by C. A. Harms
As Harper set up the room for our massage, a thought occurred to me, and I wiped away the tear that had escaped and rolled down my cheek. I shifted in my chair and looked over at her.
“Hey, Harp,” I said, and the crack in my voice immediately caught her attention.
“Yeah?” Her full focus was now on me.
“What would you think about moving the spa day to Jude’s apartment? I mean, it’s small, and we probably couldn’t fit a massage table in there, but I would be willing to give mine up if I could see a genuine smile from Katelynn.” The tears I had been trying to hold back fell heavy, and I no longer attempted to hold them at bay. “I just think a little bit of pampering for Katelynn may give her that smile. I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more than she does.”
Harper rarely got emotional, but in that moment she too was fighting back tears. “I couldn’t agree more.”
So it was settled. Our spa day had just changed location, and the loss of my massage and facial didn’t faze me a bit. I would give up a lifetime of pampering if it meant I could give Katelynn the joy she deserved.
I picked up my phone and quickly dialed Jude. I wanted to let him know our plans.
Chapter Sixteen
Jude
“But I wanted to stay at home. I was playing with my trucks,” Matthew pouted from the backseat. His little arms were crossed defiantly over his chest, and his lips were pressed tightly together in a scowl. “Girls are mean.”
That comment caused me to chuckle. One day he would change his mind.
To say I was shocked when Callie called would be an understatement, and when she began to explain her plans, I felt myself falling even harder for the woman I knew I already loved. She was so selfless. She had explained that she, Quinn, and Harper were on their way over to bring their biweekly spa day to my place. Zoey was equally excited at the idea of spending a day with the girls and was smiling almost as brightly as Katelynn was as Harper and the others began to unload the cases of hair shit.
I threw a grumpy Matthew over my shoulder and offered Callie a wink before leaving them to enjoy their day.
First I thought I could tame the tiny beast by offering him ice cream, but that only lasted for about ten minutes before he began to complain once again. Then I attempted to take him to the park, but he got bored when there was no one there to play with. My big-ass body wouldn’t fit in the jungle gym, so my idea of being his play buddy went downhill fast.
We stopped by Jett’s for about an hour, where Jett and I locked him in the office with us and let him run wild. When he found the bathroom tucked in the back corner, I should have known it was a disaster in the making, but I got distracted talking to Jett. When Jett’s eyes grew wide in amusement as he stared over my shoulder, I knew it couldn’t be a good sign.
I slowly turned in my chair and took in my nephew, who was now soaked from his neck to his knees. He shrugged at me like there was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary. “What?” he asked with a questioning arch of his eyebrow. The kid was a cocky teenager trapped in a toddler’s body.
Jett chuckled, and I looked back over my shoulder at him. “Why the hell are you laughing?” I asked. “If he looks like that, I’d hate to imagine what your bathroom looks like.” Jett’s laughter stopped, and his face morphed into a look of horror, which in turn only made me laugh. “Yeah, who’s laughing now?”
***
After wasting the better part of three hours, I gathered Matt, and we were on our way back home. Pulling up, I let my gaze wander toward the last apartment on the end. I still had no idea what the hell Easton was planning with it, but I knew it was something I probably wouldn’t be too happy with. This particular apartment was vacant and had been for more than six months. It was now gutted. The windows and doors were being replaced with updated ones, and the roof was now being converted into another level. It appeared as if they were adding an upstairs.
Easton refused to share any information with me, telling me he was just bringing the building up to code. But I knew it was a whole lot more than that.
I opened the back door and helped Matthew from his booster seat, and he immediately ran toward our front door. A day with Uncle Jude was no longer good enough. I had been traded in for Callie. He adored her, and even though he pretended to think girls were mean earlier, I knew Callie was excluded from that complaint. She ranked up there right alongside his mother now, and that warmed me intensely.
He threw open the front door, and I jogged to catch up. As I entered the apartment, I froze in the doorway and took in the scene before me. My chest tightened, and my throat burned instantly.
Katelynn sat in her chair with a huge smile on her face. Her once long, stringy blonde hair had now been cut and styled into a shorter look that barely touched her shoulders and curled to make her thin hair appear thicker.
“What do you think?” she asked, twisting her head from side to side.
I nodded, and my nostrils flared as I did my best to hide my emotions. “Gorgeous,” I said. “I’ll be right back.” I tucked my chin toward my chest and walked down the hallway. Once I was inside my room, I braced my hands on the edge of my dresser and took a moment to just breathe.
“Did we do something wrong?” Callie’s soft whisper came from behind me and made me close my eyes tightly. “She said she wanted it shorter. We just thought that with everything…”
I gave her no time to finish before turning around and closing the distance between us. Her eyes grew wide in surprise as I gripped the back of her neck and pulled her against me. Covering her mouth with mine, I kissed her hard and backed her to the wall at the side of the open bedroom door. Callie fisted my shirt at my sides and gave in to the kiss.
I had so many emotions running through me, and I had no idea how to control them. My heart literally ached at the thought of what she had offered Katelynn today. I pulled back, and as she opened her eyes, I gave in to the feelings inside me. “I love you, Callie,” I whispered, and a tear ran over my cheek. Her gaze shifted to it before meeting mine once more.
