Page 18 of Just a Little Crush

He divided up the eggs onto two plates, then added the warmed-up mushrooms and ham on top, along with a sprinkle of cheese. “I’m just taking it as a positive sign that you’re still here.”

I sighed, even as my stomach grumbled at the savory scent teasing my nose. “I haven’t agreed to anything, Caleb.”

His gaze held mine, and very seriously, he said, “I’m hoping you will.”

The brewer finished the percolating process, and while I added sugar and creamer to the coffee, Caleb carried our plates to the kitchen island. He set one next to Owen, and instead of sitting beside his son, he indicated that I should take that spot while he stood across the counter so he was facing us.

“So what fun things did you do with your mom this week?” Caleb asked his son after we ate a few bites of the eggs.

“Nothing.” Owen set down the Iron Man figurine he’d been playing with and took another bite of his cereal. Milk dripped down his chin and he wiped it away with the back of his hand. “I went to school, and I stayed with Grandma and Grandpa because Mommy wasn’t feeling well.”

I didn’t miss the way Caleb’s body tensed. “What do you mean Mommy wasn’t feeling well?” he asked, his tone far more casual than his posture. “Was it like last time?”

“Yeah. She had a headache and was sleeping a lot. She called Grandma who came and got me.”

Caleb’s gaze flickered to mine, and the worry I saw there was concerning. The fact that this seemed to be a regular occurrence didn’t bode well.

“Stevie, look at this,” Owen said, abruptly jumping to a more interesting topic as only a six-year-old could as he turned toward me with a Spider-Man action figure in his hand. “Look at what Spidey can do!”

He lifted the toy’s arm and aimed it at me, then pressed a button and out shot a small white net that landed on my shoulder. I gasped dramatically, and Owen chortled, making me grin at his unfettered glee, which was exactly what I needed after this morning’s debacle. Even Caleb chuckled at his son’s tickled reaction.

“I gotcha with his web!” Owen said, then removed the little projectile from my dress. “Want to see what my other action heroes can do?”

“Not now, Owen,” Caleb said, redirecting his son’s attention. “How about you finish up your cereal. When you’re done, you can play Minecraft for a little longer, with the headphones on, while I talk to Stevie about grown-up stuff.”

At the mention of more video game time, he quickly finished his Frosted Flakes. He nearly leapt off the stool to run to his room but Caleb stopped him before he could.

“Hey, you know the rules,” Caleb said in a gentle, but firm tone. “Clear your dishes and rinse them, please.”

Owen did as he was told without complaint, then grabbed his toys and disappeared into his room.

Caleb shook his head after he was gone. “I usually regulate the time he spends on his Xbox, but it’s coming in handy today.”

We finished our own breakfast, which was delicious. I helped Caleb clean the kitchen, putting the dishes into the dishwasher while he wiped down the counters and stovetop. The easy silence between us felt normal, but knowing the discussion still to come, anticipation churned in my stomach.

“Let’s go sit in the living room where it’s comfortable,” he suggested, his tone gentle but carrying an underlying seriousness. “This conversation might take a while because you need to know why it’s so important to me that you say yes to what I’m going to propose.”

I followed him into the adjoining room and sat down on the sofa, and he settled into the club chair next to me. I folded my hands in my lap, a nervous energy sliding through me.

He leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees as his gaze met mine, showing me a surprising glimpse of vulnerability for a man who was usually so confident and composed. “Clearly, you heard the conversation with Alyssa, which gives you a good indication of where things stand between us.”

“Yes,” I said with a nod. “And I hope it’s okay, but Raven did mention that things are contentious between the two of you, but I had no idea she was so…”

“Vindictive? Spiteful? Resentful to the point of wanting me to suffer emotionally?” He laughed, though the sound lacked any humor. “Yeah, they all apply.”

I heard the pain in his voice, and my heart hurt for him. “Was she always that way?” I asked curiously, unable to imagine Caleb marrying a woman so callous and cruel, yet he had.

“Maybe? I don’t know.” He shook his head at his own confusion. “The thing is, I never would have dated her had she shown me that side to her personality, but she did change after we got married, so that’s where my ‘maybe’ comes in. Because maybe those tendencies were always there, but she did a great job of concealing them until things in our marriage started to change and deteriorate.”

“Then you loved her at some point,” I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.

He sighed, the sound full of regret. “I cared for her, yes. I can’t say I was ever madly in love with her.” He paused for a beat, his eyes flicking to the floor, then back to mine. “My mother set us up. Alyssa is the daughter of one of her affluent friends, so they pushed us together, because that’s how my mother is. Everything is about status and appearance for her. So, when Alyssa got pregnant with Owen, I stupidly felt pressured to marry her even though I knew in my gut that it didn’t feel right. But a part of me did like the idea of having a wife and a family, so I went into it with good intentions.”

Of course he had. Caleb struck me as a man who was honorable and upstanding. One who believed in doing things for the right reasons, even at the cost of his own happiness. I couldn’t help but feel for him, even though I didn’t fully understand the pressure he must have been under.

“So what happened?” I asked, my voice softer now, intrigued by the story he was revealing.

“After Owen was born, things changed. Alyssa changed.” He stared down at his clasped hands, avoiding my gaze for a moment, as if he was still working through the memories. “There’d always been a disconnect between us, but things got progressively worse. I’d just become partner at Manhattan Prestige Realty and I was spending a lot of time at the office, which she didn’t like. She wanted the money and status of being my wife, but she didn’t like the time I dedicated to work and we fought about that a lot, even though I did my best to juggle work with home life and spending time with Owen.”

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