by Blue Saffire
When we get outside the dorm Caleb leads me to a Jaguar SUV. He pushes the key fob and opens the passenger side door for me. I look up at him with knitted brows.
I have never seen Caleb drive. I don’t know why, but I’ve always assumed he didn’t have a license. Cameron or Dakota usually drive him. I never thought that he had his own license or car.
“You thought I couldn’t drive,” Caleb says with a smirk.
“Sorry?” I say, biting my lip.
Caleb shrugs. “For what, my family babies me. I never have to drive, which sucks because I love cars and love to drive.”
“Wait, that guy Ernie, at the race track. That was what he was talking about that day, at the photo shoot. You can drive a race car,” I gasp in realization.
Caleb smirks and leans to peck my lips. “Maybe, get in. We’re going to be late.”
I smile and climb into the soft seats. My smile grows as Caleb rounds the front of the car and climbs into the driver’s seat. Seeing how well he fits behind the wheel makes sense.
We’re often entranced by the task of driving. I can see Caleb being amazing in a race car. The focus, science behind the car and its dynamics. Yes, I can see it.
What I don’t expect is the ping of regret. As we ride in the sleek SUV, I can just imagine Caleb driving our family to dinner. Only, he doesn’t want a family and if he’s what I want, then I have to respect that fact and accept it, that’s what I’m signing up for.
I take time to let that truly set in for the first time since our talk in the locker room. I’d pushed that conversation aside. However, for some reason, right now, I can’t seem to let the thought go.
I look at Caleb’s profile. Reaching for his cheek, I run my hand over the small scar that’s usually hidden under facial hair. Caleb reaches for my fingers and kisses their tips.
“When I was ten, I had a meltdown on Daddy’s boat. Cameron tried to calm me down and it only set me off more. I slipped and cracked my face on the stair rail going down to the lower deck,” he says softly.
I lean in and kiss his cheek. “Just one more mark of perfection,” I whisper. “You’re not perfect useless you have the scars to prove it.”
Caleb pulls to a stop in a parking space, turning to look at me. His eyes search mine. He leans to place a soft kiss on my lips.
“You’re the one that’s perfect,” he says against my lips. “I love you.”
“Love you too,” I say as I look up at him.
Caleb turns to get out of the car and I realize we are at our café. I furrow my brows. We’re a bit dressed up for this place.
Caleb helps me out of the car and walks me across the street to the café. I’m more curious by the minute. The café’s windows are covered from the inside. I look up at Caleb in confusion.
He just continues to lead me to the front door. When he opens the door, he gestures for me to walk in ahead of him. I gasp the moment I step inside. Our favorite little café has turned into a gorgeous romantic scene for two.
Twinkle lights have been strung up all over. Along the front of the register, in front of the showcases. Around the bar stool and other future. The tables have been rearranged allowing for a single table to be the focal point in the center of the café.
A candle is in the center of the table, that’s covered in white linens. The chairs are even covered in white clothes with pale blue ribbons. The entire scene is breathtaking.
I turn to Caleb with tears in my eyes. “What? How did you do this? Where’s everyone?”
“Bernie made good on his promise. His uncle owns the place. He did me a favor,” Caleb says, as he watches her face.
I wrap my arms around his waist, as my heart swells with love for him. Who has a café shut down for dinner for two? I don’t even understand how I’ve met this man and fallen so deeply in love with him. This all seems so unreal.
“Thank you,” I say through trembling lips.
“You’re welcome,” Caleb murmurs. “This is our place. I wanted tonight to be special, this just seemed like the right place to start.”
He’s blinking, which tells me he’s nervous. I choke down my emotions, not wanting to overwhelm him. This is just the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.
“Hey, let’s sit and see what you’ve planned,” I encourage.
Caleb nods and walks me over to the table. He pulls my chair and I sit. When Caleb takes his seat, Cameron and Bernie show up out of nowhere. Caleb pours some sparkling cider into the champagne flutes and Bernie places two steaming plates before each of us.
