Chapter 27 Callie
Callie
Sloane wipes her hands on a dish towel before glancing at the clock on the wall. “Want me to stick around and help close up?”
With a shake of my head, I offer a tired smile. “Nope. Go home. I know you’ve got class tonight.”
Her shoulders sag with relief. “Thanks. My brain’s already mush, and I haven’t even cracked open a textbook yet.”
I chuckle as she shrugs into her jacket and grabs her keys. “See you tomorrow.”
“Bright and early as always.”
She gives a quick wave before slipping out the door. I turn back to the long stretch of counter and begin wiping it down with slow, even swipes. The scent of cinnamon and powdered sugar still hangs in the air.
It’s both familiar and comforting.
Less than five minutes later, the door opens again.
Assuming it’s Sloane, I don’t bother looking up. “Uh-oh, what’d you forget?”
The silence that follows has the hairs on the back of my neck rising. I turn and freeze when I see the person standing there.
Zane.
I can’t remember the last time he stopped by the bakery, and definitely not this late in the afternoon. I scan his face, and realize there’s a storm brewing in his expression.
Without thinking, I take a hasty step in retreat. “What are you doing here?”
His upper lip curls. “Why the hell are you shacking up with River Thompson?”
The way he says it, like it’s something dirty, makes me flinch.
“I’m not,” I say automatically, but the words ring hollow the second they leave my mouth. The truth is that I’m living with River now, sleeping in his bed, and letting him touch me.
He makes me feel things I haven’t felt in a very long time.
I steady myself and lift my chin. “If you remember, I asked you for help and you couldn’t be bothered. So, when River offered, I said yes. It’s as simple as that.”
Zane steps closer, his jaw tight. “I don’t like you messing around with one of my teammates.”
Anger sparks in my chest. “That’s not what’s going on.”
He raises a brow in disbelief. “Are you sure about that?”
My mouth opens as I prepare to defend myself and explain that I’m just trying to keep my head above water, but I stop and snap my lips shut.
“We’re not together anymore. That was your decision.
You’ve moved on and are talking about getting married.
As long as your life doesn’t negatively impact Nora, it’s none of my business. And I won’t say a word about it.”
Even as his expression tightens, I keep going.
“How I live mine?” I press a hand to my chest. “That’s no longer your concern.
We both know I would never do anything that compromises our daughter’s well-being.
I’m the one who’s there every single day making her meals, helping with puzzles, brushing her hair, kissing her scrapes, and reading her the same bedtime story four times in a row because she asks me to. ”
Zane shifts as his face flushes. “What are you trying to say? That you think I’m a bad parent?”
The words sit perched on the tip of my tongue, waiting to be forced out.
Yes. Yes, I do.
You’re always late, if you bother showing up at all. Last year, you forgot her birthday. You constantly leave me scrambling and her disappointed.
Not wanting to fight, I swallow everything down.
More than that, I won’t let Nora get caught in the middle.
Instead, I take a moment to reel my temper back in. “What I’m trying to say is that I always put our daughter first. And that will never change.”
Zane stares at me, and for a second, it looks like he’ll argue. Then he lowers his gaze and mutters, “If you need the money so bad, I’ll move some things around and see what I can do.”
It’s not at all what I expected from him.
“Thank you,” I say quietly. “I appreciate it.”
With a curt nod, he backs toward the door.
The moment it closes behind him, I sag against the counter.
My legs are shaky, the weight of that confrontation hitting me all at once.
Relief crashes over me in dizzying waves, but the tension still clings to the air, stealing the comfort this place usually brings.
I force myself to finish wiping down the surfaces, flipping off lights, and finally, locking the front door. The routine helps to steady my nerves. By the time I grab my coat and purse, the tension has dulled to a manageable thrum.
On the way to River’s building, my thoughts circle back to Zane. I’m proud of myself for not shrinking in the face of his anger or trying to soothe things. I stood my ground.
After pulling into the parking garage, I take the private elevator up to River’s place.
The quiet hum feels surreal, like I’ve stepped into someone else’s life.
The luxury here still throws me off. All the sleek finishes, the curated art, the way everything smells faintly of clean linen and expensive cologne.
Every time I step into the elevator or lobby, part of me braces for the staff to question what I’m doing here before reminding me I don’t belong.
But I do.
At least for the time being.
I shove those thoughts from my head before stepping into the entryway and heading toward the kitchen, steeling myself for the chaos I’ll find.
Nora has been River’s responsibility all day.
By this point in the late afternoon, my parents are usually exhausted and ready to pass off their grandchild like she’s a ticking time bomb.
