The Key West Anthology (53 page)

Chapter Nine

Callie

That weekend a very pregnant Avery and myself had joined Quinn at Harper’s place for a day of sun. I had just placed my feet in the pool when Harper hollered out from behind me.

“Your phone is ringing.” She passed it to me over my shoulder.

The display showed it was an unknown caller. I thought about letting it go to voicemail, but at the last second I hit Accept. “Hello?”

“Callie,” a woman said in a soft whisper.

“Yeah, this is Callie.”

“It’s Katelynn.”

The weakness in her voice made my stomach tense. “Is everything okay?” I asked as I began to stand. All three girls looked at me in concern.

“Um, do you have a minute?” she asked.

“Yeah, of course I do.” My heart was racing.

“Jude took the kids to the store, and I wanted to talk to you before they got back.” I found myself nodding as if she could see me. “I went to the doctor a few days ago. The news we were given wasn’t the greatest.”

My eyes instantly filled with tears. “What can I do?” I felt like my heart was being ripped from my chest even though I still had no idea what was truly going on. I knew she had cancer, but I also knew she had been undergoing radiation and things would be okay. Or at least that’s what I thought.

“I was hoping maybe you could come over and have that movie night we talked about. This place could use a little bit of your presence.” Forget trying to hold back the tears; there was no hope for that. “I don’t want sadness. I know that’s a hard thing to ask for, but I want the time I do have left to be filled with goodness. Can you help me give that to my kids?”

“Yes,” I whispered as the tears rolled over my cheeks. “Anything you need.”

“No tears,” she said in response.

“Too late,” I said before I took in a deep breath. “But I promise I’ll get it under control before I get there.”

“Okay, great.” I could hear the smile within her words.

“What time should I be there?” I asked.

“Around six. Will that work?”

“Yes, and tell your brother I’ll be bringing dinner and plenty of junk food, and he can forget about complaining because it won’t stop me.”

She laughed, and I closed my eyes, committing her happiness to memory. It was something I would always want to have.

“Okay, I’ll tell him,” she replied. “We’ll see you tonight.”

The moment the call ended, the tears fell heavy. I may not have known her for long, but the time I spent with her had made a tremendous impact on my life. She was one of those people you couldn’t help but love. She had been through so much and still had so much more to face, yet she pushed through. She was an inspiration.

The girls wrapped their arms around me and allowed me to just cry it out.

***

Familiar tension filled me as I raised my hand to the buzzer, remembering the last time I showed up here with food in hand. This time, I went for pizza and lots of other goodies. Since I had no clue what everyone preferred, I chose four different kinds and hoped for the best. My overnight bag was slung over my shoulder, and my hands shook with nerves. This could go one of two ways—a repeat of the last encounter I had in this very same doorway, or I would be welcomed in without hesitation.

The door came open, and I was greeted by two children jumping up and down in excitement.

“Callie,” Zoey squealed, and Matthew hugged my legs.

“Hi, guys,” I said as I tried to balance the pizza and my bags.

“Let me takes those,” Jude said.

I looked up and he winked, which completely threw me off guard. I had not prepared myself at all for that type of reaction. “Thanks,” I said as he pulled the pizza from my hand and took the bag that held chips and a box of microwavable popcorn.

He lowered the bag and gave it to Matthew. “Take that to the kitchen, buddy,” he said before reaching out and taking the heavier one that held assorted bottles of soda. “You weren’t kidding when you said you were bringing junk food, were ya?”

I shook my head and smiled. “Not at all.”

Jude chuckled before stepping aside and allowing me to enter. Katelynn sat up in the recliner as I came into view and smiled at me knowingly. I had a feeling she had blindsided her brother with these plans, and I was more than positive she had some others stewing in her mind.

I looked to the floor in front of the couch and noticed a heaping pile of blankets and pillows. “What’s all this?”

Zoey took my hand and led me to the blankets. “We’re camping out in the living room,” she said as she sat down in the middle. “Uncle Jude said so.”

“Wow,” I said as I let my eyes wander toward the kitchen. Jude stood at the side of the small table staring back at us. The tense look he always wore was no longer there. In its place was a sadness I was not used to seeing on him.

“Okay, Zoe, let’s eat this pizza before it gets cold,” he said. “Then we’ll choose a movie.”

I watched as she hurried off, and then I turned to face Katelynn. “Did he know I was being invited before you called, or after?”

She smiled back at me. “I told him—” She shrugged, mirroring the innocence both of her children used when they knew they’d done something naughty. “—about thirty minutes ago.”

