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ChapterEighteen
The director decidedto work our asses off the week leading up to my departure for Los Angeles since production will be shut down while I’m gone and they will work on other things that don’t require the actors. With a grueling schedule, I’ve not seen the girls all week except via FaceTime, but today is my first day off and I’m making the most of it. I woke up early and stopped at the donut shop to bring over breakfast. We then dropped off Avery at school and I ran back to my hotel to pack for the trip. I head out first thing in the morning to California and I hate that Jenna and I aren’t flying out there together, but she refused to spend more than two days away from Avery. She made it crystal clear that she only wants to fly in for the two premieres and quickly get back home. I’m disappointed that I won’t have more time with her, but a press tour is hardly a vacation. We do interviews more than eight hours a day, so my time alone with Jenna will be limited regardless. Because the first couple of days are for the press junket, Jenna won’t join me for the premiere for another couple of days.
True to his word, Philip has made sure Jenna’s wardrobe for each event was taken care of. My sister had my team of stylists fly out to Chicago and grab her measurements and show her dress designs for approval. All her travel arrangements have been made and my driver will take her to and from the airport. A car will be waiting for her when she lands in Los Angeles, and she will be with me and the rest of my team when we land in New York.
“Does Jenna have her own hotel room?” Robert asks while we grocery shop. I wanted to make the girls a home cooked meal tonight and asked Robert to accompany me so I can learn more about what they like to eat.
I turn to look at him and he wiggles his eyebrows, causing me to chuckle. “Of course she does. I’m trying hard not to give her any more reasons to be mad at me, so making her share a room when she’s not ready for that would definitely not help my cause.”
“Good point,” he says with a laugh. “Things seem better between the two of you, don’t you think?”
“I do,” I tell him in agreement, but leave out the part that I wish it was going faster. Lately she will stay on the phone with me after I’m done talking with Avery and we make small talk. When I ask her about her day, her answers are more than just one word and she gives me glimpses into her day-to-day activities that don’t just involve Avery. I’m starting to feel included in her world and it’s a small victory that I’ll gladly take.
I grow silent in my thoughts and ask him the question I’ve been wondering about. “Is she excited at all about this trip?”
He sighs and gives me a pitiful smile. “While most women would be ecstatic about attending multiple Hollywood premieres with one of the hottest actors on the planet, our girl is the total opposite. She’s nervous and on edge, Cal. You know she hates any attention to herself.”
I know she does and that’s one of the things I love about her. “Everything is taken care of for her. All she needs to do is just show up and I’ll try to be with her as much as I can. She’s there for such a short amount of time that it will fly by.”
“Yes, but she’s never been away from Avery before in this kind of capacity. Sure, her parents have watched her overnight for Jenna before, but she’s never been on a trip without her, so she might be in a mood the whole time she’s there.”
“Thanks for the warning,” I mutter and try to make it my mission for her to have some fun at least while she’s away.
We wrap up grocery shopping and return back to Jenna’s condo. The rest of the time flies by with getting Avery from school and making dinner. Jenna seemed genuinely surprised at my cooking skills and devoured her lasagna with garlic bread. I do the dishes while she gives Avery a bath and then once it was story time, she joined us and sat at the edge of the bed to hear my storytelling.
“Can you please read me one more story, Cal?” Avery requests after I finish the first one and when I look up at Jenna for approval, I catch her staring at my mouth. Her gaze drifts back up to mine and we look at each other, the air getting so thick with our sexual tension that I sharply inhale.
“Sure,” she stutters and I smirk at her. She immediately gets flustered and stands up to head out of the room.
“Mommy, stay here with us,” Avery demands of her, and Jenna stops, turns around and sits down on one of Avery’s bean bags.
I read one last story and once done, declared it’s bedtime. Jenna and I kiss her goodnight and we’re about to leave her room when she calls out to me.
“Cal, are you my daddy?” she asks softly while looking down and fidgeting with her blanket.
Jenna gasps and I freeze in my place, my heart pounding in my chest. I swallow and look at Jenna on how she wants me to answer. We still haven’t discussed how to broach the subject so for Avery to bring it up has caught us completely off-guard.
“What makes you think that, honey?” she gently asks Avery.
“We have the same eyes, silly,” she says in her miss-know-it-all-voice and I chuckle at how astute she is.
It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders now that Avery finally knows. I kneel down next to her bed and grab her little hand. “Yes, sweetheart, I’m your daddy,” I confirm, my eyes watering and my voice gruff with emotion.
Her eyes shine with love and it renders me speechless. She gives me the brightest smile and says, “I knew you would come back one day,” she whispers, and I reach for her and take her in my arms. I hug her tightly and stick my nose in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent.
I loosen my arms and lay her back against the pillows. “I’ll never be away from you for long periods of time again,” I promise, and I hear Jenna sigh behind me.
“Will you sleep with me?” Avery asks, giving me those puppy dog eyes that I can’t resist.
“I’ll stay with you until you go to sleep.” I look over my shoulder at Jenna, who is wiping a tear away from her cheek and she nods. She leaves the bedroom and I lay down next to Avery and wait for her to drift off into dreamland.
Thirty minutes later, I quietly walk out of Avery’s room and shut the door. I look over at the kitchen counter to see an empty bottle of white wine. Jenna is sitting on the couch with a wine glass in her hand. She looks up at me, places the glass on the coffee table, stands up and walks toward me. She looks angry and I’m baffled as to why considering what just occurred in Avery’s bedroom.
“If you break her heart, I will personally kill you,” she hisses in a low whisper. I see what’s happening with her: Jenna is in her head, my promise to Avery that I’ll never leave her for long periods again is eating at her from our experience. She thinks I’m going to break my promise. I know Jenna is still having trust issues stemming as far back as her failed marriage and she’s especially still traumatized from what happened with us. It’s going to take time—and actions from me—for her to move on and let go. But this protective mama bear that is raging out of her right now is hot as fuck and I’m done for.
Before she can even continue her rant, I grab her biceps and bring my lips crashing down to hers. I walk her backwards toward the wall and pin her against it, my mouth never once breaking our kiss. She gasps against me, and I swoop my tongue between her parted lips, moaning at how fucking amazing she tastes. My hips start grinding into her, my dick aching to be inside of her.
“Stop,” she weakly protests and tries to push me away, but then grips my shirt and pulls me closer. She breaks our kiss and moves her head to the side, giving my mouth access to her neck. I lick and suck my way up until I reach the lobe of her ear and gently nip at it.
