She knew he was right. Why couldn’t she accept that she had a rightful place in their midst? Was she simply scared they’d take that love away as her father had? Did she think it was better never to experience it than to want it so badly, then lose it?
“I can’t think about this now,” she said. “It’s too confusing.”
For once Caleb didn’t push. “Want to take off? Maybe get a burger or something?”
She wasn’t sure which startled her more, his sensitivity or his suggestion that they grab a bite to eat. The latter was less dangerous.
“You can eat again already?” she asked incredulously. “After all that pot roast? You ate as if you’d never had a home-cooked meal before.”
“I haven’t had many like that,” he said. “My mom wasn’t much of a cook. There aren’t a lot of home-cooked meals to be had on tour. As for you, you were the queen of takeout. You had a drawer filled with menus from every place in a ten-mile radius that delivered.”
She gave him a wry look. “You always seemed eager enough for pizza.”
“One of the staples of life,” he agreed. “I’m not complaining, just observing.” He regarded her curiously. “Can you cook?”
“Sure,” she said a little too quickly. “If I have to. Play your cards right and maybe I’ll show you one of these days.”
“I’ll look forward to it. For now, how about that burger?”
“No food,” she said. “But I will go along if you’re starving.” Anything to get away from here and all the spoken and unspoken questions for which she had no ready answers.
They said their goodbyes then, thanking both Mick and Megan for including them, and then spending a moment with Nell.
“We’ll expect to see you here again on Christmas, if not before,” Nell told them. “Is that understood?”
“Yes, ma’am, and thank you,” Caleb said.
Nell regarded Jenny intently. “And you?” she prodded gently.
“I’ll be here,” Jenny promised, then acknowledged to her as she had to others, “I know how wrong it was to stay away so long.”
“You stayed away as long as it took to get your feet back under you,” Nell corrected. “Now you can concentrate on looking forward.”
Relieved by the apparent understanding which confirmed Caleb’s earlier observation, Jenny enveloped her in a warm hug. “Thanks.”
“No thanks needed, precious child. I consider you as much my granddaughter as anyone else in this family.”
Tears stung Jenny’s eyes at the comment. She didn’t want Nell or even Caleb to see how touched she was. Understanding was one thing, but unconditional acceptance? It was such an unexpected blessing.
She quickly turned away and hurried to the door. When she glanced back, she saw Caleb give Nell’s hand a reassuring squeeze. Even from the doorway, she could overhear him telling her that she’d said exactly the right thing.
“I hope so,” Nell said, sounding worried. “She shouldn’t be walking through life alone when there are so many of us who love her.” She gave him a pointed look. “I count you among them.”
“You can,” he said.
She nodded. “Then do whatever it takes to make certain she knows that.”
Jenny saw the glint of determination in Caleb’s eyes and knew then exactly how much trouble she was in. Up until now, Caleb had been pushing gently to make his way back into her life. Now, with Nell’s apparent blessing, she had a hunch he was going to launch a full-court press. And no matter how many misgivings she might have, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to resist.
* * *
“Boy, your string of conquests in Chesapeake Shores keeps getting longer and longer,” Jenny said as she and Caleb sat at a table overlooking the bay in Brady’s. “Bree, Emily Rose, the guys, Sean and now Nell.”
Caleb shrugged. “That’s just because I didn’t break their hearts,” he said simply. “That doesn’t mean most of them aren’t angry about what I did to you or wary about my intentions toward you from here on out.” He gave her a questioning look. “Are you upset about their accepting me? Do you feel as if I’m doing an end run around you?”
She shook her head at once. “I’m not really upset, just surprised.”
“You were hoping for tar and feathers, weren’t you?” he teased.
“Well, they could at least have made a pretense of hating you for my sake,” she grumbled. “At least for one afternoon.”
“How would that have made things any better? Would it have justified your holding me at arm’s length longer? Helped you to reinforce all those defenses you put into place after I hurt you?”
“Something like that.”
He held her gaze. “You do know that your opinion is the only one that matters to me, right? I like this huge extended family of yours, no question about it. They’re good people. And I’m glad they seem willing to give me a chance. In the end, though, you’re the one who counts, Jenny.”
She gave him a perplexed look. “Why do you want me back, Caleb? Is it that you can’t stand the thought of losing? Are you trying to prove something to yourself?”
He didn’t like what she was implying. “Do you honestly think I’d come after you and court you, not because I love you, but just to see if I could get you back?”
“Anything’s possible,” she said.
Caleb realized that she wanted to believe he was that shallow. It would make it easier for her to keep withholding her forgiveness.
“Then what?” he prodded. “Do you think I’ll humiliate you again? Walk away, satisfied that I’ve still got what it takes to get a woman, even one who has every reason to hate me?”
She winced at that. “It sounds horrible when you put it like that,” she said.
“It sounds horrible no matter how I say it,” he said. “Don’t you know me better than that?”
“I did once,” she said softly. “Now I don’t know. Maybe you’re just taking the whole making amends thing to a new level.”
