“I’m well. Is there a dinner I don’t know about? Where’s Penny?”
“No, no. I came here to speak with Mr. Murdoch.” I cleared my throat. “Is he available?”
“He’s in his study. Follow me. Let’s see if he’s off that conference call.”
My knees trembled as I walked through the foyer.
A foyer.
Who was I kidding? I didn’t belong there.
How would I ever be able to provide Penny with the life she deserved? The life she was used to.
Maybe I was making a mistake.
Maybe I should’ve set Penny free and let her find someone else. Someone in her circle. Someone better suited for her.
But when I thought about what that meant—losing Penny forever—I just couldn’t do it.
My heart swelled when I pictured Penny’s sweet face, those brown eyes looking up at me with love and adoration.
She loved me.
Maybe love was enough.
“Mr. Murdoch?” Annette rapped her knuckles on the open door. “I have a special guest here to speak with you.”
Mr. Murdoch smiled when he saw me. “Cole, come in. Thanks, Annette.”
I held my head high and strode into his office.
“Have a seat, son.” He gestured to the stiff leather chair that faced his desk. “What can I do for you?”
“Well, uh ... I ... I love your daughter, sir. Very much.”
His eyes narrowed as his smile faded. “She’s very taken with you too.”
I nodded. “I came here because I’d like to ask for your blessing.” My throat tightened as I dug into my pocket and pulled out the small black velvet box. “I’d like to ask Penny to marry me, sir.”
Mr. Murdoch’s eyebrows lifted. “Well, then. Let’s see this ring.”
I leaned over and slid the box across his desk.
He popped the lid open and rolled his lips together. “It’s not as small as I expected it to be.”
My stomach dropped. “It’s not as big as I wanted it to be either.”
He waved his hand and set the box down in front of him. “It’s not about the size of the diamond.”
Was he kidding?
I couldn’t stop the tilt of my head.
Mr. Murdoch grinned. “You seem surprised.”
“With all due respect, sir.” I swept my arm around his lavish office. “It looks like the size of the diamond matters very much.”
He chuckled. “What I mean is, the size of the diamond doesn’t matter if the quality isn’t there. I’d much rather have a one-carat with a perfect quality over an over-sized, showy diamond that has visible flaws.”
He clasped his hands over his stomach as he leaned back in his chair. “That’s the thing about marriage: You don’t want anyone to see the flaws. The cracks, the imperfections. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to maintain the quality of the marriage.”
I sat up straighter. “I will do whatever it takes to make your daughter happy, sir.”
“I know you will, son. I have no doubt. But I can help. I can make things easier for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re a hard worker. I know the long, grueling hours you put in at those construction sites. You have a good work ethic. I respect that.”
“Thank you.”
I sensed a catch coming.
“But you don’t make good money there, do you?”
Ah, there it was.
“What are you getting at, sir?”
“I’d like to hire you. My company works with contractors and architects. We’re breaking new ground all the time. I could pay you the salary you deserve.” He leaned his elbows on his desk. “The salary worthy of my daughter’s hand.”
Thirteen
Callie
“Damn, Callie.”
I roll my eyes and smile. “Stop.”
“Don’t act all shy now.” Josie smacks her palm against my ass. “You’re going to be turning heads in this outfit tonight. Better get used to the attention now.”
I glance down at my pale-pink tank and white, frayed denim shorts. “It’s just a tank top.”
“It’s not just a tank top. It’s the perky tits, and the flat stomach, and the thighs without cellulite.” Josie gestures to herself. “I used to have all that before four kids sucked the life out of me.”
“You still got it, babe.” Dan strides into the room and wraps his arms around his wife. “Look just as good as the day I met you.”
“Eww, guys.” Brandon’s nose scrunches as he walks toward the couch. “Get a room.”
I ruffle his hair as I sit on the edge of the armrest. “Trust me, you don’t want them getting a room. Not unless you want a new baby brother or sister.”
Josie points her index finger at me. “Don’t you wish that on me, Callie Kingston.”
Dan chuckles. “Seriously. We’re at capacity.”
Brandon looks up at me. “If they have another kid, I’m coming to live with you.”
I wrap my arm around his shoulders. “You can stay with me any time, B.”
“And Callie has a dog,” Dan says. “The boys are trying to convince us that we need a dog.”
“I need a dog like I need another hole in the head,” Josie mutters.
I laugh and turn to Brandon. “Why don’t you come by and walk Maverick? He’s got a ton of energy that I’m sure he’d love to get out.”
Brandon springs to his feet. “Really?”
I nod. “I can even pay you like a dog walker. Come by every day for the rest of the summer.”
Brandon flings his arms around me. “Thank you, Callie! This is gonna be epic!” Then he takes off running into the hallway, no doubt to tell Miles about the exciting news.
“Those boys love you, you know,” Josie says.
“And I love them.” I stand and smooth out my shirt. “You ready to head out?”
“Go,” says Dan, shooing Josie toward the front door. “Get out now while you still can.”
