Chapter 11 Callie
Callie
The second I step inside Beau’s restaurant, my suspicions grow that this is more than a business meeting. The space is dimly lit, with muted music playing and pretty votives that flicker on every table.
The atmosphere is intimate.
More romantic in nature.
It’s the kind of place where a man proposes and future plans are talked about.
This is supposed to be a business meeting about potential contracts and wholesale orders for desserts. But when Beau pulls out my chair and gives me a slow, confident smile, I realize he’s not thinking about dessert trays.
He’s staring at me like I’m a tasty treat on the menu.
And I don’t know what to do with that.
I’m totally out of my element.
Beau orders a bottle of wine along with our dinners before I even have a chance to look over the menu. He charms our waitress with a smile the entire time.
I was with a man like that. Someone who was quick to cajole you into bed, all the while thinking about his next conquest.
That’s not a mistake I plan to make again.
Once the wine arrives, I take a sip out of politeness and then set the glass down.
Beau is handsome. Smart. Put-together. Women literally turn their heads to stare when he walks by.
I should be into him.
Instead, all I can think about is whether River figured out that Nora insists on reading Goodnight Moon twice.
Or if she made him do the voices. Or if she talked him into letting her eat chocolate chips straight from the bag by batting her big brown eyes at him.
Will that affect him the same way it does me?
I blink and realize Beau asked me a question.
“So, you and River… What’s the story there?”
My fingers tighten on the base of my wine glass as our steaks are set down in front of us. “River?”
Beau tilts his head, smirking like he already knows the answer. “You two seem close.”
“We’re not,” I say a little too quickly, cutting into the steak and then smearing butter on the potato.
His smile widens. “Good. Although, it wouldn’t matter if you were. I’ve never been afraid of a little competition.”
My stomach twists at that pronouncement.
The rest of our meal is filled with talk.
And what I mean by that is Beau does most of it.
He tells me about his restaurants, his investments, and plans for future expansion.
I nod, murmuring at appropriate intervals, all the while waiting for him to ask a few questions about me or even the bakery.
Maybe the kinds of desserts I specialize in.
He doesn’t.
Not even once.
I carefully check my phone under the table for any missed messages, but there aren’t any. Which is a good thing. It means Nora isn’t giving River any problems.
I refocus my attention on Beau’s face. On the words coming out of his mouth. On the candle that flickers between us.
It’s no use.
In my head, all I see is River crouching down to talk with my little girl. And the bag of toys he brought for her. The way she handed over her stuffy, as if she’d known him forever. Then there’s the sound of River’s quiet, steady voice when he said I could trust him with Nora.
We’re midway through dinner when my phone buzzes, and I pounce on it as if it’s a lifeline.
River: Just wanted you to know that Nora has tied me up and is running wild through the townhouse. JK. We’re fine. She colored a masterpiece for you, and we hung it on the fridge. Now she’s watching a show. Then we’ll read a few books, and it’s lights out for this girl.
A sharp pang cuts through me.
Not at the part where he says he’s been tied up, but that he’s so good with her.
“Callie?”
My head jerks up, and I reluctantly set the phone on the white-clothed table. “Sorry.”
He takes a sip of his wine. “Is there an issue?”
I force a smile as our plates are cleared away. “Not at all.”
“Good. So, I was telling you about my restaurants.”
“Yes. It’s really interesting.”
He launches into how his parents owned a few and then he built upon their empire.
And that’s certainly impressive. I’m sure it takes a lot of work to oversee so many different ventures.
But he didn’t start from nothing or build his business from the ground up.
It’s a lot harder when sweat equity is the only thing you have to invest.
Beau continues to drone on, and it takes a moment to realize I’ve tuned him out again.
“Wow,” I say, hoping he didn’t notice my lapse.
“You have no idea.”
I hum in agreement as a man in his late forties stops by the table. With a grin, Beau rises to his feet before they shake hands and talk about their golf game.
When my phone buzzes with another incoming text, I slip it into my palm and scan the message.
River: If I don’t hear from you in two minutes, I’m coming to get you. FYI-I know where you are.
My pulse kicks up as I peek at the screen.
Does he?
I glance at Beau, relieved that he’s still talking and laughing with his friend.
Me: Okay, I’m calling your bluff. Where am I?
The response is immediate.
River: Sweet Surrender.
My belly dips, and I slowly type out the question uppermost in my mind.
Me: Did you turn my location on?
River: Consider it a safety measure.
Me: That’s a little stalkerish.
River: Agree to disagree.
I should be angry that he thought it was perfectly normal to invade my privacy. But how can I be when a pic of Nora sitting contentedly next to him while watching TV rolls in?
Honestly, it’s the strangest thing.
