Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
MIA
Caleb has barely looked at or spoken to me since his late wife’s birthday last week. I’m not so sure I’m surprised, given his frosty exterior that I had grown accustomed to before I became his nanny. But that’s the thing—there was a softness, a tenderness he had shown since then.
And now, it’s like he took it all back.
I’m still sitting in my car out front of Caleb’s house, dreading having to face him again. Every day that I’ve seen him, he stays hidden until it’s time for him to leave, so I’ve been making it a point to only walk through the front door a few minutes before he’s supposed to leave.
Willow
Are you still going to the game with Steven tonight?
I stare down at my phone, the corners of my lips lifting as excitement dances in the pit of my stomach.
Steven is a friend of ours from college and we made plans a few months ago to catch a game together while he was in town for work.
I haven’t seen him since we graduated, so I’m excited to catch up with him.
Hopefully.
There’s only one small problem.
Why hopefully?
I forgot to mention it to Caleb, so as of right now, I’m still supposed to watch Tella.
Shit. Is he still icing you out?
My lips turn down in a frown.
Yep.
I glance at the clock on my dashboard, opting to get out of my car an extra few minutes earlier than planned so I can talk to Caleb.
An anxious feeling builds in the pit of my stomach as I drop my phone into my purse and head up to the front door.
I let myself in, which still feels weird to do, but Caleb insisted when I first started that I don’t need to knock.
Kicking off my shoes, I head through the foyer, my steps faltering in the doorway of the kitchen when I see Caleb. He doesn’t notice me at first as he riffles through one of the cabinets with his back to me. I watch the way the chords in his arms tighten as he reaches for something up high.
He slowly turns around, setting the box of cereal on the counter before lifting his gaze to mine. He’s silent, his lips parting like he wants to say something, but he immediately shuts them again, giving me a small nod.
“Hey,” I say softly, mustering up the courage to walk into the kitchen. There’s no room for small talk right now, so I’m just going to cut right to the chase. Caleb doesn’t want small talk with me anyways. “Um, so I have a favor to ask, but you can totally say no.”
“Okay,” he says, his voice barely audible.
“So, a friend is in town and we made plans to go to a game months ago and I completely forgot that it’s tonight. I can cancel them if it’s an issue, but I didn’t know if Tella could hang with Andi for a little bit.”
Caleb stares at me, his gaze unwavering, his expression giving nothing away.
“We can figure something out.” He pauses, his throat bobbing, lips parting but then he shuts them once more.
He pulls out his phone, fingers moving across the screen as he types out a message.
He doesn’t look at me, instead he scans the device.
“She said that’s fine. She’s not staying for the third period, so you could get Tella when she leaves.” He drags his gaze up to me. “Is that enough time for you with your friend?”
I nod eagerly. “Oh, yes. That’s perfect. I can drive separately, that way I can bring Tella home early.”
“You can come with us. She can stay until the game is over.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want it to be too late for her.”
Caleb dips his chin. “I’m sure.” He rolls his wrist, checking his watch. “Tella is in her room playing. I need to go.”
“Okay,” I say, a smile pulling on my lips. “Thank you, Caleb.”
His eyes linger on mine and he says nothing. He just gives me a curt nod once more before heading out of the room without another word. My lungs deflate and my shoulders sag at the sound of the garage door opening and closing.
Something inside him changed since we almost kissed. I don’t know if it’s because of Amelia’s birthday and the reminders of her, or the fact that I didn’t stop him. If Tella hadn’t interrupted, I would have let him kiss me.
And I’m not sure which one of us would have felt worse for it.
“Momma Mia! Look at you!” Steven comes striding toward me, a smile lighting his whole face as he pulls me in for a hug. “It feels like it’s been an entire decade since I’ve seen you!”
I wrap my arms around him, hugging him tightly as laughter escapes me. “It’s only been like four months!”
“Whatever,” he says, releasing me as he waves his hand dismissively. He loops his arm through mine, leading me in the direction of the bar. “Let’s get some drinks and watch some hot men beat each other up.”
Steven and I each grab a mixed drink and make our way through the crowds in the concourse before finding our section and heading down to the seats.
We missed the national anthem but managed to make our way down just before the puck dropped.
