Chapter 16 #2
Caleb handles it all with grace and good humour.
“You look like Noah,” Kiera says.
“I think it’s more that Noah looks like me. Handsome devil that he is.”
That gets a giggle from both girls.
Noah’s lips curl into a smile.
“I’m so happy to meet all of you. I’ve heard a lot about you from your mum.”
“What did she tell you?” Bailey asks.
He laughs. “Nothing bad. She loves you all very much.”
“Are we going to your sister’s for a barbecue? Mum said she has a pool.”
He meets my gaze. “That’s the plan. And you’re more than welcome to bring your togs.”
“Can you see my room now?” Jason asks.
Caleb grins. “Sure thing, bud. Why don’t you lead the way?”
Jason jumps up from the couch and is off without another word.
Caleb follows him, pausing in the doorway and gripping Noah’s shoulder. “This has gone well.”
“Thanks for doing it.”
“Anything for you and your mother.”
My throat tightens as he leaves the room, and Bailey pounces, leaping over to the couch. “He’s so nice, Mum. I wasn’t sure what to expect.”
“Do you think I’d let him meet you if he wasn’t?”
“I can’t wait to swim in the pool. What’s his sister’s name?” Kiera asks.
“Chloe. She’s got teenagers too. I assume they’ll be there too.”
“Boys or girls?” Bailey tilts her head.
“Boys.” Bailey’s eyes light up and I shake my head. “They’re both older than you.”
“And they’re kind of our cousins.” Kiera laughs. “That’d be weird.”
I hold up my hands. “Can we not do this? The whole thing is weird.”
The girls laugh.
“He seems nice.” Bailey brushes my arm with her hand. “I can see why you like him.”
“I don’t—”
“Don’t bullshit us, Mum. We know you do.”
I shake my head. “I can’t hide anything from you two.”
“Three.” Noah speaks up from near the door. He takes a further step into the room before dropping into a chair. “I see it too. He likes you too, for what it’s worth.”
“It’s been such a long time.”
“I’m not sure that matters to him.”
Caleb’s so popular, he stays for dinner and joins in as if he’s always been a member of my family.
We sit next to each other at the table, and it’s not just the conversation. He’s close—so close I can smell his cologne, and our knees bump every so often in a pattern that isn’t accidental.
I’m over the moon that they’ve accepted him so easily.
When dinner’s done and the dishes are in the dishwasher, the girls excuse themselves to do their homework, Noah heads off to watch some TV show he says he can’t miss, and Jason snuggles on the couch between Caleb and I.
He’s the one who’s surprised me most of all.
Seeing them together leaves a lump in my throat. This is what he should’ve had all along—not a father who was sick and angry.
I almost feel bad about taking him upstairs to have his bath and get him into his pyjamas, they’re getting along that well.
All he can do when he’s in the bath is talk about how much he likes Caleb.
I head downstairs once he’s in bed.
Caleb’s head turns.
“Jason would like you to read him a bedtime story.”
Caleb hesitates. “Me? Are you okay with that.”
“I am very okay with that. He’s asked specifically for you.”
He grins and stands up before walking toward me. “He’s such a great kid.”
“And he feels the same way about you.”
Caleb presses a kiss to my forehead. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Take your time. He’ll have to choose a book first.”
He chuckles and I let out a sigh as he climbs the stairs, and I take my turn on the couch.
It takes about twenty minutes before he returns, triumphant and smiling.
“He’s out like a light.”
My eyebrows rise. “Really?”
Caleb settles onto the couch beside me. “Yes. Apparently I’m a pro at getting children to sleep.”
I laugh. “You might not have felt that way at 3 a.m. when he had colic as a baby.”
“I wish I’d done all of that with you.” He fixes his gaze on me. “Are you okay?”
I nod. “I’m fine.”
He takes my hand in his, knitting our fingers together. “I’m sorry if I rushed you.”
“No. Everyone’s happy. It turned out perfectly.”
Caleb grins. “It did. Didn’t it? Those children of yours are all something special. I know you want to protect them after everything that’s happened.”
“I do, but I also need to let go a little. They have lives to live and if I hold on too tight, I’m just as bad as their father.”
His brows knit, and he squeezes my fingers. “No. Don’t you ever think that. You love them, and they adore you. It’s clear. He hurt all of you. I want to help take that hurt away.”
I force a smile. “You being here is doing that.”
“Maybe a little.” Caleb raises his free hand and cups my cheek. “I’m here for you. And I always will be.”
“You’re Noah’s father. Of course—”
“Not just as Noah’s father. You were terrified when your father paid you a visit. I’m not about to have him mess up your life again.”
“Caleb …”
“I don’t know where this leads, but I want to find out.”
This time I really smile. It’s hard not to. I’m scared of rushing into something new, but it’s Caleb. That makes all the difference.
“Me, too.”
He leans over and kisses me softly on the lips. “I’ll be back tomorrow to finish off those windows. We’ll go over your list to make sure everything’s done and work out where you and me go from there.”
“I like that idea.”
“I lost you once. I don’t want to lose you again.”
With another kiss, he drops my hand and fixes his gaze on me. “Goodnight, Emma. I’ll show myself out.”
When he’s gone, I raise my fingers to my lips.
I’m a forty-three-year-old woman with a crush on my teenage boyfriend.
And nothing has ever felt sweeter.