“ You seriously can’t go on vacation with Cal of all people. Violet throws a dart at the circle she drew directly over Cal’s face marked with a 50 . She found the photo of Cal in a suit and tie on the Kane Company website and printed it out for our emergency girls’ night out.
This time, it was not me who called the meeting. Delilah and Violet did it after I told them the news about Dreamland and our vacation next week.
“She tries to tell Cami no after he offered to take her to Dreamland. He’s been begging me to go since he saw that commercial on TV two years ago. ”
“Why would I even offer a trip like that in the first place? What does he get out of it? Delilah takes a sip of her drink before standing up and grabbing a dart from the table. Today is a good day for her and her arthritis, so she wants to take advantage of it.
“Besides increasing your chances of getting into Alana’s pants?” Violet snorts.
A little too late for that.
I shoot him a look. “Say what you want about Cal and I, but I know he’s doing this because he likes Cami. I can see it in the way they interact. What they have is… special.
He is everything I want in a partner and more.
Delilah’s frown deepens. “Oh no.” She and Violet look at each other.
“That?” Asked.
“You have that look in your eyes.” “Which look?”
“The look I’m falling in love with Callahan Kane .” I laugh. “What class is that?”
Both Delilah and Violet try to imitate him and fail miserably, causing us all to burst out laughing.
“I’m not falling for him.” At least I don’t think it is. We’re just starting to take the next step, so there’s no possible way he’s crushing on me. It’s too soon.
Right? A small wave of panic builds in my chest, just above my heart.
“I don’t know…” Delilah rocks back in her shoes.
“Trust me. I would know since I’ve already done it once before.”
“That’s what happens with falling in love . “You don’t exactly expect it to happen until you fall into someone else’s arms and wonder how the hell you lost the battle against gravity in the first place.”
Shit.
Alana Valentina Castillo, you were supposed to be smarter. Wiser. stronger
There’s no way I’d do something as stupid as fall in love with the same man twice, right? My heart beats at the mere idea.
“I know you’re both worried…” My voice remains neutral even though the anxiety grows by the second.
“Only because we love you and we don’t want to see you suffer because of Cal. Again,” Violet adds.
I shake off my nerves. “This time it’s different.” With him cutting back on his alcohol consumption and his commitment to trying to secure a place in my life, it would be foolish to ignore his efforts, even if we still have a long way to go.
“How? You don’t even trust him,” Violet says softly. “Violet…” Delilah warns.
I cross my arms. “I trust him enough to live with him.” “But you don’t trust him enough to take care of Cami on his behalf,” Violet answers.
“Trust takes time.” Delilah gives my hand a squeeze.
My head hangs. Deep down, I know Violet and Delilah are right. Cal and I can play house as long as we want, but that won’t change the fact that I still don’t fully trust him.
Trust takes time . Delilah’s words repeat in my head. I hope so.
 |
I return from girls’ night out to find Wyatt and Cal locked in a death stare. You both sit on opposite sides of the living room, tension bleeding from your raised shoulders.
“I’m glad you’re back. Can you cancel your watchdog now? California isn’t looking my way.
Wyatt’s muscles tense beneath his shirt. “I’m a babysitter, not a guard dog.”
Cal’s eyes narrow. “You didn’t even let me read Cami a bedtime story.”
“Because I’m the one who usually does it when I look at her.” Wyatt touches his chest.
“Well, she didn’t ask you, did she?” Wyatt’s jaw ticks.
Good god. Watching them both get jealous over who Cami wants to read a bedtime story with is too much, even for me.
My ovaries, on the other hand, are living their best life.
“Thank you for seeing Cami. I appreciate it.” I pat Wyatt on the back. Merlin comes out from under the couch to rub his body against my leg. I bend down and run my hand through his silky coat. It only took Merlin a week to warm up to Cami and me, thank you to the fancy cans of tuna I bought him.
“Hello,” he cooed.
“You have a cat?” Wyatt’s head whips around in Cal’s direction. “Yes.”
