Our Now and Forever (Ardent Springs #2) (26 page)

“Of course not,” he said, giving her a smile. “You can’t lose me, darling. No matter what.”

“I love you, Caleb McGraw,” she declared, squeezing his neck. “And I’m never letting you go.”

Chapter 27

The tension filled the room in an almost tangible miasma. Caleb hovered next to Snow on Miss Hattie’s bright orange settee, his jaw tight and his eyes on the cat painting on the opposite wall. Snow considered sharing her knowledge of the three furry subjects, but discussing how the home owner liked to immortalize her felines was a topic for another day.

After a night spent making love as if it were their first time together, Snow woke to find a determined Caleb standing in their kitchen fully dressed and making waffles. Without having to ask, she knew that today was the day they would deal with his mother. The woman had spent the night at a hotel in Nashville, certain that she and Caleb would be flying out together by Monday.

When Caleb made the call, he’d kept the details to a minimum. Snow had listened to the conversation, knowing the exact moments he’d dodged a direct question. Would Snow be present? Was he finally seeing the light?

Though she knew that Vivien would not leave the meeting happy, Snow didn’t know for sure what Caleb intended to say. As much as they were a team, this was a battle he needed to handle for himself. She would be by his side for support, but she’d remain as silent as possible.

“A long black sedan just pulled up,” Miss Hattie said, then disappeared from the room entrance. Ever since Caleb had paid her a visit that morning, the older woman had been a live wire. Snow assumed Caleb had simply asked her to provide some neutral ground where he could meet his mother, but Hattie acted as if she’d been granted a role in a Scorsese film.

Caleb’s grip tightened on Snow’s knee. “You good?” he asked.

She rubbed his arm. “I’m good. How about you?”

“I feel like I’m about to fight a dragon.”

Snow couldn’t help but chuckle. “The good news is that this one doesn’t really breathe fire. She tries, but it’s all for show.”

They heard the front door open, and Caleb shot to his feet. Snow considered doing the same, but this wasn’t some royal call. She remained on the settee, ready to tag in if necessary.

“They’re right in here.” Hattie’s voice carried from the entry hall, as did Vivien’s.

“They? So
she’s
with him?”

To her credit, Hattie maintained her sociable smile as she escorted the elder Mrs. McGraw into the room, ignoring the question and the tone with which it was posed.

“Thank you for coming, Mother,” Caleb said. “Have a seat.”

She held her ground near the doorway as if waiting for her son to come to her. “Aren’t you going to come hug your mother?”

“Please,” he said, gesturing toward a wing-back chair opposite the settee. “Sit down.”

A bit of the hoity went out of her toity at the brush-off. Snow held her grin in check. Barely.

“I’d hoped we could have this visit alone,” Vivien said, glancing from Snow to Hattie, who stayed in the room, but kept a safe distance near the exit. “Surely you’ve had time to come to grips with the situation and what must be done.”

“Yes, I have.” Caleb waited until Vivien settled in the chair before sitting. “I want you to know this will be the last time we see each other.”

Cutting her eyes his way, she said, “Surely that line is intended for your wife.”

Snow looked to Hattie for a reaction and caught a wink. Caleb must have confessed the truth during his earlier visit.

As if she hadn’t spoken, Caleb continued. “You’ve done everything possible to destroy my marriage, including lie about Snow leaving with another man.”

“But I saw—”

“I spoke to Father yesterday,” Caleb interrupted. “He happened to be in his study the night that Snow left.” He hadn’t told her that part. Snow was clearly the worst sneaker-outer ever. “He watched her get into her car and leave. Alone.”

Vivien didn’t have an answer for that one. She was searching for one, if the suffocating fish impersonation was any indication, but no defense came.

Leaning back and dropping his arm around Snow’s shoulders, Caleb said, “Snow is my wife, and she’s going to remain so until death do us part. Soon, we’ll renew our vows here in Ardent Springs, with our new friends in attendance. You are not invited.”

Her mother-in-law’s blue eyes reflected confusion that quickly turned to rage. Shifting her gaze to Snow, she said, “This is your doing.”

“None of this had to happen,” Caleb said. “You made me choose, and I have. Now you get to live with it.” Rising to his feet, Caleb said, “Don’t expect a Christmas card.”

“But . . .” Vivien stayed in her chair, her usual haughty glare replaced with panic and desperation. “Your father won’t allow this.”

“My father has no say in what I do with my life.”

Caleb’s face remained calm. Implacable. But Snow knew this was killing him. No matter what Vivien had done, she was still his mother. Snow supported Caleb in his decision, but she didn’t envy him having to make it.

“He’ll cut you off,” Vivien said. “You’ll never get another penny. How do you like that, missy?” Vivien pointed a finger at Snow. “You won’t get your hands on our money.”

“Enough,” Caleb said. “I haven’t taken a penny from Dad since I left college, and I don’t need his money now.”

“He’ll . . . You . . . You won’t get the company.”

“Caleb will have a company,” Hattie said, drawing everyone’s attention her way. “Don’t you worry about that.”

Was Hattie going to give Caleb the newspaper? When did that happen? Snow wanted Vivien to leave so she could find out exactly what these two schemers had agreed on.

“Who are you?” his mother asked.

“I’m the woman who owns this house and half of this town. I’ve been dealing with your kind longer than you’ve been alive, my dear, so don’t turn that condescending look on me.” Waving one arm toward the front hall, Hattie added, “Now get your bony ass out of my house.”

The dying fish act returned as Vivien looked to Caleb for support. He held his ground, arms crossed and face stern.

