“It’s cool,” I said, smiling half-heartedly. “We’ll catch up Monday if you still want to come to training.”
Her head flew up, her eyes wide. “Of course, I do.”
“Then I’ll see you Monday.” I cupped her face in my hand, stroking my thumb back and forth over her smooth skin. “Six o’clock? sharp.” ????
She nodded, her fingers grazing my leg.
Leaning in, my nose brushed against hers, and I kissed her. Softly at first, but when her grip tightened on my thigh, I tilted my head to the side and pressed my tongue against her lips. She parted, allowing entrance, and I took full advantage.
My mouth was hard against hers, my tongue stroking deep, telling her there was nothing anyone could do to tear us apart. No meddling parents, no secret pasts. Nothing.
Parting, I caressed her cheek once more before allowing my hand to fall away.
“Goodnight,” she whispered, opening the door.
“Goodnight.”
I watched her walk toward her flat, my gaze studying her body as she went. She’d looked beautiful tonight, but after my father’s questioning, her confidence dulled some even as she’d bitten back with grace. There was fire inside of her, a fire that’d been dulled, but it was there, waiting to ignite.
When she finally stepped inside and turned on the light, I gunned the engine and pulled out onto the street, bound for home.
I would see her on Monday, and by then, things would’ve calmed.
* * *
Sunday wasmy one day off work for the week.
It’d taken me a while to become used to the comings and goings of Beat, but I didn’t mind it so much now. I liked hanging out there. The guys had become mates to a point—I was still their coach, but we managed to have a laugh from time to time—and I was taking to coaching like a duck to water.
Despite the lingering problems Dad was causing and Juliette’s issues—I didn’t like calling them that, but there wasn’t another word to describe them—things were going smoothly for the first time in almost two years. Other than those bumps, it was a nice feeling.
It was the first Sunday in a couple of weeks I’d had to spend on my own, so I was at a loss as to how to entertain myself. The idea I should go to this book expo thing Juliette was working at to surprise her flashed through my mind, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. She wouldn’t appreciate me showing up while she was so busy, and what did I know about books? I wasn’t even sure I’d be allowed in unless I was an industry person.
Instead, I went to the only other place where I knew I could blow off some steam. Beat.
I’d just pulled into my car space beside the studio when my phone started to ring. Picking it up from where I’d tossed it into the middle console, I saw it was my mother. Great. Just the thing I needed to pep me up on a Sunday morning? after the battle of the century. ????
Flipping the phone around in my hand, I answered the call.
“Mum.” It came out short, and I knew I was going to get a verbal clip around the ear for my attitude.
“Caleb,” she said. “Don’t talk to your mother that way. For goodness sake.” There is was.
“Sorry, Mum, but I’m not entirely happy with you and Dad right now.”
“You can’t blame your father for keeping your best interests at heart,” she declared. “I saw nothing wrong with his behavior.”
I rolled my eyes. Only because they were in league with each other.
“Mum, you both spoke to Juliette like she wasn’t good enough,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “You hardly know anything about her, and you ripped her life apart looking for reasons to dislike her.”
“She’s twenty-eight and working in an entry-level position,” Mum replied straight off the bat. “What has she been doing all this time to still be at the bottom?”
That was rich coming from a trophy wife who sat around drinking all day. Ashamed I was thinking about my mother like she was a complete joke, I rubbed my eyes.
“People change careers all the time,” I argued. “It doesn’t mean they’re a failure.”
“If you say so, honey.”