by Kelli Walker
“What’s that?” Callie asked.
“This is your graduation gift from me,” Clay said.
He handed her the envelope and saw the nervousness rush behind my brother’s eyes. I kept assuring him this was the one. The property Callie had settled on. But despite my reassurances, I saw how worried he was that Callie might not like it. That she might not approve of going above her head yet again with something like this.
“Oh my gosh,” Callie said as she read through the paperwork.
My eyes flickered up to Clay as he hung onto her every word.
“Oh. You. Did. Not!” Callie exclaimed.
“Is that good or bad?” Clay asked.
“Tell me you did not,” Callie said.
“I’m… not sure anymore,” I said, furrowing my brow.
But the second a smile crossed her face with tears in her eyes, the two of us relaxed. Callie launched herself at Clay, and the two of them shared a moment together they both deserved. I stood there watching, her engagement ring glittering in the sunlight as she openly cried on Clay’s shoulder. It warmed my heart to watch them. To see the joy and the happiness that overcame them both.
“I can’t tell which one she’s more happy about,” I said.
Callie scoffed and shook her head before she settled back down onto her feet.
“Did you have anything to do with this?” she asked me.
“I may have sent your father some suggestions, yes,” I said.
“This paper says it’s purchased. Not rented. It said you purchased this building on one of the premier up-and-coming spots in Los Angeles,” she said.
“Okay, so I told your father what to purchase. So sue me,” I said, shrugging.
“Dad, please tell you didn’t outright purcahse it,” Callie said.
“Of course, I did. You’re my daughter. Consider this our investment in your future. You didn’t need the money we set aside for school because you were determined to do this on scholarships. So, we took that investment and, well, invested it,” Clay said.
“And with some savvy moves on my part over the years, that money grew into a nice chunk of change,” I said.
“That I then used to buy you this. The new home of whatever it is you’re going to name your practice,” Clay said.
“We didn’t dip into anything that wasn’t already yours, Callie,” I said.
“This is too much,” she whispered.
“If anything, Little Callie, it’s not enough,” I said.
I took a snapshot of that moment. Of the way she looked up at me with that piece of paper in her hands. She had the promise of our future together sitting on her hand, the hope of her practice seated between her fingers, and her eyes trained on me. The sunlight that came out to play for her graduation ceremony at Stanford shimmered in her raven locks, and for just a moment, she had the entire world just within reach. I grinned down at her. I watched a tear of happiness leak down the side of her face. I reached up and brushed it away, dusting it off her face so it wouldn’t streak her makeup.
“Why don’t we go get some food, hmm? To celebrate,” I said.
“Or, we could go home and have my favorite meal there,” Callie grinned.
“You‘re really going to make me cook for you as much as you want, aren’t you?”
She giggled and wrapped her arms around my waist before my eyes found my brother’s.
“What do you say? Steak and potatoes at your place?” I asked.
“Better your cooking than mine,” Clay said.
“You can say that again,” I murmured.
“But if you really don’t want to cook, Colt, you don’t have to,” Callie said.
I gazed into her eyes, watching as she peeked up from my chest.
“What did I tell you the last time we mentioned this?” I asked.
Her brow ticked with confusion, pulling a chuckle from my lips.
“When ‘he who won’t be named’ dropped those ridiculous charges, you wanted to celebrate. This exact dinner, with a nice bottle of wine. That was what you wanted. And what did I tell you over the phone?”
She rose up and planted her lips against my cheek as Clay piped up.
“What did you say?” he asked.
I chuckled as I held Callie against the crook of my body.
“He told me he’d cook it every night if I wanted him to, Dad.”
“That wasn’t exactly what I said.”
“Then what exactly did you say?” Clay asked.
“‘Every night for the rest of your nights’. I told Callie I’d cook her that meal every night for the rest of her nights, if that was what she wanted. Just like I’ll love her every night for the rest of her nights, because that was what she wanted, too,” I said.
“Then by all means, you two, lead the way,” Clay said.
It was the very last signal I needed to know he approved. To know he was on our side. To know I hadn’t severed our family because of how I felt. Because of what Callie and I wanted for ourselves. The horizon looked closer as the three of us headed for the car. The sun shone brighter as it beat down upon our bodies. My step felt a little lighter as we walked across the lawn with Callie’s hand nestled into mine.
And for the first time in my life, absolutely nothing was missing.
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Protected: A Second Chance Baby Daddy Romance
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Blurb: Protected: A Second Chance Baby Daddy Romance
I’m being stalked like an animal, and my ex wants to protect me.
My life is crumbling at my feet, and all I can do is look over my shoulder.
Stopping.
Staring.
Fearing for my life.
Then, my ex comes knocking at my door.
Promising he can keep me safe.
With his thick muscles and his brooding stare and a body whose crevices call to mine.
The man who broke my heart wants to shield me from the man who broke my mind.
A man I married.
Trusted.
Divorced.
I can’t say no, but I want to.
I have to say ‘no’, but I can’t.
And when he injures himself keeping his vow, I can’t push him away.
I was being tracked and he never left me.
So I refuse to leave him.
I guess some things never change.
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Also by Kelli Walker
Baby Daddy, Everything I Want: (Billionaire Romance) (FREE)
Protected: A Second Chance Baby Daddy Romance
Sleeping With The Truth: An Office Love Baby Daddy Romance
Uncovered Desires - A Single Mom Alpha Male Protector Romance
Saving Valencia: A Steamy Alpha Male Romance
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