Cameron winks at me, before he turns to disappear again with Bernie trailing behind him. I focus on the plate before me, only to find my favorite. Lemon Chicken with asparagus and wild rice.
It smells delicious. I look up at Caleb and beam. “You had them make my favorite. I didn’t know they have full kitchen here,” I gush.
“They don’t. I made it at home and Cam brought it over, while I came to pick you up,” Caleb says.
Again, I’m in awe of this man. I shake my head, as I smile at him. I lift my fork and knife. When I cut into the chicken, it’s juicy and tender. It slices apart like butter.
I fork some rice and asparagus and lift it to my mouth. When the flavors burst into my mouth, I can’t help the moan that escapes my lips. The chicken just melts in my mouth and the rice and vegetables are cooked to perfection.
“You have to be kidding me,” I groan. “Caleb, will you marry me?”
I start to giggle, but the look on Caleb’s face, causes the laugh to die on my lips. He looks at me intensely, as if he’s trying to assess my words for sarcasm or truth. He places his fork and knife on his plate and stand.
My neck cranes to follow him. He continues to look down at me with intensity. I don’t know what’s going on, until he moves to me and cups my face. In a fluid catlike motion, he bends to his knee.
“That was my question,” he rasps.
He lifts a shaky hand from his suit pocket. My mouth pops open, when it all hits me full force. My mind starts to race.
“Caleb?”
He brushes his thumb over my trembling lip. “I’ve loved you from the moment I almost ran you over. I just knew you were what I’ve been waiting all my life for. Someone to see me, someone to love me,” Caleb chokes.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life, inside and out. You make me feel like the man I want to be. I know I can’t give you everything you deserve, so I guess this is a bit selfish of me.
“I know that, but I love you, Darlin’. I love you with everything I am. It would break me to lose you. I can’t see my life without. Please Nicole, give me a chance to try to be the best husband I can. I’ll marry you tonight if you wanted.”
Caleb pauses and take a deep breath. “What I’m saying is, yes. I’ll marry you. Even if you’re just joking, but I’m not when I ask will you marry me?”
“Oh, my God,” I whisper. “Caleb, I-I.”
I don’t know what to say. I know on the ride over, I had thoughts of the decisions I would have to make to have a future with Caleb. However, now faced with reality, I feel like I might faint.
This is real. The man before me has real feelings. I have to be sure this is what I want. I can’t ignore the truth of our relationship or our situation.
Can I except the man Caleb is? Can I truly say that I don’t want children or that I’m willing to give up on wanting them? Can I say yes and mean it, knowing all of what those words mean, because if I say yes, there is no turning back. Not with Caleb. I wouldn’t do that to him.
I look down at the ring and it’s gorgeous. I mean, breathtaking. Two and a half carats, I believe with a halo of smaller diamonds. I wipe the sweat from my forehead and lick my lips.
“Nicole,” Caleb whispers. “You have to say something. I’m having a hard time reading you, right now. I’m about to freak out.”
“Sorry,” I say, as my eye flick up to his.
When I look into those blue-grey eyes and
see the disappointment in them, I know my answer. It’s not a decision of pity. I don’t feel obligated to give in, because he can’t handle the rejection.
No, the look in his eyes reminds me of the amazing man I’ve fallen in love with. He can’t read my emotions or place my social cues as easily as others. Yet, here he is, putting himself out there, ready to accept whatever I hand him.
“Yes,” I breathe. “Yes, Caleb. I love you. Yes.”
Caleb blinking rapidly at me, until my words sink in and his eyes widen. He nearly tackles me, cup my face and kissing me hard. I wrap my arms around his neck and return his kiss with the same vigor.
Hand claps, coming from around us pulls us apart. Caleb doesn’t take his eyes away from me, as I peek around him to see Cameron, Dakota, and Mr. Perry. They all have bright smiles on their faces.
“Now, that’s what I call well done,” Mr. Perry says with a boisterous laugh. “Welcome to the family little lady.”
“Thank you, Mr. Perry,” I laugh, as Caleb wraps his arms around me and buries his face in my neck.
