“Do you want to talk about it?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. It … it was six years ago, but it still hurts, you know?”
“I can imagine. I know my parents are giant pains in the ass and they piss me off but I really wouldn’t want to be without them.”
He kept the compress on her head and she suddenly had this overwhelming need to share.
“I was in the car with them. It was a car accident.” She gave the details as if they were on a checklist.
“You don’t have to share.”
“I want to. They were great parents. Mom loved to cook and bake. If anything was bothering her or stressing her out, you’d always know because there was an abundance of food. Cakes, cookies, pies. You name it. The neighbors loved her as well. Dad, he was a joker. He loved life and loved to talk about life. He was so enthused about everything.” Tears filled her eyes but she batted them away.
Caleb wrapped his arms around her. “It’s okay.”
“You’re so lucky,” she said. “Your family loves and cares about you.”
“I know.”
It was making this lying really hard. She didn’t want to lie to people who were clearly good. They were a strong family. A unit.
There was a knock and they both turned to see his father in the doorway. “Do we need to call for your sister?”
“She’s got a bump on her head.”
“And my pride is totally wounded.”
“You did good, Lauren.”
She snorted. “Really?”
Timothy laughed. “We’re having some lunch when you’re ready.” Then he left them alone.
Caleb stroked some hair out of her face. “There, do you think you can face my family without your pride intact?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Good.” He removed the compress. She used her fingers to put her hair straight rather than use a brush.
They joined his family and they were all super-sweet and supportive.
In less than twenty-four hours, she’d seen a side to Caleb she truly didn’t believe existed. He was kind, sweet, supportive, loving. He was everything a woman wanted in a boyfriend and even more.
She didn’t know what she was going to do by the end of this weekend. His family didn’t deserve to be lied to but she also saw the concern Timothy had for his son.
Cassie was settled down, married, having a baby.
Caleb was a wild child, out partying, and she could only guess for the company that was bad news.
Sitting as far away from the main family as possible, she watched and tried not to let the guilt swamp her. It was next to impossible because they were all so lovely. Each and every person had worked to make her feel welcome.
Caleb joined her, putting a plate of mixed grilled vegetables in front of her. She smiled at him and they ate in silence.
“What kind of activities are we going to enjoy after lunch?”
“Oh, probably some running.”
She groaned. “I won’t eat.”
“Joking. Joking. We’ll all probably relax and have some time near the pool. It’s too hot to do anything else. Can you swim?” he asked.
“Yes.” At least there was something she would be able to do. Taking a bite out of a grilled zucchini, she tried not to think about what she was going to have to do for the rest of the weekend.
Chapter Six
“You have to tell me if this is inappropriate,” Lauren said.
Caleb sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for her to enter so he could see her swimsuit. He really didn’t see what the big deal was, but she was clearly worried, and well, it would seem his new job description in life was to put her mind at ease.
The door opened and she stepped out.
It wasn’t a bikini.
She had a towel on to cover her bottom. The straps were thin and there was a small area of cleavage on display. The suit pressed her tits together, making them really stand out and pop. In fact, the suit only served to show off her curves to perfection, and there was no denying the fullness of her thighs.
He was aroused by what he saw.
She was stunning.
Beautiful.
She’d pulled her hair back into a bun at the nape of her neck.
“What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t know. Tell me if it’s too much to go swimming with. I honestly don’t know.”
“There’s nothing too much about it. I mean, look at you.”
And he was really looking at her.
Beautiful.
Sexy.
“So we’re good?”
“Yes.”
“O-okay.” She nodded. “Good. Great. I’m ready.”
“You don’t sound ready.”
“No, I am.”
He stood up and held the towel he was going to use in front of him. He needed to conserve some of his dignity if he was going to go out there.
Together, they padded out toward the pool where most of his family and friends were already having the time of their lives. He couldn’t blame them. It was a wonderful weekend. The sun was shining and everything felt so carefree. It was amazing. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d enjoyed such a relaxing weekend.