24. Caleb
CHAPTER 24
CALEB
L aith isn’t on the back porch, so I make my way down the steps and past the covered pool. At the base of the treehouse, I tilt my head back and squint into the darkness.
“Laith?” I call up. “Please tell me your sorry ass isn’t up there sulking?”
He pokes his head out the open window. “Define sulking.”
With a groan, I drop my head back. “I’m coming up.”
The treehouse is sturdy, but it’s not large, so as I climb the ladder, I ready myself for the tight quarters.
I pop my head through the door, then wiggle my way through.
“Jesus, it’s tight in here,” I groan, practically rolling over to sit. “And don’t you dare make a joke out of that statement.”
The glint in his eye dulls. “If you came out here to ruin my fun, you can go,” he gripes, digging through the candy bag.
“When Salem asks where the candy I was supposed to bring is, don’t think I won’t throw you under the bus.”
“Whatever,” he grumbles, ripping another Kit-Kat open. “I’ll buy a bag tomorrow.”
I arch a brow. “Halloween is over, my guy.” Town-wide trick-or-treating was held last night, so come tomorrow, Salem won’t have much need for chocolate.
“Whatever,” he gripes.
“Dude,” I say, lowering my voice. “Are you actually upset right now?”
“No.” He looks out the window, his face drawn. “I’m fine.”
“Could have fooled me.” I’ve never seen him look so forlorn.
Laith heaves out a sigh that I swear rattles the entire treehouse. “She’s getting married.”
My heart sinks. “Who’s getting married?”
The glare he levels me with is sharp enough to slice right through me. “Don’t make me say it.”
“Daisy?”
He flinches. “Yeah.” He unlocks his phone and slides it my way. “She looks happy. ”
I study the picture on the screen. I’ve never met her. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a photo. She’s blond, with a round, kind-looking face. In the image, she’s smiling at the camera, showing off her engagement ring, wrapped in the arms of a man I presume is her fiancé.
“I don’t know what possessed me to check her socials today, but I did, and…” He gnaws on another piece of chocolate. “Part of me is glad she moved on when I couldn’t, but I’m angry too. Pissed that she could forget me so easily.”
Laith has given me bits and pieces over the years. They grew up next door to one another. They were friends, and maybe a little more. When he left for college, they stayed in touch. But when he returned home for his first break, she was different.
“Mixed emotions are normal, man.” I hand him his phone back and he tucks it into his pocket. “Maybe it’s time for you to get back out there and date.”
He opens his mouth, likely to argue with me, but I hold up a hand to stop him.
“ Not hook up.”
“I guess I could try.” Head bowed, he digs through the candy bag again.
“Give that here.” I snatch it from him.
“Rude,” he huffs, holding up a handful he managed to keep.
Silence descends, only the muffled sound of music from the party permeating the air around us.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask when he’s silent for a long moment.
He sighs, shoving the chocolate into his pocket.
I cringe. As a parent, I have firsthand experience with what happens to chocolate that finds its way into a person’s pocket, but I don’t say anything.
“What’s there to talk about? She moved on and I’m still here.” He lifts one shoulder, failing miserably at looking unbothered.
“Laith,” I prompt.
He sighs again, deeper this time, the sound tinged with an edge of sadness. “I don’t want to talk about it, Caleb. I shouldn’t be hung up on her anymore.”
“Maybe you should talk to Thayer.”
He snorts. “I don’t want to talk to my brother about my ridiculous pining.”
“Why not?” I zero in on him. “He pined after Salem for, like, six years. If anyone understands, it’s him.”
Face lowered, eyes fixed on his hands, he deflates. “It really doesn’t bother you, does it? Him and Salem?”
I scrub a hand over my jaw. “It did at first,” I admit. “I didn’t take my marriage vows lightly. But it was hard to stay mad once I saw them together.”
Laith groans, dropping his head back. “Why do you have to be such a good guy? Can’t you have some sort of flaw?”
I rest my head against the plywood wall and roll my eyes in his direction. “We all have flaws, man. Even me.”
For a handful of minutes, we sit like that, neither of us speaking.
“You gonna hang out here a while longer?” I finally ask, ready to get back to the party. On hands and knees, I crawl to the edge. My back is stiff, the bare floor causing my knees to ache. Is this what getting old feels like?
“Nah,” he says, following me. “I better head back in.”
I climb down the ladder and wait. Once he’s beside me, I grasp his shoulder. “If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here. You know that, right?”
“Shit, Caleb.” He shrugs out of my hold. “Don’t go getting all sentimental on me now.”
I shove my hands into my pockets. “Dude, you were the one crying in the treehouse.”
“I wasn’t crying,” he huffs.
“Maybe not,” I give in. “But you were definitely sulking.”
He heaves out a sigh, his whole chest rising and falling. “You’ve got me there.”
The house is packed, making it impossible to find Halle or Seda.