I carry the cat in my arms and wave its paw in the air. Say hello to Merlin.
And you were worried that Cami would get attached…
Wyatt’s eyes to the right. “Merlin? Wasn’t he King Arthur’s mentor or something?”
“Yeah.” Cal’s jaw clenches.
“That’s nice, Percival. Who knew you had a King Arthur? fold?” “I called him that because the name reminded me of my mother, asshole.”
Wyatt’s smile falls. “Sorry.”
Cal doesn’t bother staying. The door to his bedroom closes behind him, leaving me in charge of Wyatt.
What happens? Asked.
Wyatt shrugs. “I’m not sure. He’s been angry since the moment I showed up.
Cal was in a good mood when I left, so I’m not sure what happened in the few seconds it took for Wyatt to enter the house.
I give him a push. “Could you at least try to be polite to him?”
“ I’m trying, even though it doesn’t seem like it. Most of the town is trying it, after seeing him make a fool of himself in that strawberry costume. “Then why did it look like you kicked his cat?”
“Probably because he feels threatened by my relationship with Cami or something.”
“Threatened? Why?”
“Probably because the rich idiot never had to share anything in his entire life.”
I put my eye white. “They’re both ridiculous.”
“Me? The guy made a point of freezing me the whole time. When I tried to play with them at Cami’s request, Cal killed my Barbie before I had a chance to join in.”
My mouth opens. “As?”
“My doll didn’t listen to my mom and got into a stranger’s car.”
“At least it made it an educational experience.” I cover my mouth to stifle my laughter.
Wyatt looks at me, and I end up laughing harder.
“Don’t call me next time you need someone to babysit.”
I wrap my arms around him. “I love you!”
He returns the gesture. “Whatever. Next time I’ll be smarter and send her Barbie to jail. Maybe throw in something about breaking laws.” I laugh and walk away. “You do that.”
Wyatt is seen outside, leaving me to pick up the toys left after Cami went to bed.
“He’s gone?” Cal’s voice makes me jump in my place. I turn to face him. “You scared me.”
“Sorry. I was wondering how long it would take you to leave. I’ve been at it all night with no success.”
“He wasn’t going to leave until I got home.”
“Really? Why? I could have taken care of Cami if you’d asked me.”
He sounds… hurt?
No. That can’t be.
Can?
I keep the toy basket on its shelf. “I’m sorry.”
“Why didn’t you ask me?” She moves closer until I can smell her aftershave.
Something in my chest pulls hard. “Wool”.
I look away from his face. “The guy she was with before…” Cal takes a deep breath as she shoves her hands in her pockets.
“I asked her a couple of times to take care of Cami while I went out with Violeta and Dalila. Wyatt didn’t mind taking care of Cami, but I thought she would be a
good opportunity to bond with Victor and her, so I left it.” I burst into laughter that borders on hysteria.
Cal leaves his spot and throws me into his arms. “I really want a full name for this asshole.”
I grab the fabric of his shirt, clinging to him like a lifeline. “It’s not like anything happened to him physically, but she asked him too many questions and he lost his cool. He ended up yelling at her and making her cry several times. He even sent her to her room once, as if he had the right to punish her.
“I know you don’t condone physical violence, but for his sake, I hope you made an exception.”
I shake my head against his chest. “I didn’t find out what happened until a few months later, once we broke up because of something else. Cami kept it a secret the entire time because she was worried that I would choose Victor over her. How sad is it that my daughter couldn’t tell me that someone hurt her because she didn’t want to lose me? As if I would ever choose a man over her. Her tears begin to fall, soaking the fabric of her shirt.
He runs a hand up and down my back, calming me through my sobs. I didn’t mean to cry, but the tears won’t stop flowing now that they’ve started.
“I’m sorry you and Cami had to go through that together. But I can assure you that I wouldn’t dare raise my voice at your son. “That’s the last thing I would want after going through something similar.”
I sob, trying to hold back tears. “I know that, deep down I know you wouldn’t do it, but I made a promise to myself after I found out what Victor did.
