Chapter 4
ASPEN COULD FEEL her bones rattling under her skin in mild panic as she waited for that inevitable knock on her door. The nerves in her body were standing on their ends and she kept fiddling with her nails, her eyes darting towards the door every few seconds. Calum and Luna were sitting on the couch, lost in the world of Scooby-Doo while Aspen waited for her brother and his family to arrive up the elevator.
The second she had answered the buzz and heard her brother's voice, Aspen felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. She had completely forgotten that she had invited Richie and his family over for spaghetti Sunday this week, and now he was going to walk in and see Calum and Aspen could only hope that her brother could keep it together. He knew the circumstances of what happened between Aspen and Calum better than anyone, but that didn't mean Calum was in his good graces. Calum wasn't exactly liked by Aspen's family, by mere association, and she had yet to tell them that he was seemingly back in their lives. Hell, it had only happened yesterday. She still needed time to adjust.
The knocks sounded and Aspen had to take a preparing breath as she unlocked it, opening it so her seven and five year old nieces could run in. "Hey, Penny," Laila greeted with a quick hug and smile.
"Hi, sis," Richie stepped up with a kiss to her cheek, smiling as he stepped inside. "How's it goi—"
Richie's words cut off as his green eyed gaze wandered over Aspen's shoulder, and she felt her breath freeze in her lungs when the smile on his face disappeared as quickly as it came. Oh, God, Aspen let out a shaky breath as she shut the door, her body tensing as she waited for whatever the hell was about to happen.
"This is my daddy!" Aspen heard Luna enthusiastically introduce, turning around to see her on her feet as she held Calum's hand to pull him up as well. Luna was grinning widely, her gaze innocently going around at her cousins, aunt and uncles.
The scene was just. . . Awkward.
Aspen's nieces, Mariam and Nadia, seemed to be in awe at the new man in the room, smiling up at him in wonder. Meanwhile, Aspen saw the looks on Laila and Richie's faces. Saw the surprise and disbelief on Laila's, and the incredulous outrage that was scowling at Richie's features as he took in Calum. And after offering the little girls friendly smiles, Calum's gaze met the two adults, and Aspen watched as his smile left his face and his features transitioned into one of cool stoicism. His shoulders squared and chin lifted, regarding the two of them, but his gaze was hard as it settled on Richie. Aspen guessed he could sense the hostility her brother was radiating.
"What the fu—" Richie cut himself off, exhaling sharply as his glare remained fixated on Calum. He pressed his tongue to his cheek, eyes glancing at Calum then Aspen, who pursed her lips and swallowed, before looking back at Calum. "What're you doing here?"
The irritation was obvious in his voice and Aspen took a few tentative steps towards the group gathered in her living room. "Girls," Aspen hastily started, offering the three young girls a small smile. "Why don't you go into Luna's room and play until the food's ready, okay?"
They were gone with giggles and stomping of their light footsteps, taking all of the lightheartedness with them as they went. In hindsight, Aspen figured she should've kept the girls around so everyone would control their tempers—but if they couldn't, the little girls didn't need to be around for that.
Richie's sharp gaze was now on her. "What the hell is he doing here?"
"Good to see you too, Rich," Calum's smooth voice drolled, bland with a quirk of his brow. His hands were back in the pocket of his jacket—it seemed like some kind of defense mechanism to Aspen. Like he was guarding himself from those around him. Calum's eyes flickered to the dark eyed woman next to Richie. "Hey, Laila."
She offered the smallest of smiles, giving him a nod. "Calum."
Being able to tell that Richie was getting agitated, Aspen took in a breath as she faced her brother. "He's Luna's dad, Richie." She saw the irritated look flash across Richie's face, and as much as Aspen didn't entirely want to defend Calum, she needed to appease her brother. If he got too angry, he may say something nobody needed him saying. Besides, wasn't he the one saying the other day that he thought Calum show know about Luna? What happened to that? "She wants him around and he—he has the right."
"Are you serious?" Richie scoffed out a humorless laugh, his glare directing towards the Australian as he shot Calum a disgusted look. Okay, so maybe his irritation was stemming purely from his dislike of Calum. Still didn't make much sense, in Aspen's opinion. Richie wanted her to tell Calum, now he was pissed that he was actually here. "You're gonna keep him around after—"
Aspen's eyes widened as Laila subtly smacked Richie's back, hindered from Calum's view, as both women warned, "Rich."
Calum's eyes narrowed, looking between the three people as his lips curled upwards in irritation. He was missing something and he knew that, but Calum was suddenly all too focused on the hostility he was receiving from Aspen's brother. What the fuck had he done? He was the one who had been left in the dark about everything. "After what?" Calum taunted, the hard edge back in his voice as he jutted his chin out, eyes challenging. "After she ran out on me? I didn't do shit, mate, so stop making me out to be the bad guy when that's obviously your sister."
Aspen's lips parted at Calum's words, staring at him with widened eyes. She was trying to defend him and he was going to turn around and bitch her out? Indignation fired up her skin, but she also knew he was right. Beyond right. But it was hard to argue when there was more to the story one party member was completely unaware of and couldn't be informed of it.
Clenching her jaw, Aspen's hands formed into fists as she shot Calum a look, hoping to contain her own frustration. Richie's eyes narrowed at Calum's words and Laila shared a look with Aspen, and the latter knew she had to diffuse the situation. She was irritated with Calum yet she couldn't bring herself to kick him out right now. Luna would be upset, and Aspen was always going to put her daughter above anyone else's feelings and circumstances. Luna wanted Calum here, and no matter Aspen's qualms and struggles, she couldn't put that above Luna's desires.