“Where have you two been?” Thayer asks from behind me.
“Just catching up,” Laith side-steps me to grab a fresh beer.
Thayer homes in on me. “It’s like you two have a secret club, and I’m not invited. I don’t know whether to be hurt or glad I’m not getting dragged into Laith’s bullshit.”
With a shrug, I turn, anxious to find my girls. “Don’t know what to tell you, man.”
Before I can make it more than a step, he grabs my shoulder. “Hey,” he says in a lower voice as I spin back to face him. “If Casen and Quinn are comfortable with it, they can stay the night. Salem and I talked about it.”
Suspicion has me narrowing my eyes. “Why?”
He shrugs, looking anywhere but at me. The two of us have come a long way over the years, but that doesn’t mean that things don’t get awkward at times. “Salem thought you and Halle might appreciate some alone time.”
I bite back a laugh. Sometimes I’m reminded of just how strange this arrangement is. My ex is meddling in my love life, and I’m not the least bit offended by it. In fact, I’m amused. Not only because she thinks I need her help, but because she might be right.
“Thanks.” I nod. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
A man I don’t recognize taps Thayer on the arm, so while he’s distracted, I slip away, going back to my search.
I nearly groan when I find Seda talking to the two Spidermans. If I know anything about adolescence, it’s that there’s no way this crush won’t lead to my daughter getting hurt. And there’s not much I can do about it.
Annoyed or not, I leave her where she is and go in search of Halle. When I’ve scanned every room downstairs and come up empty, I check the front porch. Despite the chill in the air, she’s wrapped in a blanket, feet pulled up, swaying lazily in the porch swing.
The door clicks shut behind me, garnering her attention. Her head swivels in my direction, a look of surprise on her face. Though when she recognizes me, it morphs into one of relief.
“What are you doing out here?” I ask, the wood creaking beneath my weight as I cross the porch.
She pulls her legs in to give me space, but when I sit beside her, I grasp them and put them in my lap .
“Just needed to get away for a few,” she says softly, her eyes glowing in the orange and purple lights strung around the porch. “It was getting a little too crowded for me.”
“There are a lot of people in there,” I agree, finding her foot beneath the blanket. I press my thumb into her arch and move it in slow circles.
The moan she lets out goes straight to my dick. Holding myself back has been hard, but it’ll be worth it in the end.
“Thayer and Salem said the boys could stay the night if they’re comfortable with that.”
Brows knitted, she peers over at me. “Why would they offer that?”
I cock my head to the side, lips twitching with the threat of a smile. “Why do you think?”
Her mouth slowly morphs into a precious O, and her cheeks go pink. “Oh.”
“We don’t have to even mention it to them if you’re unsure.” The last thing I want is for Halle to feel pressured in any way. The two of us are the real deal, and I’ll wait for as long as I need to.
“I…” She smooths out the blanket, her attention averted. “I’m okay with asking them.”
I put a hand on her ankle, rubbing softly. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She looks up then, holding my gaze.
The moment stretches on, the intensity growing between us. It’s only more clear in this moment that when I finally have her, there will be no going back for me.
Halle ducks her head. “Should you hang out with Seda a while longer tonight? ”
I snort, a mixture of heartache and amusement washing over me. “She was busy chatting with your brothers when I came out. Pretty sure the last thing she wants is for any of her parents to invade her space.”
“Ah.” Halle smiles softly, nostalgia deepening the brown of her eyes. “First crushes are something. I’m just sorry it had to be my brothers she’s crushing on.”
I shrug—going for nonchalant and probably failing. “The good news is that the age difference means nothing will come of it. But”—I sigh—“her heart is probably going to get broken anyway.”
Her lips tug down into a frown, a line forming between her brows. “I hope not.”
With a squeeze to her foot, I lift her legs as I stand. “I’ll check on them. If they’re done chatting, I’ll see if Seda wants to dance with me. It’s only a matter of time before she won’t want anything to do with me.”
Halle’s frown deepens. “Don’t say that.”
I lift one shoulder and let it fall. “I’m just being realistic. Preparing myself for the inevitable, you know.”
She presses her lips together, toying with the blanket on her lap. “I would like to think that if I’d had a dad like you, I would’ve always valued his love and opinion, even when I was a moody teenager.” She cracks the tiniest of smiles, dark eyes carefully meeting mine.
I duck my head, holding her gaze. “Thank you. That means a lot.”
I’ve tried my best not to repeat my parents’ mistakes. To love Seda rather than smother her. To encourage her but not overwhelm her. I’m here because I want to be, not because I’m chasing some sort of recognition or clout through my kid.
“I think I’ll head back to your place. I’m all partied out.” She shoves the blanket off and carefully extracts herself from the swing.
I nod, thankful she came at all. I wasn’t sure this would be her kind of thing.
“I won’t be long. Salem and Thayer will probably kick everyone out soon so they can get the kids to bed.”
