Home sweet home. Callie couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so happy to be home. While it didn’t come close to her father’s mansion in size or beauty, it fit her to a T. Surrounded by her own things, the tension in her neck and shoulders slipped away and the mild headache she’d had since leaving for Newport Friday morning disappeared.
“Man, am I glad to see you,” she said to Lucky who immediately greeted her. While she’d been away, Lauren had come by to feed and walk him.
Leaving the unpacking for later, Callie made herself a cup of tea and called Lauren. She needed someone to talk to, process things with. She’d learned so much since Helen’s confession. It felt like she had all these pieces to a jigsaw puzzle, and now she needed to put them together.
“You’re back,” Lauren said after answering the phone.
“Just walked in. Can you come over for a little while?”
“Be right over, chickie.”
Callie hung up the phone to wait. Man, did it feel as if her life had been turned upside down and inside out. Everything she thought she knew to be true was wrong. She’d never known a single lie could conceal something so earth-shattering.
True to her word, Lauren knocked on Callie’s door twenty minutes later. “Thought we might need some comfort food,” she said, holding up a bag from Callie’s favorite Chinese restaurant.
Callie smiled and gave her friend a quick hug. “You’re the best, you know that? Don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Lauren laughed. “You’d probably be a recluse living with thirty dogs and everyone would just refer to you as the crazy dog lady.” Lauren put the bag of food on the table, her smile fading. “So how did it go? Was it hard?”
“I wouldn’t say hard. More like...awkward. Strange.” Callie tried to think of the best adjective to describe meeting Warren Sherbrooke. She couldn’t come up with a perfect one. “He seemed very nice. Not at all what I expected.”
Across the table, Lauren remained silent as she pulled containers of food from the bag.
“I think he truly loved her. When talking about my mom, he seemed genuine. I guess he could have been faking it, but I don’t think so. And why would he? It’s not like it matters now.”
“So how did it happen? Were they dating? Did he say?”
“He said they were friends for a long time before they started dating, and they even talked about getting married once he finished his MBA at Harvard.”
Lauren’s eyes got wide. “Seriously! Man, your life would’ve been so different if they had!”
“Tell me about it. You know how much I always wanted a dad like you had. But I don’t think it would’ve worked out for them. Can you picture my mom married to Warren Sherbrooke?”
“Honestly, no. But if they were really in love, they might have made it work somehow.” Lauren dug into her container of sweet and sour shrimp. “Do you think your mom loved him?”
Digging into her own container of chicken lo mein, she nodded. “I don’t think she ever stopped. You know she never dated. Whenever she did talk about my father, she always got really sad.”
For a few minutes, they ate in silence. “How did you leave things? Are you going to see him again?”
“He said he wants me to be part of his family. That he wants to get to know me. I promised to keep in touch.” She twirled the noodles around with her fork.
“But?”
Callie shrugged. “I’m not sure I want to. Can you picture me fitting into his world? You remember what it was like in high school.” She couldn’t help but grimace at the memories. “And we’ve both seen pictures of how his daughter and son live.”
“That was a long time ago, girlfriend. If you think he’s sincere, and it sounds like he is, I think you should give him a chance. Get to know him better. Then, make your final decision.”
Callie knew Lauren was right. “We’ll see. I don’t think his wife likes the idea. She was polite, but there was something about her.”
Lauren put down her container of food and reached for a dumpling. “Were his children there?”
“Just my half-sister, Sara, who definitely does not want me around.” Callie didn’t mention Dylan, although she didn’t know why. Never in her life had she been so attracted to a man in the same way. Without intending to, her thoughts drifted to their day together. It’d been the first date-like situation she’d been in for a while, even if it hadn’t been a true date. But that wasn’t why it’d been so delightful.
Dylan had been easy to be around. He’d been funny and charming. She’d actually forgotten who he was and why they were together. Instead, it had felt as if she was just spending time with a good friend, an exceedingly handsome friend, who did crazy things to her insides.
Lord was he gorgeous. She couldn’t help but picture him that day on the beach. Don’t go there.
The picture stayed despite her orders. Disgusted by her lack of control, Callie pushed the partially full container of food away. Sitting and envisioning Dylan on the beach wasn’t helping her to sort out her feelings regarding Warren and his family. Rather, it only complicated the situation.
As if I need this to be any more complicated.
“Feel like going for a walk, Lauren?” Maybe some fresh air would help clear her head. If nothing else, it would help burn off all the extra calories she’d just consumed.