by Kimi Flores
“Are you ready, pumpkin?” Picking up the booster seat and overnight bag, I jerked my head in a ‘let’s get outta here’ motion.
“Yeah, let’s go.”
On the way to my car, we happened to pass a group of power moms huddled together. I ignored them. They didn’t deserve any more of my energy.
“I’m so ascited to spend the night with you and Leah. We’re going to have lots of fun.” A sweet smile appeared on Madison’s face as she got into her booster seat.
After climbing in the driver’s seat, I started the car and we set out for our fun-filled Friday evening. I turned up the radio when a favorite boy band came on, and Madison began to sing. Looking in the rearview mirror, I found her sweet head bobbing along to the music.
Something in the background caught my eye. The car behind us wasn’t slowing down, even though we were at a stoplight. I laid on my horn, hoping the car in front of us would move, but it looked like the driver was distracted by something. The sound of screeching tires echoed in my head as I closed my eyes, prayed for Madison’s safety and braced for the worst.
⁂
Caleb
The meeting with the studio executives had gone better than planned, and my favorite hockey team had won their game. So far this day had been fantastic, but I couldn’t wait to get up to the hotel room and call my girls. It was already ten at night so Madison would be asleep, but I didn’t mind calling and flirting with Abby. Throwing my bag on the bed, I reached for my cell and noticed it was dead. I had to fish through everything in the bag before finding the charger and plugging it in.
Since it would take a few minutes to get the thing to turn on, I decided to jump in the shower. Things were going so well in my life. I’d never been this happy before. Although I’d loved Rene, the feelings I had for Abby were different. When I was married to Rene, I never imagined being able to love another woman, let alone have an even deeper, more mature connection with someone else. But that’s exactly what I was experiencing with Abby. I didn’t care how long we’d been dating. I felt it.
After toweling off and putting pajama bottoms on, I picked up my phone and powered it on. There were a bunch of text messages and voicemails from Leah. What the hell is going on?
Somewhat panicked, I dialed Abby’s number first. It went straight to voicemail, so I called Leah’s phone next.
“Caleb?” She sounded sleepy, but there was a hint of something else in her tone.
“Yeah, what’s up?” I was on edge, trying not to panic and jump to conclusions.
“Listen. Everyone is fine. They’re sleeping now,” she slowly explained.
“Leah, just tell me.” My heart pounded in my chest.
“There was a car accident, but like I said everyone is fine.”
“What! Why wasn’t I called?” Raking my fingers through my wet hair, I paced back and forth. And remembered. My phone had been dead for god only knew how long.
“We tried to call, but it went to your voicemail, and we didn’t have anyone else’s number. They were both checked out at the hospital—”
“Hospital! Oh my god.” I sat on the edge of the bed with my head down. They were in the freaking hospital, and I had been nowhere to be found. My girls must’ve been terrified. An old ache deep in my chest reemerged. Desperation set in, and I had to see them, now.
“Caleb, honestly. They’re both fine. Abby has some burns on her arms from the airbag, but that’s all. She and Madison are asleep in her room right now. Why don’t you get some rest, then come home in the morning.”
The morning? Is she joking? “I don’t think so. I’m on my way. Will you open the door when I get there?” I was already throwing a shirt over my head and repacking my bag. Toeing my shoes on, I left the room.
“Of course.”
It took two and a half hours to get to Abby’s. Longest drive of my life. Once Leah opened the door, I didn’t hesitate to drop all my crap on the coffee table and go straight into the bedroom. There I found Madison cuddled up against Abby’s chest in the center of the bed. Our kitten, Olivia, lay curled up in a ball by Madison’s back. With plenty of room for me behind Abby, I took off my shoes.
Abby woke up as soon as the bed dipped. “Hey, what’re you doing here?” she asked in a drowsy voice.
“Shhh.” I climbed in and wrapped my arms around her and placed my palms on Madison’s shoulder. “We’ll talk in the morning. Go back to sleep.”
