Beautifully Broken (17 page)

“So how did you and James meet?” Marie asked.

“I was working at a diner and he came in a few times, and I
was his waitress and then we became friends and things
just went from there,” Cali rambled as she was looking at
all the beautiful gardens along the property.

“Ya that James, he’s quite the charmer isn’t he? Marie said
smiling and shaking her head. “Yes he definitely is, it was
hard to resist him,” Cali said smiling. “I don’t know how
many times I turned him down, he doesn’t really take no
for an answer.”

“I must say and please don’t take this the wrong way, but I
am impressed, James normally picks up dumb, superficial
girls. But you’re beautiful and intelligent and somehow
you got him to open up, how did you do that?” Maria
asked.

“Honestly I haven’t slept with him,” Cali said with a smile
on her face and they both laughed. “I forced him to
actually get to know me and along the way I have got to
know him, and I have totally fallen for him.”

“Well thank you for breaking down James so he could
open up. Those two need to talk and get things out, but
they are both so stubborn and proud they don’t talk to
each other, even though they love each other so much,”
Marie said shaking her head, “Men.”

“So how long have you and Carl been together?” Cali
asked as they were walking through the grounds of the
estate.

“We have been together for six years and it we will be
married four years this summer,” Marie said smiling as
she looked down at her beautiful tiffany wedding ring.

“Do you have any children?” Cali asked making
conversation.

 

“No not yet, but hopefully soon,” Marie said crossing her
fingers with hope in her eyes and a smile on her face.

The girls spent hours walking around and talking when
they walked back up to the lake house both James and Carl
were sitting on the back deck, drinking beers and chatting.

“Well I am glad to see you both smiling,” Marie said,
walking up the stairs of the deck to where they were
sitting. “So did you to have a good talk?”

“Yes we finally worked through some things,” Carl said
putting his arms around his wife then he turned and
looked at Cali, who was just standing there unsure of what
to do, Carl made her feel uncomfortable. “I don’t know who
you are, wonder women but whatever you have done to
my brother please keep doing it, I love this guy.”
“Are you drunk? How long were we gone for?” Marie
asked laughing.

“Maybe a little bit,” Carl said laughing as he kissed his
wife.

“Well we might be hanging out here a little while longer,
hope that’s ok with the two of you,” Marie said looking at
James and Cali for approval.

“Ya I was just saying to Carl that you two should stay the
night, I have a fun day planned and the four of us could
have a good time,” James said and they all looked at Marie
waiting for her answer.

“Yes of course we can stay,” Marie was so happy the two
of them were getting along she had been trying for years
to get them to talk to each other.

The four of them all got changed into comfortable cottage
clothes and bathing suits and spent the afternoon boating
and fishing.

“Fishing is boring, come on guys we have been sitting
here for an hour and we haven’t caught anything, can we
do something fun?” Marie asked.

“Like what?” Carl asked looking at her for an idea.

“Like tubing or swimming,” Marie smiled as she was
rubbing sun tan lotion on her beautiful body and Cali just
looked at her beautiful skin her body would never look
that nice because of what her father did to her, she was
scarred for life.

“Tubing is a great idea,” James said with a happy look on
his face.

 

“Ok but I can’t swim, so I’ll need a left jacket,” Cali said, a
little embarrassed that she didn’t know how to swim.

Cali loved tubing, it was so exciting. She liked the way the
wind felt in her hair and the way the water felt as it hit her
feet. She felt free and alive and she felt a sense of peace
being out there in the middle, between the sky and the sea.
After tubing they secured the boat in the boat house and
went swimming off the dock. Cali didn’t know how to swim
but she still went in the water. She was enjoying every
minute of life she had a left. She loved the water she just
stayed where she could touch. Everyone got out of the
water but she didn’t want to, she was so happy just
swimming.

“Cali and James, we are going back to the house to get
cleaned up and get some lunch, are you going to come?”
Marie asked.

