She was excited about Caleb attending church with her but she wasn’t too thrilled about the whispers that would be going on because of it. Church folks were nosey and even when you thought they weren’t paying attention, they were. It didn’t really matter who you were. Oh well, she thought. Who cares? She was a grown woman finally becoming comfortable in her own skin; she didn’t care what other people thought.
She looked at the clock and noticed that she only had about fifteen more minutes before she needed to leave the house. She had spent way too much time trying to find something to wear. She only had a few minutes for breakfast if she wanted to make it to church on time. She walked barefooted into the kitchen on the cold tile floor and opened the refrigerator door, staring inside for a few seconds trying to decide what she should eat. She decided on eggs and toast. She grabbed her ingredients and quickly scrambled two eggs and prepared cinnamon toast. As she sat down to eat at her breakfast nook, she noticed a text from Rico asking if she felt better. She ignored it. She didn’t feel like responding. She was still pretty upset with him.
After her quick breakfast, she slipped on her shoes and coat, grabbed her purse and headed to her car in the garage to leave. She was feeling pretty good about seeing Caleb today; it just felt right. She didn’t want to get too excited though and decided to let things happen as they should.
Arriving at the church, she noticed Caleb walking across the parking lot on his way to the entrance. She pulled up beside him, let down her window and said, “Good morning, handsome.”
He knew that voice anywhere. He quickly turned around and said, “Good morning, beautiful.” He looked great that morning. He was dressed in a heather gray suit, white crisp shirt and purple tie. They were color coordinated.
“Hey, let me find a parking space and I will meet you right here,” she said.
“I don’t mind waiting,” he said, stepping back out of the parking lot so that she could drive away and find a parking space.
They were attending the early service, so it wasn’t difficult for Raegan to find a space. After parking, she quickly grabbed her purse and Bible, did one final mirror check and stepped out of her coupe. She wasn’t far away from where he was standing so he watched her as she walked toward him, drinking in her beauty. He was excited about spending time with her today and had high hopes of spending as much time with her as possible while he was in town this week.
“Well aren’t you a ray of sunshine this morning?” he said while giving her elevator eyes. He couldn’t stop looking at her. She was the only woman who kept his attention and was looking forward to being the only man who did the same for her.
“If that means you think I look great, then thank you,” she said, flirting with him as well. “You look handsome this morning. I’m glad that you were able to make it.” He smiled at her response as they walked into the building to enter the sanctuary.
The worship service seemed to start and end quickly. When it was over, she felt as if she’d just got there, but she didn’t miss the message and it was exactly what she needed to hear that morning. The pastor talked about God revealing things to us and how we need to have the wisdom and courage to act upon it. She applied that to her life and knew that she needed to do something. But she wasn’t quite sure she had all the courage she needed just yet. She didn’t want Caleb to be the reason that she decided to end things with Rico. She wanted to be absolutely sure that things couldn’t go any further.
CHAPTER 35
∞
“Let’s take advantage of the extra time we have before meeting my realtor. Have brunch with me, Cami,” Caleb said. It was more of a statement than a question.
“I’d like that. Where would you like to go?” Raegan responded. She was glad that he joined her for church. She enjoyed all of her time with him, and wanted it to continue, with not one thought of her withering relationship with Rico.
“How about we take your car home first so that we can travel together, and then we can decide on some place to eat. Does that work for you?”
“That’s fine,” she said. Spending time with Caleb was definitely not going to help her sort through her relationship troubles with Rico, but that didn’t matter to her.
After saying hello to some of her fellow church members and introducing them to Caleb, they said their good-byes and walked to the parking lot. Caleb walked her to her car, opened the door for her, helped her inside and walked around to his Jeep rental. He was only parked two spaces away from her. He then followed her home and waited for her to come out of the garage to get into the car with him. Before she made it to his car, he was already standing next to the passenger door, waiting to open it for her and help her inside. He treated her like she was a delicate piece of china and she loved every moment of it. She was never going to be able to keep a clear head with all of this going on, she thought.
In the car, they decided to have brunch at Mia Bella’s. The atmosphere was quiet, the food was pretty good and it wasn’t very far away; they would have plenty of time to get to know each other again. After arriving at the restaurant and being seated, they immediately began chatting away about that morning’s sermon and the house hunting ahead. As they talked, she rubbed her stocking-clad foot up against his pants leg. She was so engaged in the conversation that she didn’t even realize that she was doing it. They were both so engrossed in the conversation that they didn’t notice the waitress.
“You two look nice this morning with your purple and gray. You make such a gorgeous couple,” the waitress commented.
Before Raegan could interject, Caleb thanked the waitress and asked for a few more minutes to scan the menu before placing their orders. They spent a few moments glancing through the lively gold menus. Everything looked so delicious from omelets to French toast, Belgian waffles and potatoes. They decided on different items so that they could try each other’s food. Caleb signaled for the waitress to return so that they could place their orders.
