pulled the door, leaving it open a crack. Walking into the kitchen, I found Brielle putting dishes away.
“I better get going.”
She put the last dish away, turned, and looked at me.
“You can stay,” she softly spoke.
I walked over to her and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“As much as I want to, I can’t.”
“Why?” She looked up at me with her beautiful blue eyes.
“I just can’t.”
I traced her lips with my finger before kissing them softly.
“I’ll be in touch,” I spoke as the back of my hand swept across her cheek.
Turning around, I walked to the door and left. The ache in my heart was fierce, but I couldn’t stay with her. Not yet. There was something I had to do first.
Two days later
I stopped at the florist and picked up some flowers. Climbing out of the limo, I held them in my hand as I walked across the lush green grass, glancing at the gravestones of beloved ones who had passed away. I needed to do this if I was ever going to free myself. I remembered exactly where it was, even though the last time I’d been here was eight years ago. I bent down and set the flowers on her grave.
“Hi, Cassandra. I know it’s been a long time, and I’m sorry. I couldn’t bring myself to come back here. I’ve done nothing but carry around this massive amount of guilt. The kind of guilt that held me a prisoner of my own life. I should have been the one who died that night, not you, and I’m so sorry.” Tears sprang to my eyes. “I’m sorry for everything and accept full responsibility for what happened. I came here today because I need to forgive myself. If I don’t, I can’t move on with my life.”
I stayed for a while and continued to talk. Dr. Carlyle was right. Talking to her was the first step towards healing, something I should have done years ago. After I left the cemetery, I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Brielle. The second step towards healing was to tell her about my past.
“Hello.”
“Hi. It’s me.”
“Hi. How are you?”
“I’m good. Listen, is there any way you can get a babysitter for Stella tonight and come over to the penthouse? I need to talk to you.”
“It’s already covered. My mom and her boyfriend are taking her to the movies tonight.”
“Great. Can you come over around six? I’m planning on leaving the office early today.”
“Six will be fine. I’ll see you then.”
“Looking forward to it. Enjoy the rest of your day, Brielle.”
“You too, Caden.”
Brielle
As Sasha sat across from me, I set down my phone and held my coffee cup between my hands.
“What did he want?” she asked.
“He wants me to come over tonight. He said he needs to talk to me.”
“Do you think it’s bad or good?”
“I have no clue.”
My belly twisted in a knot.
“I’m sure it’s good, Bri. I mean, he took you and Stella to dinner just a couple of days ago. He wouldn’t just flake out now. Would he?” She bit down on her bottom lip.
“You never know with him. You should see him with Stella.” I smiled. “It just melts my heart. And she likes him so much.”
“But this is the man that hates kids,” she said.
“If you want to know my opinion, I don’t think he really does. What if he changed his mind and decided he didn’t want anything to do with us?”
“I don’t think that’s the case. If that were true, you’d never hear from him again.” She reached across the table and placed her hand on mine. “Relax, sister. Everything’s going to be all right. I have a good feeling about this.”
“I love him, Sasha, and I don’t know what I’d do if he decides Stella and I aren’t right for him.”
“You’re worrying for nothing. But if that’s the case, then you’ll move on. You have a company to get up and running.” She smiled. “In all honesty, that should be your priority right now.”
“I know.” I sighed.
We said our goodbyes, and I left the coffee shop. Pulling my phone from my purse, I called my mom.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
“Hi, Mom. Is it okay if Stella stays at your place tonight after the movies? Caden called, and he wants me to come over to talk.”
“Talk about what?”
“I don’t know, but I’m really nervous.”
“Judging by what you’ve told me recently, I think it’ll be a good talk. I really want to meet him, Brielle.”
“If all goes well tonight, you will soon.”
“Stella does nothing but talk about him; when she does, there’s a light in her eyes. It’s the same light you get when you talk about him. Of course, I’ll keep her all night.”
“Thanks, Mom. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I headed over to Stella’s friend’s house to pick her up.
“Oh, hey, Brielle,” Bonnie, Miranda’s mother, spoke as she opened the door.
“Hey, Miranda. I’m here to pick up Stella.”
“I’ll go get her. Come on in.”
Stella came running over to me and hugged my legs.
“Hey, sunshine. Are you ready to go home?” I patted her head.
“Yeah.” She smiled.
“Go say goodbye to Miranda.”
“So,” Bonnie spoke, “Stella has been talking a lot about a man named Caden. She told me that you’re seeing him.”
“Not really. We went out a couple of times,” I lied. “It’s too early to tell if anything will come of it.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t have introduced him to Stella so early,” she spoke. “If things don’t work out, that could damage her.”
I was ready to tell her to fuck off and mind her own snooty business, but she didn’t know me or the whole story.”
“I know. My bad.” I smirked. “Come on, Stella. Let’s go. It was nice to see you again, Bonnie. By the way, how’s your husband doing?”
“He’s fine. Always working to provide us with the best of everything.”
“That’s great. Have a good day.” I smiled.
“You too.”
Little did she know that her husband wasn’t “working” all the time. In fact, he’d spent a few afternoons in my hotel room complaining about how his wife didn’t meet his needs and forced him to seek fulfillment elsewhere.
As Stella and I walked home, which was only a few blocks from Miranda’s house, I told her that she’d be spending the night at her grandma’s house.
“Why do I have to?” she whined.
“Because I’m going over to Caden’s house tonight, and I don’t know what time I’ll be home.”
“Can’t he just come over to our house instead?”
“No. He wants to have a grown-up talk. No kids allowed.”
“That’s boring. I’m good at grown-up talk.” She grinned.
“You are, but tonight is just for Caden and me. You understand, right?”
“I guess.” She pouted. “When can I see him again?”
“I’ll ask him tonight.”