“I have friends who love me.” He made her
sound like a freak who’d shut herself off from the rest of the world, but that
couldn’t be further from the truth. She couldn’t connect with her fans if she
stayed behind a glass wall. Every song told her story while she bared her soul
for the world. Her fans understood that, so why couldn’t he?
“It’s not the same thing, and you know it.”
He glared at her. “That connection we felt upstairs, that was different than
anything you’d experienced before. Admit it. It scared you, so you’re backing
off, pretending this is all about your career when we both know it’s not.”
“Yes, it is.” How dare he tell her what she
was thinking or feeling? No one knew her better than she knew herself, and she
made it a point to be honest even when it hurt. She slid off the stool. “I’m
sorry that this isn’t what you want to hear. I’d better get ready to go.”
“Not so fast. My parents are on their way
over.”
“What?” Elle pulled the T-shirt down to
cover her bare bottom as she shot a nervous glance at the front door. “Why are
they coming here?”
“They wanted to wish me a happy birthday in
person.” He took a deep breath. “Apparently they’d tried to call earlier, but
we must have been too busy to hear the phone.”
“Oh my God.” Elle pressed her hand against
her stomach, feeling sick. “Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?”
“Don’t feel bad that you didn’t know.” He
blinked, his gaze unwavering as it skimmed her face. “You gave me the best
birthday present ever.”
Elle felt her eyes fill with tears when she
thought of the intimacy they’d shared. “I don’t regret what happened between
us. It was amazing.”
A beautiful memory I’ll treasure forever.
“Yeah, it was pretty amazing.”
He pushed off the counter, and Elle
couldn’t help but notice the way his abs rippled when he moved. It wouldn’t
take much for him to lure her back to bed. In spite of her claim it couldn’t go
any further, she wouldn’t reject making love with him again… just one more
time.
“Why don’t you grab a shower in the master
suite? I’ll use the guest bathroom.” He glanced at his watch. “We only have
about twenty minutes before they get here, so we should probably hustle.”
***
Caleb let the hot water pound his back as
he hung his head. He should have known better than to think Elle would allow
this to evolve into a real relationship. He was a businessman with a stable
life in Nashville. She was a jet-setter who’d etched out a place at the top of
the music charts. Why would she settle for a monogamous relationship when she
could have the thrill of men chasing her from coast to coast? Refusing to feel
sorry for himself, he turned the knob with unnecessary force. He was determined
to let his parents believe he was happy to be another year older and still
alone.
He hadn’t been looking for love when Elle
walked into his life. He’d been happy before he met her, and he would be again,
just as soon as he figured out how to forget she existed. It wouldn’t be easy
since he heard her voice on the radio in his office and car nearly every day.
But he would immerse himself in work. With the opening of their new office, it
shouldn’t be hard. He could arrange a trip that would take him out of town for
a few weeks. That should be enough time to get her out of his system, provided
Drake would understand why he needed to break the promise he’d made to him.
By the time he made his way downstairs, he
was feeling a bit better—until he saw her at the kitchen counter. She was
wearing a filmy white sundress and quietly humming the song she’d written about
him. She looked at home in his kitchen, like she belonged.
Which she didn’t.
“You don’t have to do that,” he said,
gesturing to the platter of vegetables and cheese she’d sliced. “It’s late. I’m
sure they won’t be staying long. They just want to drop off my gift and wish me
a happy birthday.” He hoped they didn’t intend to stay long. As much as he
loved his parents, he didn’t know how long he could fake a smile without them
seeing his misery at being rejected by the woman of his dreams.
“I don’t mind.” She reached into the
cupboard for a stack of paper napkins. “It’s the least I can do. I feel
terrible. If I’d known about your birthday, I would have—”
“Waited until tomorrow to tell me I’m not
your type?” He didn’t mean to be short with her, but he couldn’t pretend it
didn’t hurt like hell.
“That’s not what I said!” Looking
flustered, she reached for plates, and her short dress hiked up even further.
