One Step Closer(106)

“It’s going to be okay, Bird,” he said softly, his lips moving against her skin. Something went right in Caleb’s world, surrounded by her scent and holding her close. “Do you hear me?” Emotion made Caleb’s voice crack on the last word.

Wren didn’t want to let go of him, but she nodded, reluctant for the embrace to end. The past few days without him had felt like years. He smelled amazing and familiar.

Nothing in the world made her feel safer or as good as having Caleb’s arms around her. She couldn’t stop crying, uncertain if she was happy to see him, or if everything she’d been bottling up was just gushing out of her. “It hurts so much.”

“I know. But I’m here, now.” He finally set her down and bent to pick up her bag, but then slid his larger hand into hers, threading their fingers together. His thumb slid over the top of her hand again and again, as if he couldn’t get enough of touching her. “Can we talk inside?” His deep blue eyes were sparkling with reflected light from the street lamps, his nose, forehead and prominent jaw casting shadows on one side of his face as he glanced around. “I don’t like you walking the streets alone at night.” It was a residential neighborhood, but it was still in the middle of the city. There were trees and cars parked on the side of the street where she lived, and his mind was analyzing all of the places someone could hide.

“Everybody walks in New York,” Wren murmured as she slid the key into the lock with one hand and turned the doorknob with the other, pushing open the door to go inside.

“That doesn’t make it smart.”

“My roommate might be home.”

“If she is, we’ll go somewhere else, but this can’t wait.”

“Okay. Come up.” Wren started up the short flight of concrete steps to the door of the large house that had been converted into six apartments, inwardly cringing; ashamed of her humble apartment. She had the key on a ribbon string that was looped around her neck. It was long enough that it allowed her to open the door without taking it off.

“That’s smart not to carry the keys in your bag, but I still don’t like you walking alone at night.”

Caleb followed close on her heels making sure the door was secure behind them, and then followed her up the stairs to the second level. His eyes registered everything about the building, including the shadowed stairwell and the location of the mailboxes.

“Rehearsals go late sometimes, and I can’t help it. I have mace.” She bit her lip to hide a small smile. Caleb’s protectiveness had always been a source of joy and made her love for him surge every time. That hadn’t changed in all the years she’d known him. It still made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

“We have to get you a place in the city.”

“The rent is outrageous in Manhattan. I’m hardly ever in New York, anyway. Traveling company, remember?”

Wren repeated the process with her key when they got to her apartment door. The studio was small and neat; old and sparsely furnished with an eclectic hodgepodge of things. One small lamp that had been left on illuminated the room with a soft glow.

“Molly?” Wren called inside as they walked through the door; then removed the ribbon key chain from her neck and dropped it on a small antique table in the entryway. “It doesn’t look like she’s here. I barely know her, honestly. Sorry about—” She paused and waved around the room. “All this.”

“I came to see you, not your apartment.”

Caleb sensed she was ashamed of her income situation, even though the inheritance would change that as soon as escrow cleared. This was a far cry from the mansion in Denver, or even his unkempt bachelor pad in San Francisco. It was literally just one room with a small kitchenette in one corner, two twin beds along one wall with a window in between them with mismatched bedding, a table with four chairs that looked like they were leftover from the early seventies, and a door that led to the barely there bathroom. There was one other door and Caleb could only assume it was a closet.

She shrugged and went to the small refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of water, and walked the few steps needed to hand one to Caleb.

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Wren. Dancing is what you love.”

“Macy didn’t believe me when I said dancers don’t have much money.”

He had reluctantly let go of Wren’s hand on the walk upstairs but he was anxious to kiss her, and had the urge to pull her into his arms and go for it, but he knew they had to talk first. He took her hand and tugged her gently with him to the sofa, and they both sat down. Caleb took a quick swallow of his water and then put the bottle on the coffee table.

“Speaking of Macy,” Caleb began, taking her water and setting it next to his. “We need to talk.”

Wren’s eyes were wide and wary as she waited for him to continue. She was nervous; scared of what he was about to tell her. She sucked in a deep breath and braced herself for what was coming, when he took both of her hands in both of his as they sat facing each other on the sofa.

His deep blue eyes met hers unflinchingly. She had to see that every word he said was the absolute truth. “I know what she told you, but it was all a pack of lies. She and I are not having a baby together, Wren.” His tone was filled with conviction, but Wren knew that it was too early for a paternity test.