Chapter 5
Callie pulled up to Cliff House’s security gate the next day, eager to finally get this meeting with her father over with. In her opinion, the first time doing anything was always the most difficult and awkward. She didn’t expect this to be any different.
Despite this fact Callie wasn’t as nervous today about meeting her father as she had been on Friday afternoon. Perhaps she had Dylan to thank for that. He’d told her a lot about Warren when they’d spent the day together. Or maybe it was because her mind was so worried about how the rest of her father’s family would react, that it couldn’t be bothered with anything else.
Her brief meeting with Sara told her not everyone wanted to welcome her into the family with open arms. What if her father’s wife and their son shared Sara’s sentiment?
“Stop worrying about it.” Callie parked and looked at the structure before her. “If they don’t like me, there’s nothing I can do about it. Remember, he invited me here. I didn’t ask to come, and after today, I never have to come back if I choose.”
The same expressionless butler greeted her at the door and informed her Senator Sherbrooke was waiting for her in the study.
As Callie followed the butler through the mansion, she let her eyes wander. It appeared as if no one else was around. Did that mean only her father was home? Or did that mean the whole family was together, waiting for her? She knew she wasn’t ready to meet the whole family at once. Talk about overload.
A feeling of déjà vu washed over her when the butler stopped and knocked on the same closed door. Callie clasped her hands in front of her and waited as the butler spoke.
Almost as soon as the butler told the room’s occupant she was there, the door opened further and Callie found herself staring into eyes identical to hers.
If she’d had any doubts about their relationship, they were gone as she stood staring at Warren Sherbrooke. She’d always wondered who she’d inherited her unusual eye color from. Everyone else in her family had some shade of brown eyes, yet she had eyes so blue people often commented on them. Warren Sherbrooke’s eyes were the exact same shade. The pictures she’d seen on the Internet hadn’t done them justice.
Smiling tentatively, Callie extended her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Senator Sherbrooke. I hope you’re feeling better.”
Somehow calling him Senator Sherbrooke seemed too formal considering the circumstances. At the same time, calling him dad didn’t feel right either, and she didn’t want to appear rude by calling him Warren.
Momentarily, his eyes got misty. For a second, she thought he might cry, but then he returned her smile. “I’m much better. Please come in.” Taking her by the elbow, he led her to the leather sofa. “We have a lot to talk about.”
That was an understatement if she’d ever heard one. She had a million questions, and with her mother gone, he was the only one who could answer them. The only problem was, she didn’t know how to start.
Should she just take control of the conversation and ask him the questions that had been plaguing her since she learned the truth? Or should she let him set the pace and tone of the conversation? See where things went and then, if she had more questions, ask them.
Man, she wished there was a “Dummies Guide to Meeting Your Father for the First Time” book. There seemed to be one on everything else these days.
“Would you like something to drink?” Warren asked once they were both seated. “Or something to eat? I thought we could join the rest of family for lunch, but if you’re hungry, a light snack can be prepared now.”
Though only a casual drinker, Callie thought a glass of wine might be a good idea, but she didn’t say so. After all, it was only ten o’clock in the morning. “I’m fine thank you. I ate something before I left the motel.”
“You have your mother’s smile,” Warren said after a moment of silence. “She was a wonderful person. I was sorry to hear that she passed.”
When it came to her mom’s death, her emotions were still too raw, and Callie clenched her teeth as she fought back tears. “She was a great mother. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for me.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” Warren cleared his throat. “Ruth’s letter mentioned you’re a teacher.”
“I teach fifth grade now. When I first graduated college, I taught second; that was where I did my student teaching, but I changed a few years ago.”
“And you graduated from Boston University, right?”
It looked like Warren Sherbrooke had done his homework.
“I got my undergraduate there, but went to UMass for my Master’s.”
Callie hoped her voice didn’t carry any of the impatience she felt. While she didn’t mind the personal questions, she wanted to discuss how her parents had met, and why he hadn’t tried to keep in contact with her mom instead. Unfortunately, she didn’t know how she could bring up the subject without seeming rude?
