Page 55

TOM

T he ride home from the airport sucked almost as badly as the silence that met me when I opened the condo door. It didn’t help that Crew threw a batshit crazy fit for Callie at the airport, and she had to drag him away from me. She tried to put a strong face on it, but it fucking killed her.

Callie: I feel like I’m literally ripping him away from you. It feels so fucking wrong.

I couldn’t respond to her, left her on fucking read, and then took off for a run.

This was one of my last days off before we started traveling, and chaos ensued.

I sent the two most important people in my life thousands of miles away from me.

And yup, my mother had left too, not that I would have been very good company for her anyway.

By the time I’d finished my run and had some endorphin rush to improve my mood, I’d missed the window to message Callie. They were somewhere over the middle of the country and at least two hours away from landing.

I regretted leaving her on read; it was more than selfish, but I couldn’t hear how affected Crew was when he left me. It was another devastating reminder that our situation was fucked up, and short of me changing careers, there was no end in sight.

Alex: Come by for dinner.

Me: Nah, I’m gonna hang here.

Alex: It wasn’t a question. Mariana says see you at 6:00.

Yep. Project ‘take care of Tom’ had started.

Leave it to Alex and Mariana to know when I shouldn’t be left alone.

Did it hurt to be surrounded by a normal, loving family?

Yeah, it did. But it was a reminder of what I needed to work towards.

Get my ass in gear and make sure when my agent shops me to Boston next year, they won’t be able to refuse me.

Me: Cal, I’m sorry. I needed a run and some time to decompress. Can you call me when you land?

I dropped my phone on my bed and headed into the bathroom to take a shower.

My mom had changed and laundered the sheets, even though I had told her the cleaning crew would come tomorrow.

Old habits died hard with her; she’d never be comfortable living a life where someone else took care of tasks she thought she was perfectly capable of handling herself.

Halfway to the shower, I heard my phone ding.

Callie: I splurged for the WiFi. Are you okay?

I ran my hands through my hair, squeezed my eyes shut, and smiled when the selfie photo of Crew curled up and out cold on Callie’s lap came through.

Me: Better seeing that. Thank you.

Callie: What are your plans tonight?

Me: I’m going to Alex and Mariana’s for dinner.

Callie: Good. Ooh, guess what I saw earlier?

Me: Umm, what?

Callie: Okay, well, I never thought anyone would actually try it, but a couple joined the Mile High Club.

I laughed, thinking about our own experience in a public bathroom. Though we’d at least had a private room.

Me: I’m picky about my public restrooms. I do whatever I can to avoid airplane bathrooms.

Callie: Truth.

Callie: Hey Tom?

Me: Yeah?

Callie: I think about you at least once every five minutes.

Me: Good to know I’m unforgettable.

Callie: I mean, if I tried to forget, the soreness between my thighs would remind me.

Maybe instead of showering, I spent the next hour texting Callie like a lovesick teenager.

And maybe the text connection to her was exactly what I needed to settle my nerves.

Did it suck to be alone? Yup. But this was my life; thousands of men would kill to have my contract and be part of the Blizzards.

It was time for me to suck it up and be a bit grateful for all that I’ve been offered and all that I’ve been able to achieve.

I would have dinner with my best friend and his wife, enjoy his kids, and be comforted that my son would be with his mother and the best stepfather a kid could have.

Me: What can I bring tonight?

Mariana: Just yourself.

Me: That’s not happening. Pick something, or I’ll make your kids a penny candy bar full of enough sugar to keep them up all night.

Mariana: Fine, dessert is good. But not too much, please. The kids and I won’t be able to finish it while Alex is gone.

Me: Got it. I’ll surprise you.

After showering, I hit the grocery store. Callie’s text showing Crew happily in his mother’s arms helped. The kid was well loved, and wasn’t that what everyone wanted for their children?

I loaded up the grocery cart with several types of ice cream, a selection of sauces, bananas, and whipped cream. Would there be leftovers? Sure, but they would keep it until Alex got back if need be. I technically bought too much, but I was pretty sure I would be forgiven.

So, instead of moping that night, I had dinner with friends, texted my girl, and squeezed in a goodnight FaceTime session with my son.

I sent Callie the video chat call before realizing she was probably asleep.

“Hey,” she said, her face dim on the screen. The room she was in was dark.

“Are you in bed?” I asked.

“Yes, I was reading my Kindle. But just realized I read the same line four times. I’m exhausted.”

“Whatcha reading?” I wondered what type of dark romance she had picked up this time.

“Oh, it’s a hockey romance. I figured it might help me learn about the sport,” she answered shyly.

“Is it working?”

“Meh. I mean, this one is a bit more focused on sucking dick than stick work.”

“More sticking than body checking?” I asked.

“Unless it’s checking body cavities, then it’s got plenty of that,” she answered with a laugh. “Hey, are you in my bed?”

“Yeah, do you mind?”

“No, but your bed is so much better than mine.”

“My bed didn’t smell like you, so there’s that.”

After giving up the bed for my mother and having the sheets freshly cleaned today, I found no trace of Callie’s scent remaining.

“I miss you too,” she whispered.

“Go to sleep, Cal. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”

As I hung up with her, I held back the impulse to say the words that felt natural, though wrong to say for the first time when there were thousands of miles between us.

Shit, I loved her.