“Ez.” Callan’s hand gripped my thigh. “I don’t think you’ll give yourself any peace if that’s what you choose.”
“I… I know, but…”
“Is it just the money you’re worried about? I know I’m not Til’s father, but that crazy kid is half of your DNA. If I love every bit of you—and I do—and she’s half of you, then I love her too. Neither of you will ever have to worry about money.” Blue eyes crinkled in the corners flicked to the rearview. “I’m already considering restoring the old stables to hold weddings to pay for all the shoes that girl’s going to need.”
“You’re a good man, Cal.”
“I’myourman. You know I’ll support you no matter what. My love for you isn’t conditional. And, at some point when I screw up, I hope you’ll choose to keep loving me, too.”
“You’d never screw up.”
“What if I told you I actuallydolike reality TV shows?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Yeah, see?” He grinned. “Never say never.”
My smile faded. The noise in the truck dulled to the soft chirps of Matilda talking to her little bear and zooming his car along the back of the seat. My thoughts still scattered.
“Maybe I’ve gotten this completely wrong…” I said. “And I’m still going to fight for every dollar I deserve from the divorce, but… I don’t think I can sit by knowing what I do and not report it.”
Callan’s hand squeezed my thigh. “Good.”
“It’ll be up to the medical board to figure it out, right?”
He nodded. “If Jeremy hasn’t done anything wrong, he has an annoying investigation to deal with, and that’s it.”
“Will youreallysupport me if doing this means losing every last dollar I would’ve gotten in my settlement?”
“One thousand percent. This is the right decision. And you have a home on the farm, whether you’re with me or not… And if you hate that idea… You can stay at Bronte’s place.”
My eyebrows rose. “Is there a proper roof on the sheep station yet?”
“Uh…” He grinned. “I’ll pay for a roof.”
I laced my fingers with his and brought his hand up so I could kiss the big vein on the back of his palm. It meant a lot to know Callan could listen to me think through my issues without judgment. He gave me space to figure out my next steps. It was such a change from being ordered around.
When I woke up tomorrow, just like I did in the dying days of winter, I’d pick up my phone and make a difficult call. Back then, it was my first call to my lawyer. Tomorrow, it would be a call to the medical board.
25
Those Important Steps in Summer
Erin
Matilda blinked drooping eyes.“Where go?”
Callan snapped off the seat belt and shimmied her out of the booster. With an easy lift, he settled her against his chest. “Mim sent me a message saying she has a surprise for you up at the big house.” The car door closed with a bump of his hip.
She yawned. “Matilda… like… surprises.” She buried her head in his shirt.
The crushed pebble driveway crackled under my feet. I walked beside Callan, my hand on his shoulder. Soft blue eyes turned. He appreciated the little signs of affection.
“Warm me up with a little kiss?” He bent his neck so his cheek was close enough.
It was so easy to love Callan. He’d watched me reapply my lipstick in the car. He knew a mark would be left, but his smileonly widened after my lips pressed into the pale stubble on his jaw. Grinning, he returned the favor.
“So,” I said. “What’s the surprise?”