Caleb, Snow, and Hattie followed Vivien out as she attempted to leave with the last bits of her dignity, ignoring them all until she reached the front door and said, “I don’t know who you are, but you are
not
my son. She’s changed you, and if you’re willing to be her fool, then you deserve each other.”

Vivien stormed out without waiting for a response, leaving nothing but a cloud of perfume in her wake.

Caleb took Snow’s hand and said, “She’s changed me all right. For the better.”

“Well,” Hattie said, “I thought you might be exaggerating, but that woman is exactly how you described her.”

Caleb wished his mother would have proved him wrong. Hoped that when faced with the real possibility of losing her son, she might admit her lies, apologize, and show some remorse. But no. Not Vivien McGraw. That wasn’t her style.

“I’m really sorry, Caleb,” Snow said. “I never wanted things to go this far.”

He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “None of this was your fault, darling. She made her bed.”

“You really think this is the end of it?” Hattie asked. “She doesn’t seem like the type to give up this easy.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Caleb had made up his mind. Cutting the cord was something he should have done long ago. “It’s over for me.” Ignoring the pain in his chest, he said, “Now we can get on with our lives.”

“Speaking of that,” Snow said, following Hattie back into the sitting room. “What did all that ‘He’ll have a company’ stuff mean?”

That morning, Hattie had expressed an interest in eventually handing the paper over to Caleb. He’d been flattered, but hesitant. Interning with his father and selling ads for a few weeks at the
Advocate
didn’t exactly qualify him to run the entire ship. If, at a later date, he felt qualified, Caleb would consider it.

“It’s only an idea for now,” Hattie said. “Your husband is being stubborn, but I’ll wear him down.”

Snow returned to her seat on the colorful couch and said, “I’m sorry we lied to you about being married.”

Hattie brushed off the apology. “You had your reasons. I’m just glad you kids worked it out, especially considering what you were up against.”

Taking his hand and pulling Caleb down beside her, Snow said, “My husband gets the credit for that. When I think of what I almost lost, I want to kick myself.”

“You
were
a bit annoying in the beginning,” he said, giving her a heartfelt smile. “It’s a good thing I don’t give up easy.”

“I’d like to think I was worth the trouble.” Her amber eyes revealed she already knew the answer. “Wait,” she said, sitting up straight. “Your birthday is Monday. I almost forgot.”

“I don’t blame you,” he said. “We’ve never technically been together on my birthday.”

“Then I suggest you make this a good one, my dear.” Hattie leaned back in the chair Vivien had vacated. “It’s been a long time since this house hosted a party. You’re welcome to change that.”

Twisting her lips, Snow looked to be considering the idea. Then she gave him a look that said this birthday was going to be a good one.

“Thank you, Miss Hattie, but this year, I think we’ll keep it a quiet night for two.”

With a knowing chuckle, the older woman said, “Smart woman.”

By the time they’d finished eating Caleb’s birthday dinner of Granny’s fried chicken, which Snow proudly made all by herself, she had nearly talked herself out of giving Caleb his gift. When she’d come up with the idea and Spencer had generously agreed to help her out, Snow had been excited to see his face. Now she wasn’t so sure. What if he hated it? What if he expected something else?

“What are you fretting about over there?” Caleb asked, tapping his fork on Snow’s plate to get her attention.

“I’m fine,” she said a little too quickly. “No fretting at all.”

“You really are a terrible liar,” he said.

Giving her husband a narrow-eyed glare, she said, “Fine.” Snow reached under the end table on her side of the couch and pulled out a long box. “This is for you.” Before he could take the gift, she pulled it back. “But if you hate it, you have to tell me.”

Caleb reached for the box. “I’m not going to hate it.”

“I mean it.” She struggled for a few seconds before surrendering the present. “I won’t be mad if you don’t like it.”

“Let me have my present, woman,” he said, ripping into the balloon-c
overed paper like a little boy on Christmas morning. Once he’d loaded her lap with shredded balloons, Caleb opened the end of the box and peered inside. “What is it?”

“Take it out and you’ll see,” she said, anxiety making her words sharper than necessary.

Turning his attention her way, he said, “Is that any way to talk to the birthday boy?”

“You’re killing me.” Snow pulled her legs beneath her, sending the paper onto the floor. “Let’s forget it. I’ll get you something else.”

“Now I’m really curious.” Caleb tilted the box until the triangular block of mahogany slid into his hand. Turning it over, he stared at the metal plate across the front that read his name. “It’s a nameplate.”

“For your desk,” she said, as if this wasn’t obvious. He continued to stare as if waiting for the sliver of wood to do a trick. “You don’t like it.”

Rubbing his finger over the engraving, he said, “I love it.”

“Really?” she asked, doubting his sincerity. “Because you don’t have to lie.”

Setting the gift on the coffee table, he sat back and looked at it. “It’s perfect.” Without warning, he leaned to his left and pulled her on top of him. “Thank you. I couldn’t have asked for a better gift.”

“Spencer made it,” she blurted, reluctant to take full credit. “It was my idea, but he did all the work.”

“It’s the idea that counts,” Caleb said, placing hot kisses along her jawline. “Allow me to show my true gratitude.” He took her mouth in a searing kiss that communicated much more than a simple thank you.

“There’s a second part to the present,” she murmured, struggling to remember her plan.

The kisses stopped long enough for Caleb to say, “Oh, really? What could be better than a custom-made nameplate?”

Tapping his chin with one finger, she said, “There’s a little red number in my dresser that I thought I might put on.”

“You know, Mrs. McGraw, this is shaping up to be my best birthday ever.”