31. Luke
Luke
I met Callie’s eyes from across the stage and had to think about Emma’s candle-making kit that had left wax all over the carpet to control my body.
Knowing that we were both thinking about the same thing made it hard.
In so many ways. She was organized as she ran the meeting and the way her cheeks darkened when she stole glances at me gave away the reason she was organized.
Callie responded to spankings, it seemed. Again, in so many ways.
“Put your tongue back in your mouth.” Ben said it quietly as he moved past me, a passing remark made by a man who’d casually hinted over the phone that morning that he’d touched Callie on the very stage she was standing on.
I glared after him, considering my options and if shoving him off the stage would be too dramatic.
It wasn’t that Callie was a trophy we were competing to win, or anything, but I was definitely losing.
My competitive nature was taking a back seat to the anxiety that buzzed through my body each time I thought about losing my chance with her.
I kept having to stop myself from going to her house to make sure she hadn’t forgotten me in all the attention from Ben and Cole.
That was an old wound I didn’t want to reopen.
Michelle had made it apparent in the years we were married that I deserved as little of her attention as possible, and then flat out cheated on me.
I’d felt left out of my own marriage and then made to feel crazy and needy when I’d pointed it out.
My therapist would’ve strangled me if I ever told her that I was involving myself in the messiness that was our situation with Callie. I was setting myself up for failure.
Callie had finished talking to the whole room and had pointed out a few parents to lead smaller groups. We were supposed to be blocking the stage and reciting lines with the kids but everything vanished from my mind when Callie looked at me, furrowed her brows, and then walked straight over to me.
She tilted her head slightly as she studied me. “Are you okay?”
In all the years I’d been married to Michelle, I didn’t think she’d once asked me that. The shock of it left me stammering for a moment. I had to shake my head and clear my throat before I could speak evenly. “Yeah, I’m good. Just thinking about work.”
The lie came off my tongue easily, but Callie’s eyebrows arched and made it clear she didn’t believe me. She was kind enough not to push, though. “Okay. I should go make the rounds to see if anyone needs help.”
My throat was dry enough that I couldn’t speak, so I nodded at her and watched her walk away.
I was comparing her to my ex-wife and that realization was enough to have my stomach clenching tight.
Things with Callie were…fun. They weren’t supposed to be serious.
She couldn’t date parents and I’d fucked her with two of my best friends, both of whom were still working to get into her pants again.
I had no business holding her up to Michelle and looking at both women with the same lens.
I’d been married to Michelle. I’d slept with Callie once. They were not the same.
Yet…I kept seeing the concerned look on Callie’s face that I’d never seen on Michelle’s, outside of hospitalization and financial crisis.
At some point of my marriage, I’d become a man starved for tenderness and care.
Years of therapy had taught me to feed myself when I was hungry for those things.
A few weeks of Callie had proven it felt better when she fed me.
“Luke! Hi!” One of the other parents, a woman my age with a smile that always reached her eyes, walked up to me and put her hand on my upper arm.
“I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Nick’s mom, Tamra.
My husband, Greg Byrant, mentioned working with you in the past. I know this isn’t the time or place but I wanted to mention something to you. ”
I felt Callie’s eyes on us and looked up in time to see her eyes on Tamra’s hand on my arm.
When they flicked back up to mine and she realized I was watching her she blushed and turned away.
I had to fight the grin that wanted to take over and force myself to focus on what Tamra was saying. “I remember Greg, of course.”
She leaned ever closer and I got nervous about her intentions until she opened her mouth and spewed so much pride in her husband that it was almost uncomfortable.
“Greg left Billings and started his own firm. He’s amazing, Luke.
He was selling himself short by working at Billings for so long, honestly.
You should see some of the projects he’s already got lined up. I swear the man is magic.”
I nodded along, genuinely happy for the guy. I remembered Greg as a decent man and a hard worker. “That’s great to hear.”
“He knows the business side of things is never going to be his strongest trait, though, and he’d mentioned wanting to bring in a project manager to consult with.
When I told him that Nick was in the same class as your daughter, he perked right up.
” She squeezed my arm and stepped back. “I know you have your own company now and I was wondering if you’d ever consider working with Greg again, on a consulting basis. He needs help.”
My brain quickly brought up my schedule and sorted through the things that couldn’t be pushed back. I was busy but I could fit in an old coworker who needed a little help. “Let me give you my card. Have him call me and we’ll work something out.”
She wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug and then pulled back, hands still on my arms. “He’s going to be so happy to hear from you. I can’t wait for you to see what he’s made of himself. I couldn’t be prouder.”
I felt Callie’s eyes on us again and was too weak to stop myself from tracking her.
She was in a different group of parents, slightly outside of them, eyes narrowed as she watched Tamra.
A flush of warmth coated my body. She was jealous, territorial.
That was new, too. Michelle had once tried to give me singles to take to a bachelor party where there’d definitely be strippers.
She’d never been worried about another woman touching me.
There were days when it felt like she would’ve preferred it over having to take the time away from work to touch me herself.
I couldn’t help the slow smile that stretched across my face as I caught Callie’s eye and watched her cross her arms and try to appear unbothered. I was so focused on her that I’d checked out of the conversation with Tamra without meaning to.
“She’s pretty, isn’t she? Nick loves her. Everyone loves her.” Tamra shifted so she was watching Callie, too. “Well, except for Karla. That woman hates everyone, though.”
I should’ve been embarrassed at getting caught checking Callie out but I couldn’t find the emotion. Instead, I felt a streak of heat at someone else acknowledging the possible connection between me and Callie. “She’s very pretty.”
“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen her look anything but happy or tired here.
I didn’t know she had the capability to get angry but there it is.
She didn’t like me hugging you.” She looked up at me and winced.
“I’m sorry, Luke. I’m a hugger. Greg tells me all the time that I need to stop hugging and touching everyone and that one day I’m going to end up getting accused of harassment. Want me to make sure Callie knows-”
I smiled at Tamra and shook my head. “I’ll do it. Thank you, though. Tell Greg I’m glad he got away from Billings.”
She took the card I took from my wallet and practically vibrated with happiness. “He’s really just the best, my Greg.”
I wondered what it’d feel like to have someone as excited about me as she was about Greg and let my eyes drift back to Callie.