“None of that. You call me Kyle or Dad,” Mr. Perry says, with a broad smile.
“Okay,” I say with a smile.
“Let’s go kids. We’ll let them have the rest of the night to themselves. Caleb, I’ll see you on the plane in the morning.”
Caleb breaks away from me and walks over to his dad. My mouth falls open when Caleb pulls his father into a bear hug. The shocked expressions on Cameron and Dakota’s faces, tells me I’m not the only one in awe.
Tears well in my eyes and I see Dakota wipe at hers. When Caleb releases his dad, Mr. Perry’s eyes look moist. He pats Caleb’s cheek and nods at his.
“You boys make me a proud father. You’re both fine young men,” he kisses Caleb’s forehead. “God, I love you. You deserve this happiness, don’t let anyone take that from you.”
“I love you, too, Daddy,” Caleb says, pulling his father in for one more hug. “See you in the morning.”
“See you in the morning,” Mr. Perry rasps.
“This may be pushing it, but can I get one of those hugs,” Dakota says hopefully.
Caleb smirks and opens his arms. Dakota rushes in and hugs him tightly. I didn’t think this moment could be any more special. Caleb doesn’t even flinch at their touch. He accepts Dakota’s tight embrace, as if he does so all the time.
Dakota breaks the hug and looks at me. She wipes the tears from her cheeks. She points at me with a rueful smile on her lips.
“You, you’re something awesome. He knew it the first time he saw you. I love you for loving my cousin so fucking much. Don’t give up on him, we’ll always be here to make sure he doesn’t give up on you,” Dakota says fiercely.
“Promise,” I say, as I look at her through teary eyes. I look up at Caleb, as he returns to my side. I look him in his eyes and say it again. “I promise.”
chapter Eighteen
My Mistake
Nicole
We should be happy. We should be celebrating, but I feel more like my heart is breaking. We all cried mixed tears of joy and uncertainty two days ago.
We’d all flew to Florida that morning to be there by two, for the start of the draft. Mr. Perry provided transportation in his private jet.
I had mixed feelings, when we arrived in Florida, to find Mrs. Perry waiting on us in the Perry family villa. She was cold towards me the entire time, especially when Aunt Judy made a big fuss over my engagement ring.
I thought Jemma would swallow her own tongue. The sour look on her face was priceless. However, she seemed to get over it for the public, when it came time for the draft. Yup, all smiles for the cameras.
Caleb and Cameron were drafted. It was the greatest moment of my life to sit beside Caleb, as his name was called. There was so much nervous energy swirling in the room, I thought I’d be sick.
I was a nervous wreck the whole day, but not more than Cameron and Caleb. I truly saw the bond Cam and Cal have with each other. They had their own secret communication going on, most of the time.
However, as we sat there and each one of them were called to their new teams, I watched them go from worried, to relieved, to awed, and finally to disappointed. Neither of the twins were called to Texas teams. Cameron was drafted to Atlanta and Caleb was drafted to New York.
It broke my heart to see them look like they were being torn apart. I don’t think they’ve ever been apart. Kyle, the loving father that he is, was outraged once we returned to the villa.
He promised to call in favors and get the boys on the same team. In the end, Cameron told his dad he was happy for the change and he would make do. Caleb agreed, his only concern was me. He didn’t want to be so far away from me.
I don’t want to be so far away from him either. I know he’ll be on the road most the time, but that just makes it worse. I can’t imagine going weeks or months without seeing Caleb.
When I started to talk about transferring to New York for my Senior year, Caleb wouldn’t have it. I guess he and my dad are on the same page there. My father wants me happy, but he was unhappy to hear that I wanted to make the change because of a boy, his words, not mine.
That’s why Mr. Perry flew us to New York, as soon as he found out my parents had no idea about Caleb or our relationship. My family wants to meet Caleb and Kyle felt it only right that they know his son, since he’s the one I’ll be marrying. He wasn’t too happy that Caleb didn’t ask my dad for permission to marry me.