“Do you have a large class this year?”
Callie launched into a short description of her class and some of the interesting things her students had done.
Warren shifted in his seat and clasped his hands together. “Dylan told me you only recently learned about me.”
The mere mention of Dylan’s name brought back memories of the brotherly kiss on the cheek he’d given her the night before. Although it’d been innocent enough, it set her skin on fire and left her yearning for more.
Now isn’t the time to be daydreaming. There will be plenty of time for that later.
Callie nodded. “I always thought my father died in a car accident. That was what my mom told me. Her friend told me the truth after she mailed the letter to you. Mom asked her not to, but Helen felt guilty about keeping it from me. She felt it was only fair that I know.”
An unexpected stab of anger pierced her heart. Damn it. They’d always been so close. Knowing her mom had lied to her hurt like hell. She hated lies. For as long as she could remember, her mom drilled into her that lying was bad. That nothing good could ever come from lying. Too bad her mom hadn’t followed her you own advice.
Again, her father’s eyes filled with unshed tears. “I never knew Ruth was pregnant. She never said a thing to me.”
She’d been unsure of how to ask him about his relationship with her mom, but now seemed like the perfect time. Taking a deep breath, she slowly exhaled and hoped he wouldn’t think her question was too personal.
“How did you and Mom meet? I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it since I learned the truth, but I can’t come up with anything.”
Without saying a word, her father stood. Swaying slightly, he grabbed onto the back of his chair.
“Are you okay? Maybe you should sit back down.”
“I’m sorry. This food poisoning has taken a lot out of me. Would you retrieve the photo album on my desk?” Warren answered, sinking back into his chair.
Callie stood and she grabbed the large leather book on the desk. “We can do this another day, when you’re feeling better. It’s really okay.” The book in her hands was heavy, and she wondered how many years of memories were contained inside.
“No. I’ll be fine, Callie. Enough time has already passed,” Warren insisted, taking the book. “Growing up, I would spend several weeks here during the summer with my family. When I got old enough, I would often spend weekends and school vacations here by myself.”
“I was probably about sixteen when I first met your mother. She would often be working when I went into her parents’ store,” he continued. “Unlike a lot of people, she always treated me like a regular Joe. She never tried to impress me. Honestly, I don’t think she even liked me the first time we met.”
Pausing, he smiled, thinking of forgotten memories. “But we became friends.” Warren flipped through the pages of the photo album on his lap. Stopping at a page near the back, he removed a photo from its protective sheet.
“Whenever I was here, we spent time together. Things continued like
that for several years. Then the winter before my last year at Harvard, our relationship changed.”
Callie accepted the photo Warren held out to her. The picture had been taken at the beach. In it, her parents stood with their arms wrapped around each other’s waist. Both were smiling as if they didn’t have a care in the world.
“You started dating?”
Warren nodded. “Only my brother, Mark, and his girlfriend, Donna, knew. He took that picture. My parents weren’t here much that year, so they never had any idea. I planned on telling them when I saw them that fall, but in September, your mother just broke things off. She wouldn’t take my calls, and she returned my letters unopened.”
She knew the important parts of the story from there, at least from her mother’s point of view. “Did you ever try to see her? Talk face to face?”
“No, I let my pride get in the way of that. Now I see what a mistake that was.” A severe frown settled on Warren’s face, and Callie truly believed he was deeply saddened by the events of the past.
“Maybe if I had, she would’ve told me,” he said in a voice not much above a whisper.
The remorse in his voice tugged at Callie’s heart. Could someone sound that sincere and be lying?
“According to her friend, Helen, my mom wanted to protect you. She knew how important image was to your family.”
