Page 14 of Caleb

She slipped off her heels, her feet aching after hours of standing. Setting her purse on the small desk near the window, she rubbed her temples and let out a long breath, hoping to exhale the knot of tension that had been sitting in her stomach since the elevator ride with Caleb.

What is wrong with me?How could she still be attracted to the man who’d broken her heart and left her pregnant and unmarried?

The evening had gone better than she’d expected—or at least it should have. She’d handed out her business cards, pitched her services with confidence, and even connected with someone who might become a client.

Thanks to Caleb.

The thought sent a ripple of frustration through her. Crossing the room, she grabbed her phone from her bag and dialed her mom’s number, needing something to ground her.

“Hi, sweetheart!” Grace answered, her voice warm and cheerful.

Taylor’s shoulders eased at the familiar sound. “Hi, Mom. How’s Liam?”

“Oh, he’s fine,” Grace said. “He spent the afternoon building a zoo out of blocks and stuffed animals. He’s convinced the giraffe and the tiger are best friends.”

Taylor laughed softly, the image of her little boy filling her mind and tugging at her heart. “That sounds like him.”

“He’s sleeping now,” Grace added. “But he did have a little cough earlier. I gave him some water and sat with him for a bit. It’s probably just the dry air, but I’ll watch it.”

A flicker of worry darted through Taylor. “A cough? Is it bad?”

“No, no,” Grace said quickly, her tone soothing. “It’s just a little one. Nothing to worry about. If it gets worse, I’ll take him to the pediatrician, but honestly, he seemed fine by bedtime.”

Taylor bit her lip, her fingers tightening around the phone. “Are you sure? I could come back?—”

“Absolutely not,” Grace interrupted firmly. “You stay right where you are and focus on your work. If anything changes, I’ll call you immediately. But he’s fine, sweetheart. I promise.”

Taylor sighed, some of the tension easing from her. That little boy was her life, and she worried when he became ill. “Okay. Thanks, Mom. I hate being so far away when he’s not feeling one hundred percent.”

“I know you do,” Grace said softly. “You’re a wonderful mom, Taylor. But part of being a good mom is also taking care of yourself and your goals. Liam’s in good hands, I promise.”

Taylor sank onto the edge of the bed, the phone pressed to her ear. “Thanks, Mom. I needed to hear that.”

A part of her felt guilty for leaving him behind, even though she knew he was in great hands. But she wasn’t there, and that worried her.

There was a brief pause before Grace’s tone turned curious. “So, how’s the convention? Meeting lots of new people?”

Taylor hesitated, the image of Caleb’s crooked smile flashing in her mind. “Yeah. It’s been... eventful.”

Could she admit to her mother that seeing Caleb again had torn open old wounds she’d worked so hard to heal? That the pain of his leaving had come rushing back, raw and unrelenting as if no time had passed at all?

And yet, it wasn’t just the hurt that lingered. Seeing him again had also stirred up everything that had drawn her to him in the first place—the easy charm, the spark in his deep brown eyes, the way his smile could light up a room.

How could she explain the maddening contradiction in her heart? The part of her that still ached with the memory of his betrayal, and the part that couldn’t help but remember why she’d fallen for him in the first place?

Her mother caught the shift in her voice immediately. “Eventful, huh? That doesn’t sound like the confident, take-charge Taylor I know.”

“It’s nothing,” Taylor said quickly, but Grace remained silent, waiting her out in that way only mothers could. Taylor sighed, giving in. “Okay, fine. Caleb’s here.”

Grace’s sharp intake of breath echoed down the line. “Caleb Burnett? Liam’s father?”

“Yes, Mom,” Taylor said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Well,” Grace said slowly. “How did that go?”

Taylor let out a humorless laugh. “It’s complicated. I wasn’t thrilled to see him, but... he was nice tonight. He introduced me to someone interested in hiring me for marketing services.”

“Oh,” Grace said, her voice softening. “That was thoughtful of him.”

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