“No I think we’ll hang out here for a while, we’ll be back up
soon,” James said sitting on the dock with his legs in the
water. He watched Cali playing in the water like a child
and it make him feel happy. He loved when she smiled. He
had seen her cry so much in the short time he had known
her so when she smiled he wanted to keep it on her face
for as long as he could.

Marie and Carl went back up to the house and James
jumped into the water and swam over to Cali. He wrapped
his arms around her waist and pulled her in close to him.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into
his eyes.

“I can’t believe you’re swimming in your clothes,” James
said laughing at her.

 

“I don’t have a bathing suit and I can’t have people looking
at my body,” Cali said.

“Well I think your body is beautiful. Remember what you
said; it takes a stronger person to live,” James said looking
into her eyes.

“You really think my body is beautiful even with all my
scars?”

James put his hands under her t-shit and lifted it up over
her head and she was standing there in his arms in the
ocean in her black bra. James kissed a scar on her neck
and then on her shoulder and down her arm and on her
stomach. Cali closed her eyes. Her body was shaking with
excitement and she bit her lip. He made her feel so many
things she didn’t know were possible. He kissed her neck
and it made her body tingle.
“I love you and you are beautiful. Your scars show how
much you have been through. You are an incredible
person. Don’t be shy with me. Don’t be embarrassed when
I look at you. I don’t see the scars, I see you and you are
beautiful and sexy I am so happy to have you in my arms,”
James whispered into her ear in a low sexy voice.

“Thank you, so much for bringing me here, to this
beautiful place. This has just been the best day of my life,”
Cali breathed as she put her hand on the back of his head
and she gently brought his head down to hers. She
pressed her lips to his kissing him with so much love and
passion. He pulled her in to him even tighter and she
wrapped her legs around his body. “You make me feel
things I didn’t know where possible. I feel so happy and so
in love, I wish we could just hide out here forever.”

Chapter 18

Cali got out of the shower and dried herself off. She
walked out of the bathroom and Marie was standing there
with a couple of dresses in her hand.

“James didn’t know if you had a nice dress for dinner, so I
thought I would offer you something of mine to wear
tonight,” Marie said smiling, showing her the dresses.

“Oh so it’s a fancy diner the guys are cooking for us, we
have to dress up, do we?” Cali asked excitedly.

“Yes it is fancy. I peeked in on James and Carl setting the
table; they put out the fancy dishes and the food smells
really good. They kicked me out before I could see what
they were cooking,” Marie smiled and giggling. “I have
never seen them so close; it’s so nice to see them having
fun together.”

“Well I’m excited, I am so glad you guys are here it’s nice
to meet James’ family,” Cali said.
“Well we are very pleased you are here, you are good for
James. I hope things work out for you two. I really like you
Cali,” Marie smiled.

“Thank you I like you too,” Cali responded. She felt happy
and welcomed into James family but a part of her felt sad
she knew this wasn’t going to last and it was unfair of her
to let James love her when she would have to leave. It
wasn’t only her that was going to get hurt.

“Do you want to try on one of these dresses?” Marie
asked holding them up for her to see.

“I don’t know if they’ll fit me, you’re much more
voluptuous than I am,” Cali said looking down at her chest
and they both giggled.

“I think this one will fit and it’s really cute,” Marie said
holding up a little black strapless dress. “It’s a little small
on me so if it fits and you like it, you can just keep it.”

The only place I’ll be going is to jail and Iwon’t need a
pretty dressthere.

“Ok well I’ll try it on,” Cali walked into James’ room and put
on the dress. It fit her perfectly. Marie came in the room
with a pair of black strappy heels for Cali to wear. They
completed the outfit.

“You look so adorable! I love the dress on you,” Marie
said smiling and clapping her hands with joy.
“Ya, you think I look good?” Cali asked, as she looked at
herself in the full length mirror. The black dress
complimented her petite frame.

