41. Caleb
Caleb
I tossed and turned like I had the past few days. Nobody prepared you for how uncomfortable it was to sleep in the same bed as your ex-girlfriend, especially one who cheated on you, and your daughter in between the two of you.
Every night was the same song and dance.
Noelle would start off in her own room but like clockwork, twenty minutes after tucking her into her bed, she was then standing in the doorway of my room.
She needed reassurance that we were still there.
I obliged, and while I was grateful that Grace was staying for Noelle, it didn’t make the circumstances any easier.
I was hurt by Grace’s actions. Where did we go from here? I tried not to express my displeasure too much, at least not to her face. I couldn’t lie. I was avoiding her during the day. I’d make myself busy at the bar, steering clear of my house at all costs. She didn’t stop by the bar either.
Grace was already dealing with the fallout from Fiona and Ms. Kenzie. They both were mad at Grace for leaving and blamed her for Noelle running away to the city. They were both older and set in their ways. They weren’t budging, even though I had spoken to each of them.
My mother forgave Grace, unknowing of the circumstance behind our breakup, and I was happy she had some people in her corner. Like Lucy. Apparently, Lucy and Grace remained close throughout the past month. Lucy even took a trip to the city to see her.
I sat on the edge of Noelle’s bed, watching as she curled up beneath the blankets. She had been too quiet since Grace found her at The Plaza. Since I nearly lost my mind searching for her. Since I realized how much I’d screwed up—again.
I ran a hand over my face, exhaling slowly before speaking. “You scared me, Noelle.”
Noelle shifted, pulling the blanket higher, like she wanted to disappear beneath it. “I didn’t mean to.”
“But you did.” My voice was gentler than I felt. “You can’t ever do that again. Take off like you did.”
She didn’t answer.
I sighed. “When the girls started bullying you, you should have told me. You can’t just run away when things get hard.
I’m here for you. I will always fight for you.
Staying is hard, but you have to face things.
” I continued, “Even when they suck. Even when people aren’t kind.
Because you’re stronger than you think, and you don’t have to do it alone.
You’ve got me. And I promise, I’m not going anywhere. ”
Noelle blinked up at me. “Grace promised she would be here and she still left us.”
Fuck! I ran my fingers through my hair. “Grace didn’t leave you.
She left me. I pushed her away. People get into fights, and she got scared and made some mistakes.
People make mistakes and we forgive them as long as they are trying to do better and change.
Life is hard. Even grown-ups don’t know what to do sometimes. ”
Yeah, sleeping with another guy is a huge mistake—especially when he was a massive asshole.
Her eyes welled with tears. “I love her, Dad. I know you do too!”
I shrugged. “The most important thing is you, Noelle. I’m going to be in contact with the school daily for check-ins, but you need to be honest with me.”
I kissed her head, and as I moved toward the door, I mumbled, “And give Grace some grace.” I laughed at my joke and the kid rolled her eyes.
They were already in cahoots again.
I glanced over and saw Noelle sprawled across the bed and Grace cuddled up beside her.
My heart tugged, watching the scene. It looked so natural, so right, having Grace with us.
Grace even seemed different, lighter almost. The sadness in her eyes was less visible and even her hair was darker.
She said she wasn’t dying her hair blonde anymore and wanted to be “more real.” Whatever that meant.
I flipped off the covers, giving up on sleep.
I went over to my closet and pulled on a hoodie.
Glancing out the window next to the closet, I saw snow flurries starting to come down.
We were expecting a bad storm. Schools were closed in anticipation, so Noelle was going to my mother’s for the day while I tried to put in a few hours at the bar before things got worse.
Grace was spending the day helping Jena at the bakery in hopes that it would butter up Ms. Kenzie in the process.
I pulled out the last drawer of my dresser and looked at the velvet box.
I peeked my head out of the closet, taking in Grace’s frame.
I sighed and left it in its hiding place.
It killed me knowing my original plans for today, Valentine’s Day.
I planned to close the bar and decorate the place with hearts and flowers then propose to her.
What a silly idea that was.
The snow began falling thick and fast as soon as I got home from the bar.
Noelle insisted on having a sleepover at my mother’s house.
I was apprehensive to agree only because I didn’t want to reward Noelle for running away, but my mother said it would be good for her to find healthy separation again, so I relented.
I checked my phone, smiling at the pictures my mother sent of Noelle baking a heart-shaped cake and then drawing me a Valentine sketch.
“How’s Noelle?” Grace asked, bursting me out of my bubble. While I wanted to get a moment alone with Grace, I was also unsure of what to expect. And now it was Valentine’s Day and we were about to be snowed in with each other.
“She’s fine,” I said more to myself than her. “The school emailed me back and said the transition to the new class has been going well. They also placed her with another guidance counselor, hoping the change does her good.”
I finally looked at Grace, who was pacing around the living room, looking like she wasn’t sure if she belonged here. She was restless and literally couldn’t run.
She was wearing my sweatshirt with the Bar logo on it.
Grace hadn’t left for the city to get more of her stuff.
Thankfully, she had left some stuff at my house before we broke up.
She was swimming in my sweatshirt, but it looked so right.
Her hair was piled up on the top of her head, and she had on no makeup but looked more beautiful than ever.
I shook my head. I shouldn’t be thinking about her like that when we weren’t together, but it was almost instinctual.
