"He took on a lot of responsibility when my dad died. He thought he had to become the man of the house. He thought he not only had to look out for me, but my mom too. It wasn't something that he asked for, but he took his new role very seriously and he's always been protective. So, please, don't take what he said to heart."
"How can you say that?" Caleb rasped. "How can you say that what he said isn't true? I've fucked up your life."
"No, Caleb, you haven't," Maddie said easily. "True, this isn't exactly the way I thought my life would go. But a baby isn't the end of the world. It's just a … reordering of events." Her cheeks began to burn when she thought of that moment in his office that changed everything. "And I said yes, didn't I?"
Maybe it was just her imagination, but she thought that Caleb's skin burned hotter at her words. It was suddenly stifling in the bathroom.
"Yes, you did," he said, his tone husky.
Maddie knew that he was thinking about that moment as well, so she cleared her throat. "Let's stop playing the blame game and get on with our lives. My brother will come around eventually. He always does."
"Oh, so he's been in this situation before? He's used to punching guys who get his sister pregnant?" Caleb asked wryly. Maddie smiled, getting used to Caleb's dry humor. "You already know how this situation will play out?"
"No, but I know how the next couple days will play out."
Maddie thought his gaze softened when he looked up at her again. "And how's that, princess?"
"Tonight, I'll finish packing and you will too," she told him. "Tomorrow is the big moving day, which will be full of stress, and moving boxes, and setting up furniture, and eating mostly fast food. Oh, and your jaw will probably hurt pretty badly too. And then on Sunday, my brother will have calmed down and he'll come by to see the new house. He'll apologize to me and to you, but he won't be sorry for hitting you, just for what he said."
Caleb's hand ran down her arm until he clutched her hand in his own. Goosebumps erupted over her flesh, sparks following in the wake of his fingertips. "And after that?"
"After that," she said, her voice suddenly turning more breathless, "we just take it one day at a time."
"Okay," he murmured, his gaze never leaving her own. "I'm good with that."
* * *
Maddie didn't mind moving. The idea of starting off fresh had always appealed to her and a new home was rife with possibilities. But the thought that she'd be sharing that home with Caleb terrified her. So, when Caleb picked her up early the next morning, loaded up the last of her boxes in the trunk, and set off towards their new house, she wanted to throw up and it had nothing to do with her morning sickness.
"Everything is going to be okay," he murmured, when they pulled up to the curb, as though sensing her growing anxiousness. Surprisingly, the movers had already arrived with all of Caleb's boxes and were waiting to be let inside. Peter was nowhere in sight, although Caleb had told her that the teenager had opened up the garage with Brian this morning.
The house itself was beautiful. When Caleb had first taken her to go see it, she'd fallen in love. It was a corner lot in a new development with ample privacy. With its grey exterior, dark indigo shutters, and wide porch, it was both welcoming and relaxing and Maddie already pictured sitting outside during the summer, enjoying the warm breezes and the quietness of the neighborhood. But the outside had nothing on the house itself. Two stories, four bedrooms, two and half bathrooms, an open plan kitchen and living room, and a backyard to die for … it was everything that Maddie had ever dreamed of.
And Caleb wanted to share it with her.
"Ready?" he asked, once he came around to help her out of the car. Ever since he found out she was pregnant, he'd been treating her like glass.
She nodded, just as Caleb took her overnight bag from her. When she shot him a look, he shrugged. "I don't want you lifting anything today."
"My bag weighs about ten pounds," she pointed out. "I don't think it'll kill me. Besides, we're moving today, Caleb. How can you expect me not to lift anything?"
One of the movers approached. "Mr. Montgomery?"
Caleb nodded. "Yes. Give me a second and I'll let you guys in." And then, with his palm on the small of her back, he led her past the men to the front of their new house. Once the door was opened, he looked at her and said, "I put your stuff in the bedroom at the end of the hall upstairs. I'll send the movers up with the bed first, if you want."