Chapter 50
CHAPTER 50
CALEB
“ A nother five children signed up this week,” April tells me over breakfast.
“Really?” I say, looking up in amazement. Transporting the kids from Sunny Down to their classes has been a roaring success.
April laughs, a sound I’m becoming much more familiar with these days. “My business didn’t go up in smoke, it’s more like a phoenix rising from the ashes. With the new development, the community are really getting behind it.” She leans forward and rests a hand against my cheek. “And it’s all down to you.”
“No, little dancer. This is all you. The community and its spirit were always there. I’m just making the wrapping more attractive.”
“Don’t undersell yourself. You’re their hero.”
It’s not the community’s hero I want to be. I’ve been bewitched by my little dancer, she is showing me a different way of looking at the world.
“I’ve got you something,” she says, getting up and moving to the cupboard. She opens it. “A thank you, for all you’ve done for me, for Di. She went back to work this week, there’s no keeping her down.”
I chuckle. Getting to know Di, I now understand where April gets her steely determination. A case of nurture over nature. The woman is a force to be reckoned with but with a soft gooey inside when it comes to her foster daughter.
“You don’t need to buy me things,” I tell her honestly.
She shoots me a shy smile. “I haven’t bought this exactly,” she says, pulling out a decorated jar.
She returns to the table, carrying it in her hands, handing it to me.
“What’s this?”
“I can’t whisk you off to Paris or pay for hip operations. I can’t buy you a new car. But this…” she covers her now glowing cheeks with her hands. “This is so silly; I don’t know what I was thinking.”
She leans forward and tries to take it out of my hands.
“Nope,” I say, grinning as she tries to take it back. “Once a gift has been given, it can’t be rescinded. Frazer house rules.”
She leans forward again, but I stand up and hold it out of her reach.
She sits back in her seat with a huff and glares at me.
“Are you going to tell me what this gift is, the one you are so determined to take back?”
“It’s a date night jar,” she sighs, biting her lip.
“A date night jar?”
“Yes, each piece of paper inside holds personalised date night ideas,” she explains.
I sit back down, my eyes going to the jar in my hand. I turn it around in my hands noting the label on the side.
Caleb and April's Date Night Jar .
I’m suddenly excited to discover the ideas she’s come up with. Time we can spend together as a couple.
I look up to find her watching me, her cheeks rosy .
“It’s silly, really,” she says, leaning forward again.
“Can I open it and choose a date night?”
She sits back, the look of surprise on her face is priceless.
“Of course,” she says quietly.
I place the jar on the table, and gently rock the lid until it pops free. Inside there are lots of multi-coloured pieces of paper, folded with care. I stick my fingers in and fish one out. I sit back in my chair, my elbows resting on the arms as I unfold the pale blue note.
Go for a moonlit walk along the river, followed by a leisurely massage.
Now this is a gift I can get behind. It makes me wonder what other ideas she’s come up with for us to spend time together.
“I told you it was silly,” she says.
I lean forward and take one of her hands in mine. “No April. It’s not. I promise you; this is one of the most thoughtful and personal gifts I’ve ever received. I will cherish each one of our date nights.”
I push back my chair and pull her forward and into my lap. “I mean it. Thank you.”
She smiles shyly at me. “Are you sure? There is no comparison to the things you’ve done for me.”
“I’m more than sure. I love it.”
Like I love you, I want to say, realising I am and have fallen totally and utterly in love. Something I never thought possible.
The past couple of months have flown by. In between our date nights, I’ve been dealing with the new development, while April has been travelling to and from Scarlett’s, where she’s been working with Scarlett and her choreography team, when she is not working with her own kids. As a result, April is developing an air of confidence I’ve never seen before and it’s amazing to watch her shed her shackles and come into herself. Even Samuel’s noticed the difference.
“I have a surprise for you,” I say.
It’s Sunday morning, so neither of us is rushing out of the door.
Last night was one of our date nights.
Who would’ve thought, watching an old movie in the back row of the cinema, with a bag of traditional sweets and popcorn could have been so enjoyable. Holding hands and snuggling in the paired seats, like teenagers.