Caleb’s temper stirred. He tried telling himself she had a right to be suspicious, a right to distrust him, but that didn’t mean it didn’t sting like crazy.
Fighting for control, he sat very still and leveled a look directly at her. “Look at me, Jenny,” he commanded very quietly, then waited until her reluctant gaze finally lifted to meet his.
“I am not playing games with you,” he said. “For all my flaws, and I have a whole ton of them, I have never used you or even deliberately hurt you. What I did do was incredibly stupid and wrong and I’ve paid for it in ways you can’t possibly imagine. I want to make that up to you, not because of any program, but because I owe that to you.”
“Fine,” she said, seemingly eager to slam the lid on the can of worms she’d opened. “Sorry.”
“No, wait a minute. You started this. Now hear me out. I loved you even though it must not have seemed that way, given the thoughtless stunt I pulled. I still love you,” he declared forcefully. “I came to Chesapeake Shores hoping to apologize. I’ve stayed, not just because Bree offered me an interesting opportunity to try something new, but to try to earn your trust again. Maybe even your love.”
She opened her mouth, but he cut her off again.
“Hold on,” he said. “You need to hear the rest. I want all of that, not to prove some point to myself, but because it physically hurts to think about going through life without you.”
There was a sheen of tears in her eyes when he finished and he felt guilty about that, but he’d said what he needed to say. She could believe him or not, but he knew in his gut that this was a turning point. If she truly believed what she’d implied before, that he was up to no good, or only here for some selfish reason, then he’d lost. They’d never get back what they’d once had.
He thought of the song that had init
ially sent him to Chesapeake Shores. Amazingly, it was the first time it had crossed his mind in days. He was glad he hadn’t mentioned it to her. She’d only see that as proof that his motives for being here weren’t as straightforward as he’d led her to believe. Losing that song, letting Ricky Nolan go right ahead and turn it into a hit, was a small price to pay if he could reclaim Jenny.
After he’d said his piece, he sat back. “Your turn.”
A tear streaked down her cheek. “I don’t know what to say, Caleb. I want to believe you. I really do. Since you’ve been here, I’ve seen so many glimpses of the man I fell in love with. I’ve seen new sides to you, too. The way you were with Sean and Emily Rose today...” She smiled tremulously. “I had no idea you could be so sweet and patient.”
“I like kids. I wouldn’t mind having a whole houseful, if I could have them with you.”
She gave him a startled look. “We never talked about having kids.”
“I thought you understood that’s where we were headed, at least until I went and ruined everything.”
“Kids, Caleb? Really? How would that work with all the touring and the late nights in the studio?”
He chuckled. “It probably wouldn’t, the way I was going after everything full throttle. I told you, though, that being a solo act will be different. My priorities are going to be different. There are plenty of musicians and singers who can balance a career and family.”
“Are you one of them?” she asked skeptically. “You don’t do anything by half measures. Look at how you’ve been since you got here. You’re throwing yourself into courting me. You’ve embraced this Christmas play. And I have no doubt if your agent called and said he could get you a concert gig during the holidays, you’d find some way to give your all to that, too.”
He shook his head. “That was the old me, trying to grab everything out of fear that it would disappear if I didn’t seize it right then and there. I know better now. I’ve learned to prioritize.” He shrugged. “I might even have learned a little bit about patience.”
“Seriously?”
“Hey, have I been giving you time or not? The old me would have had you in bed by now.”
She laughed. “That’s what you think. I’ve learned a few things, too. I won’t rush into some hot and heavy romance a second time.”
“And I accept that,” he said, a note of triumph in his voice as he added, “See what I mean? Patience is my middle name.”
“Caleb, what on earth am I going to do with you?” she murmured.
“Anything you want to,” he suggested. “I’m open to all sorts of possibilities.” He held her gaze. “Are you?”
She drew in a deep breath. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”
“But you’re not closing any doors?”
She hesitated, then shook her head. “I’m not closing any doors.”
“Okay, then,” he said, satisfied for now. “Why don’t I get you home to get some rest? Tomorrow’s going to be crazy with the rest of the cast hitting town and rehearsals going into full swing. You ready for that?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said, though her nervousness was plain.
“You worried about something?”
“This is a play. I’ve never written music for a play before. And the actors coming in—they’re professionals. What if they think the songs are all wrong?”
“No way, sweetheart. I predict they’re going to be holiday classics the minute they’re released.”
Her eyes widened. “Released? What on earth are you talking about?”
“Bree mentioned something to me earlier about putting out a single of one of the songs in time for the holidays. She spoke to your agent and mine about it. Didn’t she mention it to you?”
“She did not,” Jenny said. “Neither did Margo.”
“I gather your cell phone is still stuffed in a drawer somewhere. Apparently Margo’s been calling for days. She even complained to me about your ignoring her calls.”
“You spoke to Margo, too?”
“She called me when she couldn’t reach you,” he said. “I think she was afraid I was holding you hostage and trying to brainwash you.”
