Written with Regret (The Regret Duet #1)(74)

I’d always attempted to look cute but casual when I went to his house.

But this was different.

This was bigger.

It was also exactly the same, which pretty quickly allowed me to rule out my favorite little black cocktail dress.

Jeans seemed…blah.

And shorts seemed too casual.

So, eventually, after two hours of trying on clothes and my bedroom being declared a national disaster zone, I’d decided on a lilac maxi dress that made my body look like a dream.

“I don’t believe you,” Beth said.

“I don’t care if you believe me or not. I still have to go.” I’d brought my art bag despite the fact that he’d warned me that Rosalee was going to throw me a party. I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to act today. Was I allowed to just hang out with them for two hours? Or was there an expectation that, after a quick round of happy birthday, I was to break out the tissue paper mosaics I’d brought as the day’s craft?

When I was alone with Caven, I was comfortable and free to be myself. But the man who had been in my bed last night was not the standoffish, scowling man who usually greeted me when I arrived to spend time with Rosalee.

There was a huge difference between Caven the dad and Caven the man. And as I saw him walk out onto the front porch, barefoot with jeans slung so low on his hips that my mouth watered, I hoped it was some mixture of the two.

I ended my call with Beth without so much as a goodbye.

“Hey,” I whispered to him when I got close enough.

His face was hard, but the slide of his gaze from my breasts to my lips was gentle as a feather. He reached out for my art bag, taking it off my shoulder. “So, we have a little change of plans for today.”

My eyebrows shot up. “What’s up?”

“My brother and his wife showed up this morning for a surprise visit. I think we need to push off the art stuff so Rosalee can spend time with them.”

My stomach sank. Caven aside, I treasured my time with Rosalee. The disappointment was stifling. “Oh. Yeah. I understand. Maybe I can come over and see her on Monday after they leave?” Monday. Damn, that was a long time away.

His lips twitched. “Monday’s fine. But then you’re going to miss your party that she’s been working on all morning.”

I bit my bottom lip, smiling around it. “She’s been working on it all morning?”

“Yep. And she’s been hiding behind the couch, waiting to surprise you since you pulled up.”

“Are you sure you don’t mind me interrupting your family time with your brother?”

He placed his hand on my arm, giving me a gentle squeeze. “It’s fine. Rosalee’s excited. Trent wants to meet you anyway.” He gave me a head-to-toe body sweep. “I wouldn’t mind eye-fucking you for a few hours in that dress, either.”

My cheeks heated with every color on the red spectrum.

He chuckled. “We’re planning to grill out after the birthday extravaganza, so if you want to stay for that too, I’m sure Rosalee would love it.”

Oh. My. God.

I was invited to the family cookout. Caven had invited me to the family cookout.

My nose started stinging.

I would not cry.

I would not cry.

I would not….

“You’re going to cry, aren’t you?”

“No!” I croaked, looking off to the side.

He laughed, giving my arm a tug, dragging me into his chest. “Relax. Trent sucks on the grill but insists he’s in charge. You’ll have plenty of time to cry later while you are eating rubber.”

I barked a laugh and miraculously managed to keep my tears at bay when the scruff on his jaw brushed my cheek.

“I have good news,” he rasped, his warm breath fluttering across the sensitive skin at my neck. “This morning when I made a food run, I found one grocery that had somehow made it through the apocalypse. I got into a brawl with another man and nearly got eaten by a zombie on my way out, but I managed to secure enough condoms for tonight.”

It was funny, and I wanted to laugh, but the word tonight held so much promise that my breath hitched and my nipples hardened. Fisting the front of his shirt, I breathed, “Caven.”

“Mmm,” he hummed. “Good answer.” He suddenly backed out of my reach. “Now, come on. Rosalee is probably collecting dust bunnies behind the couch at this point. Act surprised, remember.”

I peered up at him, thrilled beyond words. I wanted to say thank you again in every way I knew possible. But I liked it when he smiled, so I went with, “I’m glad you didn’t get eaten by a zombie.”

He winked and opened the door, muttering, “You and me both.”

The house was quiet as we walked inside. Streamers had been twisted and strung above the doorways, and the paper flowers we’d made together were taped on either side of a banner with scribbled words that possibly said Happy Birthday Hadley, but it just as easily could have said Hot Pocket Harley. I caught sight of a huge, pink balloon floating behind the couch, the kind that had a teddy bear and confetti stuffed inside.

My chest filled with warmth as I took in everything she’d done—with Caven’s help, of course.

“Sorry, Hadley. Rosalee isn’t here today,” Caven announced loudly. “She went on a safari to Africa.”