Page 102 of Saving You

Caleb works during the day but is home in time to shower before we head over there. Charlie is super excited as she bounces in her booster seat while Caleb buckles her in. When we arrive at Josh and Olivia’s place, Liv pulls me into a big hug before doing the same with Charlie. Charlie runs over to a corner where I see toys set up for her. Liv really has gone all out to ensure we feel welcome in her home and their lives.

As we enter the living room, I see the snacks Liv has spread out over their coffee table. There’s even more in the dining room.

“Are you feeding an army tonight?” I ask her as Josh comes and wraps an arm around her middle, kissing her temple. Her body relaxes into his as he holds her. Mine does the same as Calebcomes behind me, mirroring the same position. For years I’ve missed the simple affectionate touches of a man, and to have that with Caleb now means the world to me.

“My cravings have been all over the place, and I know these boys can eat me out of house and home, so I figured I’d have lots of options,” she says with a laugh.

“I remember the crazy cravings. When I was in my third trimester, I was obsessed with Blizzards.”

Olivia’s eyes twinkle as she stares at me for a second. A smile stretches across her face ear to ear as she asks, “Do you want more kids?”

Caleb’s hand moves and settles on my stomach as he leans down and kisses my temple again. The question doesn’t throw me the way it did when Sarah asked.

“Yeah, I’d like another.”

“Maybe a few,” Caleb says.

I look over my shoulder, holding eye contact with him as he smiles down at me. He’s all in, and it makes me melt for him even more. I never thought I’d feel this safe and content with a man again after Derek, but Caleb has proven to me that you can trust and rely on people. That not everyone is putting on a facade to gain things from you.

“They’d be gorgeous kids,” Olivia pipes in.

“Whose kids would be gorgeous?” Hannah asks as she joins our little huddle.

“Caleb and Bailey’s.”

“Oh, yes, they would. Those kids will grow up to be heartbreakers for sure. When are you getting started on that?” Hannah asks with a hip bump.

My jaw drops as I stare at her.

She reaches forward and, using two fingers, pushes my jaw back up. “Oh, babe, you can’t be that surprised,” she says, amusement filling her expression.

“We haven’t even been togetherthat long. We are just settling into a life together. I think throwing a kid right into the middle of that is a little pre-mature,” I say.

Hannah’s eyes move from me, up and over my shoulder, to Caleb. “Caleb, when do you want kids?”

Hannah really has embraced the shit disturber role in this group.

Caleb’s grip on me tightens. “When Bailey’s ready. For now, we have a beautiful little girl.”

I physically melt further into him, which I didn’t think was possible.

“What did you do to him?” Grayson asks from beside me, and I jump a little, not realizing he’d joined us.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“You have turned Mr. Hard-and-Doesn’t-Talk-About-His-Feelings, into”—he reaches out and moves his hand up and down in front of Caleb—“this.”

I look up at Caleb again and I’m not sure what he could possibly mean. The entire time I’ve been with Caleb, he has been completely emotionally available to not only me, but Charlie too. He has helped me process feelings I didn’t know I had buried deep down and come out the other side. He’s held me while I’ve cried. He’s listened to and communicated with Charlie in difficult emotional situations and shared deep traumas with me.

“And now you’re going gooey.” I can hear the eye roll in Grayson’s voice.

“When you find someone to love, you’ll go gooey too,” I say, my eyes never leaving Caleb.

He leans down until his lips hover over mine. “I love you, Bailey Emerson.” His breath dusts across my lips with his whispered words just before he kisses me.

“I never thought Caleb would be the soft kind,” Grayson says, and we break the kiss.

I turn in Caleb’s arms and facethe group again.

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