Page 132 of The Havenport Collection

Violet

I was exhausted. Storyland was fun and the kids had a blast, but I was running on fumes. I needed a long bath, a good book, and my own comfy bed.

We pulled into the driveway late in the afternoon.

The boys had spent the three-hour drive alternately bickering and sleeping.

I loved my kids, and I loved being able to make memories with them.

But dear God, I needed a break and some space.

I was hoping my mom could watch a movie with them while I took a bath and just zoned out for a while.

I pulled into my driveway and saw Cal’s car there.

I hated to admit it, but I had missed him while I was gone.

We had gotten into the habit of chatting at night before we went to bed, and I missed it last night while I slept in the hotel bed with the boys.

I missed hearing his voice, telling him about my day, and just knowing he was there, on the other end of the phone, hopefully feeling the things I was feeling.

Was it wrong I wanted to run and jump into his arms? Maybe ask him to snuggle on the couch for a few hours while I decompressed?

It was. This was supposed to be a casual thing. I couldn’t get involved with him; I had my kids to think about. But ever since that night in the barn, my stupid romantic brain had started to want more. Not just physically—and wow, did I want more physically—but emotionally too.

We had just hooked up the one time. We had kissed a few times since, but it was mostly making out with some light dry humping.

I would be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about getting him naked, but the logistics were just too challenging.

I lived in a creaky old farmhouse with my mother and five-year-old twins.

I couldn’t just drag him to bed and have my way with him.

I liked Cal. I liked his quiet, introspective side.

And I liked his sense of humor. I liked that he was real with me, that he didn’t feel like he had to keep up his perfect facade when we were together.

The more I got to know the real him, the more my feelings intensified.

And here I was, totally confused, horny, and unsure what to do with all these feelings.

We hadn't talked much about what had happened between us. And I wasn’t sure how to even start that conversation.

I told him from the outset it was casual and just two friends scratching an itch.

In another dimension, single carefree Violet would probably be jumping his bones, but in the here and now, it was unlikely.

It was not my journey, and the sooner I accepted that fact, the better.

My practical thoughts still didn’t stop my stupid heart from skipping a beat when I saw him.

Interestingly, he was looking decidedly un-Callum like.

He had a few days of stubble and was wearing worn old jeans and work boots.

A faded Binnacle Brewing T-shirt stretched across those broad shoulders and gave me a lot more to look at than his usual dress shirt.

It was jarring. Seeing him on my farm, looking like this, it was like being a teenager again, when I would wait for him to finish soccer practice so he could walk me home, despite the fact that he lived on the other side of town.

Just seeing him walking toward me brought back this rush of heightened teen emotions, not to mention hormones.

“Hi.” Was it me, or did he seem a little unsure?

“Hey.” I opened the back door to unbuckle Sam from his booster seat.

He immediately went over and hugged Cal.

“Hey, Coach,” he said. “Did we win today?” The boys had skipped their soccer game to go on our little excursion, a fact I felt a bit guilty about since it meant I didn’t get to ogle Cal in shorts while he chased five-year-olds.

“Nope. We lost by one point. It was because I didn’t have my two star players there!” Sam laughed and shoved him. “Sorry, Coach, but Storyland was sooo cool.” He started to run around, happy to be out of the confines of the car.

Henry walked over. “Storyland was awesome. And Mom let us eat junk food, and we stayed up late swimming in the pool.” He ran after his brother while I headed to the trunk to start unloading all our shit.

Callum put his arm on my shoulder. “Let me. You must be exhausted from all this fun.”

I nodded. “Yup. Mission accomplished. Memories made. But now Mom needs a hot bath and a glass of wine.”

His lips twitched at the mention of a bath.

I couldn’t tell if he was judging my relaxation ritual or picturing me naked.

I was an unapologetic bath person. It helped that my bathroom in the farmhouse had an enormous claw-foot tub.

I know some people think baths are a waste of time, but they are wrong.

A good bath, with lots of fragrant bubbles and a good book?

Heaven. Add in wine or tea or even some music?

Unreal. There was a time in my life where I would go paddle boarding with sea turtles or go to an all-night rave to unwind.

But at thirty-five? A good bath was the dream.

I followed him as he effortlessly carried our bags to the porch, while admiring how amazing his ass looked in those old jeans.

I was overwhelmed with the urge to bite it.

I think the long drive and sleep deprivation were getting to me.

And there was so much work to do on the farm.

I had to be up bright and early tomorrow morning to face it all head-on.

Callum dropped the bags and turned to me, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Can I show you something? I know you’re tired, but it will only take a minute.”