“I don’t have a type, but if I did, you’d definitely be it.”
“Don’t do that,” he said, leaning his back
against the counter and watching her.
“Don’t do what?”
“Don’t try to make me feel better. I’m a
big boy. I can handle rejection without going off the deep end.” At least he
hoped he could. This was his first experience with it.
“I didn’t reject you. I was just trying to
be honest. It wouldn’t be fair to lead you on, to let you believe our
relationship could be more.”
“I get it. You’re okay with us having sex
as long as I don’t mention that I have feelings for you or start making
demands. Is that it?” Sadly, Caleb might even consider that arrangement if not
for his pride. But he couldn’t agree to casual sex with no guarantee she was
faithful to him while she was on the road. If he couldn’t have all of her, he
didn’t want her at all.
She looked exasperated. “I didn’t say that.
Don’t put words in my mouth.”
“Fine. What are you saying?”
“Can we talk about this after your parents
leave?” she pleaded. “I’m nervous enough as it is.”
He frowned. “Why are you nervous about
meeting my parents?”
“Because they’re your parents.” She shook
her head when he still seemed puzzled. “I happen to care about you. I want them
to like me.”
Caleb was touched that in spite of their
argument, she still wanted to impress his parents. Instead of taking weeks to
get over her, he resigned himself to the fact it may take months. “They’ll love
you, Elle. You don’t have to worry.”
“How do you know that?” she asked, the
subtle line between her eyebrows becoming more pronounced. “What if they
don’t?”
“If it makes you feel better, my mother’s
probably more nervous about meeting you than you are about meeting her.” He
smiled in spite of his foul mood, remembering what his mother had said on the
phone. “She knows the words to every song you’ve ever written.”
“That’s so sweet.” Elle smiled before
reaching for his hand. “But she’s going to hate me for hurting you.”
Elle was so kind, so compassionate. He
wanted to hate her, but she made it impossible. “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry
about me.”
“I wish I could say the same.” She gripped
his hand. “About what I said earlier. I may have been—”
Caleb cursed when the doorbell rang. Talk
about lousy timing. He needed to hear what she was about to say, but it would
have to wait. “Come on.” He tugged on her hand. “The sooner we let them in, the
sooner we can say good-bye.”
“Don’t rush them out of here on my account.”
“We need to talk,” he said.
His parents would understand their need to
be alone. He didn’t often take time off work with a woman. They would
appreciate how important this weekend was to him. Even though it wasn’t going
as planned, Elle was giving him the impression that all hope may not be lost.
Caleb pulled the door open and grinned.
“Hey, guys.” He enveloped his mom and dad in a joint hug. “I swear you look
years younger every time I see you. Retirement must be agreeing with you.”
Harry Wright smoothed a hand over his
silver hair as he snuck a peek at Elle. “My golf game’s getting better.”
“But so is mine,” Dora said, giving her
husband a hip bump on their way into the house. “If he’s not careful, I’ll be
beating the pants off him soon.”
It did Caleb’s heart good to see his
parents so happy and carefree. There was no question all of his hard work had
paid off. Now that he’d accomplished his main goal, he had to shift his focus
elsewhere. Accumulating piles of money wasn’t his thing, nor was flaunting it.
“Mom, Dad, I’d like you to meet a friend of mine. Elle Morgan, my parents,
Harry and Dora Wright.”
Elle stepped up, extending her hand with a
warm smile. “It’s so nice to meet you both. Caleb’s told me so many wonderful
things about you.”
His mother practically glowed as she hugged
Elle. “I couldn’t believe it when Caleb told me you were here.” She held Elle’s
hands. “How long have you two been seeing each other?”
“We, uh…” Elle looked at Caleb, obviously
hoping he would come to her rescue. “Just met. Drake introduced us.”
“How is my
other
son?” Harry teased.
“Drake’s wonderful,” Elle said, smiling.
