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“Ah, the infamous Caleb Greyson.” He leaned forward and shook my hand, no hostility in his voice. He took up most of the chair, his long legs stretched out far in front of him, the guy built and giving off the vibe that he likely spent most of his days working out in the sun. “Used to be jealous as fuck of you, every time these assholes came back after spending their summers in Washington, bragging about the shit you all pulled. Good to meet you.”
I chuckled low as I took the chair next to Ryder. “Best days of my life.”
I meant it.
It was in the days before I’d let the greed set in.
Before I’d become the type of man I’d never thought I could be. But he’d been there, waiting to slip in and take over.
Laughter rang through the summer air, and I looked out onto the rambling lawn.
Paisley sat on the grass with her legs crisscrossed, and Evelyn was on her lap, her back to Paisley’s chest. Paisley had her arms wrapped around her, holding her close and rocking her back and forth while they sang some children’s song that I’d never heard.
Paisley leaned forward, hugged her tight, before she shifted to peck a kiss against Evelyn’s cheek.
Everything throbbed.
Light and heavy.
Perfect and wrong.
It made me feel like I was coming out of my skin.
Ryder squeezed my shoulder. “Maybe it’s time you took those days back.”
THIRTY-FOUR
PAISLEY
Twilight eased over the backyard, the heat of the day giving way to a cool breeze that played through the pinks and purples strewn across the sky. Dakota had some country music playing softly through the outdoor speakers, the sound of it threading a peace through the atmosphere.
Overhead, the trees swayed, and the kids had gathered under a massive oak where the piñata hung from a rambling branch that covered about half the yard. Giggles rode on the air as each of them took their turns jumping up to grab a string hanging from the bottom of the piñata that was in the shape of a 2, hoping to be the one who broke it apart.
I stood off to the side, watching since the guys had taken over this activity.
Cody, Ryder, and Ezra, plus two other dads, Grant and Joel, lined the kids up and gave them instruction.
But what made it impossible to look away was Caleb had joined them. He was out there wearing dress pants, radiating that fierce intensity that made my knees weak. But sometime throughout the afternoon something had changed.
The harsh, rigid planes of him had slackened.
Loosened.
His gaze soft as he watched the children play, his attention constantly going to Evelyn who’d had a blast. Fit right in. Became a part of this patchwork family. Right where she belonged.
I looked to my left when someone jostled their shoulder into mine.
Dakota stood there, brown hair tied in a high ponytail, something sly infiltrating her expression. She took a sip of her margarita as she reached out and touched the edge of my mouth. “Here, let me help you wipe some of this drool off that you have running down your chin.”
I swatted at her hand. “Don’t you even start with me.”
“Oh, I’m about to start with you. Because from where I’m standing, it looks to me like you’re doing a whole lot more than just crushing on that man.”
I blew out a sigh, though the smile taking to my mouth was soft, riddled with the confession of what I was actually feeling. Knowing it was true but sure it was probably going to cost me my heart. “I have no idea what I’m doing, honestly.”
“He’s different than I thought,” she mused, angling her head as we watched as Caleb hoisted Owen up so he could reach a string. The little boy howled and laughed, kicking his feet as he pulled one free before Caleb set him back on his feet and the child ran back to the end of the line.
Evelyn was next. She tried to jump up and reach one herself, but she couldn’t, so Caleb lifted her, too. Though this time it was different. Riddled with something deep and profound and beautiful.
The way his features both hardened and curved into this gentleness I’d never seen in him before.
My spirit pitched, thrashing and moaning in a bid of want.
“So different,” I whispered. “So much more than I’d imagined.”
“When you were only imagining he was wicked hot, and you thought it wouldn’t hurt to take him for a little ride?” Her voice went wry.
The scuff of a laugh rolled up my throat. “I never thought that.”
“Um, you wanted to climb that bad boy from the moment you saw him. It was written all over your face, don’t even try to deny it,” she teased.
I hummed. “Well, I guess he turned out to be a whole lot more than just someone to hate, that’s for sure.”
