Page 34 of Caleb

He wasn’t sure he could handle that—not now, not after they’d come this far.

Taylor was already guarded, her defenses carefully constructed after the pain he’d caused. Pushing too hard, too soon, might undo everything, leaving him standing on the outside again, this time without a way back in.

So, he stayed silent, holding the question close, even as it burned deep inside him begging to be released.

“Liam!” Taylor’s voice called from the doorway, cutting through Caleb’s spiraling thoughts.

Liam turned, his face lighting up. “Mommy!”

Taylor stepped onto the porch, carrying a tray with three glasses of lemonade. Caleb rose to meet her, took the tray from her hands, and set it on the small table beside the swing.

“Thanks,” she said, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

“Anytime,” he replied, his voice softer now.

Liam bounded up the steps, grabbing one of the glasses with both hands and gulping down the lemonade like he’d been stranded in a desert.

“Slow down, buddy,” Taylor said, laughing as she knelt beside him. “You’re gonna get a brain freeze.”

Caleb watched them, the way Taylor’s hand rested lightly on Liam’s back, the way Liam leaned into her as he drank. It was a simple moment, but it tugged at something deep inside him.

“Mommy,” Liam said, setting the glass down and tugging at her sleeve. “Can Caleb play dinosaurs with me later?”

Taylor glanced up at Caleb, her expression softening. “If Caleb wants to,” she said, her tone light but with a hint of something unreadable beneath it.

“I think I can handle that,” Caleb said, smiling at Liam. “But only if I get to be the T-Rex.”

“Deal!” Liam shouted, running into the yard.

Taylor stood, brushing off her jeans as she looked at Caleb. “He likes you,” she said, her voice quiet.

Caleb smiled and nodded. “I like him too. He’s a great kid.”

For a moment, they stood in silence, watching Liam play. Caleb wanted to ask. The words were right there on the tip of his tongue. But the weight of them, the fear of what they might set in motion, kept him silent.

Instead, he said, “How’s work been?”

Taylor glanced at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Fine. Busy. I’m juggling a couple of big clients, but it’s good.”

He nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Good. That’s... good.”

She gave him a curious look. “You’re acting weird. What’s on your mind?”

His heart stuttered, and for a moment, he considered telling her everything—his suspicions, his fears, the questions that wouldn’t stop circling his mind. But he stopped himself, forcing a small smile.

“Nothing,” he said lightly. “Just thinking about how I’m gonna win at dinosaurs later. Thinking about when I can take the mommy of the dinosaurs out on a real date and maybe even convince her to return to my hotel room.”

Taylor rolled her eyes, but her smile lingered. “You’re terrible at lying. Though the date and the hotel room sound very satisfying.”

Her laughter was soft, warm, and it eased some of the tension deep inside him.

“Maybe,” he said, his tone teasing. “But I’m great at being a T-Rex.”

“I’ll ask Mom if she would mind watching Liam one night,” she said. “It would be good for us to get away and enjoy one another.”

But as she turned back toward the house, the questions remained, unspoken and unanswered.

Caleb watched Liam, his small figure darting across the yard, his curls bouncing in the sunlight. The feelings in Caleb grew heavier, more insistent.

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