Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Callie
I say goodbye to the movers, walking them down the stairs, and make sure the security gate is shut behind them. It’s odd to know I’m here all by myself for the next ten days. Maybe I’ll go down and see Ruby at Peeper’s.
Going back up to the condo, I can still smell Foster when I walk back in, making me smile.
When he left this morning, I figured out the reason he always has this minty smell—it’s his aftershave.
Why is it so weird to think that a man like Foster Davis shaves and puts on aftershave?
I should probably stop putting him in the box everyone else does. He clearly has some hang-ups.
My phone dings with a text, so I grab it off the kitchen counter.
Hayes: I heard you’re living with Foster. You okay?
I smile at my brother and how much our relationship has changed over the years.
Yeah, it’s temporary.
You’re always welcome at our place.
I knew I would be, and I have to call Leighton to tell her the news—although Hayes might have already, I don’t know.
They have this little family they’ve created, and I’m not going to be the first crack in their perfect life.
Plus, as weird as it is, I see Foster’s point.
We need to figure out our relationship since we’re going to raise a child together.
I type my message as I make my way to my new bedroom.
I know, but he’s not even here. It’s like I’m living by myself.
True. I’m exhausted from the travel already. Let me know if you want me to go kick that landlord’s ass. I always told you there was something off about him.
He did, I’ll give him that. I just thought Jerry was a lonely and forgetful guy, not someone who broke into my apartment to wear my underwear.
It’s fine. I’m good. Just getting settled.
Okay, you let us know if you need anything. Love you.
Love you. Good luck on the road.
Talk to Leighton about a date when you can both join us out here.
And what am I going to do while the two of you fuck like bunnies?
You can spend time with Decker. ;)
If he only knew I’d recently made an agreement to never be alone with the man.
I want to inquire if he knows what’s up with the whole Foster and Decker thing, but I can’t seem too invested. Hayes will wonder why I care so much.
Bye…
I toss my phone onto my bed, staring at all the boxes I have to unpack. Just wanting to tear off the Band-Aid, I dial Leighton, unsure if it’s even her day off.
But she picks up right away. “It’s about time. I feel like I’ve lost my best friend.” From the background music, I’d say she’s doing dishes.
“Me? You’re the one in a love bubble. I’m just surviving.”
She sighs, and I hear the music turn off. I keep her on speaker and explore the apartment rather than sitting in my room.
It’s surprisingly neat.
“So… baby is good?”
“Yeah, everything looks good. I’m about six weeks along.”
She screeches then coos. “I can’t wait to hold him or her. So the father is okay with it?” She leaves her question hanging.
“I have to tell you something, and it’s not who the father is. I promise I’ll tell you soon, but I want to get to three months before I say anything to Hayes and the world at large. I don’t know, maybe I’m stalling, but I feel superstitious about it.”
“Ugh… Callie… it’s killing me. You have no idea how thankful I am that he’s gone for ten days so I don’t have to look at him every day and think I’m keeping something from the man I love.”
I cringe. “I’m sorry.”
And I really mean it. I wish the circumstances were different. I doubt Hayes will want to kick Foster’s ass, but he will be upset with us to a degree.
“I know, and I want to give you the space you need to figure this out. And since I’m the one who fell in love with your brother, I’m partly to blame. So, I’m going to stop giving you a guilt trip.”
I really have the best friend anyone could ask for. “Okay, well… are you ready for the big news? Do you already know? Did Hayes message you?”
“No! Now he’s keeping secrets from me?” She sounds offended. “What is it?”
“Well… I’m in Foster’s condo right now.”
“Are you trying to slyly tell me who the baby daddy is without outright telling me?”
I laugh and sink into the couch. “No. It’s a weird situation because Foster happened to be with me when I went home and found Jerry in my bra and panties.”
A sound rings over the line, and I think it might be her gagging. “Say that again?”
“You heard me. And he happened to be wearing my favorite set—the first date one, you know.”
She sighs. “Not the black mesh one with the flowers?”
I nod although she can’t see me. “Yup.”
“I’m so sorry. How are you doing? You must feel so violated.”
I’m not sure I’ve had time to process my feelings about what went down with Jerry.
I do feel violated, and it only heightens my trust issues and my lack of confidence at being able to determine someone’s character—men especially.
I reported the incident to the building owner, but I have no idea what happened since I’m no longer there.
When I finally took a shower after all that, I swear I took off a layer of skin.
“Honestly, I’ve been more processing the fact that I’ve moved in with Foster Davis. I mean…” I let my sentence fade.
