Secrets in the Marriage Bed(32)

Vicki's eyes went wide. "You offered Kent a partnership?"

"He's earned it. If I hadn't, I might've lost him to another firm." But  that wasn't why he'd done it and it was important to him that she know  that. "I don't need to prove myself to anyone anymore." Everything that  was important to him was right here in his arms. "All I need is to keep  you happy." Vicki had tears in her eyes. He froze. "Honey? What's the  matter?"

"I'm so happy." It was a husky whisper. "Oh, Caleb, this means your  workload will halve, won't it? I mean, since Kent will have the same  responsibilities?"

He smoothed his hand over her hair, trying to stop the tears that always  tore him to pieces. "I'll still be the senior partner but yes, Kent is  going to start taking over some of my responsibilities, both with files  and the management of the firm."

"I'm number one." A tear slid down her cheek. "I never thought I'd be number one no matter how much you loved me."

"I don't und-" Then suddenly he did. "You're the most important thing in  my life. Work would mean nothing if you weren't here to come home to.  Nothing." He wiped away another fat tear. "Honey, please."

She made a face. "Stupid hormones." Then she hugged him tight, her cheek  pressed against his heartbeat. "I think I love you way too much. Can't  help it."

He held her and oddly, felt himself start to smile. The smile grew until  it creased his entire face. Vicki hated crying because she saw it as a  weakness and here she was, sniffling away in his arms. It was as much a  declaration of love as the words she'd spoken. "Then cry, honey. I'll  always be here to keep you safe. Even if you ever succeed in divorcing  me, I'll still be here."

She laughed through the tears. "Idiot. I never wanted to divorce you."

"I know." It had taken him a while but now he understood why she'd done it. "How about a bell?"

"A bell?"

"A really big one."

"Caleb, have you lost your mind?" She shifted to look up at him, a puzzled expression on her face.

"Next time you want my attention, all you have to do is-"

"Ring your bell." She dissolved into laughter. "Caleb!"

He grinned and scooped her up in his arms. "Why don't we go give it a  try?" She was perfect-the happy ending he'd never expected from his  life. Then she reached up to kiss him and he realized their story was  only just beginning.





Epilogue



C aleb watched Vicki at that podium, his heart bursting with pride. She  was speaking to an auditorium filled with prospective donors and there  was nothing but absolute conviction in her tone. When she finished her  presentation, the entire chamber applauded enthusiastically. Even Ada.

Vicki's relationship with her grandmother had changed because Vicki had  changed. His wife took no crap from anyone, including him. And he loved  her for it. He opened his arms as, with a final smile, the woman at the  center of his thoughts walked into the wings and into his embrace. "You  were brilliant.""I was terrified." She grinned.

"It didn't show."

"Where's Hope?"

He pointed behind him to where an adorable three-year-old flirt was  trying to talk the stage manager into letting her operate the lights.  "She's been charming everyone in sight."

Vicki smiled. "She looks more and more like you every day. Those eyes,  that hair-we're going to have to beat off boys with a stick when she  starts dating." She ran her fingers through his hair as she spoke.

"Who said my daughter is ever going to date?" He scowled at the very idea.

Vicki laughed softly as they walked to where Hope was standing. When  they got to within a few feet of her, she spied them. Giving a shriek,  she ran straight into Vicki's arms. "Mommy!"

Caleb knew he shouldn't stand there looking so sappy. It was hardly the  image he wanted to present as the senior partner of one of the most  successful law firms in town. But there was something magical about  seeing his wife's golden head bent over his daughter's dark brown curls.                       
       
           



       

"What do you want to do tomorrow, muffin?" Vicki asked Hope.

"Sand!" That was Hope's enthusiastic way of saying she'd like to go to the beach.

"Sounds good to me. What about you, honey?" She looked up at him,  beautiful, smart and so openly in love with him that he occasionally had  to pinch himself to ensure he wasn't dreaming.

"The beach it is." Tomorrow was Saturday. And Saturday and Sunday were for family.

After a few hiccups, they'd eventually managed to find the right  work-life balance. When Vicki's position with Heart had started to  demand too much, she'd asked Helen for an assistant, something the  charities could afford after Vicki's efforts on their behalf.

It had allowed her to be a stay-at-home Mom for Hope without giving up  the intellectual stimulation she thrived on. Rather than losing part of  Vicki, Caleb had gained more than he could've imagined. As she grew more  self-confident, she seemed to love him more, unafraid to wear her heart  on her sleeve.

As for himself, he'd had little trouble delegating most things after  Hope's birth. Quite simply, he was fascinated by the tiny creature he'd  helped create. He had no intention of missing out on her life. Instead  of an absentee father, their Hope was growing up with an overprotective  one who loved her to pieces.

But it was Victoria who was the center of his world. Her smile meant  more to him than he could ever tell her. It was lucky for him that she  could read his love in his every touch. "Hey, beautiful," he said. "You  done here?"

"Yes. All I had to do was deliver the speech." She passed Hope to him  when their daughter reached for her father, used to having her daddy  carry her around. "Spoiled little princess." Vicki laughed as she  tickled their child.

Caleb leaned down and kissed his wife's smiling mouth. "I could carry you, too."

Slender fingers tangled into his. "Maybe I'll let you … tonight."

His whole body awakened in anticipation. "I've been thinking. Actually,  me and Hope have been having some serious discussions." They usually  took place when he drove her to the kindergarten she attended a few  mornings a week.

"Uh-huh." It was a suspicious sound as they walked out the exit that led to the parking lot. "What are you two up to?"

Hope snuggled against his shoulder and giggled. Caleb grinned and raised  Vicki's hand to his mouth to run his lips along her knuckles.

"Now I'm really suspicious," Vicki said.

"We already have Hope." He caught her gaze. "What do you think about Charity and Mercy?"

Her lips twitched. "Not a chance of our future children having those names. Do you want them teased to death?"

"But yes to the future children?" he murmured.

Standing up on tiptoe, she kissed him. "Definitely. You want a brother or sister, Hope?"

"Yes!" Her cheeks dimpled.

Caleb listened to the sound of his two women talking and felt peace  whisper through him. Then Vicki looked at him with those blue eyes and a  different, wilder emotion rocked his body and soul. "Everything," he  whispered.

You are my everything.

Her smile was jagged with emotion. "Caleb Callaghan, don't you make me cry."

Chuckling, he hugged her to him with one arm, holding his daughter in  the other. "Let's go home." So he could love her, adore her, show her  exactly what she meant to him.

Everything.