STEPH
“Aren’t you just adorable,” Trish from finance coos as she pokes at Caleb’s dimples. “He has the cheekiest smile and cutest dimples I ever saw.” She pulls a face and tickles his tummy, causing another bout of giggles from him, making me laugh.
My body sways as I bounce Caleb on my hip to the music, and catch Cal in the corner of my eye. My hopeful imagination again, but I give him a second glance. Could it really be him?
With a gaping mouth, my knees weaken and my hand trembles along with my bottom lip. As I stare in wonder, he stares right back. A hint of a smile tugs at his lips, making my head dizzy. He’s back.
“Are you all right, Steph? You’ve gone all pale.” Trish breaks my gaze.
My hand holds my neck as I gasp for breath.
“Trish…I…can you take him? I need some air.” My throat closes up as I speak.
“Give him to me.” She holds out her hands. “Come on, sweetie, Mummy has been on the pop, hasn’t she? Yes, she has.” She bounces him on her lap and distracts him with a bottle of bubbles from the party favours.
Before my legs fail me, I dash towards the exit. The air is warm and muggy, even at dusk, and I still can’t catch a breath. I walk by the outside tables, past the smoking area to the side of the building, and lean up against the stone wall, shutting my eyes. All this time. He’s finally home.
Gravel crunches as footsteps close in on me. His voice whispers to me like the wind whispers through the trees. “Steph.”
His hand grazes my neck, caressing my cheek with his thumb. “Breathe, baby. Just breathe. It’s all right.”
I turn my head away, but his words soothe my mind, and his touch calms my pounding heart. It’s like a dream, and I almost don’t want to open my eyes in fear he’ll vanish, leaving me alone again.
“You look incredible tonight.” His warm breath lands on my mouth, and I open my eyes to see him inches from my face.
“I don’t normally go for blondes, but for you, I’ll make an exception.”
I gaze into his blazing eyes; flecks of red and gold mirror the setting sun. Turning my head, I brush my lips against his palm and feel a shudder from his hand.
“Happiness looks good on you, baby. That and this dress.” He moves his hand down, grazing my chin with his thumb, then my neck, following the curve of my breast until his hand rests in the valley, feeling the rise and fall of my chest.
He takes my hand with his other and places it over his pounding heart. What the hell does he think he’s doing? He has me in some sort of trance.
I shake my head. Snap out of it. “Well, I have to be happy for my family. Seeing as you never cared to contact me. You think there hasn’t been a day when I haven’t thought about you? I wished for you to come back, but you never even bothered to get in touch.” My voice trails to a croak.
He raises his brow. “You still think about me?”
I swallow. Is he for real? I’m raising our son. I think about him every time I look at my boy. “It’s a little hard not to, Cal.”
“Come here.” He pulls me against his chest, wrapping his arms around me, and as shocked and mad as I am to see him again acting as though nothing’s changed, it feels like home.
No, he can’t do this. He can’t show up here and expect me to welcome him back with open arms. All the tired nights, going it alone. I never expected him to come back and want to be with me, but I at least thought he would want a relationship with his son. At the very least he could have Face-Timed us occasionally.
* * *
CAL
I holdher as tight as I can, hoping this moment will sustain me for another year without her. Imprinting this into my memory, I inhale the banana and vanilla in her hair, the sweet aroma of wine on her breath, and the delicate scent of summer that lingers on her neck. Every inch of her is intoxicating, making me high.
“Where have you been, Cal? We missed you. I missed you.”
My cock perks up at her words, and I have to get back inside, before I hike this dress up and take her against this stone wall. As the thought crosses my mind, I glance around, but we’re not alone. Too many guests in the smoking area.
Besides, I can’t start all this again. Getting over her this last year has been agonising. I’m still not over her. I doubt I ever will be, but it gets easier.
We’ve already said too much. I haven’t spent the last twelve months trying to put some distance between us to ruin it now and go back to square one. I could easily steal a kiss or two, but I couldn’t stop. One kiss is never enough, and I worry it will ruin us again. Or ruin me when she goes back to him.
Her chest vibrates with a buzz sound. She pulls her phone from her bra and turns off the alarm. “My taxi will be here soon. I have to go.”