“That’s not true,” he says.
I lift my finger and start checking things off. “Captain of the football team, good student, always nice to everyone. Even the new girls in town. But you were with…” Shit. Shit. Shit. What is the matter with me? I shouldn’t be bringing up painful memories for him. I back up and fall into my chair.
“I was with Zoe,” he says, his body tight.
I shake my head and mentally kick myself. “Yeah, sorry, I didn’t mean to bring her up.”
He drops down into the chair next to me and pulls it close until our knees are almost touching. “It’s okay to talk about her, Gemma. I like that people remember her.”
I blink through the water in my eyes. “Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“Okay, I just didn’t know.” Without even realizing it, I lean into him, and put my hand on his face, his late day shadow prickly against my palm. “She was the best, Callan.”
His nod is slow, his voice tight when he says, “I know.”
The front door flings open and Callan pushes to his feet and turns toward his daughter as she rushes down the hallway. “I need a drink,” Kaitlyn says.
“Right,” Callan says, and grabs a drink glass from the cupboard. He turns on the tap and runs it until it’s cold.
Kaitlyn glances around. “Is the pizza ready?” Callan hands her a tall glass of water and she gulps it. My hand goes to my stomach as I watch her, a sense of longing building inside me.
“Not yet,” Callan says.
“Can Liam have pizza with us?” she asks as she hands the drink glass back.
Callan shrugs. “I guess. If it’s okay with his mother.”
“It’s okay with her,” Kaitlyn says and swipes the back of her hand over her mouth, wiping away the traces of ice cream and water on her face.
“How do you know that?” Callan asks.
“We already asked her.”
He arches a brow at me. “You okay with Liam coming over?”
“Of course. I love kids and two is much easier than thirty.”
“I can’t even imagine.” Callan laughs and shakes his head. “Fine, he can come for pizza. I’ll call you both when it’s ready. Remember the rules. Do not go on the road.”
She gives an exasperated sigh. “I’m not a baby.”
“Oh, I know,” Callan says and cracks the beers. The door slams shut as he fills our glasses and hands one to me.
“You do have your hands full.”
“Like I said, six going on thirteen.”
“Good thing she has a big strong daddy to frighten all the boys off.”
“A big strong daddy who owns a gun.”
I laugh at that. “I pity the boys who ask her out when she’s older.”
“You should,” he jokes and opens his pantry. He pulls out flour and sugar and some other things, and I kick my legs out as I watch him. Warmth moves through me, probably from the beer—I am such a light-weight—but the truth is, I haven’t relaxed in a long time. Everything about this place screams love, home and heart. It’s so easy to be here.
With all the ingredients laid out, he plugs his kettle in, picks his beer back up and steps toward me. He holds his glass up in salute.
“What are we celebrating?” I ask.
“How about old friendships,” he says, bending to tap his glass to mine. I try not to notice his closeness or the way it overwhelms me. For a brief second I consider his overprotective nature. Brad might think twice about harassing me if Callan was by my side. Yeah, Brad would probably tuck tail and run the other way—bully that he is. Not that I’m about to ask Callan to come to the Cape for the weekend, or pretend to be my boyfriend for the duration. That’s completely ludicrous, right?
Or is it?
3
Callan
“Okay, Liam, time to get you home,” I say after we all finish eating. I stand and take our plates to the sink.
Kaitlyn pouts. “I don’t want him to go.”
“You have to get packed for you grandparents, Kaitlyn, remember?” Her eyes light up. “But first we walk Liam home.”
Gemma wipes her mouth with the paper napkin, stands and brings a few more dishes to the counter. “I can stay here and help Kaitlyn get packed while you go.”
I hesitate for a second. “Are you sure? I don’t want to put you out.”
Too bad. I’d love to put out.
My God, who said that?
“I want Miss Davis to help me pack,” Kaitlyn says.
Gemma reaches for Kaitlyn’s hand and my heart twists in an odd little way as my daughter slides her hand into Gemma’s. “I really don’t mind.”
“Okay,” I say as Liam jumps from his chair.
“See you later, Kaitlyn,” he says, and walks to the door.
“You guys can hang out again when we get back,” I tell Liam as we leave the house. I walk two houses down, and he rushes inside. His mother pokes her head out.
“Thanks for having him for dinner,” Danielle says to me.
“No problem. He’s a great kid.” She has an odd little grin on her face. “Something wrong?” I ask.
“No, I just…well, Kaitlyn said Miss. Davis was having pizza with you guys.”
I nod. No hiding your business with a six-year-old. “Miss Davis, or rather Gemma, is an old friend of mine. We go way back.”
She leans against her doorway, like she’s in no hurry to leave and normally I’d spend a few minutes talking. Tonight however, I’m a little anxious to get back home and it’s not because I’ve left my daughter with someone new.
“I think that’s nice,” she says, and I stifle a groan. Cripes, come tomorrow morning I’m sure I’ll be the talk of the neighborhood.
“We’re just old friends,” I tell her.
“Well, you never know,” she says.
“What don’t I know?” I ask and wish I hadn’t.
Her smile is coy, and a bit hopeful. “What starts innocently enough…”
I hold my hand up to stop her. “Night, Danielle,” I say and turn. Having Gemma at the house
