In Good Company: Chapter 52

I pull into the driveway of my childhood home feeling completely empty.

I’ve called Cal twenty-two times in the last two hours.

He hasn’t answered a single one.

All the calls go straight to voicemail.

Talking to Jude and Charlotte had made me feel so hopeful. Jude had made it sound like Cal would forgive me for anything if he just knew how I felt. Now, he won’t talk to me, so I can’t even tell him how I really feel.

I swallow, wincing at the soreness in my throat from my sobs. I spent the better part of an hour huddled in the back office of the store, letting myself finally break down at the loss of Cal. For two weeks, I’ve tried to be strong. I pushed all thoughts of him from my mind as I focused on being there for my parents.

But I can only be strong for so long.

And having hope that maybe I could make this work—be the daughter my parents deserve and also still have Cal in my life—just to have it ripped away from me was my breaking point.

I’m broken.

I’ve never had my heart broken, not really, and I hope to never feel something like this again. My entire body aches with regret and loss. It doesn’t help that I know I wouldn’t be feeling this way if I’d just been honest with Cal and myself to begin with.

I should’ve known the love we shared was too intense to just fade away with time and distance apart.

I thought I was doing the right thing. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. From the moment we lost Luke and Logan, I tried stepping up to be the perfect daughter. My parents had already lost two children—the golden boys of the family—and I never wanted them to have to worry about me. I wanted to make sure I never gave them trouble. I wanted to make things easy on them.

I dropped all my dreams of becoming a chef and went to college for business and marketing. I worked as much as I could to pay for my schooling and kept the best grades possible. I thought the degree in business would set me up to properly run the store, but my recent failures show I must not have worked hard enough in school.

I’ve tried and tried to be there for my parents, but somehow, it still feels like it hasn’t been enough.

I’m terrible at running the store.

We’re still trying to figure out Dad’s health.

It’s obvious Mom is still stressed, even with me here trying to help.

And in trying to be the perfect daughter, I hurt the man I love, who just wanted to be there for me.

I rub the heel of my palm against my chest, trying to dull the pain.

It doesn’t.

I grab my phone from the passenger seat, checking to see if Cal called me back and maybe I just missed it.

He hasn’t.

With a resigned sigh, I grab my purse and open the door to the car I’ve owned since I was sixteen.

All the lights are on in the house, meaning Mom and Dad are still awake. It’s a little surprising. Typically, they’re both in bed by now.

Every step toward the door feels heavy. I was hoping they’d be asleep. I haven’t even looked at myself in the mirror, but I’m sure it’s obvious I’ve been crying. I wouldn’t be surprised if my eyes are puffy and my face is splotchy from all the tears.

I’m so emotionally and mentally drained I won’t even be able to pretend I’m okay if one of them were to ask.

I reach to unlock the front door, but the moment I grab the handle, I realize it’s already unlocked. I guess if they’re still awake, they haven’t gotten around to locking it yet.

I push the door open and am immediately hit with the sound of my mom’s laughter.

I pause in the doorway, wondering if I’m hearing things. I haven’t heard my mom laugh like that in ages.

Another laugh from her fills the silence as I take a cautious step inside. Voices come from the kitchen, but I’m too far away to see who it is. It sounds like it might be more than just my mom and dad, but I can’t be sure.

Quietly, I shut the front door behind me. I don’t want to interrupt whatever is happening in the kitchen. It’s been so long since my mom laughed like that, and I don’t want to risk stopping her.

I slip off my shoes and leave them by the front door. I keep my footsteps light as I walk toward the sound of laughter and voices.

The smell of garlic and tomato hits me the closer I get. It smells amazing but makes me curious. None of the meals I pre-prepared should smell like this.

I turn the corner and stop in my tracks at the sight in front of me.

Mom and Dad sit at the kitchen table with warm, bright smiles on their faces. Their bodies are angled toward the small kitchen island, their focus on the man plating what looks to be chicken parmesan.

Cal.

For a moment, I don’t move, wondering if I’m seeing things. I cried so hard at the store, is it possible I’d fallen asleep in the chair? Maybe I’m dreaming. He wears a pale blue button-up with the sleeves rolled up, and his attention is on trying to perfectly plate the food, giving me a few seconds to figure out if this is all in my head.

“Lucy!” Mom calls, and I swear the tightness in my chest loosens the smallest amount at the happiness in her voice.

Cal looks up, his entire body going still as our eyes meet.

I let out a gasp the moment our eyes connect.

He’s here.

He’s real.