I expect to find toys scattered everywhere, the TV blaring, maybe even River half-panicked and questioning every decision that led him to this place in his life.
Instead, I find calm.
Quiet.
It’s almost unnervingly so.
I glance toward the living room. There are a few toys lying on the plush area rug. Some are familiar, and a couple look brand new. Which means River went out and bought her more things to play with.
Of course he did.
I shake my head, a reluctant smile tugging at the corner of my mouth.
I’m just about to call out his name when I hear it.
Laughter.
And it’s not Nora’s.
Or River’s.
A woman’s chuckle carries down the hallway.
It’s both warm and easy.
That’s all it takes for something sharp to twist low in my belly as I slowly move toward the sound, each step heavier than the last.
Maybe the intimacy between us meant nothing to him. Maybe everything he said about wanting me all these years was a lie.
Nothing more than a line to get me into his bed.
It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve fallen for pretty words.
What hurts the most is that after everything I’ve been through, I believed him.
I’m such an idiot.
River’s deep voice floats down the hall, mingling with the woman’s. It’s low, warm, and familiar, curling through me with the kind of ache that’s impossible to shake.
Dread slams into me as I realize it’s coming from Nora’s room.
No, it’s not her room.
Just the space where she’s been staying.
I stop a few feet from the doorway, every part of me clenched tight, as if I’m bracing for a blow.
The first thing I’m going to do after confronting River is call my parents and ask if I can crash at their place until I find a new living arrangement. It won’t be easy, but I don’t have many options.
Instead of loitering in the hallway, I force myself to step into the room.
River stands near the windows, talking to a woman I don’t recognize.
She’s tall and polished in a way I could never be.
Her dark hair is tucked behind one ear as she leans in to show him something on her phone.
The smile gracing her lips is effortless, and her body language is a little too familiar. As if they’re well acquainted.
Nora sits at River’s feet, flipping through a board book with Gaffy tucked in her lap.
The scene punches me in the chest. It’s cozy and casual. As if they’re already a little family and I’m the outsider.
Before I can stop myself, I clear my throat.
River’s head jerks up, and surprise flashes across his face. “You’re home already?”
Umm, excuse me?
He brushes his palms on his jeans and steps toward me. “I wanted the room to be a surprise.”
The room?
The woman flashes a bright and airy smile my way. “Your husband is the absolute sweetest. I promise, you’re going to love everything we discussed today. Oh! I’m Anna, by the way.” She crosses the room and offers a perfectly manicured hand. “It’s lovely to meet you.”
My brain stumbles over one word.
Husband.
When I open my mouth to correct her, River beats me to it with a wink. “That’s what I keep telling my wife.”
Anna gathers up her samples and waves on her way out. “I’ll be back in a few days to start working on the space. I can’t wait for you to see the final result.”
I stare at River as her heels echo down the hallway. “You hired someone to decorate your guestroom?”
“No, I hired someone to decorate Nora’s room,” he corrects. “I figured she deserved a space that felt like her own. Something fun and pretty.”
My gaze flicks to the empty doorway again. “Yes, well, she was certainly pretty.”
The second the words shoot out of my mouth, I want to shove them back inside where they belong. My wide eyes dart to River.
“You were jealous.” The slow smile spreading across his face turns into more of a delighted grin.
“No, I wasn’t.” My cheeks feel like they’re on fire. “It was more of an observation.”
“Oh, you were definitely jelly,” he murmurs, a wicked glint igniting in his eyes as he steps closer. “Lucky for you, I think it’s sexy as hell.”
I open my mouth to deny it before slamming it shut again.
The man is right.
I was jealous.
River swallows up the gap between us with a few sure strides before slipping a finger beneath my chin and guiding my face upward until my eyes can lock on his.
“By now, you should know there’s nothing for you to worry about.
There’s only one woman I want… and she just so happens to be standing right in front of me. ”
My heart flipflops.
His hand falls away. Then, like it’s the most natural thing in the world, he retraces his steps and leans down, scooping Nora into his arms before heading for the door.
“Hey!” I call out after him once I’m able to wrap my lips around words. “You need to stop buying her so many toys!”
He glances over his shoulder, a smirk tugging at his mouth as amusement flickers in his eyes. “Oh, she’s not the only one I bought toys for.”
I blink. “Excuse me?”
Instead of answering, he disappears around the corner with Nora giggling in his arms, leaving me rooted in place, pulse tripping over itself.
“What does that mean?” I call after him.
But there’s no reply.
Just the sound of his low laughter mixing with Nora’s delighted squeals. And for some reason, it settles deep inside me, locking into place like it was always meant to be there.