Page 32 of Caleb

“Everything,” he said, meeting her gaze. “About what happened between us. About how much I regret it.”

Her jaw tightened, and she glanced away, her fingers tracing the edge of the counter. “You think you can just explain it all away, and I’ll forgive you?”

“No,” he said firmly. “I’m not expecting forgiveness, Taylor. But I need you to know that leaving you was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made.”

She looked back at him, her eyes sharp. “Then why did you do it?”

Caleb hesitated, the words heavy on his tongue. “Because I was scared. I didn’t think I could give you the life you deserved. I thought walking away was better than dragging you into my mess.”

Taylor laughed bitterly. “So, you decided for me? You didn’t even give me a choice, Caleb. You just left. You hurt me really bad.”

He winced, her words hitting like a slap. “I know. And I’m sorry. I can’t change what I did, but I want to try to make up for it now. What we had was good. Seeing you again at the convention was like I suddenly realized what I’d lost.”

She froze, her breath catching at his words.

For a long moment, the room was silent except for the refrigerator’s faint hum. Taylor stood still, her shoulders stiff as if bracing herself. Then, slowly, she exhaled, her shoulders sagging slightly.

“Let’s eat before it gets cold,” she said, her voice softer now. She glanced at the takeout bags, then back at him. “Do you still like sushi?”

Caleb chuckled lightly, the tension in the room easing just enough. “I never liked sushi. But I remembered you do, so I got some Kung Pao Chicken.”

Taylor arched an eyebrow, a faint flicker of amusement crossing her face. “Thoughtful of you.”

The scent of fresh sushi and spicy chicken filled the air, but Caleb’s focus stayed on her, the way her movements were measured, deliberate as if she were weighing something heavy in her mind.

Then, suddenly, she turned, her eyes locking on his.

Before he could react, she stepped closer and reached for him, her hands brushing against his arms. “After you left yesterday,” she began, her voice low and almost hesitant, “I regretted how things ended between us. Talking about the past made me so angry. I... I wanted you to leave. I thought it would make things easier.” She paused, her fingers curling against the fabric of his shirt. “But it didn’t. It just made me feel worse.”

Her words were like a crack in the walls she’d built around herself, and Caleb held still, afraid to move and risk breaking the moment.

Taylor sighed, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. “I don’t know where this will go. But after the convention, after seeing you again, I realized I wanted a second chance with you.”

For a heartbeat, Caleb forgot how to breathe. He could barely process her words, the hope they stirred in him sharp and unexpected. Slowly, he nodded, his throat tight. “I’m going to make mistakes, Taylor,” he admitted, his voice rough. “Probably a lot of them.”

“As will I,” she said, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “But let’s just see where this goes. One step at a time.”

Without thinking, without planning, he closed the small distance between them and pulled her into his arms. His lips found hers, and everything else—the years of pain, the guilt, the doubt—faded into the background.

It wasn’t a kiss of desperation or longing. It was a kiss of promise, of forgiveness, of a chance to build something new from the ashes of what they’d lost.

Taylor melted into him for a moment, her hands sliding up to rest lightly against his chest. But then she pushed back gently, her lips parting from his as she drew in a shaky breath.

“I’m not going to make you tell me why you left. But if we continue, you’re going to have to tell me why you left so abruptly. Why didn’t you call me until I harassed you enough that you called and broke things off? I deserve to know what happened.”

Caleb tensed, knowing she was right, but he didn’t like to talk about that time in his life. It was difficult. Even now rage filled him at what he’d come home to.

“Someday,” he said. “Tonight let’s just enjoy this time together.”

She was letting him off easy, and he knew it. But for now, it was enough.

“We need to eat,” she murmured, her voice soft but steady as she added, “Before Liam gets curious and comes down to see who’s here.”

Caleb let out a quiet laugh, his arms reluctantly loosening. “Fair point.”

They moved to the table, settling in across from one another. Taylor unpacked the sushi rolls while Caleb opened the container of Kung Pao Chicken. The tension between them had eased, replaced by a cautious kind of warmth.

As they sat together, sharing a quiet meal, it wasn’t much. But it was something.

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