My mouth fell open in shock, and she laughed. “You’re evil,” I whispered, and she only laughed harder.

“What are you two talking about in here?” Jude asked as he bent down and lifted Katelynn from the recliner. I watched as he carried her to the wheelchair and lowered her carefully.

“I was just explaining how happy we are that Callie decided to accept our invitation to a sleepover.” She looked up at her brother innocently, and an uncontrollable laugh exploded from my lips. I covered my mouth with my hand, but it was too late to hide.

Katelynn looked over at me smiling brightly, and all Jude could do was shake his head. I knew he hadn’t wanted me here at first, but I had a feeling he wasn’t entirely against it now.

Chapter Ten

Jude

The movie had been playing for less than an hour and Katelynn had already dozed off. She was sleeping more often, yet when she was awake, she was truly giving it her all. I tried not to focus too much on the changes, but I did see them daily.

I sat on the couch while Callie lay on the floor with a kid at either of her sides. On occasion I could hear one of them whisper or giggle, and it hit me deep in the chest each time. Seeing just how much they both loved her was something I didn’t really understand at first. Yes, I knew they liked her and had enjoyed her being around, but now I could see their feelings were so much more than that.

Callie’s focus was solely on them as they stared at the television while the Disney movie
Tangled
played. When the characters began to sing and all three of them followed along in hushed voices, I couldn’t take my eyes off them. They were careful not to wake Katelynn, but they couldn’t hide their joy. The animated way they waved their hands outward with each note was beautiful to watch.

They watched movie after movie, and when all three of them had finally fallen asleep, I muted the television but left it on. I wanted the light from the screen to continue to highlight them so I could just sit back and watch them. As I looked over at Katelynn and then back to Callie, it finally hit me. Callie had helped cheer Zoey and Matthew up, just like Katelynn had said. Callie didn’t let them dwell on the impending end. Instead, she gave them the smiles and the strength they needed to find the good in a bad situation.

I don’t know how long I sat in the darkness and watched them, but when I looked up to see the credits rolling over the screen, I knew it was longer than I had thought. I was glad I had already moved Katelynn to her bed and didn’t have to wake any of them. They all looked so peaceful.

I leaned forward and got a little closer to Matthew before I placed a kiss on his forehead, then offered the same to Zoey. Leaning back with every intention of standing up, I was startled by Callie. Her eyes were open, and she was looking up at me.

“Are you comfortable on the floor? Or would you rather sleep on the couch?” I asked.

“I’m good here,” she whispered as she looked to each side, smiling at the kids. “They’re super cozy.”

“Why are you here, Callie?” I asked before I could stop myself. Her smile fell, and she looked away from me immediately. “I don’t mean that badly. Not at all. Please don’t take it that way.”

She looked back up at me, and I lowered myself to the floor so we could talk without worrying about waking the kids up.

“I just mean that none of this is your responsibility. You don’t owe us anything,” I tried to explain. “You’re young, beautiful, and have nothing tying you down. Why would you willingly choose to spend your time here with us?”

I watched her throat bob as she swallowed hard. Her eyes filled with tears, and fuck me if it didn’t have the same effect on me as when Zoey did it.

“I’m here because there is nowhere else I would rather be. You’ve always pushed away any chance of me getting to know you, and I understand that. I do. But the day I walked in here and met the three of them, God, Jude.” She took in a shuddering breath, and I felt my own eyes burn. “I fell in love with each one of them. They’re amazing, and now I can’t imagine ever walking away from them. I’ll take what I can get. And if that is a sleepover you were blindsided with thirty minutes before I showed up, then I’ll take it. Because to me it means I get a little time with them. And that makes up for all the vibes I get from you that I’m not welcome.”

I lowered my lips to hers, and she stilled against me. But I didn’t let her resistance and surprise stop me. There was nothing sexual about the kiss I gave her. When I felt her return it, I too relaxed. I pulled back and rested my forehead against hers. “You are always welcome here, and I’m so sorry I ever made you feel otherwise.”

Silence set in as we both took a moment to just breathe. The peaceful aura that surrounded us was something I hadn’t allowed myself to feel in a very long time.

“Do you mind if I join the three of you?” I asked as I pulled back just enough to see her face. “My bedroom will feel extremely lonely when the four people I care most about are all asleep out here.”

She looked at me in surprise as she nodded. I couldn’t blame her for that reaction; I was surprising myself.

