Page 58 of Fearlessly Us

I roll my eyes because my family really is a giant game of telephone. “Let me guess. Molly by way of Sophie?”

Her grin widens. “And Julie by way of Tyler, with a side of Jo, who heard it from Sarah. Then Evan called asking me why I didn’t tell her you were dating the most famous wide receiver in the NFL, so it was a whole thing.”

I roll my eyes because if the news made it all the way to Emmy’s mom Evan, who is married to Jordan’s youngest brother and also lives in Boston, it’s safe to say my entire family knows. “And Dad?” I ask.

My mom smiles at the mention of my dad. “I’ve had to restrain him from calling you at least six times in the last four days. He is, and I quote, just trying to be there for his baby girl.”

“In my time of need?” I say dryly.

She snickers. “You know your dad. He likes to pretend he’s all wholesome and above it, but he’s a whore for gossip just like the rest of us. A man raised by Rachel Parker would have to be. So, I take it by the way you literally blushed when you said Drew’s name I’m not making an excuse to kick him out?”

“I didn’t blush,” I mumble, except I totally did because the second I said his name, it conjured an image of the way I literally rode his thigh the other day and came all over his lap then fell asleep in his bed in the glow of the night-light he keeps plugged into his bedroom wall. I don’t…like the dark, he said sheepishly, and how fucking cute is that? I woke up in the morning to his arms banded around me and him watching me like he couldn’t believe I was still there.

It was a really good night. And morning.

“What’s going on in your head, Cait?”

I shrug, the question somehow lowering my defenses enough that the words fall right of my mouth. “I like him.”

They’re not the most eloquent words I can muster, and like is a ridiculously underwhelming word to represent my feelings for Drew Ellicott, but it’s what I’ve got. I expect follow up questions and clarifications, but I get none of that. Instead, my mom stands and pulls me up from my desk, wrapping me in a hug. I let out an unsteady breath, sinking into the comfort of mom in a way I haven’t in longer than I can remember.

When she pulls back, she cups my face in her hands with a smile. “I like him for you.”

I roll my eyes even as her words have a warm glow settling in my chest. “You don’t even know him.”

My mom shakes her head. “I know him enough to see he has a lot of love and kindness in him, and that’s exactly what you deserve, Cait. And I know he needs the kind of compassion and steadiness you possess in abundance. I think you both need to learn how it feels to open up enough to let someone in. You can teach each other.”

When I stare at my mom, surprised and unspeaking, she grins at me. “What? You think I don’t know my own daughter? I know you, probably better than you know yourself. I raised you, and I am you, honey, in the complex, oldest daughter, accidentally take on everyone’s emotional labor sort of way. I tried my hardest to help you see you didn’t need to be everything to everyone without asking for anything for yourself, but sometimes nature is a bitch, and we are who we are. You’re amazing, Cait, just the way you are. But if one day you felt like you wanted a partner, I would hope for someone who can care for you the way you deserve. Who can show you what it feels like to let go a little and let someone do for you what you’ve always done for everyone you love. Your dad was that person for me even before we got together, and for every day since. I want that for you too.”

I consider her words, thinking of the way Drew took care of me after he found me in the hospital. How he noticed when Tyler’s words after the game hit hard and didn’t say anything but took my hand in a wordless gesture that said, simply, I’m here. The other night on his couch when I told him some of my biggest truths and he accepted them without question, calming all my fears and insecurities and giving me the confidence to do what I’ve never done before. How it made me want him even more. Made me want to give myself to him in a way I haven’t with anyone else.

“I think maybe he could be that person. At least, I think I want him to be. I’ve never…wanted anyone to be.”

It’s not a lot, but it’s more than I’ve told my mom before, and when she smiles and nods, squeezing my shoulders, I know it’s enough. Somehow, I’ve always been enough for my family, and I understand, in a way I maybe haven’t considered before, what a gift that is.

“I’ll go down and send him up.”

“Too late.” The deep voice has us both turning to the doorway and fuck me, every part of my body lights right up at the way Drew grins as he leans into my office, big hands gripping the top of the doorframe. His black pants are the perfect amount of snug, and the way the gray button-down shirt he’s wearing hugs his biceps and is rolled up over the most incredible forearms I’ve ever seen is going to feature prominently in every dream I have from now until eternity.

His golden eyes are focused intently on me as my skin heats under his perusal, and all I can hear is the beating of my own heart in my ears. This is a lot more than simple like. So much more.

“Definitely that person,” my mom murmurs quietly enough that only I can hear her, and something about the certainty in her words sends a thrill careening up my spine.

“Sorry!” Molly says a little breathlessly, coming up behind Drew and ducking around him to get into my office. “He’s wily and made a break for it while we weren’t looking.”

“It’s a good thing I’m in a good mood today.” Julie strolls in behind Molly, giving Drew a narrow-eyed glare. “Otherwise, I would toss your ass right out of here for walking up those steps. No one comes into my law firm uninvited.”

“No one is tossing anyone’s ass anywhere.” Emma joins the party and stands right in between Drew and Julie as if she can protect him from Julie’s wrath.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me Drew was here?” I stifle a groan when Emmy walks in, smiling broadly as she looks between Drew and me. “You here to see our girl?” she asks, turning to me and giving me an exaggerated thumbs up then fanning her face so dramatically there’s no way anyone misses it.

When Drew winks at me and all five women in my office practically sigh in unison, I wonder if it’s possible to melt straight through the floor out of sheer embarrassment. “I’m definitely here to see our girl. That okay with you, Catie?”

Oh, holy shit.

“Sure,” I say, my voice an octave higher than it normally is. “Yeah. Definitely. We probably have work things to discuss anyway.”

“Sure you do,” Molly mutters.