Page 27 of Saving You

Caleb: 7 p.m.

Bailey: Stay safe.

Caleb: Always.

I look up at Charlie working at the kitchen table and decide maybe we should make Caleb dinner. If I’m going to go with the fuck it mentality, I might as well go all in. I walk over to the table and sit across from her.

“So Baby Girl, what do you think about making Caleb dinner tonight? He won’t be off work until later.”

She jumps in her seat and smiles widely at me. “Yes, Mommy, can we? Can we make tacos? I think he’d really like them.”

“Let’s see if we have all the ingredients,” I say, making my way to the fridge. Looking inside, I find tomatoes, lettuce, an onion, cheese, salsa, and sour cream. I know I have taco shells in the cupboards and ground beef in the freezer.

“Looks like we have everything. Let’s get your homework done and then we’ll start cooking and call Caleb and see if he wants to join us.”

Charlie returns to her homework, and I pull the ground beef out of the freezer and unload the dishwasher. When we finish our tasks, she helps me cook dinner. I put the ground beef in a saucepan and season it while Charlie pulls a couple of leaves off the head of lettuce. She stands on her stool in front of the counter with me behind her as she helps me cut the lettuce. I’ve been working on kitchen safety with her. She knows how to properly hold a knife and use it, although I never let her use one unsupervised and I’ve always guided the knife so far. She’s enjoyed learning how to cook and being helpful, doing whatever I’ll let her do.

At 7 p.m., I grab my phone and pull up Caleb’s number. I hold my breath as I listen to it ring. After three rings, I hear a click on the other end and Caleb’s voice.

“Hey, Bails.”

I squeeze my thighs together, the sound of his voice and the way he says that nickname makes me needy.

“Hey,” I breathe out. There is silence on both ends of the phone. I clear my throat. “So, Charlie and I were wondering if you’d like to join us for dinner. Charlie picked a meal she’s sure you’ll like.” I chuckle.

“She did, did she? Well, how can I say no to that? What should I bring?”

“Just yourself.”

“I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

More silence lingers on the line as I smile like a fool. “See you then,” I say.

“See you then.”

I hang up and look at Charlie. “He’s on his way. Why don’t we make sure all your toys are cleaned up in the living room?”

She runs straight in there, and I hear the sound of her toys as she puts them in the bins. I grin to myself as I stir the ground beef, turning it down so it doesn’t burn, and put the taco shells in the oven. I set the table and clean up the mess we made in the kitchen. As I hit the start button on the dishwasher, there’s a knock at the front door. I’m suddenly full of nervous energy. I make my way into the living room, and Charlie is jumping up and down on her toes in front of the front door. Her grin is so large I can see all her teeth.

I walk to the door, check the peephole, and see Caleb on the other side. When I pull open the door, the breath leaves my lungs. Caleb is grinning at me, his smile so large and real there are lines around his eyes. His shirt is pulled tight across his chest and his jeans are sculpted to his body. I remember the feeling of my legs wrapped around his waist as he held me against the lockers earlier today. Heat fills my cheeks.

“Caleb,” Charlie calls, and he crouches so she can wrap her arms around his neck as she hugs him.

“Hi, Little Bear.”

She pulls back, and he stands.

“Hey, Bails.” He holds up a shopping bag I hadn’t noticed. “I brought dessert.”

I step back and allow him room to come inside. Charlie grabs his hand and drags him to the kitchen. I follow behind them, take the shopping bag from Caleb, and stow the ice cream in the freezer.

“Mommy and I made tacos. You’ll really like them,” Charlie says excitedly.

Caleb smiles at her, and it melts me a little. This man looks at my daughter with such affection, so much so that he has a photo of the two of them in his locker.

“I do love tacos. It looks like you’ve got all the best stuff for them too.”

We take our seats, Charlie insisting on sitting beside Caleb.

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