“Cal,” I whisper, unsure if he can even hear me. I’m so shocked at seeing him standing in my kitchen that I can barely get words out.

And for the first time in two weeks, I’m able to take a deep breath because the man I’m completely in love with steps around the small island and takes a step toward me. His lips turn up in a cautious smile.

“Baby,” he rasps.

I don’t give him a chance to say anything else.

My bag and keys fall to the floor as I close the distance between us. Trusting he’ll catch me, I launch my body at his and pull him close to me.

He’s ready. My arms wrap around his neck as his wrap around my middle. I tuck my face into the crook of his neck and take a deep inhale, trying to figure out if I’m dreaming.

“Are you really here?” I ask, my words muffled against his skin.

His body shakes with the hint of a laugh. “I’m here.”

I bury my face deeper into the crook of his neck as my arms tighten around him. I savor the feeling of his embrace, something I was terrified I’d never experience again.

My dad clears his throat from the table, reminding me that we aren’t alone.

I let out a nervous laugh as Cal gently sets me back on the ground. We separate, but only barely. I make sure to grab his hand as I pull my eyes from him to my parents, needing some kind of contact just to prove to myself that he’s actually here.

Although it was my dad who cleared his throat—a smile still, surprisingly, on his lips—it’s my mom who speaks up.

“Lucy, you didn’t tell us you had a boyfriend,” she comments. She raises an eyebrow and stares at me expectantly.

A blush creeps over my cheeks as I feel like a teenager just caught in a lie.

My eyes dart to Cal. “Boyfriend?” I ask, my voice hopeful. I have no idea why he’s here or how he ended up palling around with my parents in their kitchen, but I let my heart hope it means that he’s mine again…that he’s forgiven me.

“Yes, boyfriend,” Cal confirms with a sly smile. “It seems you forgot to mention me to your parents.” There isn’t any bitterness in his tone at all. It almost sounds like he’s teasing me.

“My mistake,” I whisper with a smile. I look at my parents at the table. “Mom and Dad, meet my boyfriend, Cal.” Butterflies take flight in my stomach at introducing him that way.

Cal squeezes my hand, as if he’s telling me he approves of the introduction.

Dad swats at the air as he adjusts his position in his chair. “We already met him when he showed up at our doorstep insisting he was your boyfriend. I about slammed the door in his face, thinking he was some weird stalker.”

I giggle at the mental picture, trying to imagine how that even played out. “I am kind of shocked you ended up letting him inside.”

Cal’s the one to speak up. “I showed him one of our cooking videos to prove I knew you. The chicken parmesan one is going viral, by the way. I’m not sure you’ve noticed. You haven’t posted in a while.”

“How do you know that?”

He lifts a shoulder in a casual shrug. “I’ve paid attention.”

Dad clears his throat again. “It took a few minutes, but he finally convinced us to let him inside. The food he promised to cook—your recipe, he tells me—was what really sold me.”

Mom sits up in her chair, leaning forward on her elbows. “Lucy, I’m amazed at how many people are watching these videos and recreating your recipes.”

I blush. I haven’t even checked any of my social media since coming back to Virginia. There were too many reminders of Cal. The videos I posted of us together were doing well, but I couldn’t bring myself to watch them or share the ones we recorded that I hadn’t posted yet.

Cal wraps his arm around me. “Wait until you taste the recipe. I’m typically terrible at cooking, but after following her instructions closely, you’ll discover just how talented she is. She makes anyone a great cook, even me.”

“Did you make it?” I ask, my eyes wandering to the four nicely plated chicken parmesans on the counter.

Cal gives me a proud smile. “I sure did. Now, let’s eat. I’ve been talking with your parents, and we have some things to discuss…”

I pull my head back, looking at him through narrowed lids. “We do?”

He nods, pointing to the kitchen table for me to take a seat. “Yes. Sit. I’ll get the food, and we’ll get started.”

Without leaving any room for discussion, he removes his arm from around me and closes the distance to the small kitchen table. He and my mom share a knowing look as he pulls the chair out from the table.

“What’s happening?” I ask as I take a seat. Everyone’s quiet and sharing looks with each other that I don’t understand.

Mom reaches across the table and grabs my hand. I hold my breath, wondering what my parents and Cal could’ve possibly been talking about. She gives me a warm smile as she squeezes my hand. “Before we say anything else—” Her eyes move from mine to Dad’s before she focuses on me once again. “—I just want you to know how much your father and I love you. We’ve asked more out of you over the years than we probably should have. And I know we probably didn’t say it enough, but we love you, and we could never thank you enough for everything you’ve given up for us.”