Warren nodded in acknowledgment. “That sounds just like Ruth, to put others first. It was one of the things I loved about her.” He paused, lost in thought for a moment. “She acted strangely our last night together before I went back to school. I assumed it was because she was nervous about me telling my family about us. We argued about it that night actually. She knew my parents had someone else in mind for me. To them, my relationships were more about business than anything else,” Warren said as if he’d just started putting things together. “Then she broke things off. I never thought about her odd behavior again. I was too angry with her. I wonder if she knew then that she was pregnant.”
Though he continued to talk aloud, Callie wasn’t certain he was speaking to her. Still, she felt the need to say something. “I don’t know exactly when she found out. Helen just told me my mom was really scared when she did. She waited as long as she could to tell her parents even.”
He shook his head sadly. “She shouldn’t have had to go through it alone.”
Callie felt compelled to comfort this man who, although a stranger, was still her father. To hug him. Instead, she said, “Her parents and brother were very supportive, so she wasn’t alone.”
Warren smiled as if he knew she was trying to comfort him. “I’m glad. They always seemed like nice people. I noticed they sold the store a few years ago.”
Callie nodded, surprised that her father would’ve noticed something so insignificant. “They actually stopped running it a while ago. My Uncle was doing everything. He and his wife decided to retire and move to Arizona.”
“Nice choice. It is beautiful out there.” Warren put the album on a table near his chair. “How is Dan? Your mom and uncle always seemed very close.”
“Okay, I think. He took mom’s death really hard.” The man seated before her just kept surprising her. After more than thirty years, he still remembered her uncle’s name. Talk about a good memory.
Warren leaned back. “Does Dan know I am your father?”
“No. She never told anyone until she asked Helen to mail your letter.” A familiar sense of anger and betrayal washed over her. Tears threatened.
Deal with this later. You don’t want to cry here. Save the tears for afterward when you’re alone.
“This is probably difficult for you, Callie. Why don’t we switch topics for now? Tell me a little about your childhood.”
She’d rather ask him some questions about himself, but kept that to herself. “Mom and I lived in an apartment in Uxbridge until I was four, and she worked at a hospital in Worcester. When she got a position at a doctor’s office in Slatersville, she bought a small house there. I’ve lived in that town ever since.”
Callie considered what other information Warren might like to know.
“I went to public elementary school and middle school in Slatersville. I received a scholarship to attend Phillips Academy for high school.”
The next two hours literally flew by. She’d expected their time together to be strained and awkward, for it to drag, but it didn’t. True, it was a little strange, especially at first, but overall, she had a pleasant morning. Warren Sherbrooke seemed to be a genuinely nice man. Not at all what she expected of a rich and powerful politician.
“It is a little after noon. Why don’t we join everyone for lunch?” Warren suggested. “I asked our cook to prepare something special this afternoon, at least for everyone else. I’m still eating dry toast and clear broth. Doctor’s orders. We can talk more after that.”
Lunch with everyone sounded less than enjoyable. In fact, she would much rather retreat to her motel and order a pizza. She didn’t argue though. How could she? It was lunchtime, and she was a guest in her father’s home.
We’re eating in here? Callie almost shook her head as she followed Warren into the smaller dining room. The dining room he’d referred to as the informal one. The room appeared so ornate she half expected to see servants wearing white gloves waiting to pull out her chair. Instead, she found her father’s wife, Elizabeth, her half-sister, Sara, and Dylan seated around a beautifully set table.
Here we go. Round two.
“Callie, this is my wife, Elizabeth.” Warren walked up behind his wife and placed his hand on her shoulders.
She didn’t need to be told who the fashionably dressed woman with perfect hair and makeup was. Callie had seen plenty of photos of the woman who was still quite beautiful even though she was well into her fifties.
I can do this. Callie forced herself to smile. She’s not going to bite.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Sherbrooke.” Callie extended her hand and waited, unsure of what to expect. While her father had mentioned his wife several times during their conversation, he hadn’t even hinted at her feelings regarding this bizarre situation, and after her brief encounter with her half-sister two days earlier, Callie didn’t know what to expect from her father’s wife.
