AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hands slide around my waist. “You must be looking for something well-hidden because you’ve been staring in there for a few minutes now. Everything okay, Sunshine?”
“I’m, yep … ummm.” I close the fridge door, pull out of his embrace, and walk away. “I need a moment.” Before he can protest, I exit the kitchen, open the front door, walk across the porch, and sit on the top step.
Staring down at the path, I pull my knees up and rest my chin on them. Suddenly, there’s a presence next to me and then an arm is draped over my shoulders. “What’s up, Sunshine?”
“Nothing, I—”
“Bullshit, babe, you were gone faster than a toupee in a hurricane. Please talk to me.” He pauses. “Was it the marriage? Or baby talk? Or both?”
Turning my head, I stare over at the man that I love more than anything in this world but words elude me right now. This isn’t the time or place for this conversation, but it’s out in the open now.
“Talk to me, Sunshine. What’s going on in that beautiful mind of yours? What’s got you hiding out here?”
“You were right,” I whisper, “the marriage and baby talk scared me a little. We haven’t discussed that. What if we want different things, I …”
“But what if we want the same things?”
“What do you want?”
“You.” One word. Three letters and he utters it with the force of a 747 taking off. “What do you want?”
“You,” I repeat, “any way I can have you but, Kane, what about marriage and babies?”
“What about them?”
“Do you want to get married again? Have more kids?”
“To be honest, I never thought about it before but I’m not opposed to either. As long as I have you, that’s all that matters.”
“You want more kids?”
“If you do. I’d love nothing more than to see your stomach swelling …” he slides his hand over my flat, nonpregnant stomach, “… with a child that we created together, but I’m also happy to have your stomach flat and encased in sexy pink satin and lace. I just want you, Calliope Fischer.”
“Kane,” I tearfully reply. “No one has ever loved me like you do. You make me feel like I’m your whole world.”
“You are my whole world, Calliope, and I wholeheartedly agree, no one loves me like you do. You’re the cookie to my dough.”
I can’t help but laugh. “There isn’t an ounce of dough on you, Mr. Silver Fox.”
“Fine, you’re the macaroni to my cheese.”
“Much better.”
“Glad you finally approve but, Calliope, whatever happens … happens. I love you, just focus on that and if the rest is meant to be, it will be.”
“Okay, and I love you too … corny comparisons and all.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet. I’m the milk to your shake. You’re the flip to my flop. The bumble to my bee. The—”
Covering his mouth with my hand, I shake my head and grin. “I get it.”
“Just one more,” he mumbles against my palm. Nodding, I remove my hand from his mouth. He lifts his and reaches over to cup my cheek. “You are my sunshine, Calliope. My only sunshine. You make me happy. So fucking happy.”
“I think I like your version of that song best.”
“Me too, Sunshine. Now, let’s get back out there before they think we ran off to Vegas to get hitched because you’re pregnant with triplets.”
Hand in hand we rejoin the barbecue, just as the brisket is ready. Kane cuts up the meat while Mom and I arrange the salads and rolls. Everyone has a plate and we are all sitting around the table, eating, chatting, and laughing. There’s no more talk of marriage and babies. It’s just two families together having a night under the stars.