“Okay.” She snuggled her back into my chest and held even tighter to Madison as she fell back to sleep.
“I love you.” I let a silent tear fall now that I saw with my own eyes that they were safe. This moment confirmed everything I was feeling. There was only one more thing to do.
⁂
Abby
I woke with a fiery sensation tingling up my inner forearms. Along with my burns, I also had a sore neck and minor aches and pains throughout my body. The warm torso at my back helped to soothe my aching muscles. Caleb.
He was starting to stir, so I turned onto my belly and faced him. His eyes were still closed and it was the first time I’d noticed how long his lashes were. I spent my days staring at him and my nights fantasizing about all the things I couldn’t wait to experience with him, yet I’d never seen him with scruff until this morning. I kind of liked it, and wanted to kiss it. His lips were parted slightly, and the quietest snore vibrated through them. The only part that concerned me was the frown on his brows. He wasn’t sleeping peacefully.
Probably because he could feel me staring at him, his eyes popped open. “Hey, baby. How’re you feeling?”
“A little sore, but I’m okay.” I snuggled my head into his pillow.
He lifted his arms, silently inviting me to lay my head on his chest. He brought his arms back down to hold me. With my cheek pressed into his t-shirt, he asked, “Where’s Madison?”
“I think Leah called her out of the room. I could hear whispers, giggles, and then the door closing.”
“Sounds about right. Hold on, I’ll be right back.” He scooted out from under me, and I couldn’t help but keep my eyes glued to his pajama-covered behind as he walked into my bathroom. I couldn’t wait for the day we moved our relationship into a physical one. I imagined, because of his extensive experience, unlike me, he really knew what to do.
Caleb opened the bathroom door, taking me out of my naughty thoughts. Reclaiming his spot, he rejoined me in bed.
He seemed to brace himself before speaking. “Let me see your arms.” Carefully pulling my right arm up, his expression turned grave before he closed his eyes. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here and you couldn’t get a hold of me.”
“It’s not your fault, Caleb.” I placed my palm on his scruffy jaw until he opened his eyes. I needed to comfort him. Not caring that he’d swished toothpaste in his mouth while I hadn’t, I placed my lips on his. “I love you, and these are the only things that came from the crash.” I held up my arms again, but didn’t dare tell him how sore my body really was. I’d take some ibuprofen. “I just need to put some cream on them until they heal. No biggie.”
He bolted up. “Don’t play this down. I’m normally so careful about making sure my phone is charged.” He ran his fingers roughly through his hair. “Abby, something really bad could’ve happened and nobody could get a hold of me.”
Sitting up on my knees, I placed my hands on both of his cheeks, forcing him to look at me. “But it didn’t. That’s what’s important.”
Hastily, he seized me into his arms and held so firm that I had a difficult time breathing. My legs straddled his hips as he began to weep. “I don’t know what I would do without you. I can’t lose you, too.”
My heart fell. He’d already experienced the loss of a significant other. Fighting back my own tears, my arms were on fire, but I had to hold him tighter. “I’m here, I’m still here,” I spoke softly.
Holding each other until his last quivering sob left him, he pulled back to see my face. “I am so in love with you, Abb
y. I promise I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”
I wiped his tears with my fingers. “You already do. I’ve never been this happy in my entire life.” I sat on his upper thighs, and something passed across his face. Almost like he had another thought.
Suddenly, the door flew open and Madison came running in, jumping on the bed. “See Leah, I told ya they’re awake. I heard them talkin’.”
“Sorry, she’s been dying to come in here.” Leah shrugged from the doorway.
I smiled and mouthed, “It’s okay.”
“Breakfast is ready whenever you guys are. I have to jump in the shower and get ready for work.”
She backed away from the door as Caleb yelled, “Thanks, Leah. For everything.”
