33. Berg
Chapter thirty-three
Berg
I t took some convincing, but Natalie finally let me into the bathroom so we could have a heart to heart.
“You don’t know what it’s like, Daddy. And neither does Caro. Nobody understands.”
“It can feel like that sometimes,” I say, choosing my words carefully. “Like nobody in the world gets what we’re going through.”
She crosses her arms, chin pointing up. “Well, they don’t.”
We’re taking up residence on our respective bath mats, and I’m trying to listen twice as much as I talk.
“Everyone has tough stuff happening in their lives, Natalie. We might not always know what it is or understand it, but even if it looks like somebody has the perfect story, they probably don’t. ”
“Like Milly?”
“Yeah, even her life isn’t perfect.”
I knew that Tamara was a widow, and I have to say that while she still isn’t my favourite person, I can respect the changes she’s trying to make.
“Can we get out of the bathroom now? I’m hungry, and I think Carolina made supper.”
Natalie’s eyes are red and puffy from crying. My heart aches for her, but I can only hope I’ve done what I can to help her handle these big feelings.
“I have to say sorry to Caro, don’t I?”
I shrug, secretly happy she came to that conclusion on her own.
“If you were rude to her, that’s probably a good idea.”
“I actually do like when she calls me honey. But I don’t know if I should like it. You know?”
I laugh, because if I’m being honest, I’m not sure I’m following.
“Explain it to me.”
“Lou and I really like Caro, and I know you guys are dating…” she wrinkles her nose at the word. “But what does that actually mean? What if you decide to stop dating? Will she still be our nanny?”
My stomach growls at the scent of supper drifting under the bathroom door, but I know it’ll have to wait. Natalie is bringing out the big guns tonight .
“Those are good questions. Well, we know that in September she’s going to finish college, right? So, she’s going to stay living downstairs, and she’s going to help as much as she can. We’ll know her schedule soon. And, as for the dating, Daddy can’t tell the future, but we make each other really happy, and I don’t see us stopping dating.”
“What comes after dating?”
Engagement. Marriage. The words are on the tip of my tongue, but then Natalie’s tummy rumbles too, and I know that we’ve reached the natural end to this little heart to heart.
“C’mon,” I say, hauling her up to her feet and resting my palms on both of her cheeks so her lips are the tiniest bit smooshed. She reminds me of one of the fish on the shower curtain.
“All you need to know is that I have an extra big heart, so I have lots of extra love to give. Got it?”
She nods before squirming away, her tolerance for my hands on her face running out. I hang back as Natalie goes to find Caro. I want to give them a moment on their own to work things out. The relationship she is forming with my daughters is separate and different from my own. Of course, as their father, I need to be apprised of the important stuff, but constantly inserting myself into their interactions isn’t what they need.
I quickly clean up, and when I hear laughter as I approach the kitchen, I know the tough stuff is out of the way. At least for today .
“Smells good,” I say, squeezing Caro’s thigh beneath the table as I settle into my chair.
“Thanks. It’s just a frozen lasagna. I had a busy afternoon.”
“Daddy, do you notice anything different about Caro?” Louisa asks, giggling.
I let her question hang in the air while I pretend to examine Caro, tipping my head from side to side. I’ll admit that the drama distracted me for a while, but I know she went to see Anna at her salon today, and I’d have to be blind to not notice the soft spirals framing her gorgeous face and the fact she’s wearing peachy pink lipstick.
“Hmm, I think her teeth look very shiny. Did she go to the dentist?”
Louisa tosses her head back in laughter. “No!”
“No? Okay. Then I think maybe she got contact lenses. There’s no way her eyes are always that pretty.”
I smirk as Louisa dissolves into even more giggles and Caro actually blushes at my compliment. Even Natalie is trying hard to not give into my silly antics, but I saw the corners of her lips tip up before she lifted her milk to her mouth.
“Maybe it’s you that needs the contact lenses, because I was living my best life at the salon today,” Caro says as she gives her head a gentle toss.
“It’s beautiful,” I tell her, giving into the urge to slide my fingers down one of the strands.