When the waitress left, he said, “You can continue doing that little thing you were doing with your foot.”
She was a little caught off guard and embarrassed. All she could say was “okay,” although she didn’t continue. She didn’t realize she was doing that and was grateful that the waitress didn’t take very long to return with their food. Perfect timing. Caleb took a moment to bless the food and she needed that moment to recollect herself.
“You know you’re going to be the only friend I’m going to have out here when I move, so I’m going to need a lot of companionship,” he said, winking at her.
“Work should keep you busy and I’m sure you can find company quickly. You’re a great catch,” she said, twirling her fork to emphasize her point.
“That may be true but I’m not looking for other company. All the company I need is sitting right in front of me, eating eggs and caressing my leg with her foot,” he said rather directly.
“I see,” she said, taking a sip of her mimosa. She didn’t have much else to say to that. Thinking of a way to switch the subject, she checked the time. It was about time for them to leave and get started on the house hunting. “I think we should be preparing to leave so that you can make your first appointment on time,” she said, pointing to her diamond bracelet watch.
He checked the time and agreed. He raised his hand once more to signal for the waitress to come attend to their table. When the waitress arrived, he asked her for the check. When she walked away, he began to speak once more.
“I noticed that you didn’t say much when I mentioned I wanted to spend my free time with you when I move to town. I’m serious about us repairing our relationship and moving forward together, Cami. I want you to understand that. I don’t know what business you have going on with Rico, and honestly, I don’t care. I know that it won’t last much longer anyway, so just let me know when you’re ready for your future,” he said, reaching into his wallet for his credit card to pay for the check.
“Wow.” She chuckled a little. “Ju
st like that huh? So you’re my future?” she asked, resting back in her chair to focus on his beautiful, almond-shaped brown eyes. She thought that his eyes and chiseled jaw line were his most handsome features.
“Yes. I am very clear about my intentions with you and what I want in life. I have had my share of wild and crazy times, so I’m not looking for that type of life. I want the house, wife, children, kids’ softball games, dance recitals and everything that comes along with that. Most importantly, I want that with you. No one else,” he said, not batting an eye.
As he spoke, her heart fluttered. Now why didn’t Rico just say all of that a few nights ago? But who cares now? He was practically out the door and she was actually glad that he didn’t say that. If he did, she probably wouldn’t be sitting there with the love of her life right now. She just didn’t know how she was going to get to that place with Caleb when Rico was, in fact, still in the picture. As disgusted as she was with him, and herself, she didn’t want to break his heart. There had to be a way that everyone could win in all of this. She would just need to figure out how.
After Caleb paid the check, he stood up and walked around to her seat to help her out of her chair. Their fingers immediately intertwined as they walked across the restaurant towards the door. When they arrived at his car, he didn’t miss a beat. He continued to be a gentleman by opening her car door, helping her inside.
When he slid into the Jeep, he continued his conversation about his intentions toward her. “Cami, based on my confession about my intentions moments ago, you do know why I want you to come along with me now, don’t you?”
“Why don’t you just tell me?” she asked. She wanted to hear the words coming from his lips. She’d rather not assume anything.
Before turning on the ignition, he shifted in his seat to face her and answered her question. “You’re about to choose your future home. I want you to be able to see yourself living in the house that I buy. I want you to be able to see yourself raising our children in this house.”
“You are pretty confident. You are aware that I now own the house that I like, right?” she asked, her body now turned in his direction.
“I know you own a house and we can work out all of those details later. Remember that I’m your future,” He said, leaning forward to kiss her softly on the lips. The warmth of his lips against hers caused her to feel something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Sparks. Butterflies.
“I hear you,” she said, slowly pulling away. Again, she didn’t know how to respond to that. She knew that he wanted to be involved with her, but that kiss caught her off guard, although she welcomed it.
“That’s all I am asking. That you hear me and understand what my intentions are regarding us,” he said, satisfied that he was getting through to her. And if that kiss was any indication, she felt the same way.
He put the address into the navigation system and drove to the first house. It was about ten miles away. When they pulled up to the home, they couldn’t help but notice the immaculate landscaping. It was quite evident that there was newly planted grass. Beautiful purple and red flowers lined both sides of the sidewalk. A beautiful fruit tree grew near the side of the house, surrounded by fresh mulch. A gorgeous swing with brown, cream and red striped pillows adorned the front porch between two tall columns. Walking up the sidewalk to the front of the house, she noticed the double door frames with glass panels surrounded by the house brick.
“I love what I see already,” she said, taking in the beautiful landscaping.
“I am enjoying the view as well,” he agreed as they walked toward the door hand in hand. The front door opened just as they were about to knock. His realtor stood smiling in the doorway.
“Do you like what you see so far?” she asked, taking note of their facial expressions.
“Yes!” they said in unison.
“Great! Come inside to take a look at the rest. I will hang around downstairs to give you two a chance to look at the entire house. When you’re done, come back down to meet me in the kitchen.”
