He found the cafeteria, bought three cups, and laced the weak brew with lots of sugar and milk. He carried them back to the waiting room. Cal felt completely useless. But maybe just being here, sitting next to Jules and holding her hand—maybe it helped.
He fought the urge to call Monica. She would know what to say, what to do in this type of situation. She was good at that. He needed that.
Monica Campbell hadn’t been out of his life for twenty-four hours, and he missed her so much he ached with it.
* * *
Monica shook hands with all the board members. Even Stanford. The meeting had gone well. Allie’s English garden would hold the event this year. Monica had a ton of work ahead of her, and she was glad. It would take her mind off of Cal.
She hadn’t stopped thinking about him since she’d left the villa the night before. Was leaving Cal the right thing to do? Because it felt wrong on every level.
Deena Adams sauntered over and nodded. “I owe you an apology. You’re not just here to rubber-stamp your sister’s decisions. Whatever help you need to pull this off, let me know.”
“Thanks, Deena.”
Monica gave Stella a thumbs-up as she walked to her office. Once she closed the door, she glanced over at the portrait of her mother. Those damned tears burned the backs of her eyes. She missed her mom so much. Before she’d gotten sick, Trisha had been the glue that held her family together. Allie did her best to fill the role, but it wasn’t the same.
Monica grabbed a tissue, dabbed her eyes, and had just sat down when Allie blew through the door.
“You get off on blindsiding me, don’t you? First Jules, now this.”
Monica shrugged. “Yeah, a little bit.”
“Hosting it in the garden is kind of brilliant. Congratulations, Sis. Come on.” Allie waved her arm. “I’m starving, and we need to hammer out the details. Might as well do both at the same time.”
Allie was being a good sport about all this, so Monica didn’t complain about her lack of appetite. She grabbed her purse and followed Allie out of the office. On the way out to the car, Monica donned her sunglasses. The morning sun seemed unusually bright. Or maybe her eyes were overly sensitive from all the crying.
“Everything all right?” Allie asked. “You aren’t gloating, and that worries me.”
“Yep. I’m fine.”
Allie stopped walking and turned to her. “I’m sorry that I made you feel incompetent. That was never my intention. You’re really good at this job.”
“Thanks. And I’m sorry I yelled at you. It’s just that you’re always so damn perfect. How am I supposed to live up to that?”
“I’ve never expected you to be perfect, Mon.”
“Actually, you do.” She resumed walking toward her car. “You always expected Brynn and me to follow your every order, to the letter.”
Allie finally moved. “Do I really act like I’m perfect?”
How to answer that? Cal would tell her not to lie. “Sometimes. You were the good daughter, and I was the bad one. We all get it.”
“You weren’t the bad one.” She hopped into Monica’s passenger seat.
“Well, Brynn wasn’t the bad one. So that just leaves me.” Monica didn’t say any more until they reached the restaurant.
“I’ll try to ease up,” Allie said. “Come on, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee. You look like you need it. Are you sure you’re okay?”
No. Not even. Monica missed Cal. She wasn’t sure she’d ever be okay again. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
They exited the car, and as they walked toward the entrance, Allie patted Monica’s back. “You never do. I’m sorry I gave you a hard time about Cal too. I shouldn’t have interfered. I just want to protect you.” She held up a hand as if Monica were about to argue. “I know you don’t need it. You’ve made so much progress in the last few years, I didn’t want to see you slip back into old patterns. But I was wrong.”
Normally, Monica would snarl about being an adult and handling her own life, but not today. Besides, she was very close to tears. Again.
“When you talk to Cal,” Allie said, “tell him I’m sorry to hear about his dad.”
Monica froze midstep. “What?” she whispered.
“You didn’t know?”
“Tell me.”
“He and Jules left for L.A. this morning. His dad had a heart attack.”
Monica clung to the column near the restaurant door for support. “Is he going to be okay?”
“I…” Allie shook her head. “I don’t know.” She placed her arm around Monica’s waist and led her inside.
“Table for two,” Allie told the hostess. She helped guide Monica to a table and waited until they were alone. “Mon, talk to me. Are you all right? You look like you’re going to be sick. Why didn’t you know about Cal’s dad?”
“Poor Cal. Poor Jules. It just happened this morning?”
“Yeah. Why don’t you call him?”
“We’re over.”
“What? I thought you two were doing well.” Her eyes narrowed. “Did he dump you? That son of a bitch. I warned him.”
“No, I ended it.”
Allie’s head snapped back. “Oh.” When the waitress stopped by, Allie ordered two cups of coffee. “Why?”
“I’m in love with him. I didn’t mean for it to happen. I thought I could handle a fling, but Cal is just so…fantastic.”
“Does he love you?”
“He cares about me, but he can’t stay in one place for long. He’s not made that way.” She glanced at Allie, took in the tight seam of her lips. “Just say it and get it out of the way.”
Allie shook her head.
“You told me so. You told me not to get involved with him. I didn’t listen. Say it.” Monica crossed her arms on the table, dropped her head, and began sobbing.
Allie awkwardly patted her head. “Monnie. Stop, honey. Please. You never cry. This stupid man is making you cry.”
When Allie sniffed, Monica glanced up. Allie blotted her eyes with a paper napkin, taking care not to smudge her mascara. “I hate seeing you this way. You’re breaking my heart.”
“What else is new?” Monica mopped her chin with the back of one hand.
When the waitress brought the coffee, she stopped short. “Everything all right here?”
“More napkins, please,” Monica said.
The woman scurried off and returned with a two-inch stack.
After several minutes, Allie stopped crying, and Monica finally dried up too. “God, this is embarrassing. I’m like a leaky hose. Also, now’s probably not the best time to tell you this, but at the beginning of the year, I’m quitting the foundation.”
Allie sputtered and choked on a sip of coffee. “What? I told you I would ease up.”
“I hate that job, Al. I’m sorry. I won’t leave until you find a replacement. I just can’t do it anymore.”
“Is this about your international grant idea?”
“No. But it might be good for the foundation. You should keep an open mind.”
“So you’re really leaving? For good?” Allie asked. “What will you do for work?”
Monica shrugged. “I don’t know. I only know what I don’t want. But hopefully, I’ll figure it out as I go along. I’m going to call Jules, see if her dad’s all right.” She grabbed her phone and stepped out of the restaurant.
“Hello?” Jules’s nose sounded stuffy.
“It’s Monica. I just heard about your dad. Is he going to be all right?”
“Yeah, he’s going to be fine. Here, I’ll let you talk to Cal.”
Chapter 21
When Jules shoved the phone into his hand, Cal had no idea it was Monica. “I don’t mean to bother you,” she said, sounding stilted. “I heard the news and—”
Cal tightened his grip on the phone. “No bother. It’s very kind of you.”
“Allie just told me, or I would have called sooner. Is he going to be all right?”