“Would you mind taking this back for me?” She holds the blanket out. “And could you give Salem my thanks?”
I drape the offered blanket over my arm. “I will.”
Halle holds my eyes, and my stupid heart skips a beat. The air between us thickens, though it’s tinged with awkwardness. Dammit. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that her brothers could stay the night.
I’m still cursing myself when she clears her throat lightly and says, “I hope they stay.”
I blink, taken aback, frozen in place as she descends the stairs to the pavers lining the front walkway.
She’s halfway across the yard when I find my voice. “What?”
Peeking over her shoulder, she gives me a smile that’s equal parts nervousness and excitement. “You heard me.”
My heart takes off as she turns back and makes a beeline for my front door. Only once she’s tucked safely inside do I go back in.
I toss the blanket over the back of a chair and catch a glimpse of Seda. I can’t help but grin. She and several other partygoers are dancing to “Thriller.” My little girl is doing the dance mostly wrong, but she’s waving enthusiastically for me to join.
Without hesitation, I join in, soaking in the time I have with her. Seda’s giggles are almost as loud as the music, each one lighting me up inside. The first time I heard her laugh, I was certain I’d never love another sound more. That hasn’t changed. Her laughter is infectious.
When that song ends and a ballad begins, she grabs my hands and sways to the music. My heart pangs at the joy in her expression as I shift gears just as seamlessly. Lately, I can’t stop thinking about how fast she’s growing up. I fucking blinked, and she’s ten. I worry that I’ll blink again, and she’ll be off to college. I want time to slow down so I can cherish every moment. Once these days are gone, there’s no going back.
“I’m tired.” She wipes the back of her hand against her forehead. “And thirsty.”
Before I can reply, she scurries off.
I could use a bottle of water myself, so I head to the kitchen. Halfway there, A Spiderman steps into my path, stopping me. It isn’t until he pushes his mask up, revealing heat reddened cheeks, that I can tell it’s Quinn.
“Have you seen my sister?” he asks.
Before I can answer, Casen is there too, taking his mask off entirely, his hair a sweaty mess.
“She went home.”
They frown at one another, like one person looking into a mirror .
It’s so wild how identical their movements and expressions can be. Yes, they have their differences—Quinn prefers syrup on his pancakes while Casen sticks with butter only, and while Casen isn’t a big fan of scary movies, Quinn is borderline obsessed—but their synchronicity is a bit jarring at times.
“She’s okay,” I say. “Just tired.”
And probably waiting for me .
I leave that part out.
“Salem and Thayer said you guys could stay here tonight if you want.”
Again, they exchange a look, communicating in that silent way they do, this one more considering than concerned.
“Actually”—Casen’s the one to speak up—“Thelma and Cynthia invited us to stay the night with them. They’re going to teach us how to make pancakes.”
“Yeah,” Quinn adds. “And we want to keep working on our crochet project.”
Pancakes.
Crochet.
I bite back a chuckle.
Halle’s twin brothers are turning into little grandmas. It’s kind of cute, actually, considering the mischief they can get into. At least Cynthia and Thelma are keeping them occupied.
“What are you crocheting?”
Quinn shrugs. “Just the basics for now.”
I have no idea what the basics of crochet are, but good for them .
“That’s fine with me. I don’t think Halle will care, but I’ll let her know.”
“Cool. We’re going to head over with them now, I think. If Halle isn’t okay with it, tell her to text us.”
Once they’ve said their goodbyes to Salem and Seda, they shuffle to the door, where Cynthia and Thelma are waiting.
I give them all a wave. Honestly, between Thelma’s sassiness and Cynthia’s nurturing personality, it makes sense that the twins have taken up with them.
In the kitchen, I swipe a water from a tub of ice and guzzle half of it in one go. Just as I’m recapping the bottle, Seda pops around the corner, snacking on a cracker.
“Whoa. I am beat .”
Salem, who stands at the sink rinsing a bowl, bursts into laughter. “Is that so? Your dad just took Soleil and Samson up. Why don’t you head to bed too? I’m getting ready to shoo everyone out of here, so you won’t be missing anything.”
“All right.” She stifles a yawn, cracker crumbs slipping from her mouth. With a laugh, she brushes them off. “I’m going to bed. Good night, Daddy.” She throws her arms around my waist.
I hug her back, holding on a little longer than necessary. “Good night, princess.”
Salem dries her hands on a dish towel. “Are the boys staying?”
Hands shoved into my pockets, I shake my head. “No, actually, they asked if they could sleep over at Cynthia and Thelma’s. ”
Salem’s melodic laugh resonates off the walls in the kitchen. “that may be the most unlikely friendship in the history of friendships. But it’s cute. At least you still get the night kid-free.” She winks.
“Ugh.” Groaning, I turn away. “Stop.”
“Have fun,” she singsongs as I stride for the door.