“Sounds good. Thanks,” said Caleb. He was grateful that she allowed them to tour the home without standing over their shoulders trying to sell it to them. He often found that distracting and just wanted the chance to see if they could visualize themselves living there.
They continued to walk through the home in awe. The home was about 3,500 square feet. Raegan thought that it was too much space but very lovely. All the countertops were granite. Every appliance in the kitchen was stainless steel. There was a huge island in the middle of the kitchen. Plenty of cabinet space. A formal dining area and a breakfast nook. The master suite was gorgeous with double closets, double sinks and double showers and a jetted whirlpool spa tub. To Raegan, the only thing that mattered in any home was the kitchen; everything else was just another room. Noting the beauty of the home, they went downstairs to talk to the realtor.
“So, what did you all think?” she asked excitedly, clasping her hands together.
“Cami, why don’t you tell me what you liked about it,” he said, making it clear that her opinion mattered most to him.
“I didn’t know you were going to put me on the spot like that, but I’d have to say that the kitchen and master suite are both absolutely gorgeous. Overall, I think this may be too much house but I like it,” said Raegan.
“I think you two forgot something. You didn’t check out the backyard,” the realtor said with a huge grin, pointing over her shoulder with her thumbs. She hoped that the backyard would be the selling point. The backyard was huge and completely finished with an outdoor kitchen, enclosed covered patio, gazebo about a hundred feet away from the back door and enough room for a children’s swing set.
Raegan turned to look at Caleb. “Do you see this?” she asked, her eyes widened. “This is unbelievable! I love it!” Raegan twirled around the patio, touching the cooking appliances and countertops.
Laughing and comforted by her enthusiasm, he responded by saying, “Yes, it is gorgeous. So what do you think? Do you want it?” He stood there with his hands in his pockets gazing at her intently. He would buy the house today if he knew it would make her happy.
She had gotten swept away in the moment, forgetting about all the troubles that lay ahead of her. She did, in fact, want that house. The backyard was great for entertaining and children’s activities and she was absolutely in love with the kitchen and master suite.
“I don’t know,” she said smiling as she tapped her chin with an index finger. “I think we should still look at other options, but this one is definitely a contender,” Raegan said.
Walking back inside and turning to his realtor, Caleb said, “The lady loves it, but we still want to look at others before making a final decision. Maybe something a little smaller with the same great features.”
“I have just the house. We can ride together or you two can meet me there. It is okay to leave your car here.”
“Sure, we can ride with you,” Caleb said, glancing at Raegan to see if she was okay with it.
Raegan nodded and smiled, walking closer to Caleb to grab his hand, completely lost in the moment. Holding his hand, she knew that is where she was meant to be.
They spent the rest of the afternoon looking at houses, but none measured up to the first house. The houses were either too small or weren’t comparable to the asking price. The two of them were both in agreement that the first house was the most stunning. On the ride back to the first home, they discussed whether or not Caleb should look at more houses on his next visit or whether he should put in a bid on the first house. He told his realtor that he would talk it over in detail with Raegan and give her an answer before he returned to Georgia. She agreed that was a good idea and that he shouldn’t make any hasty decisions. They decided to take another look at the first house, since they were there, to relish in its beauty before going home.
“That has to be one of the most amazing houses that I’ve ever seen,” Raegan said to Caleb as he helped her
back into the Jeep.
Back into the driver’s side and starting the engine, he said, “I have to agree with you. I wasn’t expecting anything like that. Do you want to talk about it over dinner? It’s been several hours since brunch now and I’m hungry again.” He was hoping to convince her to stay out with him a little bit longer.
“I think I can eat again, but I have a taste for Chinese. I know this really great Chinese restaurant that we can go to, but it is about twenty-five miles away. Are you okay with that?”
Caleb answered affirmatively. He was grateful for any extra time that he could have with her. They had been apart for far too many years; he didn’t want to miss out on any opportunity to win her heart back.
CHAPTER 36
∞
Back in Boston, Tammy was enjoying the company of Joshua. As promised, he returned to see her a few weeks after her grandmother’s funeral. Now it was her turn to visit him and he had made sure nothing would get in the way. He took care of her travel arrangements for the current visit and her subsequent visit. She knew that Granny would be happy that they were trying to work things out.
Joshua was working really hard to prove to Tammy that she would not have to compete with his career but that he would put her first. He also encouraged her to be more patient and to understand the type of career that he had. Because he was an athlete, an MVP at that, he would have to practice and travel very often. He didn’t see any reason why they couldn’t be together because of it, but she was still hesitant. He hadn’t thought it was an issue when they wed in college, but Tammy did. She believed that as newlyweds, they should be focused on each other and that he wasn’t prioritizing his time very well. She didn’t really understand how things worked in the NBA. However, he now felt like it was his duty to help her understand so that she could become a part of his life again.
Love, Lies & Consequences Page 16
