“I can make that happen.”
“Wait. Really?” She studies me. “You want to go?”
“Yeah,” I say easily. “Whatever you need.”
Truth be told, I’m not keen on the idea of being apart from her. Things are smoldering between us, and I want to keep burning with her.
Her shoulders relax, like she didn’t think I’d say yes. “Okay.”
“Okay,” I say as I trace her wrists with my fingers.
“We can go after my book club tomorrow. Does that work for you?”
I grin. Her book club is with my mom. But I know they both look forward to it. I love that she’s making my mom a priority. I lean in and kiss her neck. “Sure, we can go after book club.”
She adds casually, “We’re flying back with my dad. But don’t worry...I’ll talk to him before we go. He won’t be giving you any trouble.”
I shrug. “Okay.”
She narrows her eyes suspiciously. “Why are you so chill about all of this?”
I sit up on the edge of the bed and say, “Your dad’s not that bad.”
She looks at me as if I just said something wild. “What do you mean, not that bad?”
I glance at her, take her hand, bring it to my mouth, and kiss it. “I talked to him today. That’s where I was.”
She pulls her hand back and sits up straighter. “What?”
“I went to his hotel,” I say. “We had lunch.”
She stares at me as if I just told her I wrestled sharks for fun.
Her mouth opens. Closes. “And?”
“We came to an understanding,” I tell her.
“You went to my father’s hotel,” she repeats slowly. “Sat next to him at the bar and had lunch.”
“Yes,” I confirm.
Her eyes drag over me, assessing, and something that looks like heat flickers there. “That is...unexpectedly so freaking hot.”
I laugh softly. “That wasn’t the goal, but I guess that’s a good perk.”
“Was he nice to you?” she asks.
My eyes soften. “Silvie, it doesn’t matter if he’s nice to me. It matters that he’s nice to you.”
Her expression softens. “Cal...”
I tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “He’s complicated. But he loves you. I get that now. This whole thing is just messy and stressful to everyone. I’m not here to add to that. I’m here for you.”
She sighs. “Complicated is one way of putting it.”
I meet her gaze. “He knows to never speak to you like that again.”
“He said that?” she asks quietly.
