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I was so wrong.
The realization crashed on me like the house had collapsed. We should’ve never kept our relationship a secret. Not from his family, at least. We’d missed this. And it wasn’t just me, although selfishly I wished I’d had this feeling for all these years.
Could I have called her just to talk? Would she have taught me how to cook? Would she have made room for Lincoln and Teague at her table? Yes. One hundred percent. Yes.
But if I’d been accepted into their family all those years ago, how much more painful would the loss of Cal have been? Because it wouldn’t have just been him. It would’ve been all of them.
“Do you not like lasagna?” Her brow furrowed as she looked at my untouched plate.
“Thank you for having me,” I said quietly.
She squeezed my thigh again. “Sweetheart, you’re welcome here anytime.”
Cal nudged my foot under the table in silent support. Sitting across from me was the man I fell in love with. The man who’d stolen my heart and never given it back.
And I knew that the ugly version of him had been a lie.
Because I’d never seen that Cal again.
Chapter Eleven
Cal
“I can’t cook like that.”
Beau worried her lip in her teeth as we walked from Ma’s to the truck.
I laughed. “I’m pretty sure not too many people can.” I unlocked the door and held it open. “Sometimes I wonder if she sees invisible people or something. Because she cooks enough for the entire neighborhood every time.”
She patted her stomach. “It was so good, but I thought I was going to throw up when she piled a third helping on my plate.”
I groaned. “Ugh. Me too.”
“Cal!”
I wheeled around.
“You forgot your leftovers.” Ma held up three foil pans. Three. Like she wouldn’t feed us again for a month.
I jogged back up the walk and took the pans before kissing her cheek.
She patted mine. “I like her.”
Something in me warmed. I already knew she would, but hearing the words . . . it felt . . . good.
“Bring her back soon.”
“Since we have all these leftovers, we don’t have a reason to for a while.” I grinned.
“Garrett Calhoun . . .”
“Love you, Ma. I’ll call you later.”
She went on her tiptoes and waved. “Bye, sweetheart. You come see me anytime.”
Beau waved back. “I will.”
“Mind holding this?” I placed the pans in Beau’s lap and closed the door.