Honestly, this trip is scaring the shit out of me. I don’t know what to expect. My mom and dad didn’t sound too happy to find out that I’m engaged to someone they’ve never met.
I didn’t tell them much about Caleb, and I don’t think that has helped matters at all. It actually seemed to piss my dad off more, if at all possible. I’m the baby in the family. My dad is super protective of me and my happiness.
So, here I stand cringing in front of my mom and dad in the foyer of my childhood home. It’s late, I’m tired, but we have to deal with this mess I’ve made. I hate that I’ve added just one more thing to our already heavy plate.
“So, you’re the young man that proposed to my daughter without asking permission, and here, I thought you Texas boys had manners,” My dad says, as he looks at Caleb through narrowed eyes.
I sigh, when I see the mirth in my father’s eyes. He’s only teasing. This is a good sign. I grin up at Caleb, who has tightened his hold on my hand.
“I-I’m sorry, S-sir,” Caleb says. “I know I did this wrong. I should’ve come to you proper. My daddy isn’t too happy to find out y’all didn’t know about me first.”
My dad rocks back on his heels and smiles. He laughs and holds out his hand. I squeeze Caleb’s hand to reassure him and bite my lip, as he hesitates to return my father’s handshake.
Caleb finally lifts his hand to take my father’s. I don’t miss that his grip on my hand tightens. I’m learning to understand more and more how much of an anchor I am for Caleb.
“I’m just giving you a hard time, Caleb. I can see those southern manners are in place,” my dad says, with a warm smile. “It was Nicole that failed to mention she was off falling in love with a superstar pitcher.”
“You know,” I ask in surprise.
I hadn’t told my parents that Caleb is a baseball player, or that he just signed to play for a major league team. I wanted them to meet him as a person. I don’t want anything clouding or swaying their opinion of Caleb, before they get to meet the talented, sweet man I’ve fallen in love with, in person.
“The Perry brothers have been all the rave, Sweet Pea. Although, I was surprised to see one of them lift, my very own daughter, off her feet to lay one hell of a kiss on her on national television,” My father says pointedly. “I was even more surprised to hear the TV announcer, mention that my daughter was the fiancée of the youngest Perry brother, as the camera zoomed in on the rock on her finger.”
I groan. Why didn’t I think about all of that? I
know my father follows baseball. I think it’s still hitting me that I’m engaged to an up and coming baseball star. I never even thought about my parents seeing me on TV at the draft or about anyone saying anything about my engagement.
I’m not ashamed of it, I had every intention of telling my parents. There was just so much going on with flying out for the draft and letting the shock of Caleb going to a New York set in.
Not to mention, I’m still in shock myself, that I’m engaged. When my mother called me, and asked what I was up to, I spilled my guts. I never thought of the initial reason for the call.
“I’m so sorry you guys found out that way,” I groan. Now I understand why my father was so pissed on the phone. “It literally happened the night before. I truly did plan to call you guys and tell you.”
“Please don’t be angry with Nicole. It’s my fault, I was solely focused on getting her to agree to be my wife,” Caleb starts, but my dad lifts a hand.
“I’m happy to see Nicole so happy,” my dad says. “I just don’t appreciate that I and my wife were the last to find out, and we still had to place the call to get the information from her mouth.”
“Caleb, pay my husband no mind,” my mom says with a smile. “He likes to tease people. Especially, young man that comes with the threat of taking his baby girls away from him. You’re not the first to come to our home and get steam rolled. It’s so nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too, Ma’am,” Caleb nods.
I wince as it comes off a little stiff, almost robotically. Not that I’m embarrassed by Caleb. It’s just I know that when his speech becomes more static, he’s heading way out of his comfort zone.
“Mom, dad, between all of the excitement of the week and the flight. We’re beat. Would you mind if Caleb and I freshened up and relaxed for the night before we get into greeting everyone and answering questions tomorrow,” I say, trying to buy us a chance to slip away.
“Sure, Honey, you freshen up and come find me if you two want something to eat. Caleb, Nicole will show you out to the guest house,” my mother says and looks at me, as if daring me to challenge her.
