Complicated | Calum Hood (Sequel to Unexpected)

7.

Calum

"What now?" Jes asks her blue eyes staring up at me. I could get lost in her eyes forever. It's like they're the ocean and I just dive in unforewarned. I shake myself back into the moment and try to process her question.

"I've got our legal team working on the Mark thing. My biggest priority is our relationship. I miss you Jes. So freaking much." I say, editing myself because of the sleeping baby in her arms.

"I miss you too, Cal. The last six months were the hardest, most awful of my life. Knowing what I'd had with you and then having to live without it was a pain I'd never wish on my worst enemies."

"Yeah, but we're past that. You never have to be without me again, if you don't want to."

She moves her hands from where they rest on top of mine to the collar of her shirt. She fumbles with something and I stare confused back at her until she lifts something from under her T-shirt, a chain. She tugs at the thin gold necklace until finally I see what she's digging for, her ring.

"You kept it?" I ask, my voice indicative of my surprise.

"When you brought it back, when I had to lie to your face and tell you I didn't love you anymore, I knew I could never really let you go. So I wore it close to my heart, everyday. The world couldn't know, but I knew that it represented my never dying love for you, I didn't take it off again." She shrugs her shoulders and looks up at me sheepishly. Like she hasn't just made me feel invincible, like she hasn't just resolidified my love for her.

"I love you, Jes." I rush out, unable to stop myself, not that I care to.

"I love you too, Cal." She smiles up at me and I wish I could save the feeling of this moment and keep it forever.

•

Jes

Cal and I talk for a long times as PK sleeps. He tells me his stories from the last tour. I know he was never photographed with anyone but I wonder if he ever saw anyone privately. I'm scared of the answer I'd get, so I don't ask. I tell him about my life. How I'd been recruiting new event clientele and how planning Micheal and Crystal's wedding had brought me several other big name potential clients. How my birthday had been awful because all I'd wanted was to be with him but that was impossible. How I'd been devastated about him missing Paisley's party until he showed.

"What happened that day? I never asked."

He puffs up his cheeks and then releases the stream of air.

"You want the truth?" I nod, his comment concerns me.

"I was drunk as shit. I almost missed my flight, if it hadn't been delayed I would have. I honestly don't even remember where we were, I just was missing you and the boys had been hounding me to get out the damn hotel. So, I went with them that night. I got absolutely smashed. I drank all my feelings and then let Ash basically carry my ass home."

"Language." I say scrunching my eyes.

He nods and groans but continues.

"Next morning I got up, had a meltdown when I saw the time, and made a mad dash for the airport. The flight delay threw everything off and then once I got here I couldn't get myself to your house. It was like I physically couldn't make myself go. Ash came over and guilted me until I could bring myself to. I hate that that's how I spent her first birthday. I hate myself for it."

"Cal we were in a bad place. It was just a bad situation overall. The important this is that you made it, it's not like she'll remember. She'll see the pictures with you and I in them and be none the wiser."