Page 78 of Unexpected
“Can I get you anything?” I asked. “A change of clothes? Some dinner?”
“I’m good. His parents should be here soon, and they’ll want to stay busy.”
I nodded, hesitant to leave, despite her insistence. “Seriously—” I gripped her shoulders “—call me if you need anything. Okay?”
She nodded. “I will. Thanks, Preston.”
I shuffled out of the hospital toward my car. I didn’t know where to go or what to do with myself. I wanted to go home. I wanted to see Alexis and Sophia, but… I clenched my fists. Cal was there. Cal was there with his easy laughter and his stories. Rubbing my face in the fact that he and Alexis had a shared past that included good memories, vacations—a child.
I slumped against the steering wheel. What the hell was I doing? Not just with Alexis, but with my life?
With a resigned sigh, I switched on the sound for my phone and glanced at the screen. Why did I have six missed calls and several unread text messages? Half of them were from Alexis, and the others…Oh shit.
I’d forgotten to pick up Sophia from camp. Alexis had to be pissed. I sped home without stopping to listen to them. And when I tried calling her, it went to voice mail. I needed to talk to her, to apologize. To explain.
When I got back to the house, I threw my car in park, jogging over to the doors that led to the back of the main house. I held up my hand to knock when I saw them. Alexis was standing in the kitchen with her back to me, and Cal’s arms were wrapped around her. He rubbed a hand up and down her back, speaking into her ear.
I stumbled backward, tripping over one of the lounge chairs and nearly falling to the ground in the process. Alexis whipped around to face me, and it was then I realized she’d been crying. She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue, and I frowned, trying to understand what was going on.
Cal placed his hand on her shoulder, glaring at me through the glass doors. And I’d never felt more like an outsider looking in. I tried to remind myself that it was temporary, that my banishment to the pool house was only for a few days. But it was easier to ignore the fact that he was part of their lives—and always would be—when he wasn’t here.
“Alexis,” I said, sliding the door open. “I’m so sorry I forgot to pick up Sophia. Are you okay?”
She scoffed. “Am I okay? Shouldn’t you be asking if Sophia’s okay?”
I tilted my head to the side, concern gnawing at my gut. “What are you talking about? What happened?”
I wasn’t sure how much more I could handle in one day. I needed her to tell me.
“Sophia fell on the playground and broke her wrist.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, aching to gather Alexis in my arms and hold her. But—I glared at Cal—hewas here. Andhehad his hand on her shoulder.
I stilled. “Is she okay?”
“She will be, thank god. But she was distraught. And when they couldn’t reach you, they…”
“They called you,” I said, wondering if we were just going to ignore the fact that no one had attempted to call Cal. Maybe because he wouldn’t know what to do or how to comfort Sophia.
“Yes.” She nodded. “I was in the middle of showing the Miller property, and I’m pretty sure I may have lost the deal because of it.”
I swallowed back a lump of emotion. “I’m so, so sorry, Alexis. I was visiting a friend—”
“You know what—” She sliced the air with her hand. “I really don’t care what you were doing or who you were with.” Her words, her tone, everything about her was hard. And it cut through me. “Sophia needed you, and you let her down.” The words she didn’t say, but I knew she felt were: “You let me down.”
Her words fell with a thud, landing heavily on my heart. And the fight went out of me. It was no use trying to explain. We were both too upset. And I didn’t want to make a bad day worse by telling her about Sam.
“Can I see her?” My voice cracked.
Cal pulled Alexis into his side, speaking for her. “Sophia needs her rest. You can see her tomorrow, at the party.”
And what did Alexis do?Nothing.
I didn’t know why I was even surprised. But the fact that she was going to keep me away from Sophia—it was as if she took the tattered pieces of my heart and ripped them to shreds.
“So, the party’s still on?” I asked, considering her injury.
Alexis straightened. “Of course it is.”