I swallow, my eyes beginning to sting. I didn’t know I had any more tears to cry, but something about the tenderness in her voice, paired with her words, hits home.

“I haven’t given up anything,” I manage to get out. Cal places plates in front of us before taking a seat himself. I don’t look at him, not right now. Not with the look in my mother’s eyes. “It’s you and Dad that have given up so much. I just want to help and make things easier on you.”

Mom nods, her own eyes welling over with tears. “I know, Lu. You’ve been perfect. But…you’re not the parent. We are. It isn’t your responsibility to make things easier on us, and I think, over the years, we’ve put too much pressure on you.”

I shake my head as my bottom lip trembles. Cal places his hand on my thigh, a quiet reminder that he’s here.

“No, you didn’t,” I counter. They’ve had a lot on their plate over the years. I just tried helping where I could.

“We’ve asked too much of you, Lucy. And that’s our fault,” Dad speaks up. “But that stops now.”

I shift my body to look at him.

He pauses to cut into the chicken parmesan and take a bite. His eyes close for a moment. When they open again, he immediately focuses on me. “Lucy, this is incredible.”

I smile as Cal gives my thigh a reassuring squeeze. A small laugh leaves me as I tilt my head in Cal’s direction. “Well, I didn’t make it. Cal did.”

Mom lets go of my hand before taking her own bite. She nods in agreement. “I’ve never had anything like this. This is amazing.”

I blush, my gaze darting to my lap for a moment before looking back up. “The compliments should go to Cal for cooking it.”

Dad grabs a napkin and wipes his mouth. He sighs, his palms hitting the table. “Lucy, I’ve been talking with Cal, and I think it’s best you don’t take over the store.”

I gasp, my eyes moving from my dad to Cal and back again. “What? No. I’m trying my best, I promise. I’ll learn the ropes and⁠—”

Dad holds up his hand. “You’re amazing at anything you put your mind to. I have no doubt that given the time, you’d do amazing things with the store. But you shouldn’t have to, honey. Not when it’s obvious your talents would be wasted there.”

I look at Cal in confusion. “What did you tell them?” I ask, panic in my voice. If I don’t take over the store, Dad will feel the need to run it. He’ll overwork himself and jeopardize his health because of me.

“Cal didn’t really have to tell us anything. He just showed us your videos, and that told us everything we needed to know. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you light up the way you did in those videos.”

“I can run the store and cook on the side,” I offer, desperate for him to listen to me. I can’t allow him to take over the store again, not when his health keeps declining. “I promise I’ll be better at running it. Alec’s teaching me so much, and I’ll⁠—”

Mom places her hand on my shoulder. “You don’t have to be better, Lu. You’re doing your best. We want you to do what you want with your life. As your parents, we can’t ask you to give up your passion for us.”

I choke out a sob. “As your daughter, I can’t make you run the store by yourselves.”

Cal clears his throat. “That’s the thing, baby. They won’t have to.”

Dad nods as my eyes find his in confusion. “We have Alec.”

“What?” I blink a few times, trying to understand what’s happening.

“Alec’s been with us…” Dad pauses for a moment as he takes a deep breath. “Well, he’s been with us for a very long time.”

I nod, my heart aching as my mind fills in what he isn’t saying. Alec’s been with us before Luke and Logan passed. He’s been like family to us.

“It was never fair of me to ask you to run the store, Lucy,” Dad continues. “You had dreams, and I took them away from you because I didn’t know what else to do.”

“You didn’t take anything from me,” I rush to say. “Everything I’ve done, I wanted to do. I’d do anything for you.”

Dad nods in understanding. For a few seconds, he just stares at me. His lips press into a thin line, and I swear his eyes get a little glossy. “It’s not your job to fill the void left by their deaths. And it was really unfair that we made you feel like you had to. The only thing we need from you is to be happy.”

My bottom lip trembles as I try my hardest not to cry. I want to be strong, but I hadn’t realized how badly I needed to hear those words until he said them.

I look over at my mom. All she does is nod. “We love you, Lu,” she manages to get out through her own tears. “And we think it’s best if you follow your dreams and we ask Alec to take over the store. He’s earned it, and we should’ve thought about him—and you—sooner.”

Before I can say anything, Cal wraps his arm around me and pulls me against him. “We’ve come up with a really solid plan that should make everyone happy. Want to hear it?”

I stare at him wide-eyed, wondering how I got so lucky to be so fiercely loved by a man like him. All I can do is nod at first, so overtaken with love and appreciation for the man sitting next to me. “Tell me everything.”