Who knew River Thompson, superstar hockey player, was actually a toddler whisperer in his spare time?
Maybe he’s right and I don’t know as much about him as I assumed.
Me: Is everything okay?
River: She’s perfect. I just wanted to check on her mom.
Ugh. This man. I’m not sure what he’s playing at, but I don’t like it one bit.
Me: I’m fine. I won’t be out much longer.
I hope.
River: Good.
I’m not touching that comment with a ten-foot pole.
For all I know, he’s eager to get on with his evening now that he’s done his good deed for the year.
I’m sure he has women on standby for booty calls.
That thought sits at the bottom of my gut like a heavy stone.
Instead of dwelling on it, I shove it aside, but it continues to nag at me no matter how much I pretend it doesn’t.
Me: Thank you again.
River: Enjoy the rest of your evening out.
Another message immediately pops up after that.
River: Not too much, though.
Me: I’ll try not to.
I stare at the screen a little too long as a strange warmth blooms within me.
“Is everything all right?” Beau asks.
I quickly flip my phone over. “Yup. Just checking in with River. I should probably get home soon.”
Beau frowns. “Really? I was hoping we could check out one of my clubs afterward.”
A laugh tumbles from my lips.
When I realize he’s not joking, my chuckle fades into awkward silence. “Sorry, I’m not really into the club scene anymore.”
Surprise flashes across his face before he shrugs and waves our waitress over. “I hope you enjoyed dinner.”
“I did,” I assure him. “Everything was fantastic.”
That said, tonight hasn’t gone the way I expected. I still have no idea what he thinks about the bakery or my desserts.
Just like he has all evening long, Beau talks the entire ride home. One thing’s for sure, the man certainly has a lot to say. I force a polite smile and nod, all the while counting down the minutes until I can escape the confines of the sedan.
What’s become apparent is that tonight has been a total bust.
Even though I didn’t want to get my hopes up, I was counting on this partnership to pan out. It would have made life just a bit easier and given us a little wiggle room. It’s been so long, I almost don’t remember what simple feels like.
Thankfully, it doesn’t take long to reach the townhouse. As the vehicle rolls to a stop, Beau swivels toward me, and our knees bump.
When he leans closer, panic sparks in me, and I blurt, “Well, thanks again for dinner.” I flatten myself against the door and yank the handle. “Let me know if you have any questions about the desserts.”
“I was thinking we could start with a few hundred a week,” he says with a chuckle. “Gabby, my assistant, will be in touch with exact numbers on Monday.”
My mouth falls open. “Really? That’s amazing.”
His grin softens as his gaze drops to my lips. “I’d also like to take you out again.”
Well, hell.
“Oh. I’m, ah, flattered. I just… I’m not sure I’m in a place to start dating.”
He shrugs. “Is it really necessary to slap a label on whatever this turns out to be?”
Um…
It takes effort to keep the smile pasted in place. “As much as I appreciate the offer, I’d prefer to keep our relationship strictly business.”
He arches a brow. “Perhaps I can change your mind about that.”
Unlikely.
I shake my head. “Thank you again for the opportunity. I look forward to hearing from your assistant.”
Before he can attempt to change my mind or rescind the offer, I’m tumbling out of the car and onto the curb.
It only takes a moment to straighten and dust myself off before I’m halfway up the steps to the townhouse.
Once there, I turn and lift a hand to wave.
Using the key, I slip inside the safety of my home.
Only then does the tension I’ve been carrying around all night ease from my shoulders.
No matter what River texted earlier, I’m fully expecting to walk into pandemonium. Nora’s probably running wild, refusing to go to bed, and every toy she owns will be strewn around the place.
Instead, I find the lights dimmed and the TV volume on low. My footsteps stall when I spot River in the armchair and Nora curled up against his chest, fast asleep with her cheek mashed against his sweater and her hand clutching the fabric.
I freeze as everything inside me constricts.
They look so cute together.
Kind of like they belong.
What hurts even more is that Zane never cuddled her like this. He never held our daughter like she was his whole world or acted like she was the best part of his day.
But River?
He does it as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
His lips curve in a slow smile as our eyes stay locked. I slip off my jacket and then my shoes. Every step I take feels deliberate. Magnetic. Like some kind of invisible force is drawing me to him. It’s one I don’t have the strength or the will to resist.
I’ve never felt this way before.
Not with anyone.
Including Zane.
Back then, I mistook his attention for affection.
I was swept up in the whirlwind of being wanted by a pro athlete who said all the right things…
until the shine wore off and the truth came into sharp focus.
He didn’t love me. He enjoyed the chase.
By the time I figured it out, I was already pregnant and in too deep to turn back.
But with River…
This isn’t a storm.
It’s something I don’t recognize.
And I’m not sure if I should step closer… or run.