I checked out Maddie’s body. She was wearing a pencil skirt, a white blouse that was dangerously close to showing too much cleavage, and red pumps. She looked hot as hell. I wanted nothing more than to push up her skirt and take her right here in the kitchen.
“Maddie, I have no choice. You’re going back to your real life tomorrow, and I believe you said you were traveling to Seattle on Monday. I have a job that I have to take care of, too.”
“We can’t leave her alone with a stranger, Cale. That breaks my heart.”
Anger boiled in my veins. She enjoyed playing house with me, and had gotten damn good at it. I, on the other hand, was tired of it. Tired of hearing her every night on the phone with Andre, telling him she couldn’t wait to see him, to be in his arms. Though she hadn’t had any sexual encounters with him all week, which I thought was interesting.
“Well, I’m sorry that breaks your heart, Maddie. Tomorrow you’ll be done playing house and can move on with your life. I need to think about Lily’s future. And mine.”
She slammed the coffee cup down and jetted out her hip in that sexy ass way she does when she’s mad. “Playing house? Excuse me? I’ve worked my ass off this week helping you. We painted Lily’s nursery and decorated it together. We set up the toy room with all the toys and made sure everything in this whole damn house was baby-proofed. What about the shopping we did for her clothes? She’s the best-dressed baby on Beaver Lake! How dare you say I’ve been…”
She stopped talking and scrunched up her nose as she took a minute to think. She looked away and didn’t say a word.
To Lily I whispered, “I wish it didn’t have to end.”
Walking out of the kitchen, I heard Maddie whisper, “Me too.”
I ignored the tightening feeling in my heart. She wasn’t going to change her mind. She’d seemingly avoided feelings this week as we’d concentrated on all things Lily.
I burped Lily and rocked her to sleep. After placing her in her crib, I walked to my office and called my boss. I knew what I had to do.
After telling my boss I was resigning, something amazing happened. A huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. “I’ll be on the first flight Monday to Seattle,” I said. “I understand, and I’m sorry as well, Chuck. But this is something I have to do.”
I hung up and took a deep breath. Then I made my next phone call. “Yes, may I speak with Mr. Powers? Cale Blackwood calling.”
“Yes, of course. Mr. Powers has been expecting your call.”
I closed my eyes and got ready to do the one thing I knew was right for both Lily and me. It was time for me to make serious changes in my life.
I SAT DOWN at the meeting table in the hotel conference room. All I could think about was Lily. What was she doing? Was she eating well? Were they taking care of her? Did she miss me?
I pulled out my phone and sent my mother a text.
Me: How is Lily?
Mom: Why hello there, Cale. I’m doing well, thank you for asking.
Me: Sorry, mom. I just hate being away from her. She’s not even a month old, and I’ve left her.
Mom: For one day. Maria is amazing. Although, I’m having a hell of a time understanding her damn accent. You had to hire a nanny from Spain?
Me: She used to nanny for a damn prince, Mom. I figured she would work for my princess. She’s wonderful. Just tell her to talk slowly. You understand Spanish.
Mom: You can’t see me, but I’m giving you the finger.
I laughed as I put my phone back in my pocket. I couldn’t believe how having Lily had changed both my mother and me. We were closer than we’d ever been. Even her and Dad seemed to be getting along better. She no longer cared if her hair and nails were perfect. She cared about Lily. With all her heart. In a way, I think she looked at this as her second chance at doing it right.
Chuck walked in with another guy from HR. They reached out to shake my hand and each gave me their condolences. I thanked them and slid my letter of resignation across the table. Chuck’s face fell.
“Cale, you were moving up in the company. I can promote you so you’re at a desk all day. Shit, you can bring Lily with you to work.”
I smiled and shook my head. “I don’t want her living out of hotel after hotel, Chuck. I want her to have a stable home.”
He nodded. “I understand. Something about when they look into your eyes that first time—you’re done for. That’s the reason I took off for so many years.”
I stood and reached to shake their hands. “Thank you for taking a chance on me,” I said. “I really did love my job. I’ll miss it.”
Chuck got up and pulled me into a hug. “Good luck, son, in whatever you end up doing. You’re always welcome back here.”
I slapped his back, then headed out the door and to the airport. One day away from Lily was one day too many.