Once we’re in Josie’s car, I relax against the leather seat. “I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”
“Me too. Feels like forever since I’ve been out of the house without the twins attached to each hip.” She reaches over and squeezes my knee. “I’m glad we’re doing this.”
I’d been anxiously awaiting a visit from Josie after Cole left my house last week. He’d stormed off after seeing the bruise on my cheek, and I was sure he was going to out me to his sister. Lying about the marks on my arm were one thing, but I wouldn’t have been able to talk my way out of it if Josie had seen my face.
But Cole kept quiet.
And the bruising faded.
Like it always does.
When we pull up to the restaurant, Josie hands her keys to the valet. We opt for a high-top table near the bar and order drinks and appetizers.
“How’s your garden coming along?”
“It’s great, thanks to your brother.” A small smile tugs at my lips. “He helped me get it started. Gave me some pointers and brought over a bunch of supplies.”
“He’s very handy.” She’s quiet for a moment, pondering as she stares down into her wine glass. “He has a big heart. Always loved helping people. Everyone on our block in our old neighborhood adored him.”
“Really?”
“I know it’s hard to picture now, but he used to be so friendly and full of life. That’s why it kills me to see him wasting away in that pool house all the time.”
My mind drifts to those tormented eyes of his. “What happened to him? Was his divorce really that bad?”
“It’s more than that,” she says with a sigh. “But yeah. The divorce was rough.”
I want to pry, curious about what more there is to Cole’s story. But if Josie wanted to tell me, she already would have. It’s not her story to tell, and I get that.
“Divorce has to be scary,” I say. “I can’t imagine where I’d go or what I’d do if Paul and I split up.”
>
Josie straightens in her chair. “You wouldn’t have to worry about that. You’d come stay with me and Dan. We’d help you get on your feet.”
“I know you’d be there for me. I just meant long-term. I don’t have a job. I don’t have my own money.” I pop a mac-and-cheese bite into my mouth. “I give Cole a lot of credit for coming out here and starting over. I don’t know if I could do something like that.”
Josie’s hand covers mine. “You can do anything, Callie Kingston. You hear me?”
I laugh. “Yes, best friend. I hear you.”
“I’m serious.” She slides her wine glass to the side of the table. “You could stay with us for as long as you needed to. We have plenty of room. You have a college degree, so you’d have no trouble finding a decent job to start out with. Plus, you’d get alimony from Paul in the divorce settlement.”
My eyebrows press together. “Geez, Josie. I wasn’t being serious about divorcing Paul.”
Her eyes narrow as she crosses her arms over her chest. “Maybe you should be.”
Realization slaps me in the face.
Shit shit shit shit.
“Cole told you.”
She grimaces as she leans forward. “Callie, why wouldn’t you tell me? Why are you hiding this?”
I roll my eyes, angry with myself for not seeing this ambush coming. “That’s what this girls’ night is really about.”
“No. I mean, yes, but ... I’m scared for you, Cal. I just want to talk about what’s going on.”
“Nothing’s going on. Everything’s fine.”
“Are you kidding?” She lowers her voice to a whisper. “Your husband is putting his hands on you. How is that fine?”
My stomach twists into a knot. I need to do some major damage control, and I need to do it fast.
“Look, Cole jumped to conclusions when he saw me the other day. I told him not to say anything to you because I didn’t want you to worry over nothing. Paul was helping me in the garden, and I got too close, and he accidentally elbowed me in the face.” I wave my hand. “The bruise was barely visible. It wasn’t a big deal.”
Josie grits her teeth. “Why are you lying to me?”
“You know Paul. You’ve known him for years. You know he wouldn’t hurt me. Not on purpose.”
Disbelief contorts her features. “He’s obviously not the man I thought he was.”
“Josie, it’s not—”
“How long has this been going on?”
“It hasn’t—”
“How long have you been keeping this from me?”
“I’m telling—”
“Why are you protecting him?”
“Enough!” My palm slams on the table, garnering the looks from several people nearby.
Josie sits back against her chair, a smug smirk on her face. “Good. So, you do have some fight left in you.”
“I don’t expect you to understand,” I mutter.
“So help me, Cal. Help me understand.”
I massage my forehead with my fingertips. “You know how I’ve been for these past couple of years. I became obsessed with getting pregnant, and it was all I could focus on, all I could see. I put Paul under so much stress, and now he thinks that he’s only good to me if he can get me pregnant. I did that. I put this huge strain on our marriage, and now ... I just need to fix it so we can go back to normal.”
Josie’s eyebrows shoot up. “Are you saying you deserve this? That you deserve to be abused?”
“You have a perfect marriage and a perfect family. You don’t know what it’s like to feel like everything around you is crumbling.”
“You’re right. I don’t understand. I don’t understand how my best friend can lie to my face about the fact that her husband is mistreating her.”
I shake my head. “You don’t have to understand. What I need is for you to be my friend.”
“I am being your friend. This is what friends do. They talk about shit, and they help each other. They don’t sit idly by while their friend is in trouble.” She reaches for my hand again. “Please, Callie. Let me help you.”
“You can help me by dropping this. Forget about it. And please, don’t say anything to Dan. The last thing I need is Paul catching wind of this.”