I pulled the extra blanket from the couch, curled up next to Matthew, and wrapped my arm around his waist. My fingers skimmed over Callie’s hand, and I immediately stilled, unable to pull back. I wanted to feel her and know she was there as I closed my eyes and began to fade away.

***

I woke up around 5:00 a.m. to Katelynn groaning in her sleep. Careful not to disturb anyone, I stood up and walked over to her bed. “Kate, are you okay?”

Her eyes opened, and she looked up at me. “Just a headache.”

“Let me get you something.”

I hurried off toward the kitchen, where I grabbed the Tylenol from the cabinet above the refrigerator. It was the place we kept all her medication so the kids couldn’t reach it. Once I had the pills and a glass of water, I quietly walked back to her bedside. After she took the meds, her eyes fluttered shut and she was out once more.

The kids and Callie hadn’t moved an inch. They were snuggly cuddled together beneath every single spare blanket we had in the place. All you could see of Zoey was her dark curls peeking out from under the blankets. Matthew was completely hidden except for one foot that stuck out from the bottom, and Callie had her hand tucked under her cheek and was turned toward Matthew.

Since I was already up, there was really no reason for me to go back to bed. I knew the kids would be awake in a couple hours because they were early risers. Instead, I decided it was the perfect time to take a quick shower and get something ready for breakfast.

When the hot water sprayed over my body, I let my head fall back and took another step closer as it sprayed over my face. My mind kept going back to the fact that I kissed Callie. I took that step, not her. Yes, I knew Callie had feelings for me, but I’d hidden mine for her. Working side by side at Jett’s restaurant and having the same group of friends meant it was hard to avoid being near her. I may have put on a good show when it came to keeping my distance and hiding my desire for her, but it was only getting harder.

Callie was now intertwined in my life, and the longer she was around, the more I let myself imagine her being there forever.

Chapter Eleven

Callie

A smack to the side of my face startled me awake. I lifted my hand to shield myself from any further attack and peeked through my fingers. Matthew’s hand was just inches from my face. Scanning down his arm, I saw that it disappeared beneath the covers. I rolled back just enough to peer over my shoulder and found that Zoey was still asleep as well.

I began wiggling upward as I carefully removed myself from the tiny-people sandwich. They had both remained so close to me all night, I was surprised I had room to breathe. After finding the spot where Jude had fallen asleep empty, I looked around for him, but he was nowhere in sight. As I tiptoed down the hallway toward the bathroom, I noticed his bedroom door was closed. I guess the floor wasn’t as comfy as he had hoped.

Inside the bathroom, I quickly took care of my business and tried my best to get some type of control of my hair. It was a mess. After I did my best to wad it up in a bun, I grabbed the mouthwash on the back of the sink and decided I was in need of a quick slosh. Then, taking one last look in the mirror, I rolled my eyes and reached for the door handle. I was letting one simple kiss from Jude make me a nervous wreck. I flipped the light switch off and stepped from the bathroom only to come to a complete stop.

Jude was coming from his room, wearing nothing but a pair of sweats that hung very low on his waist. I tried not to stare, or drool for that matter, but not showing my excitement was torture.

“Good morning,” he said, his voice still husky from sleep. He grinned at me, and I shifted my gaze from him to focus on a picture on the wall just over his left shoulder. When he took a step toward me, my heart began to race. Yet the moment he touched the side of my face, I wanted to launch myself at him.

“Did you sleep okay?” he asked, and I nodded. “Callie,” he whispered. I looked up at him, and that crazy tightness in my stomach returned. “Why are you doing your best not to look at me?”

“I don’t know,” I said, and he touched my chin with his thumb before rubbing it along my lower lip.

“I think you know.” He wouldn’t allow me to look away from him as he waited for me to respond.

“You just make me nervous,” I confessed, only to feel foolish for even speaking those words.

Jude gripped my hip and turned me so my back was facing the wall just outside the bathroom. Taking a step toward me, he pressed me against the wall and caged me in. “I don’t want to make you nervous,” he said as he leaned in closer before skimming my lips with his. “I just want to make your heart race the way you do mine.”

Oh my God, was he serious right now? My damn heart was racing so fast I was fearful I would pass out at any moment.

“I always knew you were amazing, Callie. I was just too stubborn and pigheaded to let you in.” He placed a gentle kiss at the corner of my mouth. “I’m ready to let you in, sweetheart, if you still have room in your heart for me.”