I grabbed a piece of wood, tossing it into the fireplace. I rubbed my hands together and then turned to Grace, about to ask her what she wanted to eat. She looked as though she hadn’t eaten a good meal in weeks.
“We should talk,” Grace stammered, pulling on the sleeves of my sweater. She looked so scared, and I wanted nothing more than to hold her. She was bursting at the seams, similar to the old hoodie’s threads she was playing with.
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Okay, let’s talk, Grace.” I waved to give her the proverbial floor. For a few moments, silence lingered between us. The world around us ceased to exist.
“I … I didn’t sleep with Grant,” she finally said, barely above a whisper.
My eyes widened and I blinked, trying to wrap my head around this revelation.
Grace covered her face with her hands. I gently caressed her wrist, touching her for the first time in well over a month. She dropped her hands, and finally I saw what I hoped was the truth shining in her eyes. The love was there.
“So why would you let me think that?” My voice cracked, despite my efforts to seem unaffected.
Her gaze moved to the door behind me and then to the ground.
“Because I was hurting and I was being petty and wanted you to hurt too. When I left, I didn’t think you’d come after me.
I thought you’d be glad to have me out of your life.
Running away made the most sense. But then you showed up and I did the first thing I could to make you hate me.
” Her shoulders dropped and she radiated shame and regret.
“I don’t hate you,” I said simply and honestly.
Her head snapped up, her tear-filled eyes locking on to my own. “I’d hate me if I were you.”
“Baby, hate is the furthest thing I feel for you,” I said softly, not wanting to overwhelm her.
She shook her head. “You can’t forgive me this quickly. I broke us. I ran. I lied. I hurt you and Noelle. I don’t deserve?—”
I cut her off, moving closer to cup her face with my hands, cradling her so gently. “Stop. Stop running. Stop beating yourself up. For future reference, you don’t run. You stay and you fight. Because, baby, you and me, that’s worth fighting for.”
“You really do mean that, don’t you?” she asked, searching my face for the truth.
I nodded. “I’ll always mean it. All we need is you here. The rest we can figure out.”
I leaned in before I realized what I was doing. It wasn’t a decision, but an instinct. Her breath hitched as I grew closer, reducing the space between us.
I was almost worried she was going to push me away, but instead, she leaned in and her lips met mine.
This kiss at first was soft and hesitant, getting reacquainted with one another after our separation.
I grazed my tongue against her lips, deepening the kiss.
My hands went from her face to her hips, pulling her toward me.
She moaned lightly at the contact, and her hands gripped my shirt, pulling me closer to her.
Then her fingers tangled with my hair as I gripped her ass, hoisting her up into my arms. Her legs tightened around my middle, caging me in.
She ground against my hardness, causing us both to moan simultaneously.
I swatted a pillow from the couch so it hit the floor. Then I gently lowered Grace onto the pillow in front of the burning embers in the fireplace, illuminating the winter white picturesque scene outside the window.
“Caleb, are you sure?” Grace asked breathlessly as I moved my mouth from hers to her neck, nipping and sucking at the delicate skin there before moving lower.
I motioned for her to lean up on her elbows so I could remove her sweatshirt and bra quickly, before she made herself comfortable on the cushion.
I nodded as though my actions weren’t speaking for themselves.
My mouth never left her body as I descended to her core, kissing her before her hips jolted upwards so I could tug her pants off.
Her lace panties were the only barrier between us.
“As lovely as these are, they have to go,” I muttered, sliding them down her body and tossing them somewhere in the living room.
I didn’t waste time or play the waiting game like I typically would, like I had other times. No, I knew what it was like to be without her, without this, and I wasn’t going to stop until I had my fill of her.
My mouth met her pussy and I dove in like a man possessed, fucking her with my fingers and mouth.
Going right for her most sensitive spot, I circled until she writhed beneath me, moaning my name.
I couldn’t describe how relieved I was that she didn’t sleep with anybody else, and after tonight, I’d make sure I was the only name escaping her lips for the rest of our lives.
I grabbed her thigh, lifting it over my shoulder.
Now that I got my taste, I could tease Grace a little.
I rubbed her clit with my finger only to pull it away.
My eyes met hers, hungry and hazy with desire as she pulled my head closer, tugging on my hair.
I flicked her clit with my tongue, and she came undone, arching her back.
It was my name she screamed, causing it to echo in the snowy night.
Her chest heaved as she came down from her high, and I couldn’t help but smirk. After a minute, she leaned forward on her elbows and practically purred. “Caleb, you have too many clothes on.”
I shrugged myself out of my shirt as Grace unbuckled my pants and slid down my boxers.
“I want you.” She eyed me up and down, her eyes smoldering.
“Same, baby.” I nipped at her lips before aligning myself with her entrance. Deliciously, I rubbed my cock up and down her slit, teasing us both. “This is gonna be fast,” I warned before plunging inside of her, filling her until our bodies were flush.
“We’ll do it tomorrow and the day after that and the day after, old man,” she moaned. “We have time, I promise.”
I chuckled, thinking back to when she ran off that first night we met. “Oh, not you and the promises again. Don’t promise,” I teased, swiveling my hips, hitting the spot that made her eyes roll.
“More,” she groaned, thrusting her hips upwards. Grace didn’t have to tell me twice.
Happy Valentine’s Day to us.