Torn (9 page)

“I’m going to still go. I will act like nothing ever happened. I know that sounds really naïve, but I want to
see if he tells me. I want to give him the chance to come clean. And if he doesn’t, this New York trip will
also give us some space.” I yawned. “You know what hurts the most, Caleb? The waitress at the bar said
he had two girls after him this evening. If it’s two tonight, how many more are there?” I asked warily.

I scooted up to lay down on one of the fluffy pillows. They were so incredibly comfortable!

 

Caleb scooted closer to me. He pushed the strands of hair away from my face and kissed my head.

 

I was typically a wine and fruity cocktail drink kind of girl on occasion I enjoyed a beer, but the hard
liquor always hit me hard and fast.

“Ryleigh, baby, do you need me to wake you up at a certain time?” He said softly as he still stroked my
hair; it felt marvelous. Even in the middle of the night his cologne smelled so good. Maybe it had been
absorbed into the sheets.

“Huh?” I startled. “Oh. Uh. I have to meet my friend, Courtney at 10:30. So I probably should be up at
9:30?” I rolled over and felt his fingers gently stroking down my back. He cuddled up to me. I loved the
way this felt; I never wanted to leave this bed.

“Okay, baby. You get some rest; you’ve had a really long night.” He rolled over and set the alarm on the
night stand behind him, but quickly returned to me. He kissed my hair and whispered something into my
ear, but I couldn’t comprehend what he had said.

Chapter Nine

I was startled by the sound of an alarm going off. What scared me the most was that was not the sound
of my alarm. Shit! I forgot that I spent the night in Caleb’s room! I rolled over to find him staring at me,
with a small smile on his face. My head felt like tiny hammers were hitting me everywhere.

“Good morning, beautiful.” He whispered.

 

“Hi.” I whispered back. “I’m so sorry that I came over so late last night. But thank you for listening to me
vent and letting me crash.”

“Ryleigh, seriously, don’t apologize. I was glad that I was able to get my ass out of bed to get to the door
before you left.” He sat up in the bed. “Last night you needed someone, I’m really glad that you came to
me.” He leaned over and kissed my forehead. “Let’s not let it ruin our morning. Go grab a shower, enjoy
the shower head settings, they really are amazing.Do you want me to order you anything from room
service?” He asked as he grabbed the menu from the nightstand.

I felt very spoiled around Caleb.

“Thanks so much. I could really use some coffee, but I’m not really hungry. I am supposed to be eating
with Courtney at the spa anyway.” I said slowly sitting up. “Do you have any Advil? I asked grabbing my
head.

“Well I am going to get me something to eat, so I will get you some coffee. The coffee here is amazing,
so you have to at least try it.” He picked up the phone and began to order. “I have some Advil in the
bathroom.”

I went into the bathroom and shut the door behind me. I slowly began to undress and turned on the
shower. I grabbed the bottle of Advil on the counter and poured a couple and took a swig of the water
under the sink.

When I got into the shower, I couldn’t believe how right he was; the shower head settings were each
like a thousand water fingers massaging each part of my body. I almost I could skip meeting Courtney
and just staying in this shower all day. I laughed as I stood there enjoying the warmth of the water.

I got out and dried myself off; the towels were almost as fluffy as the pillows. I saw his mouthwash on
the counter and took a couple swigs to kill the morning breath I knew that I was sporting.

I picked up my clothes off the floor and slipped them back on. I hated having to put on the clothes that I
spent the evening in, but I usually stripped down anyway for a massage. I wrapped my hair in the towel
and walked out into the room to find a cup of coffee waiting for me on the table.
Caleb had moved out onto the balcony to enjoy his breakfast outside. He looked delicious enough to be
eaten up in the robe, reading the newspaper and eating his breakfast. I stood there and imagined us on
our back porch, enjoying sunsets, breakfasts and dinners. Just the two of us. The heat from the coffee
burned my tongue and I snapped back to reality.

“Hey, I am out here if you wanna come join me. How was the shower?” He was peeked his head inside
to grab my attention.

