He closed his eyes at the contact, something inside him breaking open.
When he opened them again, Millie was closer.
Their foreheads came together, gentle and tentative as if they were both testing whether this was real.
“Caleb,” she whispered.
“I know.”
They stayed like that, suspended in the moment, breath mingling, hearts pounding.
Neither of them moved.
Neither of them pulled away.
The fire crackled. The house settled.
And somewhere between forgiveness and longing, between past and present, they hovered on the edge of something neither was quite ready to name.
The moment stretched between them, the air thick with longing and unspoken promises. Millie could hardly breathe as the conversation replayed in her mind. As her past and present collided.
Caleb’s hand came up, his fingers grazing her jaw.
Millie’s eyes fluttered closed.
She felt his breath against her lips, warm and unsteady.
More than anything, she wanted to lean a little closer. She wanted to remember what their kisses had been like.
She wanted a do-over.
And if she let herself, she could imagine it happening . . .
Then a floorboard creaked overhead.
They both froze.
Footsteps. Light. Careful.
Someone was coming downstairs.
Caleb pulled back immediately, his hand dropping from her face as they both turned toward the staircase.
A moment later, Sissy appeared, one hand on the railing, the other cradling her rounded belly. Her hair was mussed from sleep, and she wore an oversized sweater over flannel pajama pants.
She stopped when she saw them, her eyes widening slightly. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt anything.”
“You’re not.” Millie leaned away from Caleb, her cheeks warm. “We were just . . . talking.”
Sissy’s gaze flicked between them, a knowing look crossing her face, but she didn’t comment. “I had a craving. Pickles. Stereotypical, right? But I can’t sleep until I get some.”
“No worries.” Caleb’s voice sounded steady despite the tension still humming between them. “Help yourself to whatever you need.”
“Thanks.” Sissy moved past them toward the kitchen, offering an apologetic smile. “I’ll be quick.”
As she disappeared around the corner, the sound of the refrigerator opening filled the silence.
Millie exhaled slowly, grateful for the interruption.
