I shook my head. My sister wasn’t big on group activities, especially ones where she was at risk of ending up the focus of attention and didn’t have an easy out.
Everly nodded as if she understood every reason for Shiloh’s absence. And maybe she did. Shy had seemed to flourish as she helped Everly start up her animal sanctuary. She still helped out a couple of afternoons a week.
The sound of tires on my gravel drive had me looking up. Calder’s familiar SUV appeared in the distance, and I started towards it. He’d barely put the vehicle in park before the girls were climbing out and running towards me.
I grabbed them both up in a hug. “I missed you guys.”
Birdie giggled. “We saw you a few days ago.”
“Too long.”
Sage smiled up at me. “I agree.”
Everly waved at the twins, and they shouted hellos.
I released them both and bent to whisper. “Guess what?”
“What?” they asked, copying my hushed tone.
“Addie’s in the kitchen decorating cupcakes.”
They both took off like a shot, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“I’ll get these inside,” Everly called, disappearing into the house.
I turned to face Calder. “Hey.”
The corner of his mouth kicked up. “I’m guessing there’s some form of sugar inside?”
“Cupcakes.”
“You always did make the best.”
The wistfulness in his tone hit me squarely in the chest and twisted. How many times had I made him cupcakes? Too many to count. But it had been years. Four to be precise.
“You’re welcome to come in and have one.” It was an olive branch. A piece of hope. That maybe we could slowly find our way to a new normal. One where we were friends. Even though my heart would always long for more.
“I’ll take one to go. Wouldn’t want to interrupt girls’ night.”
“It’s definitely no boys allowed.”
Calder chuckled, his familiar deep laugh sending vibrations over my skin. “I promise not to invade.” The humor fell away from his expression. “How are you doing? I’ve been worried about you.”
We’d seen each other during shifts at work and when I’d come to take the twins to the park, but I’d been careful to make sure we were never alone. He saw too much. Knew all my scars. And I couldn’t handle his searching gaze.
“I’m fine. Just been busy.”
“Hurtling down mountains?”
I stiffened at his words. There was no bite to them, but there didn’t need to be. They were an accusation, nonetheless. “If I was, are you going to chew me out for it?”
Flickers of anger sparked to life in my gut. Not simply at his judgment but at what he’d taken from me: my partner in crime.
“I just want you to be safe.”
I met Calder’s stare. “I’m not going to stop living to exist in some sort of bubble that’s acceptable to you and my mom. You used to understand that.”
Those dark eyes of his blazed, turning almost amber in the early evening light. “I made a lot of mistakes back then...”