Page 63 of We Thought We Knew It All
“How you doing?” he asked, leading me toward the living room where they had a bar set up.
“Can I answer that once I have a drink in my hand?”
“That bad?”
“No. I have three beautiful and healthy boys, a restaurant that just opened successfully, and a new book with my publisher. I’m just peachy.” He handed me a whiskey. I took a sip, letting the burn soothe me. “People like me aren’t supposed to complain.”
He sat down with his own drink and motioned for me to sit beside him. “Everyone has a right to their own unhappiness.”
The ice clinked together as I swirled my glass, entranced by the amber liquid. “I feel ungrateful. I have everything, but feel like I have nothing. Why can’t it be enough? Why can’t my kids be enough?”
Jay jumped when I slammed my glass down on the coffee table.
“He left, Jay. He didn’t want to fight, so he abandoned all of us, again.”
Jay stayed suspiciously quiet.
“Have you heard from him?” I asked.
He set his glass down and looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “Yes.”
“I guess that’s something. At least it’s just me he hates.”
Jay started to respond to that, but Jackson ran inside with Liam hot on his heels. “Aunt Amber says it’s time to eat. She made meatballs.”
I laughed at that. “Of course she did. That’s your favorite.” I stood and left my drink on the table as I followed my son.
Dinner was never a quiet affair with those three. They talked through the entire meal and ate their weight in meatballs.
When it was time to leave, Jay held me back. “He doesn’t hate you, Cal.”
“You don’t know that.”
“He didn’t take the job in Georgia.”
I snapped my eyes toward his.
“He’s working for the team he interviewed for, but asked for one of the posts in Tampa.”
“Why would he do that?” I whispered. “All he wanted was to go back to his base.”
“That’s not all he wanted.”
I didn’t know if Jamie was sending me a sign, or just realized he didn’t want to go back to base as a civilian, but I felt hopeful for the first time since Dylan showed up.
This wasn’t over.
“Mommy has to make a phone call,” I told the boys as we pulled away from Jay’s. I dialed the number and was relieved when someone answered. “Scott,” I said.
“California, hi. I’ve been waiting for your call.”
“I know what show I want to go on. Think we can book Riley King?”
“Callie, we can book just about anyone you’d like now thatEmmais becoming a movie. You’re a big story.”
“Great. Let me know the details when you have them.”
Monday morning I got an email. Riley King had a cancellation for the following week and needed to fill a spot. They’d already booked my plane ticket to New York and would send me the questions in advance. Now I just needed to come up with a plan.
