Chapter 43 You’re Bluffing #2
“Calder told me the night you two met when I was little that you were the prettiest girl he’d ever seen!” a scratchy voice
says from somewhere unknown, and I look around, frowning curiously.
Cozy holds her phone up and reveals Everly on a FaceTime call, stunning me into a rare silence. Everly in Ireland is in on
this too? What time is it even, over there?
“Oh, Dakota—” Calder starts, and I hold my hand up to stop him.
“No more, Calder, please!”
“This isn’t a confession.” He pins me with a serious look, and I calm down, hoping he’s finally going to tell me what the fuck is going on. “I was just going to tell you that I need you to take down that tab on your website that lists my furniture.”
“What?” I snap, my lips parting in shock as I fight back the sting of that request. It somehow feels harsher than anything
else he’s said to me.
“You can go ahead and take my furniture off your website. I’m done with all that.”
I sit up straight and lean across the table. “Are you taking that deal from that store in Denver?”
“It doesn’t really matter, does it?” Calder’s eyes narrow, his nostrils flaring slightly as he looks at me. “You don’t want
to know anything else so...”
I release a laugh as chills run down my body. He’s right. I don’t want to know anything else. I don’t want to know what a
damn fool he’s being or how his crazy friggin’ family just lets him waste his life away.
I look down at my cards, murmuring something under my breath, while Luke says, “Hey, Calder, want to grab me another beer?”
He stands to go get it, and I smack my cards back down on the table, stopping him in his tracks. “So you just want to not make money, then? Cool, Calder. Way to be a tough guy. Who likes doing something they love for money, anyways? I’ll get your
tab on my website taken down right away. We wouldn’t want to not waste your potential, right?”
Silence descends, and I feel everyone’s eyes on me, but my brain is too fired-up to give a shit. I pick my cards back up and
tap them on the table, my legs bouncing viciously as I look around at everyone awkwardly staring at their cards. “And it’s
funny how all of you can get on board with helping him mess with me tonight, but you’re unwilling to help him where it actually
matters.”
“What are you talking about?” Wyatt asks, his mouth puckering as he glowers over at me from his place beside Calder.
“You use him to do all the grunt work on your job sites because he doesn’t have a kid or he’s doing less of the business side that Luke manages, but the shit you have him doing could be easily subcontracted out.
Hire a drywall guy. Hire a part-time employee.
There are better things Calder can be doing with his limited free time. ”
“Like what?” Luke asks, his eyes piercing into me.
“Have you ever been inside his shop?” I snap, knowing I’m completely crossing a family boundary here but unable to stop myself.
“Have you seen what he’s capable of? What he makes with his bare hands? It’s beautiful and has your dad’s essence all over
it. You all should be so proud of him and this talent he honors with your dad’s memory.”
I look up to see Calder’s eyes red-rimmed and burning a hole straight through me. And then I see that Johanna is tearing up
too. And Max. And hell, I even got Wyatt and Luke. Dammit, this isn’t what I wanted to happen. I’m going way overboard here,
but I can’t just stop caring about this infuriating man because he screws up.
I inhale a shaky breath and try to compose myself better. “I apologize if I’m speaking too personally about your dad. It’s
not my place.”
“You go ahead and keep talking, hon,” Johanna says, her eyes fierce on mine. At least someone seems to be hearing me.
“I’m just trying to get you guys to realize that the furniture Calder builds is so incredibly special. It makes the crap out
by Max and Cozy’s pool look cheap and basic.”
“Hey, I picked that out!” Cozy chirps, her voice thick with emotion.
“Well, it sucks compared to Calder’s work, and I have a feeling Steven would agree,” I reply with indignation over a man I am desperately trying not to care about.
“How all of your houses aren’t filled with his furniture is beyond me.
You guys treat this like it’s a hobby, and it’s not.
It’s his passion. It’s his therapy. It’s his greatest life’s work and could be an extremely fulfilling career for him.
” I turn and thrust a finger up at Calder who looks completely stunned.
“Tell them about the high-end boutique in Denver that’s interested in featuring you. ”
“It’s not that big a deal,” Calder replies, his eyes locked on mine with a look of longing that I feel squarely in my gut.
“ It’s not that big a deal ?” I volley back, my chair scraping on the floor as I stand up. “They want to feature his work in their showroom. It’s a really
cool thing! God, Calder. This is so typical you. You just...” I let out a frustrated growl as I turn and walk toward the
kitchen, desperate for some space.
“Talk to me outside for a moment?” Calder asks, moving toward me.
“I’m too mad to talk.” I pull away, holding my hands up.