“What promise?”
“That I wouldn’t let anyone I didn’t fully trust take care of Cami.”
He grimaces, though his hand never stops running up and down my spine. “I know you don’t have a reason to fully trust me yet, but I know one day you will.” She speaks with absolute certainty, as if she would accept no other option.
Honestly, I’m not sure there’s another one for Cal.
|
“Look! My name!” Cami’s arms shake with the effort as she drags a huge box behind her.
Cal jumps off the couch and helps her carry the package into the guesthouse.
“What’s that?” I look at Cami’s name tag. The box is simple without any type of mark or clue to tell me where it is from.
Cal kneels on the floor next to her. “Cami’s birthday present.” “For me?” She reaches a new octave of how excited she is.
I blink a few times to confirm the facts. “You bought a present for him?”
Cal looks at me from his spot next to Cami on the floor. “Yeah?” “But you’re taking us to Dreamland next week.” “So? I told Cami I would build a boat with her.”
Cami gasps.
Cal curses under his breath. “Well, there goes that surprise.” “Jura jar!”
Cal checks his wallet and hands him a fifty dollar bill. Cami’s eyebrow raises.
“What? I ran out of hundreds yesterday.
“Okay. Fifty times two.” She holds up her two fingers as a peace sign.
I stifle my laughter with the palm of my hand, earning a glare from Cal.
His lips turn into a smile before he hands her a second bill. “You better invite me to your graduation with how much I’m paying for your education.”
“Well!” Cami goes to the swear jar. She drags a chair toward the refrigerator, but Cal swoops in and stops her before she has a chance to climb on.
“I’ll help you.” He lifts her into the air so she can drop the bills into the jar. I already had to empty it last week with how often Cal and I mess up.
Someone might need to call the cardiologist because mine is about to explode from how full it feels. I never thought that watching Cal interact with Cami, watching him worry about her, would make my entire body feel warm and tingly.
I take a seat on the couch and watch as the two of them open the birthday present he gave her.
Cami pulls out a second nondescript painting that’s the size of her entire body. “Uhhh. What is it?” She looks at the box with furrowed eyebrows.
“Wait.” Cal takes out her phone and looks for a photo.
He shows it to Cami and she gasps. “Princess Marianna’s ship?” “Expect that?” I stand up and look over her shoulder at the phone screen. The photo was taken in some kind of workshop, with wood chips everywhere and a bottle of glue on one side. In the center of the photo, there is a replica of Princess Marianna’s ship in which she went to search for sunken treasure.
Cal rubs the back of his neck. “I asked Rowan to do something special for us. “He got the creators of it to base it on one of the ship models I recommended to him after doing some research.”
Oh Lord. My legs are shaking because I feel weak in the knees. “How is that possible?”
“For once, Kane’s name is worth having.” My heart doesn’t stand a chance.
Cami and Cal open the box and take out the pieces, and I sit next to them as they begin. I stay out of the way while they work together. Sometimes I offer help when she can’t do what he asks, but for the most part, I’m happy to see them work together. There’s something sweet about how patient Cal is with Cami and the way he takes the time to answer all of his questions.
At one point, Cami climbs onto Cal’s lap so she can get a better look at what he’s doing. She freezes for a second before grabbing her hands and modeling how to glue a piece together.
I always knew Cal would be an amazing father one day, and the way he treats Cami is proof of that, even if he doubts his own abilities. He is in the little things that he does without even realizing it.
Patience. The understanding. The calming way she talks to Cami when she’s feeling frustrated or upset.
The longer I watch them, the more evident it becomes that I don’t want this to end once we sell the house. Just the thought of Cal leaving makes my chest hurt, and I’m not sure what to do with that feeling.
There are so many things that get in the way of us moving forward together, your drinking being the biggest one. But I can’t help but wonder what might happen if he gets that part of his life under control. Would we have a real chance to live the life we could have had six years ago?
Can we leave the past behind and start our own family? I’m tempted to find out.