“And of course you convinced her you were behaving in an entirely proper way,” she said, a bitter note in her voice. “The newly reformed saint of Nashville.”
Caleb laughed at her evident annoyance. “Hardly that, sweetheart. And Margo still hates my guts, if that makes you feel any better.”
“Marginally,” she said.
“I’m sure if you returned her call, she’d deliver all sorts of stern warnings about getting mixed up with the likes of me again. Or I could just repeat what she said to me. None of it was flattering.”
She leaned forward and propped her chin on her fist. “Tell me,” she said, looking intrigued.
Instead, he took his cell phone from his pocket and held it out. “I think it’ll be better coming from her.”
Jenny seemed surprised. “You’re not scared she’s going to succeed in warning me off?”
“Nope. I think you’re made of tougher stuff than that.”
“No, you just think you already have me right where you want me,” Jenny corrected.
“If I had you where I wanted you, we’d be back at your place in that big king-size bed of yours,” he said. “You’re still holding all the cards.” He winked at her. “But I am hopeful that you’re coming around.”
Even after the contentious way the evening had started, he was counting on it.
* * *
Jenny sat in the shadows at the back of the theater and listened as the cast ran through their lines from start to finish. There was only piano accompaniment to the music, at least until Caleb performed his two songs, when he added his guitar to the mix.
As the second act drew to a close, Bree slipped into the seat beside her. “What do you think?”
“For a first full rehearsal with actors who’ve just arrived, I thought it was pretty amazing,” Jenny said honestly.
“And Caleb? How’d you think he did?”
“The man’s a pro,” Jenny acknowledged. “He knocked those songs out of the park.”
“I’m going to expand his role a bit,” Bree said. “I think he can handle it. I may add a couple more songs, too.”
Jenny frowned. “Whose songs?”
“Yours, of course. Think you can do it?”
“We’re cutting it awfully tight,” Jenny protested, then rose to the challenge. “But I can try. What did you have in mind?”
Bree described the places in the play where she could envision adding songs. “I’ll leave it up to you and Caleb. You both have great instincts about this. I truly am impressed by how well you work together, especially under less than optimum conditions. I can see now why your collaboration was such a success.”
Jenny studied her with a narrowed gaze. “Why do I think this is more about throwing us together day and night than it is about what the play needs?” She gave Bree a stern look. “I heard about the whole single release you want to pull off practically overnight. A very sneaky tactic to go to our agents and get them on board. Even Margo’s a little wild for the idea, and she can’t stand Caleb. She’ll move heaven and earth and the entire music industry to make this happen, even if the song only gets play on YouTube before the holidays. The woman knows a great public relations opportunity when it comes along.”
“That’s her job,” Bree said. “I’m glad she’s excited.” She beamed at Jenny. “This whole thing is coming together in ways I never envisioned.”
“You sure about that?” Jenny inquired.
“I had no idea Caleb would follow you here,” Bree insisted. “Pure happenstance.”
Jenny believed that much at least. It didn’t mean her friend wouldn
’t take advantage of the happy serendipity once it was smack in front of her. As exasperating as that might be, she had to admit that there were a whole lot of positives to be gained for everyone.
Jenny glanced away from Bree just in time to see the leading lady—Helena McGuire, a Tony-winning ingenue a decade ago—clinging to Caleb as if he were the absolute love of her life. The kiss she planted on him was hot enough to turn the entire auditorium into a sauna. Jenny whirled around to meet Bree’s innocent gaze.
“That’s where you’re going with this? You’re turning it into a romance between Caleb and that woman?”
“It’s perfect, don’t you think? They seem to have a lot of chemistry. I asked them to try the scene that way so I could see if it worked.”
“I’m sure you must be thrilled with the results,” Jenny said irritably.
Bree chuckled. “Well, I’m certainly thrilled to see the impact it’s had on you. You might want to think about why you’re acting as if Caleb is cheating on you all over again. It’s a play, Jenny. They’re acting.”
Jenny sucked in a deep breath and tried to calm her fury. Bree was right. It was just a play. It shouldn’t matter that the last time she’d seen Caleb draped all over another female like that it had been on the front page of a tabloid. This woman, at least, was wearing more clothes.
“I don’t like it,” she said, despite all the rational thoughts she’d tried to embrace.
“Because you’re still in love with him,” Bree suggested. She gave Jenny’s shoulder a squeeze. “You have a lot to think about. I’ll leave you to it.”
“Talk about hit and run,” Jenny muttered as Bree headed down front to give notes to the cast.
“I heard that,” she called over her shoulder. “I’d love to hear those new lyrics tomorrow, by the way.” She turned her attention away from Jenny and beckoned for Caleb. His new costar sashayed over right along with him.
“See me in my office in an hour,” Bree told him. “I want to discuss a couple of ideas I have for expanding your role. In the meantime, maybe you can get together with Jenny and go over some ideas for those new lyrics you and I talked about earlier. She’s going to want your input, I’m sure.”
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