Leighton is a smart girl. She knows I wouldn’t hang out with Foster on my own, so telling her I moved in with him pretty much confirms he’s the father of my baby.
I mean, I wouldn’t be moving in with him if Decker or Easton were the dad.
But I don’t want to officially confirm it.
It would just be one more detail she has to keep from my brother.
“Were you at a doctor’s appointment with Foster?” Then she quickly says, “No. Don’t answer that. I can’t know.”
“Anyway, he was kind of adamant about me moving in with him. And now I’m in his condo while he’s gone for their back-to-back road series, and I’m not sure what to do.”
“Want me to come over? I can help you unpack.”
I’d love for her to, but this feels like something I need to do on my own. “How about we meet down at Peeper’s later?”
For some reason, I want to have some time alone to reflect on everything that’s going on in my life—how I got here, where it’s headed.
“Sure. I’ll call my mom and Aunt Iris to watch the kids.”
“Great.”
“Hey, Cal?” she says, and I know she probably hears it in my voice. “You got this. Like, you know that, right? You’re going to be a kick-ass mom, and if Hayes gets upset, he’ll get over it. And maybe…”
“Don’t say it.” I bring my legs up and hug them to my chest.
“I am going to say it because once upon a time, I needed someone to tell me when I was about to get in my own way. So humor me, okay?”
I don’t say anything.
“I know your hang-ups, and the reasons you have them are beyond valid, but you get to choose this. You’re in control, and if Fos…
er… whoever the dad is doesn’t step up or somehow isn’t a good person, you can pivot.
I’ll help you move out and everything, but I just want you to give yourself a chance at this. ”
“At what?” Tears fill my eyes.
She really does know me.
All the times I’ve felt second best in my life.
The “rebound girl” was what my friends referred to me as in college.
Just date Callie, then you’ll meet the one for you.
She’s like a cleansing bath. Hang around her because she’s so fun, have sex with her, and then you’re ready to meet your one and only.
They all meant it as a joke, but at some point, it didn’t feel that way.
Probably because that was exactly what kept happening.
So I learned to laugh it off as though I didn’t care, even though it burrowed under my skin, and I carried it with me everywhere.
“I don’t need to spell it out for you, but I am wondering if Foster isn’t who we think he is. I mean, he moved you in, right?” Leighton says.
If she only knew how adamant he was about it. How protective he seems to be. I can’t lie, the desire still courses between us every time we’re in the same room, but I refuse to allow it to ruin any kind of good co-parenting relationship we might have.
“We made a deal.”
“A deal? Was it something sexual?”
I balk. “No. Jesus, Leighton. He’s going to get me my five big-time guests in exchange for me living here.”
She doesn’t say anything for a moment.
I grow paranoid when she remains silent. “What?”
“Nothing. I’m just… I mean, I knew he couldn’t be that bad if Hayes liked him so much, but why is he wanting you so close?”
“Jeez, remind me to call you more often.”
She laughs. “I just mean… Hayes was telling me about… it doesn’t matter—”
“Don’t you dare. What were you going to say, Leighton?”
She sighs. “He kind of has a woman in each of the cities they visit. Like, he doesn’t sleep around, it’s just one woman in each city. So it surprises me that he wants you living with him. I think it says more about him. Things you might discover while you live there.”
“Which would be?”
“That Foster Davis might be the bad boy of baseball, but he’s far from a bad boy in real life. That there’s a very different version of him not a lot of people get to discover.”
“It doesn’t mean he’s going to show it to me.”
I don’t know why I’m arguing. Foster already has shown me some of those parts of himself. Maybe because I’m afraid for it to be true.
“I think he already is, but you’re going to have to open your door a little wider and give him the opportunity to walk through.”
“When did you get so philosophical?”
She laughs. “I’m just trying to get you out of your own way. Callie, you deserve all the happiness in the world, and so does that little one growing in your belly.”
My hand falls to my stomach, and I really take in her words. “Thanks.”
“That’s what best friends are for. You did the same for me, but I must say I think I was kinder about it.”
A laugh bubbles out of me. “Probably, but you and Hayes are so stubborn.”
“And you’re not? I think it’s a Carlisle family trait to defy all reasoning and advice.”
I chuckle, then sober quickly. “It’s scary.” My voice is practically a whisper.
“Yeah, it is, but the reward could be pretty great.”
I’m sexually attracted to Foster, sure. But I barely know him, and the thought of us taking a chance, and it not working out… plus, I have no idea where his head is even at.
“Okay, missy. I’ll see you tonight.”
We say our goodbyes, and I hang up, then look around the condo.
Open myself up to being hurt again? Might as well hold a loaded gun right to my heart.