Page 19 of Hold Me Tight

For now.

9

Callie

It’s just a business meeting, I remind myself.

Nothing more than that.

I repeat the words like a prayer as my hands flutter over a dress I haven’t worn in three years. It’s a little snug at the hips and a lot more low-cut than I remember, but it’s one of the few things in my closet that screams I’m still put together, even if I feel anything but.

And it shouldn’t matter because this isn’t a date.

Just as I swipe on lip gloss, there’s a gentle tug on my leg.

“Me!” Nora demands, pointing to my lips with the commanding tone only a toddler can pull off.

With a grin, I bend down and give her a gentle kiss, smacking my lips together for effect. “There. Now we both sparkle.”

She giggles with delight before running off with her stuffed giraffe clutched in her arms. My heart aches as I watch her. She’s growing up so fast, and I’m doing everything I can to give her the life she deserves.

When the doorbell rings, my stomach flips.

I tell myself it’s nerves about the meeting.

That it has more to do with what’s at stake and absolutely nothing to do with the man who volunteered to watch my daughter for a few hours.

My hands smooth over the fabric of my dress one last time before opening the door and finding River on the other side with a crooked smile and wind-tousled hair.

He’s wearing a blue crewneck sweater that is the exact hue of his eyes and hugs his chest like it was tailored specifically for him. He shrugs out of his jacket, and the way his muscles shift beneath the fabric makes me forget how to draw oxygen into my lungs for half a second.

Maybe more.

His gaze slowly sweeps over me. “You look beautiful.”

My cheeks heat, and I find myself trapped within his stare. “Thanks.” My voice comes out sounding unsteady, and it only makes my face flame more.

Pull it together, Callie.

I spot the tote in his hand, and latch on to it like a lifeline. “What’s in the bag?”

He hands it over. “Why don’t you open it and see.”

I peek inside and find coloring books, oversized crayons, and a few toddler-safe toys that have clearly been picked out with care. This isn’t just random junk thrown together. Nor is it expensive or flashy.

It’s surprisingly thoughtful.

Everything inside me constricts. “You didn’t have to?—”

“I wanted to,” he says, cutting me off before stepping inside the townhouse. “I figured something new would keep her occupied for a while.”

The man isn’t wrong. “It will. Smart thinking.”

“Me?” Nora peeks around my legs to stare at River with interest. This isn’t the first time they’ve met, but she doesn’t spend a lot of time with men. Just my father. So I’m not sure how this will go. I’m bracing myself for her to get upset when she realizes I’m leaving.

“Hey, sweetheart,” River says, squatting down to her level. “That’s a pretty cool giraffe you got there. Mind if I check him out?”

My fingers tunnel through her curls. “Do you remember River?”