I was floored. I had never once expected any of this from Jude. He wasn’t that kind of guy, or at least I didn’t think he was until now.

His mouth hovered over mine as he stared into my eyes. Without speaking a word, I rose up on the tips of my toes and brought my mouth to his. This only caused him to press tighter against me and take command. What started as a simple kiss to let him know I wanted him too, turned quickly into something more. I moaned, and he grinned against my mouth just before he swiped his tongue across my lower lip, and my knees grew weak. The sweats he was wearing couldn’t shield his excitement. His hardness pressed against my stomach told me he wanted me too.

“Damn,” he groaned as he thrust his hips and rocked against me.

“Eww.”

Zoey’s voice made us jump apart like we were on fire. Jude of course immediately spun around to hide his erection, and I giggled at the sight.

“Yeah, real funny.” Jude narrowed his eyes at me.

“I thought you didn’t like Callie?” Zoey asked.

I suddenly felt stupid as I remembered how harsh Jude was to me in the beginning and looked away from him. But before I could let myself think about it, Jude’s hand was around my waist and tucking me against his side.

“I never disliked Callie, sweetheart,” he said before he kissed my forehead. “In fact, I always did like her.” He paused, and I looked up at him. “A lot,” he added and placed his lips against mine briefly. He then looked back down at Zoey, and I followed his stare. “What would you think about Callie and me dating? It means you and Matthew would have to share her with me.”

I had never felt this happy and surprised at once. I’d had feelings for Jude for years, but he would never allow me in—or anyone else, for that matter. But here we stood in his hallway as he basically announced that he was ready to change everything. And I couldn’t have been happier.

“I think we can share her,” Zoey said with a very serious expression. “But you can’t be a hog, Uncle Jude. You don’t share very well.”

I giggled, and Jude pulled me tighter against him. “I’ll share, promise. But when it’s my time with Callie, we need to set boundaries.”

“What kind of boundaries?” she asked, arching an eyebrow.

Oh my God, they were so damn cute it was sickening. Zoey was such a little diva, and Jude treated her like she was grown-up, yet still a child.

“It means that I allow her time with you and Matt. No interruptions, no interference. You guys have her fully.” Zoey nodded, accepting that part. “Then when I get my time, I expect the same. No complaining that it isn’t fair or ‘Uncle Jude, I need this and that.’”

I turned in his arms and looked up at him. “What?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “If they need something, it shouldn’t be placed on hold.”

“Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea how brainwashed they have you.” He shook his head and grinned. “These two look like angels on the outside. They seem so innocent and pure. But let me just tell you, they know how to play a good game. You’ll learn.”

I narrowed my eyes at Jude before looking back and forth between him and Zoey.

“I have no idea what he’s talking about,” Zoey said with pure innocence.

Jude pointed toward her. “See what I mean?” Zoey smiled brightly and I shrugged. “Oh, baby, I have a lot to teach you about the tricks of these two.”

When the endearment fell from his lips, my stomach tightened in excitement.

He reached out toward Zoey. “Do we have a deal?” He waited for her to shake on it, and I was a little amazed they were still bidding on time with me. The entire situation was crazy but so damn adorable.

“Fine,” she said as she placed her tiny hand in his. “But like I said before, don’t be a hog.”

She pushed past us and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

“What just happened?” I asked.

“Well, sweetheart, I just claimed you as mine with only one stipulation.” He spun me around again and began backing me against the wall.

“Oh yeah,” I whispered breathlessly. “And what would that be?”

“I have to share you with my family, but in no way am I willing to share you with anyone else.” Chills covered my arms and neck. “You okay with that?” I nodded, because I would be insane to do anything other than agree. “Good, because I’ve been an idiot for too damn long.”

His mouth covered mine, and once again we became lost in a kiss.

“So gross,” Zoey whined in disgust. “Does this mean there will be a lot of kissing involved now?”

I buried my head against Jude’s chest and laughed as quietly as possible. My body shook from the effort, and so did his as he tried to hide his own laughter.

“Lots of kissing, Z, so you better get used to it,” Jude taunted as he reached out and tickled her stomach.

“Blah.” She stuck her tongue out at him and faked a shiver. “Nope, I’ll just send you two to your bedroom, because I don’t wanna see it,” she hollered over her shoulder as she walked back toward the living room.

“I’ll have to remember that. If I need you alone, I’ll just kiss you. Then we’ll be sent for a time-out in my room, and that door locks.” He wagged his eyebrows as he stepped back and took my hand before leading me toward the kitchen.