Page 99 of Shades of Grey & Gold

“Don’t need that anymore when I’ve got a grumpy, sunshine romance happening right in front of my face—in real life!” She throws her hands up and shrieks, kicking her feet in the air, “Crying, screaming, throwing up!”

“Like I said, he’s different with you. Because whoever that was?” Maggie is standing closer to me, now, pointing towards the foyer, laughing hysterically, “Haven’t seen him since he left when he was eighteen. No, probably before that. Early teenage years maybe.”

Her tone sobers and she looks towards the foyer and back at me wistfully.

“That guy that ran back in here? He was always the best of all of us. And I think we all just assumed he was gone.”

The heat on my face burns hotter. But her eyes look watery. I can’t even begin to imagine what this family has been through. Their brother leaving for years; their dad dying. But Cal has always been Cal. That person that ran back in here is exactly who he has always been with me since the day I met him.

“He’s just… Cal.” I try to smile at them, but I think it’s a grimace instead. “I’m sorry he isn’t that guy when he’s here. When I met him,” I stumble over my words a bit and shift my weight on my feet, not feeling uncomfortable, but feeling sad. For them. And for Cal.

“When we met years ago—before he came back here—I mean—sorry. Um, before all of—” I spin my hands around the air. “The stuff. He was just likethat. Every day.”

Minus the kiss, but damn do I regret not getting to know that part of Cal sooner. Not getting to knowallof Cal sooner.

“You like, break the ice or crack the desert or whatever.” Sophia stands and smooths out her sweatpants, walking towards where Maggie and I stand in the doorway. “I like it. Now let’s go get breakfast.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Cal

IgiveRuditheday off as soon as I leave my mother’s this morning. He has a daughter who is five years old and he’s been on back-to-back extended shifts. And I can tell he misses his family. I watched him look at his phone yesterday and show Gio a picture of her. That’s not the kind of man I want running security today. That’s a man who needs to see his kid.

Mick takes his place on the building rotation. Gio is with Sophia, Maggie, and Max for their breakfast and shopping morning, which Maggie organized with theenergy of someone who has been wanting to do this since the moment Max walked into the kitchen. Three of our guys are in the area around them.

The neighborhood is clean.

They’re fine.

I sit in my office at the warehouse and work through the morning correspondence and think about the conversation I had with Nico last night that I haven’t finished thinking about.

People are getting anxious, Nico had said.About who’s making decisions.

The decisions are getting made. That’s all I said back.

What I didn’t say was that I’m aware of the timeline and the feelings around it.

I’m aware that what I’ve built here—this specific life, Max in law school, Sunday dinners, mornings at the 5th Street café, the penthouse becoming something that feels like a home—is only sustainable if the other thing is sustainable too.

And I’m aware that it isn’t, quite yet. That the Volkov situation is a clock, and clocks don’t stop because you’re having the best months of your adult life.

I know this. I just refuse to let it ruin the morning.

My phone buzzes.

Gio: just the every half-hour update you requested. all good here. at a second shop. they’ve tried on half the store, but i guess there are worse things.

I almost smile. Gio’s opinions on accompanying Max and the sisters through the boutiques came out this morning with professional discretion. Which means he said nothing while communicating his annoyance at the task with his face.

Me: stay with them until they’re done. no rush.

Gio: as if i have a choice.

I raise my eyebrows before another text comes through in quick succession.

Gio: I mean, yes, boss, of course, boss, I’m one of the girls now, boss

This does make me smile. Gio is younger, a little older than Sophia if I remember correctly. But he’s one of the better men when it comes to his awareness. I like that he’s willing to say things out loud that some of the older, more seasoned men won’t.