Page 18 of Finding Home

I smirk. I’m not sure if Mom purposefully used the word “stuck” to let Caleb knowsheknows he stopped himself from using that exact word a moment ago in relation to himself; but if so, I’m deeply impressed by her subtle sassiness.

Without daring to look in Caleb’s direction, I grab all the plates off the table, while Mom grabs the serving platters, and with items in hand, we both quickly scamper into the kitchen.

The minute we’re out of earshot of the men, Mom whispers, “Stop flirting with him, Aubrey.”

“What?” I gasp out.

“You heard me. It won’t end well for us, if you keep doing that. So, don’t.”

“I’m . . . Mom, I haven’t been flirting. If anyone’s been doing that, it’shim.”

Mom looks unconvinced. “You might think it’ll help our cause for you to cozy up to him. But when he inevitably loses interest, then what? We’ll be screwed.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not even remotely attracted to him. And even if I were, which I’m not, I wouldn’t act on it. Give me some credit.”

After one last, lingering look of warning, Mom starts loading up the dishwasher with an assist from me. Once that job is done, I grab the brownies from earlier today and head out to the table with them, while Mom stays behind to wash some pots and pans. But when I get back out to the dining area, Caleb and Dad are no longer sitting there. I walk into the living room and discover Dad is nowhere to be found, while Caleb is lying on the floor nextto Raine, helping her color another page from her coloring book.

“Oh, dat good!” Raine squeaks out, leaning her cheek against Caleb’s massive bicep. And just like that, my left ovary feels like it’s rupturing.

“That’s because I have the best teacher in the world,” Caleb replies happily.

“Who?” Raine asks innocently.

“You,” Caleb replies with a chuckle.

“Me?”

“Who else?”

They both giggle uproariously, and, suddenly, I’m hit with two competing sensations: one, my right ovary joining my left in total obliteration; and, two, the sensation of foreboding descending upon me. Suddenly, I know my parents were right earlier in the kitchen: I need to get on Caleb’s good side, rather than trying to fight him, or I’m likely to get screwed.

Feeling overwhelmed, I put the brownies down on the table with a loudthunk, prompting Caleb to look up at me. When his green eyes meet mine, and I can plainly see the look of pure joy on his face, the foreboding I was feeling a moment softens a tiny bit. Obviously, this man screwed up by not wanting to know Raine till now. Obviously, this man has missed out on getting to know the best person in the history of the world. But he’s here now. And it’s in our baby girl’s best interests to have him here, assuming he’s genuinely going to commit to becoming her father. Time will tell. But in the meantime, my only path forward is to help Caleb succeed. Not for his sake, but for Raine’s. And, ultimately, for my own, too.

Mom comes out of the kitchen and gasps when she beholds the happy scene on the floor of the livingroom. She silently watches Caleb and Raine for several minutes, while exchanging looks with me. But, finally, Mom says, “Rainey, honey. It’s bathtime. Say goodnight to Caleb and thank him for coloring with you.”

Raine loves bathtime, thanks to the colored, foamy soap Mom bought for her to paint with on the tile walls, so it’s a brilliant maneuver. In lightning speed, Raine ditches Caleb like a hot potato, hops up from the floor, and takes my mother’s offered hand.

“Thank Caleb for coloring with you,” Mom says as they depart.

“Tank you, Coobie,” Raine calls to Caleb, batting her eyelashes.

“No, thankyoufor teaching me,” Caleb says, and I let out a sigh of relief that’s his reply. Mom’s call to action to Raineassumedour girl would be bathing andsleepinghere tonight, at our house, as usual, rather than going to Caleb’s lake cabin with him for the night. So, it’s a huge relief he didn’t correct that assumption and ask us to pack an overnight bag for Raine.

When Mom and Raine are gone, I sit on the couch with my heart pounding in my ears.

“She’s incredible,” Caleb says, taking the arm chair across from me.

Yes,I want to say.A fact you would have known already, if you’d bothered to meet her, even once, over the past two years.

I take a deep breath. “She’s really warming up to you.”

“You think?” Looking pleased, Caleb leans back and spreads his muscular thighs. “So, let’s talk some more about that nanny job.”

Crap. I can’t let him dictate the narrative here. I need him to understandwe’reholding the power here, not him. Becausewe’rethe ones who already know and love Raine.

“Here’s what I think we should do,” I say, trying to sound casual and unbothered. “You don’t really need a nanny while you’re here in Prairie Springs, because Raine will be staying with us, and you’ll be visiting her every day, either here or at your cabin. Why don’t we wait to find out the result of the custody hearing before we?—"

He leans forward. “No, I need you and Raine to stay with me at my cabin, actually. The whole time I’m here in Prairie Springs.”

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