Caleb settles onto the couch beside me. “Yes. Apparently I’m a pro at getting children to sleep.”
I laugh. “You might not have felt that way at 3 a.m. when he had colic as a baby.”
“I wish I’d done all of that with you.” He fixes his gaze on me. “Are you okay?”
I nod. “I’m fine.”
He takes my hand in his, knitting our fingers together. “I’m sorry if I rushed you.”
“No. Everyone’s happy. It turned out perfectly.”
Caleb grins. “It did. Didn’t it? Those children of yours are all something special. I know you want to protect them after everything that’s happened.”
“I do, but I also need to let go a little. They have lives to live and if I hold on too tight, I’m just as bad as their father.”
His brows knit, and he squeezes my fingers. “No. Don’t you ever think that. You love them, and they adore you. It’s clear. He hurt all of you. I want to help take that hurt away.”
I force a smile. “You being here is doing that.”
“Maybe a little.” Caleb raises his free hand and cups my cheek. “I’m here for you. And I always will be.”
“You’re Noah’s father. Of course?—”
“Not just as Noah’s father. You were terrified when your father paid you a visit. I’m not about to have him mess up your life again.”
“Caleb …”
“I don’t know where this leads, but I want to find out.”
This time I really smile. It’s hard not to. I’m scared of rushing into something new, but it’s Caleb. That makes all the difference.
“Me, too.”
He leans over and kisses me softly on the lips. “I’ll be back tomorrow to finish off those windows. We’ll go over your list to make sure everything’s done and work out where you and me go from there.”
“I like that idea.”
“I lost you once. I don’t want to lose you again.”
With another kiss, he drops my hand and fixes his gaze on me. “Goodnight, Emma. I’ll show myself out.”
When he’s gone, I raise my fingers to my lips.
I’m a forty-three-year-old woman with a crush on my teenage boyfriend.
And nothing has ever felt sweeter.
Seventeen
Emma
For the rest of the week, Caleb spends time with all of us.
My children adore him, and Noah’s thriving having his father around.
The time flies by and before we know it, it’s time for us to go to Chloe’s barbecue.
I seem to be the only one who’s nerves are eating them alive.