As I got in my rental car, a feeling came over me that I couldn’t really explain. I was starting a new life, and I wasn’t sure how it would go. The road was bumpy as hell but, as long as I had Lily, that was all that mattered. We’d eventually find our way home.
I WALKED INTO Starbucks and smiled the moment I saw Monica. It had been two weeks since I’d left Lily and Cale after helping them get settled. I walked right into her arms and hugged her. “God I’ve missed you!”
She laughed and said, “I’ve missed you, too. I can’t believe you were in Seattle for two whole weeks. What the hell?”
I rolled my eyes. “I know. It was like my boss was coming up with every excuse under the sun to keep me there. Then she wanted to send me to Milan. I told her I needed a couple of days to recuperate. Plus, I needed to see my Lily. I’ve tried calling Cale to talk to him, but he always just texts back and says they’re both fine. I know he’s upset with me.”
Monica made a funny face and took a sip of her coffee. “How’s Andre?”
I attempted to smile, even though she was clearly changing the subject. “He’s fantastic. He’s waiting for me at the house. Last I talked to him he was sitting outside, enjoying the weather.”
Monica smiled politely and took another sip of coffee. I knew Monica didn’t like Andre at all. It was time for me to change the subject again. “How was the trip to Texas? How are you and Jack?”
Her smile widened as she held out her hand. An oval-cut diamond sparkled on her ring finger.
“Oh my God!” I gasped, grabbing her hand. “Jack proposed?”
She nodded, excited like a kid on Christmas morning. “Yes! It was so romantic. He did it in front of his grandparents while we were celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary at this nice restaurant. In his proposal, he said he wanted to wake up every morning and see my face, and that he wanted to sit in the same restaurant fifty years from now. I’m not gonna lie—I swooned. The little man-whore took my breath away!
I sat back in my chair as my best friend talked about her engagement and how happy she was. “I can’t believe you tamed Jack,” I said. “I can’t believe Jack tamed you. I thought you said you’d never get married because of your parents’ divorce.”
She looked directly into my eyes, serious now. “I guess I figured that I had to stop being so afraid and take a leap of faith. Sometimes, I think, we have to learn to let go of the control we think we need in order to find what fate has in store for us.”
I could feel myself starting to frown, but I kept it together. I could tell that Monica was no longer talking about herself—she was talking about me.
I was happy. I had a boyfriend who wasn’t expecting anything from me. I had good sex and a wonderful job. I was able to travel and see the world. I had exactly everything I wanted—or so I pretended.
I took a sip of coff
ee as I eyeballed Monica’s ring.
My heart began to hurt as I admitted to myself that I longed for something else. Something I’d been pushing away for so long.
I SAT IN my car and took a deep breath. I’d hadn’t seen Lily in almost a month. She was now two months old, and I was sure she wouldn’t know me anymore. After returning from Seattle, I’d found out that Cale had taken Lily to his grandfather’s place in Colorado. I was only home two days before I’d had to travel for almost another two more weeks to see clients in Milan. Now I was finally back home on Beaver Lake, and couldn’t wait to see her. Lily.
My hands were shaking. I couldn’t kid myself—I was dying to see Cale, too. My phone buzzed and I quickly pulled it out to see a text from Andre.
Andre: I’m pulling up to your house. Can’t wait to see you.
I sighed and hit Reply.
Me: I’m just pulling up to Cale’s. I wanted to see Lily.
Andre: Wait for me there, I’ll be right over.
Me: Okay.
I sat and waited. Andre wasn’t even supposed to be here for another two days. He’d flown to Milan and spent almost the entire trip with me. Which turned out to be okay, since I didn’t even need to be there. Why my boss sent me there was beyond me.
I smiled as I saw the driver pull up and let Andre out. I opened my car door, got out, and practically slammed it. Andre was starting to smother me.
He came up to me and kissed me on the mouth. “Ciao, Bella.”
“Ciao,” I whispered back.
I turned to make my way toward the door. My hands were still shaking, so I dug deep inside myself to find the strength I needed to get through this. I rang the doorbell.
“One minute!” A female’s voice rang out. An instant pang of jealousy raced through my blood before I realized the voice belonged to the nanny. Cale must have been out of town, working. My poor Lily, I thought. She must be heartbroken with both Cale and me leaving her.