“Working too hard, but fortunately he’s found a woman who understands him.”
Caleb suspected that was a dig directed at
him, probably to get back at him for not explaining to his parents that they
were just friends. How could she expect him to downplay his feelings when an
hour ago, they’d been in his bed and he believed he’d found the woman he’d been
waiting his whole life to meet?
Dora slipped her arm around Elle’s waist as
she led her into the kitchen. “I spoke to Cassidy just yesterday, and she said
the kids are growing like weeds. I do miss them. They were like my own
grandchildren.” She fired a look over her shoulder at Caleb. “I keep telling
this one he’d better hurry up and give me grandbabies before I’m too old to
enjoy them.”
Caleb saw the shock and fear cross Elle’s
face. He knew his mother wasn’t trying to scare Elle away, but whether she
realized it or not, that was exactly what she was doing. “Can we give it a rest
tonight, Mom?”
“Speaking of getting older,” Dora said,
winking at her son, “happy birthday.” She looked at her husband. “You forgot
his gift in the car, didn’t you? I told you to bring it in.” She rolled her
eyes at Elle. “Men! You have to remind them of everything, and even when you
do, they still manage to forget.”
“Don’t worry about the gift,” Caleb said.
“I’ll get it later.”
“I hesitate to mention this,” Dora said,
casting a side-long glance in Elle’s direction, “but I don’t want you to be
caught off guard.”
“By what?” Caleb got the impression
whatever news his mother was about to impart, he wouldn’t like it.
“Vana called us earlier today,” Dora said,
looking uneasy. “Apparently she wanted to wish you a happy birthday. She said
she’d tried your office, cell, and house, and she couldn’t reach you. She said
she even tried you here.”
“You didn’t tell her I was here, did you?”
“No, I didn’t even know you were here when
she called.”
Caleb glanced at Elle, who’d busied herself
brewing a fresh pot of coffee. His parents preferred tea, but he knew they
would drink it so as not to offend her. “Vana knows it’s over.”
“I’m not so sure about that, son. Maybe if
you told her you’ve moved on.” Dora smiled as she glanced at Elle.
Caleb should tell his parents they’d jumped
to the wrong conclusions, but he had plenty of time to disappoint them later.
For now he’d let them believe what they wanted.
“Enough about her. I want to talk about you
guys,” Caleb said, putting his arm around his father’s neck. He’d grown taller
than both of his parents by the time he reached twelve, which pleased his
father. Harry had assumed his son would inherit the “short gene,” as he called
it. “Tell me what you’ve been up to. Any trips planned?”
“Why would we need to go anywhere?” Dora
asked. When Elle walked over, Dora added, “The weather’s always perfect right
here. That’s the nice thing about the Keys. It’s about ten degrees warmer here
than the mainland in the winter and not as hot in the summer. That’s one of the
many reasons we love it so much.”
“We haven’t had a chance to do any
sightseeing, but it seems like a lovely spot,” Elle said, setting the tray
she’d prepared on the island. “I can see why you love living here.”
“I must admit we miss Caleb though.” Dora
looked wistfully at her only child. “But now that he’s bought this place, we’ve
been hoping to see him more.”
“I’m sure you will,” Elle said, patting
Dora’s shoulder.
Caleb could see the bond forming between
his mother and Elle. He knew how much his parents wanted him to find love and
settle down, and if believing Elle was the answer to their prayers gave them
happiness, he’d let it ride for now.
“I should have baked you a cake,” Dora
said. She smiled her thanks when Elle handed her a mug of coffee. “But I didn’t
know you’d be here.” Frowning at her husband, she asked, “Do you think that
little bakery in—”
“Mom, please, I don’t need a cake. I’m not
five years old anymore.” Caleb could have bit his tongue when he saw the
flicker of disappointment in his mother’s eyes. He was having a hard time
keeping his emotions in check with Elle there, but that was no reason to take
it out on his mother. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s been a long
day, what with the flight and all.”