Lisa patted Kali’s hair and kissed her cheeks. “It’s so good to have you home, honey.”
“Thank you.” Kali tried not to choke on the words. A warm and fuzzy feeling she didn’t often get bubbled up in her insides. But seeing the stern expression tug at Greg’s face caused a few of those bubbles to pop.
“Young lady, were you about to knock?”
“Uh…” Kali felt a blush rising to her cheeks. Ducking her head, she nodded.
Greg placed two fingers beneath her chin and lifted her face to his serious brown eyes. “This is your home, Kalista Metts. No matter what happens. Don’t ever forget that.”
A tear tickled Kali’s cheek. Brushing it away with some annoyance, she threw her arms around Greg’s neck. “Thanks, Dad,” she whispered.
They parted, and Greg turned another serious stare toward Rion and War. “I take it that these young men are friends of Rhane’s.”
War solemnly tipped his head while Rion responded without reservation. “Yes, sir!” He extended a hand that Greg immediately shook. “I’m Rion. And this is Warren.”
“Are you boys staying for dinner?”
Kali glanced over at them. She wasn’t sure what instructions Rhane had left. Rion and War were enjoyable company, but she didn’t want them sitting in on dinner with her folks just to fulfill their role as babysitters. Rion shook his head and she relaxed.
“We were just making sure Kali got home safely.”
“Thank you for that.” Greg smiled. “Tell Rhane I said hello.”
“Will do, sir.”
As soon as the boys left, things in the Metts household were as if Kali had never left. Greg and Lisa were the same loving parents. Rozzy was the annoying older sister. Though, she was a bit quieter than her usual self. They all sat at the dinner table, greedily watching the lasagna as Lisa brought dinner out of the oven, steaming hot and smothered with a variety of melted cheeses. Kali could hardly wait for the stuff to be on her plate. The rich, buttery pasta licking the insides of her stomach was going to be wonderful.
The doorbell rang and Kali froze. She hoped nothing was wrong, that it wasn’t War and Rion coming back to retrieve her. Greg got up from the table warily, stopping to kiss a worried looking Lisa on the cheek. From her seat, Kali couldn’t see the front door. She could barely make out Greg conversing with whoever it was on the doorstep.
When Greg returned, he was frowning. “Kalista, I realize there is probably a lot of catching up you’d like to do with your friends since you’ve been away for so long. But your mother and I would really appreciate a little more of a heads up if someone is going to be joining us for a family dinner.”
Kali was genuinely confused. “I didn’t invite anyone.”
“Callan is here.”
“Oh.” Caught completely off-guard, Kali had nothing else to say.
“Go talk to him.”
“Uh…I…” She still wasn’t sure what to say.
To her surprise, Rozzy spoke up. “She didn’t invite him. I did. He’s my guest.”
Even Greg seemed taken aback for a moment. His frown grew even more severe. “Rosalyn, this was supposed to be a night for the family. Go tell Callan you can’t see him right now.”
“But, Dad—”
“No buts. Go.”
Kali cleared her throat, inciting a glare from her sister. “Um, Dad…,” she said a little nervously but knew she had to ask. “I would like him to stay. Please let Cal stay.”
Greg sighed and looked at his wife. She shrugged.
“Fine. He can stay. One of you needs to go see him in. The other can set an additional spot at the table.”
Rozzy jumped up and ran to the door. Kali took it as her cue to get another plate. As she turned to set it on the table, she met Cal’s deep blue eyes watching her from the doorway. She returned the stare and tried to figure out what was different. Then she understood. The majorly-creeped-out-because-this-guy-is-a-sociopath feeling was missing. It was like being around the old Cal again. Kali
“Thank you.” Kali tried not to choke on the words. A warm and fuzzy feeling she didn’t often get bubbled up in her insides. But seeing the stern expression tug at Greg’s face caused a few of those bubbles to pop.
“Young lady, were you about to knock?”
“Uh…” Kali felt a blush rising to her cheeks. Ducking her head, she nodded.
Greg placed two fingers beneath her chin and lifted her face to his serious brown eyes. “This is your home, Kalista Metts. No matter what happens. Don’t ever forget that.”
A tear tickled Kali’s cheek. Brushing it away with some annoyance, she threw her arms around Greg’s neck. “Thanks, Dad,” she whispered.
They parted, and Greg turned another serious stare toward Rion and War. “I take it that these young men are friends of Rhane’s.”
War solemnly tipped his head while Rion responded without reservation. “Yes, sir!” He extended a hand that Greg immediately shook. “I’m Rion. And this is Warren.”
“Are you boys staying for dinner?”
Kali glanced over at them. She wasn’t sure what instructions Rhane had left. Rion and War were enjoyable company, but she didn’t want them sitting in on dinner with her folks just to fulfill their role as babysitters. Rion shook his head and she relaxed.
“We were just making sure Kali got home safely.”
“Thank you for that.” Greg smiled. “Tell Rhane I said hello.”
“Will do, sir.”
As soon as the boys left, things in the Metts household were as if Kali had never left. Greg and Lisa were the same loving parents. Rozzy was the annoying older sister. Though, she was a bit quieter than her usual self. They all sat at the dinner table, greedily watching the lasagna as Lisa brought dinner out of the oven, steaming hot and smothered with a variety of melted cheeses. Kali could hardly wait for the stuff to be on her plate. The rich, buttery pasta licking the insides of her stomach was going to be wonderful.
The doorbell rang and Kali froze. She hoped nothing was wrong, that it wasn’t War and Rion coming back to retrieve her. Greg got up from the table warily, stopping to kiss a worried looking Lisa on the cheek. From her seat, Kali couldn’t see the front door. She could barely make out Greg conversing with whoever it was on the doorstep.
When Greg returned, he was frowning. “Kalista, I realize there is probably a lot of catching up you’d like to do with your friends since you’ve been away for so long. But your mother and I would really appreciate a little more of a heads up if someone is going to be joining us for a family dinner.”
Kali was genuinely confused. “I didn’t invite anyone.”
“Callan is here.”
“Oh.” Caught completely off-guard, Kali had nothing else to say.
“Go talk to him.”
“Uh…I…” She still wasn’t sure what to say.
To her surprise, Rozzy spoke up. “She didn’t invite him. I did. He’s my guest.”
Even Greg seemed taken aback for a moment. His frown grew even more severe. “Rosalyn, this was supposed to be a night for the family. Go tell Callan you can’t see him right now.”
“But, Dad—”
“No buts. Go.”
Kali cleared her throat, inciting a glare from her sister. “Um, Dad…,” she said a little nervously but knew she had to ask. “I would like him to stay. Please let Cal stay.”
Greg sighed and looked at his wife. She shrugged.
“Fine. He can stay. One of you needs to go see him in. The other can set an additional spot at the table.”
Rozzy jumped up and ran to the door. Kali took it as her cue to get another plate. As she turned to set it on the table, she met Cal’s deep blue eyes watching her from the doorway. She returned the stare and tried to figure out what was different. Then she understood. The majorly-creeped-out-because-this-guy-is-a-sociopath feeling was missing. It was like being around the old Cal again. Kali
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