“You are amazing, and what you’ve given Katelynn today means so much. You’re part of me,” I told her as I took her hand in mine and placed them both over my heart. Staring directly into her eyes, I tried to convey even just a small amount of what I was feeling. “You’ve become such an important part of my life, a part of their lives, and I truly love you so much for everything you’ve given us over these weeks. I’m never letting you go. I need you to know that.”
She nodded as she stared back at me with glossy eyes. “I’ve loved you for a long time,” she confessed, and I closed my eyes tightly, allowing her words to sink in and soothe some of the ache I felt. “And even if you tried to let me go, I wouldn’t let you. Because I don’t think I could live without you all in my life.”
And with those words, her tears fell. I rested my head against hers as we took a moment to just feel each other’s presence. It was calming to know she felt what I was feeling.
I knew my future only held more heartache, but having Callie would help me through. I was sure of it, because she was what was holding me together now.
Chapter Seventeen
Callie
“Are you sure you’re up for this?” I asked Katelynn as Jude lowered her into her wheelchair.
She smiled brightly and nodded. “Yes, a night out with adults sounds amazing. I can feel grown-up and vibrant for a few hours.” She winked as Jude flipped down the foot pegs.
I bent forward to grab her left leg and placed it on the foot peg. “All right then, let’s go have a little adult time,” I said as I stepped to the side and let Jude push her toward Easton and Harper’s front door. They’d invited everyone over for a celebration. Apparently, Avery and Kade had made a surprise visit to the courthouse a couple days ago and thought we’d all just let that slide by. Harper and Quinn decided to go behind their backs and plan a reception, and giving Katelynn a chance to get out of the house was the first thing I thou
ght of when Quinn called with the invite.
Jett opened the door as we approached and stepped aside, allowing us to enter. The house was decorated in true Harper fashion—flashy and over-the-top. Avery sat across the room, holding her tiny daughter in her arms as her now-husband, Kade, hovered over her with a look of pure, unconditional love filling his face. I still felt a longing inside when I saw them together. They had overcome some hard obstacles to get where they were, and they couldn’t be more perfect for each other.
A soft kiss against the side of my neck sent chills over my arms, and I turned just enough to peek at Jude. He smiled at me. “You can stop admiring their love, baby.” He kissed me once more before standing tall and pushing Katelynn farther in to the room.
I had no idea that he’d ever noticed my desire to have what they had. I guess I hadn’t been very discreet about it. I walked to Avery and knelt before her, admiring the sweet little angel in her arms. Willow was an exact replica of her mom, down to her heart-shaped upper lip.
“She is so beautiful,” I said as I traced the contour of Willow’s cheek with my finger. Her eye twitched with my touch, and Avery laughed.
“She is pretty perfect, isn’t she?”
“Yeah,” I said as we both remained in place, taking in every inch of her sweet face.
***
“Things look like they’re going pretty good for you and Jude.” I turned toward the sound of Kade’s voice as he stepped up to my side.
I had been quietly observing the group from the patio. Everyone had moved outside around the pool, and I had used the excuse of needing to use the restroom to hang back. I just wanted a few moments to take it all in.
“Yeah, they are.” I had known Kade for years, including during some of his darkest times, so the fact he’d found happiness meant the world to me. He deserved joy after all his years of pain and self-doubt. Kade had so much love to give, and being on the receiving end of that love would be one hell of a ride for Avery.
“So why the sad face, Cal?” he asked
Kade knew me well.
“I’m scared,” I whispered, and the tears I was trying to hide pooled in my eyes.
He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. I gave in to the comfort and rested my head on his shoulder. “Talk to me.”
I took a moment to calm the ache in my chest. “What happens when she’s gone?” I whispered, and that burn in my eyes that I had tamed suddenly returned with a vengeance. “Because, Kade, it’s gonna happen. And when it does, it’s gonna crush him. What if I lose him? What if the happiness we’ve found disappears? And it’s not just that. Losing Katelynn is gonna change me too, and I’m not sure how anyone’s heart can remain whole after they’ve lost someone as amazing as her.”
Kade held me to his side as he allowed me to cave just a little. It felt good to let it out. “You’ll have each other. You’ll need each other,” he whispered. “See that guy right there?”
I looked up at Kade and found him staring off into the backyard. Following his gaze, I found Jude staring directly at us with a look of confusion. He leaned forward and whispered something in Katelynn’s ear. She waved him off as she continued to talk to Avery and Quinn, unaffected by whatever it was he’d said.
My heart raced as he walked toward Kade and me. “He loves you, Callie. You need to share your fears with him. Because keeping that shit in never helps, sweetheart. That’s something I can assure you.”
The moment Jude stepped up in front of us, Kade released his hold on me. “Your girl needs you,” he told Jude before nudging me into Jude’s arms and stepping away.
Jude placed his hand beneath my chin and tilted my head up to look me in the eye. “What’s going on, Callie?”
