One Step Closer(37)
He’d lost control of his emotions only a couple of times in his life, and it wasn’t something he was proud of. He was a master at hiding his feelings and he was embarrassed when anyone saw any type of weakness in him. And Wren… He’d always taken care of her, and she was the last person he wanted to witness him falling apart.
“Uhuhum…” Macy cleared her throat. She watched the two of them fall apart right in front of her and her heart seized. Caleb hadn’t told her much about Wren, but she’d always assumed they weren’t close and that they had a typical stepsibling relationship when the parents married later in life when their children are older. Given Caleb’s abhorrence for his stepmother, Macy had expected casual indifference for Wren, certainly not this explosive reaction to the girl.
At first impression, Wren looked about eighteen years old and though beautiful, was very frail. Jealousy welled inside Macy. He didn’t want comfort from her, which said a lot about his inner strength. Obviously, that wasn’t the case with Wren. She sucked in a slow breath to quell her rising agitation.
Caleb glanced up to where Macy was standing and his eyes locked with hers, noting the pained expression left undisguised on her face. A wave of guilt rushed through him. He swallowed and began to disengage with Wren, though Macy had already started a brisk walk from the room.
Wren saw a blur in her peripheral vision and pulled completely out of Caleb’s embrace; suddenly aware of what had just happened in front of the other woman. She felt horrible about it. This was Caleb’s girlfriend and she had to be hurt after what she had just witnessed.
“Caleb, stop her.” Wren stood up and brushed at her wet cheeks with both hands, then quickly wiped them on the hem of her shirt. She turned toward the retreating figure and called out her name.
“Macy, right? I’m so sorry. It was rude of me to hover and barge in like that. It’s just that I knew I missed dinner and felt I should apologize to everyone. ”
Macy stopped and turned back into the room, trying to hide her displeasure at Caleb’s behavior. She reminded herself of the reason for this little reunion and that the circumstance might warrant a little levity. His reaction was testimony to the pain he really felt, though she wished she’d been the one allowed to comfort him. It made her wary of Wren and she questioned the truth of Caleb’s feelings for the young woman.
Macy sized Wren up again. Her face had a delicate beauty; her features fine with vibrant blue eyes, her body so small, she looked as if she might blow away in a strong breeze. If Caleb was protective of her, it was easy to see why.
Wren held out her right hand, taking a step forward, toward Macy. Caleb, now on his feet, was unsure of what to say, and stood watching. “I’m Wren. It’s nice to meet you.”
Macy’s expression lost a bit of its strain as she slowly took Wren’s hand and shook it. “The stepsister.” She nodded and smiled stiffly. “I’m Macy. Caleb’s—”
The hair on the back of Caleb’s neck stood up. The label grated on him like fingernails running down a chalkboard, but worse, he wasn’t ready for Wren to believe his relationship to Macy was more serious than it really was. He was acutely aware he’d look like an * either way.
“Um, Macy and I are working… uh, she’s helping me find financial backing for a business idea.” The words rushed out of Caleb’s mouth, and he ran a hand through his hair nervously, his eyes flashing to Wren’s face. He wanted to gauge her reaction; unsure why he felt guilty, and prayed the conversation would move away from the topic.
Wren paused as the handshake ended, and both of them looked at him. Wren’s features held a faint curiosity and Macy’s hardened as her mouth pressed into an angry line. Awkward was an understatement. Fuck.
“Oh,” Wren said. Her voice was soft and she smiled gently at Macy. It was evident the other woman was hurt and angry. “I thought you two were together.”
“So did I,” Macy retorted, shooting Caleb an angry look.
Wren felt the tension between them, and she wanted to make Macy feel better. “You know guys; most of them are commitment phobic.”
“Yes.” Macy smiled and seemed to relax. “He’s just shy about sharing.”
Caleb bristled, wondering what or who Wren was basing her comment on.
“Cale, is there anything to drink?” Wren asked hopefully, raising her eyebrows and glancing suggestively at the bar. She needed a distraction and a way to move the conversation away from its current course. “Wine, maybe?”
He nodded and went to the bar without saying a word. He wasn’t sure how he felt about this apparent kinship between Wren and Macy. Wren still held a beguiling innocence in stark contrast to Macy’s razor sharp edginess, and the protectiveness inside him reared. What would Macy say to Wren? He’d already decided he wanted to keep distance between them, and that looked like it was shot to hell. He found some red wine, opened it and poured three glasses.
It wasn’t long before Wren and Macy were engaged in conversation about Macy’s firm, how she and Caleb had met, and Wren’s production schedule for the upcoming season. Macy was a talker and had a lot of questions, which Wren answered graciously.
As Caleb sat on the opposite sofa, enthralled watching the animated way Wren talked about the torture of many long hours of practice, the grueling touring schedule, and her love of traveling the world. The joy that radiated from her made his heart constrict a little, and he wished he’d shared some of it with her.