As it’s Mason’s day off, I grab the keys to the Porsche 911 Carrera four GTS Cabriolet, in ice grey metallic. My pride and joy. It’s the only one of my cars, apart from the one Mason drives, I keep in the city.
The car's features are lost in city driving, but it’s still smooth.
“Want to drive?” I say, holding out the keys to April.
I watch as her jaw drops. “Me? Drive your car?” she says, a slow grin appearing. “Your baby?”
I laugh at her words. “Yes,” I say. “It’s the least I can do after your wonderful gift this morning.”
I’ve already spent hours showing her exactly how taken I am with my present.
I drop the keys into her outstretched palm and move to the passenger side. My heart rate picks up when she unlocks the door and gets in. This is, after all, my baby. All my cars are my babies. But April has always wanted to drive it, and I added her to the insurance months ago .
“Where to?” she asks, pressing the on button.
“Sunny Down.”
April turns in her seat to look at me.
“You’ll see,” I tell her, as we set off.
By the time we arrive at Sunny Down, I know I must introduce April to the racetrack.
I’m about to say something, but stop when I turn to see April’s jaw drop. “My goodness, Cal, it’s…I’m speechless,” she whispers, her face flashing to mine, her cheeks glowing.
It’s been a couple of weeks since she was last here. The doors are now on, windows in place. Her studio still needs to be kitted out, but the holdup is due to the surprise I’ve brought her here for.
“I’m glad you like it. Come on,” I say. “It gets better.”
I get out before moving to her side and opening the door. Always the gentleman, my mother would say. I’ve trained April to let me as well. Told her my mother would have me in a headlock if I didn’t.
We enter the building. The internal walls are in place. April moves to the door that will connect with the cafe next door. The security system wiring is already in place. One of Elijah’s new designs.
The reception area is bigger than before, although not by much. More to allow for some seating and a desk. Changing rooms and shower rooms are off to the right. Before they were at the back, but new regulations and planning had us move them. Now, students can access these from the front of the building, no-longer disrupting the next class.
April pops her head into the rooms. The team has fitted the showers and is waiting to fit the hangers and lockers to the walls.
“I can’t believe this,” she says, a grin splitting her face. “This is going to mean the world to some of my students.”
She’s told me how some families are short of money and hot water is a luxury. Jaxson’s designs have meant these kids can shower here, but it won’t be at any great expense to April.
“Come on,” I say, taking her hand and leading her into the vast room that will become her dance studio.
“Oh Cal,” she says, her voice catching.
She breaks free of my hold and moves to the centre of the room. The concrete flooring is not what she envisages, but I know she can see past that.
“The flooring and mirrors are being installed next week,” I say, watching as she turns in a circle, almost trancelike.
“This is?—”
Before I can stop her, she’s running at me. I catch her as she wraps her legs around my waist, her lips crashing against mine. I drink her in. This reaction is everything I hoped for.
I’ve come to live for her smiles and making all her wishes come true.
“I still have the surprise.” I pull back, lowering her, reluctantly to the floor. “Follow me.”
I take her hand and lead her to a door situated at the back of the studio. I know she thinks it’s to her office, but.
I open the door, exposing the stairs.
“What’s this?” she asks, shooting me a look.
“Wait and see,” I say, ushering her ahead of me.
We take the stairs in silence. At the top, there’s another door.
“What’s this?” April asks as I hand her the key.
I roll my eyes.
“Just open it,” I say, trying hard to hide my grin.
April huffs but for once does what she’s told. She pushes open the door and stops.
“Are you going to go in?” I ask.
She turns to look at me before stepping forward.
“What is this place?” she asks quietly .
“This is the flat Jaxson was telling you about,” I say, not quite able to read her demeanour.
“But… I don’t understand.”
“The apartment belongs with the studio. When the roof caved in, we realised how cavernous the studio would be. Building this as a tag onto the studio made sense.” I move next to her. “It’s also included as part of the lease.”