“Please call me Elizabeth. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, my dear,” Elizabeth said, taking Callie’s outstretched hand. “Warren has been looking forward to meeting you since he received the letter from your mother.”
Despite Elizabeth’s pleasant tone, Callie remained unsure of her true feelings. Her smile looked forced and her voice was cold, telling Callie that Elizabeth was less than ecstatic about having her husband’s illegitimate daughter in her home.
Not your problem. He invited you, remember.
“You’ve probably guessed that this is my daughter, and your half-sister, Sara.” Warren walked over to his daughter, who resembled Elizabeth Sherbrooke a great deal.
Callie nodded and smiled at the younger woman, wondering what she might say today. She’d been rude before, but perhaps she would be more agreeable with her parents present.
“We met the other day,” Callie informed Warren. “But we didn’t really have time to talk.” She had no intention of telling her father what had really happened. There was no point in appearing childish and petty.
Warren pulled out her chair. “Of course you already know Dylan.”
For the first time since entering the room, Callie let herself look over at Dylan. She hadn’t been able to get him out of her mind all night. The day they spent together had been wonderful, and her silly romantic side couldn’t help but want to do it again. The logical part of her brain knew that would never happen. Yesterday, he had merely been keeping her company so she wouldn’t be lonely. There had been nothing more to it.
Dylan hadn’t been able to take his eyes off Callie from the minute she walked into the room. Despite his best efforts, he’d been thinking about her constantly. He wonde
red how her time with Warren was going. The previous day, she admitted she’d felt nervous about meeting him. Not that he blamed her. Dylan couldn’t imagine a more awkward situation. That was why he’d been tempted to greet her himself when she arrived that morning. Just for moral support, of course. Or at least he kept telling himself that.
He wouldn’t let himself admit he simply wanted to see her, that he just enjoyed being in her company. So instead, he conveniently went for a long run at the precise time he knew she was arriving. He’d even considered skipping lunch with the family, but when his mother requested that he join them, he’d been unable to say no.
“I hope you’ve had a nice visit so far,” Dylan said sincerely. Despite the possible complications Callie created for Warren, he hoped the two of them were able to develop some type of father-daughter relationship. Both Callie and Warren deserved that.
Callie took the seat across from him. “Very nice, thank you.” As she reached for her water, she nibbled on her bottom lip, and an overwhelming urge to taste her descended on Dylan. The previous night, he had successfully beaten that urge, but just barely. If they had been alone right now, he didn’t think he would be able to resist again.
As if on cue, the moment Warren sat down, two maids entered the room carrying plates. Everyone remained silent as the carefully arranged dishes were placed on the table.
“Jake called earlier. He won’t be able to get here this weekend,” Elizabeth said once the maids disappeared.
Speaking directly to Callie, Warren explained. “He’s in New York doing some campaigning among the younger voters for me. He hoped to get here this weekend to meet you.”
With everything else going on, Dylan forgot Jake was in New York that weekend. Perhaps he should head home to the city tonight himself. He could use the excuse that he wanted to visit with Jake before his half-brother headed back to his townhouse in Virginia.
Though he cared about Jake and was as close to him as he could be considering the five years age difference, deep down Dylan knew his half-brother wasn’t the real reason he now thought about returning to New York. He wanted—no needed—to get away from Callie and the feelings she evoked.
He decided a long time ago that serious, emotional relationships were not for him. He’d tried it once and had gotten burned. There was no way he’d let that happen again. Somehow, although he couldn’t explain how, he knew if he wasn’t careful around Callie, she could make him want to change his mind.
“Did he say how long he’d be in the city?” Just asking the question made Dylan feel as if he was taking the easy way out. Something he never did.
“At least until tonight. Then he’s heading up to Buffalo,” Elizabeth answered before turning her attention to Callie.
Scratch that idea. Still, there were other excuses he could use for returning to the city. Lies you mean. Lies, excuses—it was a fine line between the two. Did it really matter as long as it got him back to his normal life and away from Callie Taylor? Not as far as he was concerned.