“You start with high and lows today, Daddy. ”
“Holy smokes, why am I getting put on the spot so much today? Let’s eat a bit first.” I say, popping a bite of cheesy lasagna into my mouth.
A few minutes later, once my stomach is satisfied, I know exactly what to say.
“My high was having somebody in my corner.” I turn my head to glance at Caro.
She smiles and it’s her turn to reach out and place her palm on my thigh, offering a reassuring pat.
“And I hope she can be patient with me because I’m still learning how to share my corner with someone else. Having backup is really cool and I hope that I'll be there for her when she needs support–”
Louisa leans over to her sister and whispers, “This is really long.”
Everyone laughs and then I raise my hands in the air. “Fine, fine! Nobody wants to listen to Dad getting sappy, I get it!”
“I loved it.” Caro stands and I pull her onto my knee so she’s perched on my lap with my arms around her waist.
“Ew,” Natalie says, dropping her fork onto her plate.
“Yeah. Ew,” Louisa mimics, even though I don’t think she’s as put off by the occasional show of affection.
The girls clear their plates and wander off but I stay put, enjoying the feel of Carolina in my arms after a long day. I can’t help but ask to make sure Natalie followed through with her apology .
“She was very sweet. Nothing to worry about. At least she didn’t punch me,” she deadpans.
“Better order my Dad of the Year award, then.”
“Is that a bit of guilt I detect in your voice?”
I shrug. “Maybe.”
“Want to hear my high?”
I rest my head on her shoulder, breathing in the unfamiliar but delicious scent in her hair. “Always.”
“Okay, well my high was that I felt…capable.”
“You’re a very capable person, Caro.”
“I know…but I really felt like I had things handled today. Like, I did my best with the situation.”
I twist her slightly in my lap so we’re face to face. “Until I second guessed you.”
Caro rests her palms on my shoulders. “Well, that was my low, if we’re being honest.”
Honesty comes easy with her. Hell, she accidentally told me about her past without even meaning to and she’s always willing to call me out when I’m being too grumpy and unwilling to accept help.
“I’m sorry.”
“You already said that. I forgive you.” She plants a kiss on the tip of my nose. “Now. My parents invited us over for supper tomorrow. How do you feel about going to that because my brother will be there with Anna and I was talking to her about us a bit and she hasn’t told Chris but I think we’re well past due for telling him– ”
“I’m in.”
She smiles, and my chest expands. It’s been doing that a lot lately.
“For dinner or…”
“For the dinner and you finally telling your brother about us.”
“Perfect. Do you want to call the girls back in for dessert? I’ve got rocky road in the freezer.”
“Not until I tell you my low of the day.”
“Fine. But make it quick because it’s actually me who really wants that ice cream.”
My lips graze the shell of her ear as I inhale her scent again. “My low is that I haven’t been inside you yet today, and I’m absolutely aching for it,” I whisper.
“Berg,” Caro exhales, my name a blend of admonishment and need.
The sound sends desire rushing through me, and I can feel myself hardening in my jeans.
“We can have ice cream now,” she announces, like I didn’t just come onto her in my kitchen.
I kiss her until she’s breathless and humming against my lips before standing and holding her until she’s steady.
“You tease,” she says, giving me a gentle shove before walking toward the freeze and pulling open the door.
“Need to cool off?” I ask as I pull down some bowls from the cupboard.
“Who me? Nope. But I think you might. ”
There’s playfulness in her tone of voice and I sense her behind me a moment too late, arching my back as she drops a handful of ice cubes into the collar of my shirt.
“Argh!” I scream, pulling my tee loose so the cubes clatter onto the floor.
I point a finger at her as the kids run into the kitchen, watching us with amusement and confusion as I scoop up the fallen ice cubes. “You’re gonna pay for that.”
“No way…” Caro backs up slowly but the girls are blocking the exit.
“Stop her, girls. Don’t let her get away!”
The little traitors part, letting Caro right through the gap as she runs into the hall with laughter bubbling from her lips.
“Whose team are you on anyways?” I laugh, racing past them with water dripping through my fingers.
“Caro’s team!”
“We’re on Caro’s team!”
“Apparently!” I yell.
But who can blame them? I’m team Caro too.