“Oh my god, the shower was awesome! I was even thinking I could cancel my massage and just stay in
the shower the rest of the day.” I was laughing trying to take another sip of the coffee. “Is there any
cream out here? The coffee is really good, but hot and I am a little bit of wimp and can’t take it straight
black.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry. Here, tell me when.” He began to pour some creamer into my cup.

 

“When. Thanks.” I leaned in and gave him a kiss. Not sure if that is what either of us was expecting, but
he reciprocated the sentiment.

 

“I’m gonna have to get you in that shower more often, especially when I get kisses for just adding cream
to your coffee.” He joked as he sat back down to his breakfast.

 

“Hmmm. That might actually be a lot of fun! We’ll have to try that soon.” I didn’t feel so bad for flirting
with him, especially after what happened last night.

“I never in a million years thought that we would be agreeing to shower sex! Now that we have, I am
going to have to pull you back into that shower with me as soon as I finished here!” He said with his
killer grin.

“As much as that sounds like it would be the best time ever, I have to get going.” I frowned at that
thought. “I need to go and meet Courtney.” I said quietly.

 

“Do you want to come here afterwards?” He asked with a hopeful tone.

 

“Caleb… I think I should go home. Believe me; I don’t want to be there. I need to get this straightened
out. I need to know what the hell happened.” I hung my head down, looking at my cup of coffee.

 

Caleb got up from his chair and squatted in front of me.

“I just want to make sure YOU are okay; you are myconcern, not this piece of shit. I know that he is your
husband; I shouldn’t be talking about him that way. Fuck, Ryleigh, he should love you each day. Not just
loving you, but showing you he loves JUST you every day. It shouldn’t be a chore to come home to you in
the evening to be a loving husband, but it should be a privilege.” He paused for a moment grabbing my
hand and stroking my fingers. “If I had my way, I’dcome home and adore everything about you! Make
sure that you knew that you were the only one for me.” He pulled my hand up to his soft lips and kissed
it. “Fuck! You’re the only one for me Ryleigh!” He cupped my face and pulled me into a deep kiss. I
began to tear up.
Nobody in my entire life had ever said something so sweet to me. Even when Liam and I were getting
our vows ready for our wedding, I snuck a quick peek at them, he had just promised to love me forever.
He meant well, but what Caleb said after a moment of talking, was the same thing that Liam had months
and months of prep time for.

“Caleb, you make me feel like I’m the last woman on the planet when you say things like that!” I said
smiling and wiping my eyes.

“You are the last woman to me. I have loved you since the sixth grade! Every girl or even woman that I
ever dated would only hear me compare them to you or listen to me talk about how you were the best,
which is why nothing would ever last. I wasn’t trying to be a dick, but I obviously didn’t know what I was
looking for. It wasn’t until someone said that I was in love with you and they stood no chance.” He stood
up and pulled me up with him, pulling him into his arms for a soft embrace.

I stood there in his arms as we held each other. I always had to somewhere to be when I was with him
and I really wanted to have him hold me forever.

 

“I really want to spend the rest of the day just holding you just like this.” He said quietly while kissing the
top of my head.

“I was thinking the same thing.” I laughed. “And I also was thinking, how every time that I get a great
moment with you, I have to leave.” I looked inside to the clock on the nightstand. “I really should head
out.” I squeezed him a little harder. “Caleb, can we plan sometime soon where we can just do that?” I
asked pushing my head into his chest.

“You don’t have to ask. Ever. You just tell me when and we will make it happen. But for now, go relax
and have an amazing day with your girlfriend. I would say go make yourself beautiful, but you already
are.” He led me back into the room and towards the door.

I smiled like an idiot. I looked like a bum and yet he made me feel like a contestant in the Miss America
pageant.

 

“Tonight I’m supposed to see Liam.” I said unsure. “I will text you later, okay? Then we will see each
other on Monday night, I’ll just come straight here from work, if that is okay with you.”

 

“Sounds great. We will have a great night together.” He leaned in and gave me a kiss and I headed
towards the elevators.

