Page 8 of Fate Forever and Always

Link and I agree you are no fun, and we are both going. I am bringing the bat, just in case.

When we got to the house the next day, Jake was there waiting for Callie. He’d been calling her nonstop since she left. We purposely told Callie not to come because we knew he wouldn’t respect her wishes of not being there. Link had to go in and pressure him to leave because Aubrey tried to attack him the moment she saw him, and although I thought I could handle it, I flipped the moment he tried to speak to me. I can’t believe he could cheat on such a fantastic woman.

Luckily, it didn't take long, and Callie didn’t ask questions when we returned home. While the guys and I moved things around to fit the piano, the girls got started on making phone calls.

Aubrey and Callie have a lot of phone calls to cancel everything for the wedding. Unfortunately, a lot of it is nonrefundable. Her rehearsal dinner and honeymoon were the most significant things. Callie spent everything she had on that honeymoon, which will probably be the hardest thing to overcome.

Once the piano was settled in the sunroom, I called and ordered some pizza for everyone as a thank you. I heard Aubrey and Callie talking when I walked past Callie’s room to grab my phone.

“Callie, you will be okay. I promise I will help you through this. We all will.”

“Aubs, my money is gone… all of it. I put it all into the wedding and honeymoon. Jake never gave me the money for it. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. I had been using Jake’s credit card for all the everyday spending because all my money went into wedding planning, and it was going to be our money anyway.”

“Callie.”

“Aubs, I looked at my account this morning. I have one hundred and seven dollars left to my name. I’m fucking broke. What happens when I need to give Nick rent money?”

“Nick would never accept money from you for you staying here. You know that, right?”

Aubrey is right. She will not have to give me a damn dime. I wouldn’t take it. I hate hearing her so scared and hurt.

Even if she never wants more with me, she will never have to want for anything, never be hurt or scared ever again. I would give her the world.

After we all ate, Callie pulled me into the sunroom and asked me about scheduling some classes, saying she would have to doubleand triple up some days in order to make some money. I gave her the go-ahead, of course. It wouldn't bother me to hear her play; I could listen to her play all day. School starts at the end of this month, so I will be gone most of the day on weekdays, teaching at the local high school. Plus, even if I was here, that’s what noise-canceling headphones are for.

Once Callie scheduled a few lessons for the upcoming week, she called the students who already had lessons scheduled and gave them my address as her new residence, and then she took a nap.

I pulled Aubrey aside and gave her a check to cash for Callie.

She looked down at it and then back at me. “Nick, this is five thousand dollars.” She held it back out to me, but I didn’t grab it.

“Yes, Aubrey, I’m glad those reading classes worked out for you.”

She slapped me on my chest. The sound made Link look away from the game he was watching to ensure she was okay. That man is so protective of her that it’s sickening, but I understand. Aubrey is one of the good ones. I would protect her without a second thought, no matter the situation.

“Link, she’s fine. Go back to jerkin’ off to your baseball players over there.” Link gave me the finger. I let out a laugh and turned back to Aubrey. “She will never accept this. Especially from you,” she said.

“No shit, Aubs, that’s why you are going to deposit it and write her a check from your account. She never has to know it’s from me. I just want her to feel a little less stressed.”

“Nick, she won’t take it from me either…you know she doesn’t accept help unless absolutely necessary.”

Aubrey was right, but she had to find a way to get her to take it. I can’t have her stressing about money when she’s trying to put her life back together.

“Make her. End of conversation,” I said sternly.

I went to sit next to a very surprised Link on the couch, and as soon as I did, he leaned over and whispered, “You got balls talking to her like that. You are lucky she didn’t kick your balls in.”

Aubrey called out from the kitchen. “He won’t have any balls left if he ever does again.”

Link and I chuckled and went back to watching the baseball game. “I am one lucky motherfucker,” Link said before sipping his beer.

I laughed. “Never let that one go.”

Link side-eyed me with a smile. “Didn’t plan on it.”

Chapter three

Callie

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