Steven pauses behind me, stopping in the middle of the row, eyes wide as he stares at me.
“We’re right behind the bench?”
I managed to get us seats just three rows behind the Aston Archers bench. A smile breaks out across my lips and I laugh, nodding my head. “Come sit!” I wave for him to come with me as I sit down. He drops down beside me, his shoulder bumping into mine as he scans the players in front of us.
“This is truly a dream come true,” he swoons, batting his eyelashes at me. “Do you think I’d get kicked out if I accidentally fell over the glass and onto the bench with them?”
Laughter escapes me once more and I raise my eyebrows at him. “Oh, without a doubt.”
Steven, Willow, and I all became close friends while we were in college.
Willow and Steven had a little friends-with-benefits thing going on for a few months, but then Steven started seeing this new guy who came during our junior year.
And Willow . . . Well, she just moved on to the next hook up when she felt like it.
My eyes scan the backs of the players in front of us, running over their names and numbers before I direct my attention out to the ice.
Play already started and I search the players, immediately finding him as I scoot forward in my seat.
Caleb skates down the ice, following the play before the puck is overturned and moving back through the neutral zone.
“Which one is your boss?” Steven questions me, poking my arm with his elbow.
Caleb quickly heads over to the bench, his lips moving as he yells something and waves for the second line center to head out.
He hops over the boards, his chest heaving as his gaze immediately collides with mine.
His expression relaxes when he sees me, but only for a brief moment.
He quickly looks at Steven, his brow furrowing.
“Him,” I practically whisper, the sound tumbling from my lips as I stare back at Caleb. His eyes linger for a fraction of a second longer than they should before he tears them away from me, taking his seat on the bench. “Number 8.”
“I didn’t see his face,” Steven says with disappointment. “There are two Ford players?”
My heart pounds erratically in my chest and I down more than half of my drink in a single gulp. “Yep. They’re brothers.”
“Woo wee, sister. That could be fun.”
I snort, shaking my head at him. “Carson isn’t single and Caleb is a widower.”
Steven purses his lips then puckers them as he takes a sip of his drink. “Well, okay then. There goes that fantasy.”
We get halfway through the first period before Steven abandons me to go get us fresh drinks. I shouldn’t be drinking since I’m going to have to be responsible for Tella after the second period, but I swore to myself I’d only drink two during the first period.
That was before I realized how strong the bartender was making the drinks. And before I realized I’d have a bit of a buzz before even starting my second.
Steven finds me again, just before the second period starts and he settles back down into his seat just as Caleb is coming off the ice again. I haven’t made eye contact with him since that first time and if I’m being honest, I’ve been actively avoiding any opportunity.
Until now.
He hops over the boards and I accidentally look at him. His gaze is hardened, his eyes moving to Steven and then back to me. They narrow the slightest bit, his nostrils flaring as he spins around and drops down onto the bench.
“Is he just an angry man or did someone piss in his coffee this morning?”
I suck in a deep breath, my chest rising and falling as I exhale. “He’s not an angry person, he’s just . . . complicated.”
“A hot complicated person,” Steven says, glancing at me with a wink. The horn sounds, signaling the period is over. “I’m intrigued.”
“He’s actually really nice and his daughter is such a little spitfire. I just think he’s still hung up on losing his wife. It’s almost like he hasn’t figured out how to heal from it.”
“Is that something you ever really heal from?” Steven questions me as the Zamboni pulls out onto the ice to clean it.
“I don’t know,” I tell him with a shrug, my mind drifting to my father. He’s good, but thinking back now, I’m not sure if he ever truly healed. He dated other women, but he never brought them into our home or into my life. He never settled down. “I think in a way, you probably do.”
Steven nods. “You’re probably right. I’m sure it’s not easy, but then again, what do I know?"
A small laugh escapes me as I shake my head at him then finish the rest of my second drink.
Intermission feels like it passes by sooner than I thought it would, but perhaps it’s from the alcohol in my system.
I need this buzz to go away by the end of the second period or I don’t think Caleb is going to be too happy with me.
The guys come back on the bench, Caleb glancing at Steven and me from the corner of his eye before he steps out onto the ice. The guys line up and the puck drops. Caleb wins the face-off, but there’s a slashing penalty called on the other team within the first minute.