Page 60 of All in December
“Yep, and I’ll be right there if you need to get your legs under you first. You can hold my hand while we get started.”
She smiles and seems satisfied enough with my answer to go back to talking with the boys. After we’re all fitted for our skates and paid up, Caleb helps Sam put on his skates, and I help Benji and Emma. When it’s our turn, we sit beside each other on the bench, and I can feel the cold from the metal bench seeping through my clothes. Not sure who thought of making outdoor benches metal, but it’s uncomfortable. Caleb’s thigh presses against mine, though, as he bends forward to tie his laces, and it gives me a subtle kind of warmth.
“Think we’ll survive this?” he asks under his breath as he ties his second lace.
“We got all three here in one piece. That’s already a win.”
We both laugh, standing up, ready to head toward the ice. Emma pulls on my hand toward the entrance. Sam and Benji are walking in front of us, unaware of the other people around us, so I place my hand on Benji’s shoulder to steer him clear of an incoming group that he pays no attention to.
Once we’re on the ice, Emma keeps her hand in mine, but she also reaches for Caleb’s hand. “Can we all skate together?” she asks, and my heart melts despite the cold we’re surrounded by.
“Of course we can,” Caleb responds.
I smile at him, loving how incredible he is with my daughter.
Emma sticks close to us for a few laps until her confidence builds, and then she’s off, skating ahead, trying to keepup with the boys like she always does. Her laugh echoes off the ice, and the snow lightly falling around us makes everything feel like we’re on a movie set.
Now that my hand is free, I glance at Caleb. I want to reach for him, but we haven’t spoken to the kids yet.
Caleb bumps his shoulder gently into mine. “This is nice, huh?”
“Couldn’t be more perfect. Especially with the snow.” I pause, then add under my breath, “Unless I was able to hold your hand.”
He glances sideways at me with a half smile before steadying himself. “Uh, should we… talk to them soon? No pressure if you’re not there yet, but I think I am.”
I nod, watching as Benji loops past us, skating backwards. “I’d love to have that conversation. Besides, they’re smart, so I think they kind of sense it. Emma asked me the other day if we were friends who like each other,” I admit with a laugh.
Caleb winces. “Okay. So… maybe it’s time?”
“Tonight? Tomorrow?” I ask. It sounds soon, and I don’t want to push if it feels like too much, but I also really want them to know. I want to be able to hold his hand and kiss him, and show everyone how much I adore the man by my side.
He watches Sam try to spin and nearly wipe out before nodding slowly. “Yeah. What if I talk to Sam tonight when we get home? He already wants to sleep over at your house tonight. Maybe we both could?”
I love that we’re making this plan together. Caleb’s used to carrying everything himself and making every decision on his own. And now, he’s asking me, letting me shoulder a piece of it.
“I think that’s a great plan, baby,” I say softly, eyesfollowing the kids as they skate past, cheeks flushed from the cold. “And I think it’ll feel better once we tell them.”
“Me too.”
I glance over, knowing how big of a deal this is for him. “Is there anything you’re worried about with Sam?”
Caleb sighs and bites his lip. “It’s not one specific thing. He’s a good kid, he likes you, and he loves being with Benji and Emma. I don’t think he’ll be upset, but…” He pauses, and my stomach sinks just a little at his hesitation. “It’s just been the two of us since his mom left.”
I nod, listening and understanding where he’s coming from.
“And now this is… different,” he says. “You’re different. What we have feels different, and it might be crazy to say this, but it feels lasting. I want him to know what we have, and I want to grow our life together. But I also don’t want him to feel like anything’s changing in a way that might leave him out.”
“He won’t,” I promise him gently. “You’ve built a world where he knows he comes first. That won’t go away, and I think this is going to make his world bigger—not smaller—because it feels real to me too. I want it all with you, Cay, or I wouldn’t be suggesting we have this conversation with the kids.”
Caleb’s lips twitch like he’s trying not to smile, but it wins anyway. “You’re really good at saying exactly what I need to hear, you know that?”
“Guess I’m just a softie for a guy with a cute kid who turned out to be best friends with mine.” I grin, nudging him.
“Thank you,” he says, looking up at me through his lashes as snowflakes fall on his beautiful face. I want to kiss him so badly.
“Can we get hot cocoa now?” Benji skates up to me, tugging on my coat.
“Please, Dad,” Emma adds dramatically, and I laugh because it’s always something.
