Page 49 of Willow

How could anyone refuse that gorgeous face. “I’d be happy to play with you when I get home, sweetie.”

With a hoot, she slides off Caleb’s lap and twirls around like a little ballerina in a snow globe. She’s so beautiful.

“Mr. Morris. I apologize. I didn’t know you had a meeting scheduled.” When an older woman bends down to scoop up an unwilling child, Caleb reprimands her.

“Leave her with me, Anna! I’ll see you in the morning.” She knows she fucked up.

“Yes, sir,” Anna mumbles and hangs her head low as she walks out of sight. Cadence doesn’t seem bothered because she giggles gleefully.

I want to be angry with him, but when he runs his fingers through his hair, I’m concerned. He looks so troubled that I become anxious. “You look tired, Boss Man. Are you okay?”

He laughs. Not what I was expecting and replies, “You’ve been touring for months. Traveling from city to city. If anyone should be exhausted it should be you, love. And you’re worried about me?”

I nod. “Yes, I am. Just because we haven’t talked doesn’t mean I don’t worry about you.”

Yeah, I went there. Crap. I do worry, and I miss everything about him. Can I do this again? I don’t know.

“Hey, I’m sorry this happened. If you decide not to do the whole piano thing with a certain someone, I understand.” He glances down at Cadence before meeting my eyes.

“Appreciate it, Boss Man, but a promise is a promise.” Crap, hold on—the group text.

I completely forgot to send the message so I do it now. Almost immediately I get a thumb’s up icon from all of them. Jet’s is the only one that has a question mark after it.

Caleb's smile fills the screen. “Thanks for passing along the message. I need to run and take care of the she-devil now. You look happy, love.”

“No worries, anytime. Get some rest, Caleb, and I’ll see you soon.”

With a wave, he ends the call.

Later that night, when we’re settled into our hotel room for the next two days, I do something I swore I would never do again. I open my locket, and when I do my heart is full.

* * *

CALEB

I felt so damnguilty after ending the call with Willow. Using my daughter for my own personal gain is deplorable. I should be ashamed of myself and I am. But it worked! It was the only way I knew how to get Willow’s attention. I know in her heart she truly believes that she doesn’t want any children. In her mind, she’s conjured up the idea that if she does, it will replace the child she lost. Never, ever, could she replace a child. If she did, she’d be betraying Brodie’s memory. What she hasn’t yet realized is a parent could have ten children and still have enough love left over for ten more. And ten more. So on and so on. It’s an unconditional love, and I’m hoping I can prove that to her with Cadence.

I was adamant about not having any more children after Cadence was born. I went so far as to have a vasectomy. At the time, it seemed like the logical thing to do. Now, I’d seriously consider a reversal if Willow decided she wanted a child. That’s how much I truly love this woman. It would go against everything I thought I believed in just to make her happy. Proving that if the circumstances change, so can we.

Once this damn tour is over, I’m going to peruse her with a vengeance. No one is going to stop me. Not even Willow herself!

“Play piano, Daddy?” Ah, she has a one-track mind. Her piano playing is more like banging, but she’s still young and teachable. I’m not sure if she’ll ever be as well-played as Willow. Time will tell.

Closing my laptop, I swoop up my girl and we ‘fly’ to the library. She giggles the whole way there with her arms opened wide. Cadence is the happiest little girl I’ve ever encountered.

“Okay, sweet girl. You sit in my lap and play me a song.” And, she does. It kind of sounds like one of her nursery rhymes. When she thinks the song is over, she claps.

“Good job, Cadence. That was beautiful. Can you play Daddy another song?” One song turns into several and when she’s had enough, she slides off my lap and does her best curtsy. After that masterful performance, I need to make enough noise to simulate a crowd.

I whistle through my teeth, clap my hands, and stomp my feet. My little girl’s glowing with pride and then she’s done. She walks off mumbling something about being hungry. And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the attention span of a three-year-old.

Following her into the kitchen, I open the fridge and glance inside. She crawls between my legs and grabs the mac and cheese. I had a feeling that’s what she’d want. “Okay, love. We need to wash our hands before I heat it up.” It’s definitely not the boxed kind with powdered cheese. This one is homemade and has tons of fat, protein, and carbs. Exactly what Cadence requires with her CF.

“Come here, Cadence. I’ll set the water so we can wash our hands.” Pushing her little stool close to the sink, she hurries over and climbs the two steps. Waiting for me to squirt the soap in her hands. It’s a ritual. She knows to scrub her nails, fingers, and hands and does a great job. Then we rinse. A quick dry and now she’s ready to eat. Racing to the table.

Grabbing a pan, I add the mac and cheese along with some milk to heat it up. I don’t own a microwave and never will. There’s just something about cooking food from the inside out that just turns me off. It’s a no for me.

While that’s heating, I grab the salad in the fridge that Anna must have made me before I sent her on her way. I’m feeling a bit guilty since I set her up. I owe her an apology and I’ll do that first thing in the morning.

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