Chapter 25 #3
“Look at the size of you,” I scowl, pushing his hand away. “Me, bully you? Have you seen yourself?”
Caleb kisses me again. “It was weird sleeping in my apartment again. I didn’t like it. I might just move in with you.”
His words make my stomach twist. “I—Do what you want.” I wish I could be as expressive with my emotions as he is, but it’s still hard for me. I’m so used to having a defense mechanism, my sharp tongue keeping everyone at a distance.
He shifts me in his lap, so that my back is pressed against his chest, and he rests his chin on my shoulder. “Does that mean you’re asking me to move in with you? So bold, Eve.”
His voice is teasing, and I make a face. “You’re the one saying you don’t like staying at your own apartment.”
“I didn’t know you’d ask me to move in.”
“Caleb!”
“Eve.” His lips press against my nape. “How did it go with your mother?”
I shiver, but I answer him. “She cooked for me. We talked.”
“So things are going to be okay?”
I hesitate. “I don’t know. I don’t want to walk away from her, Caleb. She’s not been the best mother, but she’s not exactly a monster either. And I do love her in my own way.”
“It’ll take some time. And that’s okay,” he murmurs. “She reached out first. That’s important to you?”
I’m silent for a few seconds. “Yeah. It is. The idea of being rejected has never sat well with me. My pride will never let me reach out to someone.”
“Not even me?” His voice is calm and steady.
My fingers dig into his hand. “I-I don’t know.”
“If I hadn’t asked you out last night—”
“I would have waited,” I admit. “I would have given you every opening, Caleb, but I’m not good at making myself vulnerable in that way.”
When he doesn’t respond right away, I turn my head to look at him. “Does that bother you?”
He smiles, kissing the corner of my mouth. “No. I like you, ego and all.”
My heart soars at his words. Through our rivalry and competitiveness, through everything we’ve been through together, we’ve somehow reached a place where we can show who we are to each other, our faults, our desires.
“I was thinking,” he says thoughtfully. “Once this whole situation is over, let’s go on a trip.”
“Which situation?” I give him an amused look.
“The one with the mole.”
I hear the distant ping of the elevator and quickly scramble off his lap, smoothing down my clothes. Caleb chuckles at my flustered state but lets me go, his eyes lingering on me as I grab the containers.
“I’ll put these in the fridge,” I say, my cheeks flushed.
When I return to my desk, Caleb is studying something on his computer, but his eyes find mine immediately.
“So about the trip...” I lean forward to see what he’s looking at, and it’s open to vacation packages on a travel website.
“I’ve been wanting to go to Japan for a while,” he says.
“Once this project is over, the timing would be perfect. We could do a two-week tour across Asia, hike through some of those mountain trails, eat different cuisines, and everything else that comes along with it. Two weeks of paradise. What do you think?”
My eyes widen. “That’s... That’s a lot of time away from work.”
His grin is mischievous. “That’s the point.”
“I don’t know, Caleb. Two weeks is a long time, and I have so many projects—”
“Come on, workaholic,” he teases, spinning his chair to face his computer.
“Look at this.” I move to stand behind him, my hands resting on the back of his chair as he pulls up images of breathtaking landscapes—ancient temples nestled in misty mountains, vibrant city streets lit up at night, serene gardens with cherry blossoms floating on still ponds.
“We could start in Tokyo,” he explains, clicking through the photos, “then head to Kyoto, maybe Osaka. I know a guy who runs this incredible mountain retreat near Mount Fuji...”
His enthusiasm is infectious, and despite myself, I feel a smile tugging at my lips. “It does look amazing.”
“So? What do you say?” He spins back to face me, those blue eyes sparkling with anticipation. “Two weeks, just us, no emails, no meetings, no crisis management, no family.”
The thought of being away from work for that long makes my stomach clench with anxiety, but the idea of being with Caleb, exploring new places together, waking up next to him every morning without deadlines hanging over our heads...
“Fine,” I concede, rolling my eyes even as my heart races at the thought. “But I’m bringing my laptop.”
“You absolutely are not,” he counters, looking victorious. “The only technology allowed is a camera to document how much fun you’re having while not checking your emails.”
I open my mouth to argue, but I’m interrupted by Steven and Flora walking in together. Steven’s eyes immediately zero in on Caleb’s computer screen. “What are you two looking at?”
“Vacation spots,” Caleb answers smoothly. “For after the launch.”
“That’s a brilliant idea!” Steven exclaims, his face lighting up. “God, I can’t remember the last time I took a proper vacation.”
Flora’s expression turns dreamy as she peers over my shoulder. “Ooh, is this your first vacation as a couple? How romantic!”
I feel my face flush hot, and I shift uncomfortably. “We’re just looking at options, Flora.”
“Don’t worry,” Caleb says, winking at her. “It’ll be romantic.”
“Caleb.” I frown at him, and he shrugs.
“What? It is. They have these hot springs, and you can reserve some where you can just be alone and—”
“Okay.” My face feels hot. “That’s quite enough. We have work to do.”
Steven chuckles. “Even when dating, you two can’t stop arguing.”
“It’s young love,” Flora tells him wisely. “Passionate and wild. It burns the hottest, and then…”
“Okay, Flora,” Steven guides her back to her seat. “Don’t fizzle out their relationship when it’s only just begun.”
“I’m just offering them sage advice,” Flora protests.
“I know,” Steven reassures her. “Come on. We have to finalize the posters today.”
I exchange a look with Caleb who mimics an explosion with his hand before making a fizzling sound. My lips twitch as I get back to work.
As I click through the final campaign mock-ups for the Serastra, I can’t help but notice the parallel between the yacht and my life right now—something classic being carefully restored, given a new chance.
The thought of my mother waiting at home, making an effort after all these years, sends a flutter of cautious hope through me.
It’s strange how quickly things can change—how a relationship I’d written off as beyond repair suddenly has potential again.
“You okay?” Caleb asks quietly, rolling his chair closer to mine. His eyes are serious now, the playfulness from moments ago replaced with genuine concern.
“Yeah,” I say, surprising myself with how much I mean it. “I think I am.” He reaches over and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering against my cheek for just a moment. The casual intimacy of it makes something warm unfurl in my chest.
“Good,” he says. “Because there’s this hot spring in Japan that I think you’d love, and I need you in a good mood when I tell you it’s clothing-optional.”
I swat his arm, but I’m laughing despite myself. “In your dreams, Reynolds.”
“Every night, Lopez,” he counters with a wink before rolling back to his desk.
Steven clears his throat pointedly. “If you two lovebirds are done, we have a deadline in two hours.”
“Right,” I say, straightening in my chair and trying to look professional. “Back to work.”
But as I turn to my screen, I catch Caleb watching me, his expression soft and unguarded in a way that makes my heart stutter.
Our eyes meet, and without saying a word, I know we’re thinking the same thing: how unexpected all of this is—my mother’s visit, our relationship, this strange new feeling of possibility stretching out before us.
For so long, I’ve built my life around walls and sharp edges, around independence so fierce it left no room for anyone else. But now, with my mother reaching out and Caleb breaking through my defenses, those walls are beginning to crumble.
And this time, I’m not fighting to rebuild them.
I turn back to my work, a smile still playing at the corner of my lips. The Serastra campaign is coming together beautifully on my screen—a testament to second chances and new beginnings.
Just like mine.