Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115706 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Caleb’s intense, green gaze bores into me for a long moment, during which I feel physical heat wafting off him. Plainly, he hates my guts now. It’s written all over his—
Without warning, Caleb slides a big, calloused palm onto my cheek and leans in to kiss me. And even though I’ve been fantasizing about him doing this exact thing, all day long, I summon otherworldly willpower, put my palm against his chest, and turn my head. “We shouldn’t, Caleb. We can’t.”
Caleb drops his hand from my cheek and steps back. “Sorry,” he mutters. “It won’t happen again.”
Shoot. I’m the one who stopped him, so why do I feel so disappointed he’s respecting my wishes? “Let’s go back into the house,” I whisper hoarsely.
He takes a deep breath. “Okay.”
“But only if you’re positive you’re going to stick it out. If not—"
“I’ll stick it out.”
“You’re sure?”
“Let’s go.”
I turn around and start walking on wobbly legs toward my parents’ house. Crap. His lips were this close to mine. So close, my entire body felt like it was short-circuiting.
“No more slamming doors,” I mutter, as we walk shoulder-to-shoulder down the quiet street. “When I heard that slam, I flinched, so I’m guessing Raine did, too. Is that what you wanted? For the women in your life to flinch and be scared of you?”
Caleb looks decimated. Sick to his stomach. “No. That’s the last thing I want.”
“Then you have a fucked-up way of showing it.”
“I slammed the door because I was pissed at myself. Not at Raine.”
“You think she knows that?”
He exhales deeply.
“Look, you’re not a robot, okay? You’re going to have normal, natural feelings during frustrating experiences. But as a father, you can’t lose control of your behavior in response to those feelings. Do you understand what I mean?”
“I’m not an idiot, Aubrey. Yes, I understand.”
He glares at me, but I don’t care if he’s pissed. If this were about him being a dick to me, I’d forgive and forget and leave it alone. But this is about Raine, and I can’t let her bear the brunt of his inability to control his impulses.
We’ve reached my parents’ porch, so I stop and stare him down before entering.
“You’re going to act like a parent now?” I ask, holding his pained gaze.
He nods slowly, looking like he’s physically biting his tongue; so I swing open the front screen, and step inside the house.
“Everything okay?” Mom asks, as we enter the living room. She’s sitting in an armchair with Raine on her lap and a cartoon show on the TV, while Dad sits on the couch with his leg up.
“Everything’s fine,” I say brightly. “Caleb just needed a breather.”
“Sorry about slamming the screen,” Caleb mumbles. “It won’t happen again.”
Mom smiles reassuringly, with far more compassion than he deserves, if you ask me. “Emotions are high,” she says. “This is a tough situation.”
“That’s no excuse,” Caleb says. “I’m the adult.” He looks at Raine. “The parent. I can’t do that sort of thing, ever.”
Mom shoots me a look that says, How did you do that? But to Caleb, she says, “You’re still learning, honey. Nobody’s perfect.” She kisses the top of Raine’s hair, but Raine is too sleepy and cozy against her chest to react.
“I think you should keep her here again tonight,” Caleb says. “Baby steps. We’ll try again tomorrow.”
Mom nods and replies, “I think that’s for the best. You two come back bright and early in the morning for breakfast, and we’ll try again.”
Caleb scratches his inked bicep. “Would it be okay if I slept here tonight, too? I don’t need a bed. I can sleep on the floor.”
Mom looks confused. “Why do that, when you can drive twenty-five minutes and sleep in your own, comfy bed?”
Caleb’s soulful eyes are trained on Raine’s groggy face, as she watches the cartoon and ignores the world around her. “If she wakes up with another nightmare, I want to be here.”
My parents and I share a look. Clearly, we’re all equally touched by Caleb’s request.
“Of course, you can stay,” Mom says softly. “Our home is yours, Caleb.”
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Capshaw.”
“Barbara. You’re part of the family now.”
Caleb’s Adam’s apple bobs. “Thank you, Barbara.”
With a little wink at Caleb, Mom turns her attention to Raine in her lap. “Guess what, Pooh Bear? Coobie is going to stay the night, so he’s here if you have a nightmare. Isn’t that sweet of him?”
Raine nods her head, but it’s clear she’s not listening.
“Hey, Rainey,” Dad interjects softly. “How about Coobie reads your bedtime story tonight, instead of me?”
“No. No Coobie,” Raine says sleepily. “Pop-Pop.”
“I’ll read to you tomorrow night,” Dad says.
I glance at Caleb. He’s looking at Raine like he wants to fall to his knees and beg her to love him. Accept him. Forgive him. But when he speaks, it’s in a calm, patient tone. One that doesn’t hint at the internal turmoil he’s surely feeling.