A Bond Never Broken

Chapter 13

Luke's POV

It had been a couple weeks since Caroline and I's small argument. Well, I wouldn't call it an argument, more like a disagreement. We hadn't been on the same page. But now, it seems as if we are. It was just a little hiccup in the road- the road that will lead us to pitstops in our relationship.

The weeks since then had gone smoothly. I was still staying with her at her home. We would play with the boys, sometimes getting a few Saturdays to ourselves when Brooke volunteered to watch the boys. It was those special nights that I tried my hardest to please her. I would take her to mom and pop diners, remembering that she didn't like extravagant. But, there were some nights when she would give in and allow me to spoil her. I would take her to fancy restaurants and treat her to a warm bubble bath plus a foot massage afterwards.. Yet, most times, she liked to snuggle with me in bed and watch movies, or just simply carry on conversations. I'd order Chinese take-out and we'd do that for hours. Over the years, I learned that simplicity was Caroline's thing.

I only had one problem. That was loneliness on the weekdays. Bo was dropped off at school by Caroline on her way to work and she didn't get home until about 7:30 pm or later. Tate, well Tate was taken to Ellen, Caroline's sister in law's, house by Caroline. She runs a day care there. I would then be home alone until 4:30 when the weekday babysitter would arrive to wait for Bo to get off the bus at 4:45. Then, she wold go and pick Tate up from Ellen's. I don't know why Caroline didn't let me stay with them. If I'm here, she shouldn't have to spend the extra money. But I'm not going to bother her at the moment. I have a bigger issue- Momma is still watching Til at my house. Til lives with me. Momma still thinks I'm on tour. She has no idea that I've even seen Caroline, let alone that I'm her boyfriend.

It was mid -afternoon on a Saturday. The sun was out and it was warmer than usual. Bo and Tate were using this to their advantage and playing baseball out in the yard. Caroline was reading a book in the hammock on the back deck where she could keep an eye on the boys. And I, well I was inside on the couch figuring out how I was going to ask Caroline something. I was asking something big in terms of how early our relationship is, but I felt like we should do this. With me being on tour all the time and Til living at home, I couldn't always just pack a bag and go visit every chance I got.

I had written down some pros and main points as to why she should do this, but I also have my mind and heart in how to guide her to persuasion. I looked over my notes, clicking the end of my pen quickly as I bit my lip. I stood up from the island stool and walked over to the sliding glass doors and slowly slid them open. I closed them behind me as Caroline looked up from her book and smiled.

"Hey, Luke," she looked down at the notebook in my hands. "What's that?"

I smiled sheepishly and slowly sat down next to her, careful not to tip us over in the process.

"Hey, babe, I have something I wanna asked you."

She furrowed her brow and nodded. "Okay?"

"Well, you know, with me touring all of the time and Til living with me, when I come home from touring for breaks, I can't visit you as much. That would kill me and I don't-"

Caroline cut me off.

"Yes..." she sighed and hesitated, "but no."

"How did you know what I was going to ask you?"

"Women's intuition. We just do," she smiled. "Luke, I'd love to move in, but what about my home. I can't just up and move out. But I don't want to sell it either. With all of the time, effort, and money I put into this place- not to mention a lot of elbow grease- I don't know if I could sell it."