The studio is and never was residential. The apartment means April has somewhere to stay. Should she want it. The thought causes my chest to constrict, but it’s not about me.
“I…” she walks away, exploring the open plan living area and kitchen before opening one of the three doors that lead off the main room.
“One is a bathroom, the other two are bedrooms. Although one can be your office,” I say, “The master has an ensuite.”
She turns to gaze at me, her eyes wide.
“I still don’t…”
This is not the response I was expecting. Although April is a complex character.
I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist.
“I want you to stay with me,” I tell her honestly.
I’ve realised over the past couple of days that I don’t want what we have to end. But that’s me being selfish.
“But I want you to know you have somewhere for you. If you have late classes, we can stay here.”
I turn her in my arms and lift her chin with my finger, making her meet my gaze. Her expression wrenches a hole in my heart.
“I want you to stay,” I repeat. “I enjoy having you in my space, in my life. We designed this place before you and I—before our relationship developed.”
I watch as her eyes scrunch, filling with tears .
“You did this while I was still being a pain in your arse ?” she asks, giving a half laugh, half sob.
I wipe the tears that escape. My throat constricting.
“I told you I’d look after you, and I meant it. I know things have changed, but this space will always be here for you. It’s yours.”
April drops her head against my chest, her back shuddering as she tries to suppress the tears she can no longer contain.
“This was not supposed to make you sad,” I say, pulling her into my arms, my chin resting on the top of her head.
“I’m not sad, I’m just…I don’t know how to describe it. No one has done anything like this before. To say I misjudged you in the beginning. It doesn’t come close to…”
I clasp her head in my hands, tilting it until I can kiss her lips.
“I’m falling in love with you, April Wilson. I don’t know how, or when. It’s not something I believed in until you appeared in my life. But you’ve hooked me. If you want to move out, I can’t stop you once this place is complete, although I’d prefer to wake up every morning with you in my arms.”
“You can’t—I’m a nobody,” she says, biting her lip, her eyes filling with confusion.
“To me, you’re very much a somebody. You’re kind, and caring. Everyone you meet loves you. I’ve never felt like this about anyone. As I said before. I didn’t believe it was possible. I’m asking you to stay with me by choice, but know if you ever need to leave, you will always have somewhere to go.”
I step back, giving her space. April turns and grabs my shirt, pulling me into her, slamming her mouth against mine. I don’t want her to tell me she loves me. I know it’s too soon. Her walls are thick, her moat wide, but she is slowly lowering her drawbridge and when she does, I’ll be charging across and staking my claim. Loving her has scared the crap out of me, but I’m tired of fighting it. It’s how I feel, so why not share it?
“I’ll stay,” she says.
Her words trigger an eruption of fireworks in my chest.
I can’t contain the grin as my chest expands until I think it’s going to explode.
“Thank you,” I say.
When she shoots me a questioning look, I add, “For trusting me.”
A strange look crosses her face as if she wants to say something but stops herself. Instead, she wraps her arms around my waist and rests her head against my chest.
“It’s okay. You’ve only got to survive my family now,” I tell her, and she groans.
“Don’t say that, I’m already nervous. I can’t believe your mum convinced me to get the children involved in the entertainment. Scarlett was no support either. She thought it was a fabulous idea.”
I chuckle. “My mother is very good at getting what she wants.”
She wants to know more about April and this is her perfect opportunity to snare her in her web. She knows we’re dating, so she’s used this opportunity to her advantage.
“Your Mum seems to think seeing some of the kids will have the donors dig a little deeper into their pockets, as they get a taste of what they are supporting. Her words, not mine. What if it all goes horribly wrong?”
“It won’t,” I tell her. “I know how hard you and Scarlett have worked with the kids. You’ve enjoyed choreographing and practising with the teenagers. Not to mention the younger children. Plus, it’s time mum shook it up. She’s been complaining for years, she’s bored with it always being a band. She wants a flash mob and you’re giving her that. You’re her hero. With the older kids acting as waiters, she’s got it all figured out. Don’t worry. You’ve got this.”
“No pressure then!” April says making me chuckle as I pull her closer.