“Walk your ass outside or I will carry you out. You know I’ve done it before.” He points to the door with a sharp commanding
tone that makes my entire body flush with desire. I’m getting sex club flashbacks in front of his whole family, which is not
good. Licking my lips, I make my way through the expansive sliding glass door that leads out to the deck overlooking the pool,
grateful for the cool night air to help clear my head.
My heels clomp loudly as I pace and stew over all the stuff his whole family spewed at me about Calder’s past when they are
missing the point. His future is so much bigger than this fight between me and him. Why don’t they see that?
“Can you stop pacing so we can talk?” Calder’s voice is stony serious, halting me in my tracks.
I turn and cross my arms over my chest, glaring at him before glancing at the giant windows that reveal the entire dining
room like a living art tableau.
Everyone sees me glaring and turns away quickly, trying to make themselves look busy, like they’re actually playing cards
and not just eavesdropping on our whole conversation.
“What are you trying to pull in there?” I snap, my tone acidic. “This is such an ambush.”
Calder’s eyes are downcast as he licks his lips and takes in a deep breath. “I’m trying to prove to you that I’m trustworthy. I’m telling you my truths.”
“By telling me you shit your pants in seventh grade?”
He grimaces and grips the back of his neck. “Okay, I was going for funny and relatable on that one... Maybe it didn’t land.”
“You need to take yourself more seriously, Calder,” I cry, my soul radiating this truth to help him see himself more clearly.
“When are you going to see yourself as amazing as I do?”
He blinks rapidly as his lips part, his gaze growing tender in the soft light pouring on him from the house. “You think I’m
amazing?”
“You know you’re amazing.”
“I didn’t know you thought that, and your opinion is the only one I care about these days.” His brows furrow as he looks at
me like he’s seeing me for the first time. “I thought you hated me.”
My face twists as emotion swells inside of me. It’s easier to hate him. I’m familiar with hating him. What I feel for him
right now as I look into his green eyes that stare back at me with so much hope and adoration... is terrifying.
“I’m trying really hard to hate you,” I croak, my voice wobbly and uncertain.
The corner of his mouth tugs up. “How’s that going?”
“Not good!” I squeeze my hands into fists as my mind swims with the memories of the first time we met, right here at Max’s
house. “I forgot you called me Blondie.”
“Ace suits you better.”
“It’s better than Karen.”
He chuckles softly as he steps closer to me, reaching his hands out to grab mine. I let him because I miss the way his rough,
calloused hands feel in mine, how warm they are, how every time I see him in a flannel shirt I want to cuddle into him like
he’s my own heated blanket.
“I’m taking that Denver-store deal, by the way.”
“You are?” I gasp.
He nods and gets a sheepish look on his face.
“I had a big talk with my brothers, and we’re going to bring on more guys to give me time to pursue the design thing.
I’ll still be a part of the family business but not working near the hours I have been.
I’m negotiating contract terms with the store next week. ”
My lips turn down as I fight away the proud smile threatening to spread across my face. “Calder, that’s incredible.”
“Thanks,” he murmurs, looking shy. He stares down at our hands, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles and sending shocks of longing
through me. “I think my dad would have loved you.”
My throat tightens as tears fill my eyes. “I think your dad would have thought I was crazy.”
“Probably.” His chuckle is soft and feels like a hug to my heart. “I have one more truth to tell you.”
I close my eyes and breathe deeply out my nose, preparing for the worst. “Okay...”
“I’m in love with you.”
I open my eyes, and the sweet, soft expression on his face takes my breath away. “You are?”
“Obviously, Ace.” He smiles and looks away, giving me a profile view of his beard and jawline. “I don’t tell just any ol’
girl I shit my pants.”
I shove him with our clasped hands. “Please be serious.”
“I am,” he says, turning back to look at me as he steps in closer. He releases my hands to cup my face, and my whole body
tingles as his thumbs glide softly over my cheeks. “The guy who kept that truth from you seven years ago is not the man standing
in front of you right now. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Randal, but I’m not sorry you married him because it put us right
here, right now, and made it possible for me to say I love you, baby. As it turns out, true love is my kink. And I’ve never
loved anyone the way I love you.”
My body trembles as I grip his flannel shirt in my hands. “I love you too, you infuriating asshole.”
His face lights up as he leans in and kisses me so utterly perfectly, I think my whole body could melt into the ground. I wrap my arms around his neck and accept his apology, his love, his truth, and his kiss with all the confidence in my body. And, it turns out, there’s plenty.
I break away for air, my heart thundering in my chest, my eyes seeing stars as Calder pulls me in close, his hands sliding
down to my bottom as his lips brush against my neck.
“You know your entire family have their noses pressed to the glass and are watching us make out right now, right?” I murmur
into his shoulder and feel his body shake with laugher.
“I guess you’re not the only voyeur in the family.”