I was ready for it to be Monday already, but I hadto prepare myself for what lied ahead with Liam. What
the hell was I going to say to him? The whole situation made me feel numb. He never once gave me any
reason to believe that he was cheating. Was now the time to confess to him what I have been doing?
Would it make it right? Would it make it easier? I really needed think about this. I needed to talk to
Court about it but I wasn’t sure how I would even bring it up.
I headed to the garage to get my car and drive the few blocks to the spa. I didn’t want to begin the
conversation by explaining why my car was at the Four Seasons.

When I arrived at the spa, I parked in the back lot and walked towards the entrance. I saw Courtney and
her pregnancy glow sitting in the lobby, pregnancy definitely agreed with her.

 

“Hey! You okay?” Court asked looking me up and down before pulling me into a hug.

 

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” I asked confused.

“Well because you look like hell rolled over on you. Twice. Did you get any sleep?” Courtney always had
herself done up before she left the house. Even incollege, we would hit a Frat party and have about an
hour of sleep and she still wouldn’t attend morning class without putting any makeup on.

“Wow! It is so nice to see you too” I said pinching her arm with a smile. “You definitely know how to tell
someone that they look like shit.”

 

“Well, do you want me to lie to you? ‘Hi, Ry, you look absolutely gorgeous!’ Is that Better?” She pinched
me back.

 

“Well.” I paused. “No, actually I’m glad you’re so blunt.” I laughed as were told to follow the attendant.

 

“Man, I am starving! I had some toast, fruit, juice and half of Jason’s bagel before I left and am still
starving!” Court said grabbing her stomach.

 

“Seriously? Geez, woman you sure there is only one in there?” I asked in shock.

 

“Shut up! Yes there is only one! I am just happy that I was able to keep it all down. Now let’s have some
real food!” She said excitedly.

We followed the attendant to our table in the back and sat down while we waited for our server to
come over. I hungrily glanced over the menu; I wanted to eat everything on the menu. I decided just on
some blueberry waffles and some bacon. My stomach was in knots. I was hiding this mess from
Courtney, my best friend; I had never hid anything from her. I felt like she could see right through me.

“Okay, what’s up?” She asked handing our menus to the server. “You look like shit, you are sitting their
extremely quiet and you are biting your nails.

I really didn’t realize that I was biting my nails until she pointed it out. Courtney always knew something
was on my mind when I reverted to gnawing at my fingers, I would begin to do so around finals week
every semester.

“Nothing.” I sighed.

“You’re really going to lie to me after how many years we have known each other?” She took a large
gulp of her orange juice. “Ryleigh, I’ve known you forever and I always know when something is
bothering you or when you are hiding something. Spill!” Courtney demanded.
“Ugh. I don’t even know where to begin, though!” I started. “This whole thing is so fucked up and I don’t
want any judgment from you. Or even to upset you in any sort of way. Can I have your word that no
matter what, your pregnancy emotions can be contained and you keep your mouth shut?” I said harshly,
but I knew that if I were going to even talk to her about it, I was going to have her guarantee her word
on this.

“Pinkie swear.” She held out her pinkie in a hook shape to latch onto mine.
“Alright, I hope you are ready for this one.” I took a drink of my Diet Coke and took a deep breath in.
Chapter Ten

I started out telling her about Caleb from the beginning. I went into how he left me with a broken heart.
She remembered how I was down the first couple weeks of our freshman year of school. I told her that I
was truly in love with him. Then how I put him in the back of my mind once I truly started having fun and
after meeting Liam that I was perfectly content with my life without him. Or so I believed.

“So when I saw him at the restaurant, during Jason’s birthday dinner, I really felt all of those old feelings
rush back. I couldn’t concentrate the rest of the night.” I sighed.

 

“I remember, you were really quiet, but I thought that it was just from work or maybe something
happened between you and Liam.” She inhaled anotherbite of her pancakes.

“No, we were fine that night. I just was caught completely off guard by seeing him. Anyway, we ended
meeting for lunch the next day. We got to talking about everything and then…” I paused so I could take a
bite and then brace myself for the next sentence. “Courtney, he ended up kissing me right there in
restaurant! Before you say anything, yes I kissed back.” I stopped to observe her, her jaw almost hit the
table. “Yes, you can sit there with your mouth wideopen but remember no judging! You promised!” I
wiggled my pinkie at her.