Page 114 of Let Me Be the One
Considerate, but Callie had a feeling he’d been about to open up to her and she wanted to hear it. Unfortunately, he’d already left to answer the door and when he returned he had not only Addie with him, but Kam, too.
Without even a greeting, Kam lifted the ice pack from her shoulder and gave a long whistle. “Damn, girl.” Next he looked at her leg and grimaced. To Tanner, he asked, “She can walk?”
Callie answered. “Yes, she can walk. It’s sore, but nothing’s broken.” Then she became aware of Addie standing there, a hand covering her mouth, her eyes rounded with worry. “I’m fine,” Callie assured her. “I promise.”
Tanner took some packages from Addie. “She really is. Here, sit down.” He got Addie in a seat, but she didn’t stay there. She popped right back up and then carried on like a horrified mother, doing everything in her power to put Callie back to bed.
Callie resisted because deep down she believed she had to keep moving or the aches would overtake her.“No bed,” she insisted. “But admittedly, I wouldn’t mind taking it easy today.”
“Of course you’re taking it easy! I’ll take care of meals. Kam can check on the animals. Tanner, you’re going to stay with her?”
“He has a job to do today,” Kam said, as if it had already been decided. “I’ll check in a few times, though.”
“And Liam will be over,” Tanner said.
Callie started to laugh and that hurt. She moaned and laughed some more. She’d always been a somewhat passive person and now she was smack dab in the middle of a pack of alphas, all of them trying to take over at the same time.
Tanner’s mouth quirked. “Tickled you, did we?”
“I think she’s hysterical,” Kam said, teasing her.
Addie swatted at him. “Leave her alone. You can see she’s in pain.”
And so it went.
When Nell came by that afternoon, she was horrified by the sight of the bruising, which had spread and darkened. She actually wanted to cancel the upcoming party, thinking Callie wouldn’t be up to it, but Callie refused. “I’ve got everything ready. Party supplies are in the spare bedroom. The grill is set up and the burgers bought. Drinks are in the fridge and ice cream is in the freezer.”
“But you’re hurt.”
“I’ll be fine by then. All I need to do is the—”
“Cake!” Popping up from her seat and nearly dumping the potatoes she’d been peeling for a soup, Addie said, “Now I can bake it, right?”
That brought on more laughter. The last thing Calliehad meant to do was make Addie feel slighted. “I was going to say get the decorations in place.”
Nell said, “I don’t need decorations.”
Addie said, “Yes you do, and I’ll help with that—but I also want to make the cake.”
Callie had a cake on order. She’d planned to pick it up early on the day of the party, but seeing Addie’s hopeful expression, she caved. “I love everything you bake, but I didn’t want to give you more work.”
“Oh honey, Ilovebaking.”
“Then by all means,” Callie said gently. “Please plan on baking a birthday cake. Thank you.”
With excitement dancing in her pale eyes, Addie turned to Nell. “What flavor do you want?”
Watching them make those decisions, Callie couldn’t help but smile. Addie treated Nell like a granddaughter and Nell was soaking it up. It was a great relationship for both of them, and she’d been included in their awesome circle. It made her feel a special part of something bigger, a feeling she’d never experienced before.
This amazing family unit held greater meaning than a thriving multimillion-dollar company, or clout in the travel industry.
In a way, Sutter had done her an enormous favor when he cheated, because if that hadn’t happened, if she hadn’t literally walked in on him in the act…
She might have gone through with the marriage.
From the inside out, gratitude filled her and put a smile on her face. When Nell and Addie wound down, Callie said, “Thank you, Addie. I hope you know how much I adore you.”
Addie flushed. “I adore you right back.”