“Daddy, did Abby tell you a dumb girl was textin’ on her phone when she was driving and hit our car? Then we got to ride in the ambalance to the hospital, and after the doctor looked at me, I got to stay with her. I kept her calm, Daddy. She told me so.” The pride on her face was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen.
I leaned over and kissed Madison on the cheek. “You sure did, sweetie. I don’t know what I would’ve done without your help.”
Madison beamed. Realizing I was still straddling this little girl’s daddy right in front of her, I clumsily got up and headed to the bathroom. “I’ll meet you guys in the kitchen.” Closing the door and looking at what a hot mess I was, I couldn’t help but smile. How did I get so lucky?
Chapter Twenty-One
Sunset Dreams
Abby
I pulled into the parking lot at one of my favorite locations—the Santa Barbara Zoo. The last time I’d been here was for the school field trip in September. Smiling, I ran my thumbs over the bumpy inner stitching of the leather steering wheel. Caleb had insisted I drive his Range Rover while my car was at the body shop. He didn’t want me driving the damaged car anymore, insisting it would never be safe again, so he’d taken charge of the whole situation. More than likely, he had someone else dealing with it, but that was fine, too. Being familiar with the law, he was better equipped to find the help I needed. Plus, it was kind of hot knowing he wanted to take care of me.
Unsure what kind of car to get as a replacement, I was patiently waiting for my insurance company to send a check since the teen driver who’d hit us didn’t have any insurance. Realistically, I owed more for the car than it was worth, so who knew what that would mean in the long run. Oh well, tonight was not the time to worry about it. I’d waited for a month to come here for this event, and was excited to celebrate Caleb’s accomplishments. All the contracts with the studio were signed, and they were moving into the next phase of filming. Caleb’s books would be on the big screen soon.
This evening, he’d rented out the zoo to host a party for the celebration. I had no idea who was going to be here, but it was a fantastic place to have a large gathering. There was a small business meeting beforehand so quite a few people were here before I arrived.
Thankfully, Leah pulled up right beside me, and now neither of us had to go in alone.
“I see you’re still driving the Range.” Leah gave a smartass look. She knew how much I loved driving his car.
“Not for much longer I’m sure, so I’ll enjoy it for now.” I sighed, taking another look at the beautiful vehicle.
“I have a feeling it’ll be much longer than you think,” Leah murmured.
“I’m not stealing his car, Leah.” I placed my hand on my hip.
Her knowing look said it all. “Doesn’t mean he isn’t going to willingly give it to you.” Standing in her off-the-shoulder, thigh-length black dress and matching strappy heels, she mimicked me and put her hands on her hips but added a little pucker to her lips in the sassy way only she could get away with.
“I don’t think so,” I assured my friend. There was no way I was going to take such an expensive gift from him. He’d wanted me to drive it for now and that had worked out fine. This conversation was pointless.
“You look really pretty tonight, by the way. Caleb is going to have a heart attack when he sees you.”
I glanced down at the floor-length, fitted taupe dress with small black flower embellishments on the strapless top and smiled at Leah, pleased. This was the most stunning dress I’d ever worn. With my hair up in an elegant up-do, I’d topped off the outfit with long, dangling earrings and a matching clutch.
“Thanks! You look pretty gorgeous yourself. But then again, you always do.” And she did. I didn’t understand how Leah hadn’t been snatched up yet.
“In this old thing?” She flipped her hair playfully, then looped her arm in mine, leading us into the open gates.
⁂
Caleb
I was on edge waiting for Abby to arrive.
“Dude, calm down. I’ve never seen you so uptight before.” Stefen patted my shoulder. “You’re starting to sweat. If you’re having second thoughts, nobody would care.”
I gave him a dirty look. “You’re not helping.”
“Sorry.” He backed away, then his eyes suddenly bugged out. “Oh, damn. Who is that hot Latina?”
The women were walking up the path that led to the tents. Abby was breathtaking. She was always striking, but in that dress, I was going to have a difficult time sticking to the promise I’d made myself. “She’s Abby’s best friend, Leah. And off limits.”
