One Step Closer(44)

Forever.





AFTER SAYING GOODNIGHT to Wren forty minutes earlier, Caleb discarded his shirt, and unbuttoned his jeans, leaving them on and throwing himself on his big bed. Lying back, he stared at the ceiling with one arm bent so his hand rested between underneath his head. His mind was working overtime, bombarded with thoughts of Wren. He thought talking to her would help come to a decision regarding the will, but the conversation hadn’t moved deep enough.


Part of him didn’t want to know much about her life, and part of him wanted to know every damn thing. How could he make this decision without her? “Uhhhhhgggg!” He groaned into the empty room, his fist clenching into the comforter.

Obviously, she loved touring with her ballet company, but sharing Lux with her would mean she would want for nothing throughout her whole life. As much as Caleb hated thinking about it, he had to consider that money could bring out money-grubbers. Given her experience with Veronica, surely, Wren would recognize men with ulterior motives, but Caleb wondered if being wealthy would ruin her chances at real love.

He felt sick inside at the thought. Regardless of how it would grate on him, he wanted her to have a happy life. No matter what that was or who she ended up with. Wren deserved someone to worship and adore her. Caleb sighed heavily, the sound filling the silence of the room.

He needed to clarify a few things with Jonathan before he could make the decision. Would splitting the estate mean Wren would have to stop dancing completely or could they let the board of directors run the company and go about their respective lives? Was that what Caleb wanted?

His father’s entire orchestration of this was to create a situation where he and Wren would be in constant contact. Caleb knew it, but he didn’t want to be selfish and just follow his heart. He had to do what was best for her. But what was that?

“Fuck!” He spat, and then ran his hand over his face in agitated impatience. He still wasn’t sure what to do. Seeing Wren had stirred something deep inside of him, though he knew he had no right to feel that way. He’d let her down twice over the years, and her reaction earlier in his father’s study was more than he’d deserved or expected. He should have known she’d be loving and supportive despite everything; that’s who she was: who she’d always been. Too bad he went and f*cked it all up. And, then made it worse.

The room was pitch black, and so quiet. He could hear the soft whir of the heat blowing in through the vents, and feel his own heart beating in his chest. Suddenly, Caleb heard a loud noise from the other room that made him sit straight up.

“Wren?” he called out softly.

A few seconds later a shadowing figure appeared in the doorway and the room was suddenly flooded with light as Macy threw the switch, and Caleb was momentarily blinded.

“Wren? What the hell, Caleb? What exactly is she to you and why are you expecting her to creep into your room?”

Even as he blinked at the sudden and unwelcome brightness, Caleb could feel heat rushing up his neck and into his face. Macy had effectively caught him thinking about Wren, and she knew it. He scowled at the woman standing over his bed.

Macy’s face wore an angry expression, her dark hair swinging around her shoulders as she walked around to the other side of the bed. She glared at him as she stood there in a slinky chemise.

Caleb scooted to the edge of the bed, stood up and brushed past her. “My relationship with Wren is none of your business.” When Macy opened her mouth to protest but he continued. “You and I are dating, Macy. That’s all. You have no right to make demands of me. Jesus Christ! My father just died! Wren was close to him and she’s hurting, too.”

“Yeah, I saw that earlier,” Macy retorted sarcastically. “Didn’t look like Edison was who she was close to.”

He walked into the other room, his intent to get a stiff drink from the bar in the entertainment room. He reached into the refrigerator situated behind the bar for a beer, when he heard her footsteps behind him. Macy followed him and stood there in awkward silence, watching his every move.

“I thought I made it clear that we weren’t going to share a room here.” He had serious doubts he’d ever share a room with her again, given his current state of antagonistic indifference toward her. What the hell did she think?

“I know, Caleb. I’m sorry.” Realizing her mistake, Macy’s voice turned low and pleading. Caleb could hear the slightest tremble in her words. “I just wanted to comfort you.”

Awesome, his mind reeled as he lifted the long neck bottle to his lips and took a long pull. That was just what he needed; to feel guilty on top of everything else. He turned to face her, but remained behind the bar. “I don’t need comfort, and I don’t want sex.”

“You certainly looked like you needed comfort from Wren earlier.”

Caleb’s head made an almost imperceptible shake, anger welling up inside him.

“We have a history. She’s the only person who understa—” He stopped and changed his words. There was no way he was going to spill such personal memories. “Look, I’ll deal with the estate and then see where we are.”

The light from his room filtered down through the hallway, and those from the deck and backyard shone in through the windows. His head hurt and he didn’t want to turn on more lights, but he didn’t want Macy to think he had any type of romantic intentions, either.