"Alright, listen," Aspen spoke up after a sharp breath, her tone steady and firm and sharper than she thought she could manage as she looked between Richie and Calum. "Tonight's not the night to discuss everyone's issues, alright?" Looking at her brother, Aspen sighed. "Richie, I don't know what's up with you since the other day you were all for it but trust me, it's hard for me, too—" she didn't dare look at Calum as she said this as her brother huffed. "—but we're doing this for Luna, okay? It's something we're just going to have to adjust to." Her gaze flickered to Calum, trying not to bristle at the stoicness he was one against was showing. The fact that he was so openly guarded when Aspen just didn't remember him being so was unnerving. "You and I'll have a talk about this. . . Situation this week or something. For now—" Aspen shot both men a look. "—Just act civil. For Luna's sake. Please."
That seemed to do the trick. Richie took in a deep, calming breath and Calum rolled his lips into his mouth briefly before offering a single nod. Aspen looked between the two men once more, her eyes lingering on Calum with his hands in his jacket and shoulders squared and the muscle in his jaw jumping.
Aspen sighed. This should be fun.
*****
If it weren't for Luna, Calum probably would be out of this apartment by now. But his daughter, in a matter of just under forty-eight hours, had Calum wrapped around her finger, so he stayed. He stayed in Aspen's apartment for spaghetti Sunday, and while he was amused in watching Luna twirl up heaps of pasta on her fork before eating it, his body felt tense because of the pair of eyes on him.
Calum had met Richie, Aspen's brother, and his now-wife-then-girlfriend Laila back when he and Aspen were dating. They had gotten along, were cool with each other, but now Richie was treating Calum as if he was some dick who broke his sister's heart and Calum was at a damn loss. He was the one broken up with. He was the one who was left behind. He was the one who had a daughter kept secret from him. So why the fuck was he being treated like he was the one who did something unspeakable?
As Calum stepped out of the hallway bathroom after dinner was over, he was stopped all of a sudden with Richie blocking his way. Calum exhaled through his nose, wanting to keep his irritation at bay because he needed to be civil. For Luna. "So you're in the picture now?" Richie asked, looking and sounding every bit of unimpressed as he was. "Just like that, you're suddenly running for Father of the Year?"
Calum's jaw tightened as he looked into the green eyes that were similar to his daughter and her mother's. "I'm just tryin' to get to know the daughter I never knew I had, Rich. Why is that such an issue for you?" Then, remembering Aspen's words, Calum scoffed. "You wanted Aspen to tell me. Why the change of heart?"
"Luna should be able to know her dad." The thirty-one year old's eye twitched slightly, the irritation bringing a frown to his face. "But I also don't want her to get hurt."
Offense took over Calum as his eyebrows drew together indignantly, leaning back slightly as he demanded through insult, "You think I'd hurt my own child?"
Richie's eyes ran over Calum, indifferent to what he sees in front of him. "I dunno what you're capable of," he responded, his words utterly flooring Calum as he momentarily forgot his mission to remain stoic as he blinked in disbelieving surprise. Was this guy on something? Calum would never dream of hurting Luna. The mere thought made him nauseous.
"Look," Calum frowned, shaking his head once to push away the curls falling across his forehead. It did nothing. "I'm here for Luna, alright? I missed out on four years of her life and I don't plan on missin' anymore." He scoffed, his frown deepening as he gave a one shouldered shrug. "I've no idea why you're treating me like I'm some kind of enemy, but I can assure you I'm not. 'M just a guy tryin' to have a relationship with his daughter. That's it."
"That's it?" Richie repeated questioningly, the suspicion still present in his voice as he lifted his chin slightly, gaze roaming Calum as if he was going to find some kind of deception. "You don't—you're not trying to get Aspen back?"
Before he could stop himself, Calum felt his eyes widen at Richie's inquiry, the air rushing out of his lungs in bewilderment as he blinked quickly in incredulity. When the hell had he given the impression that he wanted Aspen back? He may be conflicted about what he felt towards in regards to either wanting to forgive her or just hate her for keeping Luna from him, but whatever he may have felt for her was gone. Buried deep. Calum was positive those feelings for Aspen were nonexistent. He was sure those kinds of feelings weren't something he was capable of feeling again for anyone.
He almost wanted to laugh at Richie's question, certain that the man in front of him was joking, but then he saw the serious look on his face. One that told Calum that Richie was honestly wondering if getting back together with Aspen was some kind of plan he was trying to work. Calum didn't even want to give that possibility a second's worth of consideration. Not after what she's done.
"No," Calum responded with a frown and a shake of his head, hoping he was being clear in what he thought of Richie's words. "'M only here for Luna. As far as Aspen and I go. . ." He exhaled sharply through his nose. "We're going to give this co-parenting thing a shot. That's the extent of it."
He expertly ignored the sharp pang of pain that shot through his chest.
Richie stared at him for a couple of seconds longer before his expression relaxed somewhat, seemingly satisfied with Calum's answer. "Good," he nodded, though there was still a hint of a frown between his eyebrows. He stepped back, turning around to head back down the hallway. "Aspen doesn't need that from you."
Calum felt the blood in his veins fire up a bit, his jaw tightening as he said to Richie's back with a sharp, "She broke up with me, you know." God knows the sting of it was still present in his bones. Ignoring it over the past few days was getting to be hard, but Calum would try his damndest to do so.
Richie didn't bother turning around. "Doesn't mean you were the only one hurting."