“Sure.” I was skeptical.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me across the gravel road to the old barn.

I struggled to keep up with his long strides, and my heart was pounding just from the hand-holding alone.

Wow, I was really hard up if holding Callum Quinn’s hand was enough to make me semi-orgasmic.

Maybe I would need a toy to accompany me in the bath tonight.

Thankfully I had invested in several that were water-resistant.

As we entered the barn, I noticed several people milling around. Bob was outside, planting shrubs around the newly installed stone patio with Ryan. They were both usually off on Sundays. That was strange.

Callum led me into the barn, and I was struck by how clean it was. All the debris had been removed, and the cement floor gleamed. It really was an incredible space. The light bounced off the exposed beams, creating a warm, rustic glow. Cece really did have incredible vision.

He led me up the old staircase, which Mac’s crew would be replacing next week, to the landing, gently covering my eyes with his large hands. I could feel his strong body behind me as I walked slowly up the stairs, curious as to what this was all about.

“Look,” he whispered in my ear. He dropped his hands, and I couldn’t believe my eyes.

The second floor had been totally transformed.

A safe new railing encircled the loft, giving a clear view to the barn floor below.

The loft had been scrubbed clean, and all the junk had been removed.

Now, there were a few scattered area rugs and a navy sofa with trendy burlap throw pillows.

We turned toward the back of the barn, and I almost fainted.

The bathroom. What had once been a 1960s avocado monstrosity was now a gleaming white space, with new tile floor, new wallpaper, and a gleaming new pedestal sink. The door was painted white with a chalkboard sign.

I couldn’t believe it. This bathroom had been disgusting. Now it was adorable.

I looked at Cal, tears in my eyes. “Did you do this?” I asked.

He smiled. “We aren’t done yet.”

He walked me by my dad’s old office, which was now a fully operational conference room. The old wood table was still there but surrounded by trendy chairs. The whiteboards were actually hung on the walls, and a projection screen stood in the corner.

Cal steered me out of the room by the elbow. I was shell-shocked. “Why?” I asked.

He grabbed me by the shoulders and looked deeply into my eyes. “Violet. You are running a business. I told you, you need a real office, so you can kick ass like I know you can.”

“This is too much,” I whispered.

“You haven’t even seen the best part yet.”

Still holding on to my shoulders, he turned me around to face a freshly painted white door with another chalkboard sign that read “Violet Thompson, CEO.” My breath caught in my throat.

He opened the door, and all the breath whooshed out of my body.

My office. I didn’t even recognize it.

Someone had refinished my old desk to its shiny silver glory.

And it was topped with a wood desktop that gleamed.

The walls had been painted, and framed photos were artfully arranged in clusters.

Along the far wall was a large white bookcase flanked by several large white filing cabinets.

Each drawer bore a handwritten label with the year and the type of records contained within.

A bright yellow ergonomic chair was behind the desk, facing the large window that looked out at the orchard. In the back corner was an overstuffed armchair with a vintage lamp next to it.

I walked in and stood behind the desk. A massive monitor took up one corner, with a keyboard and mouse tucked beside it. I turned to see the small cabinet next to the desk which housed a printer and office supplies.

“Callum?”

“Stop.” He held up his hand. “You need this. You need a real office and a real computer. You put everyone else first and never do anything for yourself.”

I couldn’t breathe. I focused instead on the yellow pots of succulents that lined the windowsill. They were gorgeous, and I would probably kill them eventually, but for now, I just stared at them, all nestled comfortably in the cheery pots.

“Why?” My eyes stung with tears as I tried to reconcile the conflicting thoughts swirling around in my brain.

“Because I support you, Violet. A lot of people support you, actually.” He gestured to the name plate on the door. “This is how I see you.”

“What do you mean?”

“The CEO, the boss. But a CEO who wears cute yellow boots.” He gestured next to the door to the yellow coatrack and small bench where my yellow wellies stood at attention, ready for the farm chores ahead.

I didn’t know whether to start sobbing or tear my clothes off. I wiped the escaping tears away. “It’s too much, Cal.”

“It’s not. And I had a lot of help. Everyone in town wants to help you and see you succeed. This wasn’t just me. Rose and Yael helped with the planning, and your mom, Cece, Nora, and my brothers all helped me pull it together. Nora found that chair in Boston and drove down to get it for you.”

I sank into the chair. It was incredible. It was like a super cute ergonomic dream.

“How did you know?” I asked, my voice barely audible. “How did you know I needed this?”

“Because you’re my friend. And this is what friends do.”