“Is that Abby with her?” Stefen placed his thumb and index finger on his chin like he was contemplating something.
“Sure is.” Wearing a goofy smile, I couldn’t help but feel giddy.
“You’re one lucky son of a bitch to be surrounded by two gorgeous women all the time. They both have nice curves.” His eyes continued to scan the women.
I gave him a stern warning look.
“Okay, okay, I got you. Besides, can you imagine the fit my parents would have if I ever brought a girl like Leah home with me?” Stefen snickered, shaking his head.
“What the hell do you mean by that?” I was getting pissed off. I knew where Stefen’s head was, but it didn’t mean I had to like it.
“Come on, man, you know what I’m talking about,” he answered. “She clearly had a different upbringing. Look at her.”
My eyes trailed back to the women. Abby appeared to be searching for something. And I hoped it was me she was looking for. “Stefen, don’t even go there. You’re not like them deep down, and don’t you dare insult her. She’s amazing and really good for Abby. She’s special—just not for you.”
“What? You don’t think I’m good enough for her?” He stared me down, trying to be intimidating, but it didn’t fool me. I’d struck a nerve.
“You know what you mean to me, but she deserves more than a one-night stand and a broken heart. She’s a part of my family now. Just leave her alone for my sake, please.”
“Whatever, man.” He shook his head. “I was just thinking about having a little fun while I was in town.” We started walking toward the canvas-covered area where the party was centered under.
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about, Stefen,” I huffed.
“Fine. I’ll leave her alone. Happy?” he said sarcastically.
“Yes.”
“Okay, let’s get this party started. We’re here to celebrate, right?” He clapped me on the shoulder as we approached the tent where most of the guests were gathered. “There’s got to be another broad here who I can bang before I leave.”
“Please just don’t be an ass tonight,” I said.
“Dude, don’t get your panties in a knot.” He chuckled. “I can control myself. I’ll just hang out with Bri and make sure she doesn’t get into trouble. I’ve already eyeballed a couple bastards checking her out.” He strolled away, using his best swagger.
I simply rolled my eyes at his hypocrisy.
⁂
Abby
“Holly hell, who is Don Giovanni? I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. Have you ever seen a hotter guy before?” Leah gave me
a sideways glance. “Never mind, I know your answer. That’s fine by me, less competition.” She smoothed her hands down the sides of her dress before turning and rearranging her boobs until more cleavage showed.
“I think that’s Caleb’s cousin, but I haven’t met him yet.” I paused and checked the room for the man I loved. “Where did you come up with Don Giovanni?”
“He’s the Italian version of Don Juan.” Leah shrugged and puckered her lips. “You know dark hair, dark eyes, strong jawline with a little scruff. Killer body and wearing an expensive suit, the way a man should dress.”
I shook my head. “That’s your problem, Leah. You love hot men. They’re the most trouble.”
“Yours is hot and he’s not trouble,” Leah challenged me.
“Well, there are a few exceptions. Let’s get you out of his line of site before you melt in this spot. Oh, and you may want to wipe the drool off your bottom lip. It’s not attractive.”
I gave another quick look at who I assumed was Stefen standing next to Bri. He caught me gawking and smirked. Definitely trouble. I could, however, appreciate what Leah saw in him. Most men at the party were dressed in suits, but yeah, this guy did have that added something. Nothing like my man, though.
My eyes met Caleb’s and my pulse picked up. Without a doubt, no man held a candle to my guy.
“I’ll be right back,” I told Leah, unsure if she even heard because I didn’t turn my head. I was caught in a trance with Caleb and unable to break eye contact as I crossed the room. He was so handsome in his designer fitted suit. He stalked after me as well until we met halfway. We didn’t greet with words. After raking our eyes up and down each other, we collided, fervently kissing like we never had before. I didn’t care that we were in a tent full of our friends and family.
