“Seriously, it’s like I said earlier. Lily is the center of my world. If she’s proud of me, that means I’ve succeeded.”
“So, what’s the story with you and Lily’s dad? If I may ask.” Caleb didn’t even bother to hide his curiosity. He figured she was just as curious about his infamous relationship with the Taylor twins. At some point he knew that particular topic would crop up. He just hoped he was ready to tackle it head-on.
“Of course you may ask.” Sophia took a long sip of her sangria. “Well, do you want the short version or the detailed one?”
“Whatever you’re comfortable with. I just want to know more about you and what brought you to this point, especially your journey as a single mom.”
Sophia was blown away. She had never met a potential romantic partner who had wanted to know about her past. Not even the father of her child. None of them had expressed any interest whatsoever. She was touched by Caleb being so intentional toward her.
She took a steadying breath. “I met my ex, Donny, about six years ago. We were together for two years. Honestly, everything was going great until I took a pregnancy test, and it was positive.” She winced as the painful memories crashed over her.
Caleb frowned. “I’m guessing he didn’t take the news very well.”
“Bingo,” she said, running a fidgety hand through her hair. It wasn’t easy to talk about, but she wanted to get closer to Caleb. She wanted to tear down her walls with a sledgehammer. They had been up for so long, and she knew on some level it was impeding her growth. “Even though we had talked about a future together—engagement, wedding, kids. Then all of a sudden he became a ghost. He stopped communicating with me, and he didn’t show up at any of my prenatal appointments.” Her stomach clenched. “I didn’t want to believe it, but I could feel that he was pulling away from me.”
“That had to be confusing and painful,” Caleb said.
“It was. I was months away from giving birth, and my partner was completely MIA. When I found out I was having a girl, I was with Patience. He was nowhere to be found when I went into labor.” Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them away. She had cried enough tears over Donny’s behavior. Now her sorrow was for Lily. Lily’s father wasn’t a reliable man, and she worried constantly that he would smash Lily’s heart to smithereens.
“My sister always showed up for me, butheshould have been there. He should have been holding my hand and feeding me ice chips. Even if he decided that he didn’t want to be with me anymore, he still should have shown up.”
“I-I can’t believe he treated you that way,” Caleb sputtered. The look of disbelief on his face turned to anger. “What kind of man abandons his partner and baby?”
“Well, according to him, he hadn’t asked to be a father.” She let out a snort. “Lily wasn’t planned, so I wasn’t expecting the news either. But I embraced the fact that I was going to be a mother. And, honestly, she’s the very best thing that has ever happened to me.”
For a moment the kitchen was eerily silent. Neither one said a word.
“Sophia, you’re not only a strong woman, but you’re an incredible mother raising a wonderful little girl.” He placed his hand over his heart. “I’m in awe of you.”
Sophia ducked her head down. Making eye contact with Caleb after she’d spilled her guts would make her feel too vulnerable. Telling him about Donny made her feel as if she’d bared her soul.
“Aww, shucks,” she said, trying to sound lighthearted. “If I’d known that, I would’ve told you weeks ago.” She let out a shaky laugh that didn’t sound at all genuine. There was nothing funny about what she had just told him, and they both knew it.
“I see you, Sophia,” Caleb said, reaching out and grazing his knuckles across her cheek. “And I don’t think I’ve ever laid eyes on anything as beautiful or as real.” Caleb leaned over so that their lips were mere inches away from each other. “I want to kiss you so badly, but I need to know that you want this too.”
Sophia nodded. She licked her lips in anticipation. “Yes, please.”
He encircled her waist with both of his hands and pulled her against his chest. Once she was there, Sophia tilted her head upward just as Caleb’s lips brushed over hers. She parted her lips in response, inviting him in.
As the kiss heightened and soared, she inhaled the scent of him—something rugged and woodsy like cedar. Caleb’s hands were solid and grounding.
This kiss wasn’t just explosive. There was sweetness too, a kind of tenderness that made the moment even more amazing. A feeling of security swept over her. She wasn’t sure that she’d ever responded to a kiss this way or needed someone as much.
By the time they pulled apart, Sophia’s mind was nothing but mush. This man was like a five-alarm fire.
“So, you owe me your story, Caleb. I’m all ears.”
“Another time, okay? It’s getting late, and I’ve got an early shoot tomorrow with a really demanding photographer.” He leaned in and whispered, “I hear she’s a bit of a diva.”
She let out an outraged sound and playfully swatted him. “Absolutely not. She doesn’t have a diva-like bone in her body.”
“For which I am very grateful,” Caleb murmured as he swept another kiss on her lips. Although this one was short and sweet, it left her equally breathless.
Once she had walked him to the front door, Sophia said, “Good night, Caleb. See you tomorrow.”
“Night,” he said as he dipped his head down and brushed a kiss on her temple.
She was definitely going to hold him to his promise to tell her his story. Sophia knew now that there was way more to the story regarding his stint on the reality show. And she wanted to know why he seemed slightly guarded with regard to his heart.