The incredulous look on Josie’s face kills me, like she doesn’t recognize me. I want to be honest with her—God, do I want to—but things between me and Paul are finally getting better. I don’t need this ruining everything. Not now.
“I don’t know if I can do that,” Josie says, her voice low. “I don’t know if I can sit and watch you go through this, not saying a word, pretending like everything is fine.”
My heart sinks.
I fight back tears as I dig into my wallet and toss a fifty-dollar bill onto the table. “Then I guess the only way you can help me is by taking me home.”
I had a terrible night’s sleep, so I’m still in bed when the doorbell rings the next morning.
Maverick, who was snuggled under the covers with me, shoots off the bed and barks the entire way down the stairs.
When the bell rings again, followed by knocking, I flip the comforter off my legs and peek out my bedroom window.
Brandon is standing outside, hands in his pockets.
“Shit.” I tie my robe tightly around my waist as I dash down the stairs. “Coming!”
I swing open the door, and Brandon smiles wide. “Hi, Callie! I’m here for dog walking!”
On cue, Maverick leaps up to lick Brandon’s face.
Totally forgot about that. I’m surprised Josie even let him over here after our fight.
But I’d never turn her kids away.
I run a hand through my disheveled hair. “Come on in, B.”
He steps inside and closes the door behind him. “Geez. You look as bad as Mom does.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Oh, yeah? What’s wrong with her?”
“Dad says she drank too much last night.” His eyes dart around before landing on mine. “But I heard them talking.”
My stomach constricts. “What about?”
“They were whispering, so I didn’t hear everything.” He hikes a shoulder. “Mom said you guys got into a fight at dinner.”
I heave a sigh and wave him into the kitchen. “Want some orange juice?”
“Sure.”
I pour Brandon a tall glass and one for myself. “You shouldn’t be eavesdropping on your parents, you know.”
His shoulders slump. “I know.”
I ruffle his hair. “But I’m glad you’re here. Whatever goes on between me and your mom doesn’t affect you. You’re always welcome here.”
He nods and takes a gulp of his juice.
“All right. Here’s what you need to know about walking Maverick. He loves to sniff everything. Sometimes you have to give him a little tug because he’ll stay in one area sniffing every blade of grass if you’d let him.”
Brandon giggles.
“He loves meeting other dogs, but you have to be careful because other dogs aren’t always friendly.”
Maverick sits at Brandon’s feet, blinking up at me as if he’s part of our conversation.
“He also likes to run. Once you get used to walking him, you can bring your skateboard or your bike, and he can run with you.”
Brandon’s eyes widen. “That would be awesome!”
I glance down at my pajamas. “I’m going to run upstairs and get dressed. I’d like to come with you on your first walk to make sure everything goes okay. After that, you’ll be on your own.”
He pumps his fist in the air. “Thanks for letting me do this, Callie.”
I squeeze his shoulders. “Of course.”
After washing up in the bathroom, my hair gets twisted into a bun. I throw on a pair of running shorts and a tank, and then we’re out the door.
I show Brandon how to wrap the leash around his hand. “When Maverick starts to pull you, keep his leash short so he can’t get too far ahead.”
“Got
it.” Brandon’s eyes narrow, and his lips are pressed into a firm line. He’s taking this job so seriously it’s adorable.
We walk down the block and across the street, stopping every few feet to let Maverick sniff mailboxes and bushes.
“Do you think you and Mom will make up?” Brandon asks.
“We will,” I say, even though I’m not so sure myself. “All friends get into fights every now and then.”
“I didn’t understand what they were talking about.” He pauses, looking down at Maverick. “Uncle Cole seemed really angry.”
“Cole was there too?”
He nods. “They’ve been doing a lot of whispering lately. I don’t get it.”
I smile and drape my arm over his shoulder. “My parents used to whisper a lot when I was a kid. My mom would always catch me sneaking around so I could hear what they were saying.”
“Did she yell?”
I shake my head. “She’d say, ‘There will be plenty of time for grown-up secrets when you’re older.’”
“Guess she was right.”
If only Mom could see me now.
I often wonder what advice she’d give me.
“I’m worried about Uncle Cole.”
My feet stop, and I tilt my head. “Why’s that?”
Brandon bends down and scratches behind Maverick’s ears. “I think he’s sad.”
I lower myself until I’m sitting on the sidewalk beside them. “Well, he went through a divorce. Those are tough to go through.”
“When Mom and Dad said he’d be coming to live with us for a while, they said that he’d lost his family. I didn’t really understand what that meant.” His curious brown eyes lock with mine. “How do you lose your family? Does that mean they died?”
Oh, God. My chest burns at the thought. Did Cole have children?
“I’m not sure what happened to him,” I say. “I know he and your mom lost their parents pretty close together. Maybe that’s what she’s referring to.”
I hope that’s all it is.
He’s quiet for a moment. “He doesn’t like to be around us much.”
I tip Brandon’s chin. “It’s not because of you. I need you to understand that. But sometimes, when you’re going through a difficult thing, you don’t want to be around other people.”
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