Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“That doesn’t matter,” London replies. “You hid, and you had to have heard Quinn calling for you.”
Caleb doesn’t deny it, and his eyes slide over to me and narrow. “What does it matter? It was no big deal. I just wanted to come in here and wait for you to come home. That’s all.”
“Because you knew that when Quinn couldn’t find you, she’d call me, and I’d come home.”
Caleb reluctantly nods. “I wanted you to come home.”
“You don’t always get what you want,” his mother reminds him, but he firms his chin and glares at her.
“Yes, I do.”
“No.” It comes out of my mouth before I can hold it back. “You don’t. No one does. You scared Quinn, your mom, and all of us, Caleb. You don’t get to stand there and be disrespectful when what you should be doing is apologizing.”
“You’re not my dad!”
“Here we go,” Rome mutters behind me, but I don’t turn away.
“Caleb,” London begins, but I shake my head, stopping her.
“I’m not your dad. But I care about you and your mom, and I won’t stand here and let you be mean to her.”
That makes Caleb frown and look down, showing shame for the first time.
“She doesn’t deserve that. Quinn definitely didn’t deserve what you did tonight. This is your fault, and you’ll apologize to the two women who love you the most.”
He doesn’t lose the frown as he looks over at Quinn, who’s been crying at the side of the room.
“Sorry,” he says half-heartedly. “Maybe you should have looked harder.”
Quinn’s jaw drops in shock as London gasps and then reaches for Caleb’s arm.
“That’s it,” she says and drags him out of the room. “You’re going to bed, and you’d better wake up with a better attitude tomorrow, or you’ll be grounded even longer than you already are for this.”
“I’m grounded?” he shrieks as London marches him up the stairs. “That’s stupid! You can’t do that!”
“What is this attitude?” London demands. “Where did my sweet boy go all of a sudden?”
“He’s pissed,” Dad says conversationally as we all stand at the bottom of the stairs and watch London haul the kid into his bedroom. “And, I’d say, jealous as hell.”
“Definitely jealous,” Matt agrees. “It was nice meeting you, Rome.”
“You, as well,” Rome replies, shaking both of their hands. “Thank you for coming to help, even though there really wasn’t much to do. The moral support was welcome.”
“He’s never done something like this to me,” Quinn says, tears still swimming in her eyes.
“That’s a betrayal, for sure,” Matt replies and pats Quinn’s shoulder. “Try not to take it personally. He was trying to hurt his mom, not you.”
“He did both,” Quinn says, wiping her eyes. “I’m going to head home and cry myself to sleep. I was so scared, and now the adrenaline is wearing off, and I feel like I could sleep for a month.”
“Why don’t you stay?” I offer. “Stay in the guest room. Get a good night’s sleep and talk to him in the morning. You might both feel better.”
“Yeah.” She rubs her hands over her face and then nods. “Yeah, okay. I’ll do that. But I’m taking a glass of wine in with me.”
“Take the bottle,” Rome says. “You’ve earned it.”
She grins and turns to my dad and Matt. “Thank you for coming. You really calmed me down and kept me that way until London and Drew got home, and I appreciate it.”
“Anytime,” Dad assures her.
Quinn walks off, headed for the kitchen and, I’m sure, the wine fridge.
“You did a good job of not backing down to Caleb,” my dad says and claps his hand on my shoulder. “He’s testing limits with you, and he’s starting to have feelings about you being with his mom.”
“Hell, I’m having feelings,” Rome says, with a laugh. “Because we’re all realizing that this isn’t a casual thing. Personally, I like you. And Caleb does, too. He just has to be a ten-year-old for a while.”
“I get it.” I blow out a breath and push my hands through my hair. “Scared us, though.”
“That’s what he wanted,” Matt says as he and my dad turn to the door. “Good luck, buddy. You’ll be fine.”
“Thank you both.” I walk them to the door and hug each of them before they go.
“You have a good family,” Rome says when I join him once more.
“I know.” I let out a long breath and, like Quinn, feel the adrenaline wearing off. “I hope she’s okay up there.”
Rome looks up the stairs, then motions for me to follow him. “Come on, let’s get some wine of our own.”
Quinn is already leaving the kitchen, a very large glass of wine in one hand and chips and queso on a platter in the other.
“Now, that’s comfort food,” I say with a grin.
“I need it. Thanks again, guys. See you tomorrow.”