He looked worried, and I hated that I’d put that worry there. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be doing this now. It’s not the place or the time. I just got caught up in the moment and felt a little overwhelmed. We can talk about it later.”
“No.” His eyes wrinkled in determination. “We’ll talk about it now.”
I tried to ignore the fact that his voice was laced with irritation. I had blindsided him with tears, and I’m sure finding me wrapped in Kade’s arms didn’t help matters. Last he knew, we were having a great night and I had just left to use the restroom.
“You mind telling me what’s going on?”
“It just hit me,” I said.
“What hit you?” He released his hold, and I immediately looked toward the ground. “It’s too much, isn’t it? My life and all the baggage.”
I shifted my feet and looked back up, finding his jaw set and a look of hurt covering his features. “No,” I said as my voice cracked. “Don’t ever think that, Jude. I love you. I love all of you. You, Kate, and the kids are all part of my life, and I would never change that.”
His face softened as he reached out and took my hand. “Then what is it?” He laced his fingers with mine and pulled me closer, resting our now-joined hands over his heart. “Because I’m a little freaked out right now.”
“I’m scared,” I confessed. “I know I can’t stop it from happening, but I would give anything to assure that Kate would be here forever. And seeing how happy she is tonight…” I let my gaze wander toward Katelynn. She was smiling at the girls, and for once she looked so alive and full of excitement.
“I’m scared too.” Jude’s response made my chest tighten even more with anxiety. “I’m gonna need you. The kids are gonna need you too.” His voice vibrated with emotion. “Tell me we’ll have you. Now that I’ve let you in, I’m not sure I can ever let you go.”
I pulled my hand from his and wrapped my arms around his waist. “I’m not going anywhere. You all have me. But I’m gonna need you too, Jude.”
He pressed his lips against my forehead, and I relaxed against his chest. The warmth of his embrace began to ease the ache within me just enough that I could allow myself to gain some control.
“Can I ask you for a favor?” Jude whispered next to my ear.
“Anything,” I assured him as I rubbed his lower back mindlessly with my palm.
“From now on, bring your fears to me.” Immediately, I pulled back to look up at him. “It’s up to me to fix those worries, not Kade.”
“Jude,” I whispered, and those goddamn tears pooled once again.
He placed one hand on each side of my face before lowering his lips to mine. The gentleness of his kiss was so unlike him, and he pulled back entirely too quickly. “Just tell me from this point on you’ll come to me with whatever may be bothering you. No matter if you think it will upset me or hurt me, you bring those fears to me, sweetheart.”
I nodded.
“Because I don’t like any other man, whether it be your friend or not, taking care of things I should be taking care of. You’re my girl, Cal,” he stated with certainty. “Mine.”
“Yours,” I replied, and it earned a smile just before he placed his lips to mine once more.
Chapter Eighteen
“So.” Harper shrugged as she turned her back to us and began looking through her closet. “I’m pregnant.”
A very loud shriek of excitement escaped Avery, and Quinn’s mouth fell open in shock. I blinked a few times, wondering if I had heard her correctly.
“And we set a date for the wedding,” she added with her back still to us.
“When?” I asked.
Harper turned back around then, and her smile was huge. You could just feel the excitement flowing off her in waves. “I’m about seven weeks along, and the wedding is in November.” She finally took a seat on the end of her bed, next to Avery.
I stood from the chair and walked across the room to join them. Quinn still stood with her back leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom, watching Harper closely. She had a smirk on her lips I was sure no one had noticed yet. Something was up, and she was just quietly waiting for her chance to reveal it.
“November is a little over a month away. How in the hell are w
e gonna pull off a wedding in that short amount of time?” Avery asked.
“I’ve got it covered,” Harper assured her as Harper sat down on the edge of the bed.
“What do you mean you have it covered?” I asked.
“Easton already talked to Jett about the location for the wedding and the reception. We aren’t going big or flashy, just small and intimate. All I need is my family and our close friends. So there is very little to plan.” Harper shrugged once more as if that was that. She looked up and found Quinn still leaning against the bathroom doorframe. “Why the hell are you standing there looking at me like that?”
Quinn grinned, and a small giggle fell from her lips. “Well, I’m trying to determine if I should tell you my news or if I should wait a few days now.”
They shared some little conversation using only their eyes. It was quite humorous to watch their faces scrunch up and then suddenly morph into shock. I was just about to ask what in the hell was going on when Harper broke the silence.
“No, you are not.” She leaped up from the bed and her smile grew even wider. “How far?”
“Almost ten weeks.” Quinn smiled widely.
“You’re pregnant too?” Avery asked as she stood from the bed and stalked toward Quinn.
“Yeah, we were gonna wait until after we were over the first trimester to reveal our news. But I just told Jett last night that the secret was eating away at me, so we agreed to tell everyone. I’m sure Easton and him are bonding over it as we speak.” She shrugged.
“Well, Kade will take the opportunity to scare the hell out of them by telling them all kinds of baby horror stories. I’m sure they’ll come home pale and freaked out.” Avery laughed at the thought before walking back toward the bed and taking a seat on the edge.
Quinn and Harper looked back and forth between Avery and one another before breaking out into laughter.