Page 108 of Never Fall Again

“Yes, you. Why would you think you’re the only one who can do the surprising?”

Cal rubbed a hand across his face. “Honestly? I’m not sure I’ve been on the receiving end of many good surprises.”

It took a great deal of effort, but Landry squelched her fury at Gina, and any of the other women he’d dated, for the way they’d taken advantage of Cal’s heart. This man gave and gave and gave. It was high time he received. “Then I guess your life’s about to get very interesting.”

This time, the smile on his face gave her a glimpse into what he must have looked like as a little boy. There was innocence and wonder. When he spoke, his voice held no teasing, just tenderness. “I can’t wait.”

“Yo! Cal!” a male voice called out from somewhere high. Probably someone on the roof.

Cal responded with a wave. “Be right there.” He turned to Landry. “Gotta go.” He ran his fingertip across the fingers she still had through the fence. “I hope Eliza takes the news okay. I don’t want to freak her out, but I’m not sure how much longer I can go without being able to touch you whenever I want.”

“She’s five, and she adores you. She may have questions, but she’ll roll with it. In a few years, maybe less, she won’t even remember there was ever a time when you weren’t in her life.”

“A few years, huh?”

Landry realized what she’d said. They hadn’t talked about the future. She’d assumed. And after a second of terror, her anxiety dissipated. Cal wasn’t interested in a fling. He didn’t have to tell her he was in this for the long haul. She already knew. And he knewshe’d never go public without knowing where things stood. This thing between them was too new to talk about forever, but forever was where they were headed. “Do you have a problem with that?”

Cal groaned. “None whatsoever. Now go home. Take a nap. I’m going to need you awake when I get home so we can tell Eliza and quit sneaking around like teenagers.”

Landry thought of their walk by the river last night after Eliza had gone to sleep and whispered, “I don’t know. It’s kind of fun.”

Cal took a step back. “Kind of?”

Landry laughed. “Very fun.”

Cal took another step. “Don’t worry, baby. It’ll be even more fun once everyone knows you’re mine.”

Thirty

An hour later, Cal could still hear Landry’s delighted laughter in his head as he climbed out of his truck. He needed some desk time before he picked up Eliza, and today was the perfect day for it. Carla had taken off at noon for an afternoon date with Connor. Chad was on a job site and wouldn’t be back until six.

He’d just opened the door when his cell phone rang. He paused, settled his clipboard in his other arm, and with the keys still in the doorknob, dug his phone from his pocket.

Something heavy slammed into him, knocking him completely inside the office. He turned and tried to shove away from whatever had hit him. A tingling sensation spread through his arm, and before he could fight back, his right arm went numb, his legs followed suit, and he crumpled to the floor. His vision blurred, and the only sense left was his hearing.

His thoughts were thickening, as if even the nerves of his brain had filled with sludge. He fought to focus. Whatever this was would wear off eventually. The more he could remember, the better.

A jingle of metal told him that someone had retrieved his keys from the doorknob. He had no idea how much time had passed before loud footsteps approached. A grunt was the only warning that his body was being moved. Even his hearing was fading.

His last conscious thought was a prayer.God, please protect my girls.

A knock on the door jolted Landry from her nap. She glanced at the clock.

2:10.

She stretched, groaned, and called out, “Coming.”

The light-filtering curtains were drawn, making everything nice and cozy for a nap but minimizing her ability to see to the deck outside.

The sound of a key sliding into the doorknob froze her at the bottom of the stairs. Someone was coming in. Before she could make herself move, the door opened.

“Cal?”

He came toward her and put his arms around her. No. He kind of looked like Cal, but he wasn’t Cal. Her body already knew how she felt in Cal’s arms. This wasn’t Cal.

“Hello, sweetheart. It’s time to go home.”

A sharp pinch at her neck was all the warning she had before the room spun.

---