“Yes Cali you look really nice and I think you should
where your hair curly like that too,” Marie said smiling at
her. Cali didn’t even realise but her hair had dried with a
natural curl. She looked at herself in the mirror and she
did look good with curly hair.

“Thank you for your help Marie. What are you wearing
tonight?” Cali asked.

 

“Well I’ll go get dressed and show you,” Marie said in a
sassy voice.

Marie left the room and Cali got some mousse out of her
toiletry bag and put it in her hair so her curls would hold
their place. She was having fun with James, Marie and Carl,
but in the back of her mind she was thinking about her
sisters and what they must be going through without her.

Marie walked back in the room. She looked so beautiful.
She was wearing a black pinstriped dress that went to her
calf. She had black pointy heels on and her hair pulled
back, showing off her gorgeous diamond necklace.

“Wow you are so beautiful,” Cali said looking at Marie.
Cali looked at herself in the mirror, she didn’t compare to
how beautiful Marie was. She was simple, not glamorous
or beautiful at all.
“Thank you Cali, I think you are a beautiful girl from the
inside out,” Marie said smiling at her.

“Ladies, your romantic evening awaits,” They heard the
guys call up from the bottom of the stairs.

Marie walked down the stairs and Cali followed her. The
lights in the dining room were dim and there was soft
music playing. The house smelt so good, like cinnamon
and apples. The guys were both waiting at the bottom of
the stairs. Carl was wearing a black suit and he had his
hair all jelled back. James was wearing black dress pants
and a black button down dress shirt with the collar open;
no tie no jacket, just casual and sexy.

“You ladies look beautiful this evening,” Carl said, taking
Marie’s hand and leading her into the dining room.

“Wow Cali you look stunning,” James said looking into her
eyes. He wasn’t being cocky, he was being honest. She got
to the bottom step of the stairs and he moved in close to
her. With her heels they were the same height.

“You look amazing every night,” Cali said smiling as she
hugged him and pressed her lips to his. Cali loved kissing
him. It was her favorite thing to do. He smelt amazing and
she inhaled his beautiful sent. He touched her face and
kissed her ever so gently.

“Look who’s got the lines now,” James said laughing.
“Well I have been hanging out with you so much, you’re
starting to rub off on me,” Cali said and she let out a little
laugh.

“Ya you’re rubbing off on me too and I like it,” James
smiled and winked at her. “So are you ready for this
romantic evening I have planned for you?”

“Yes, I am very excited,” Cali admitted. “And I am so
hungry.”

They walked into the dining room; the table was set up
beautifully with matching china. The candles around the
room cast a soft light. It was all so lovely and romantic.

They sat down at the dining room table and James poured
everyone a glass of wine and then he took his seat.

 

“Everything smells so amazing, what did you boys cook?”
Marie asked, excitedly as she rubbed her hands together.

“We made, potatoes, BBQ steak and Lobster tails,” James
announce. “Cali has never had lobster so I wanted her to
try it.”

“Thank you,” Cali smiled at him it meant so much to her
that he wanted her to experience all these new things.

They all ate their dinner, talked and drank wine, they
laughed and all had a good time.
“Dinner was amazing, thank you both so much for making
us such a nice meal,” Marie said looking at both James and
Carl.

“Dinner really was delicious,” Cali said as she cleared off
the table. “I think that was the best meal I have ever had.
It’s official, I like lobster and the apple pie was good too.”

“I’m glad you liked everything but what is it that you are
doing?” James asked seriously.

“Clearing off the table,” Cali replied confused. At home
she cleaned up after everyone, that’s just what she always
did it came natural to her.

“Well stop cleaning you’re a guest here. I want you and
Marie to sit down in the living room and relax. We will
clean up,” James demanded as he poured Cali and Marie
another glass of wine.

Cali and Marie sat in the living room talking well James
and Carl cleaned up from dinner.

“Well this is a nice change me getting to relax and Carl in
the kitchen, I could get used to this,” Marie said, laughing,
as she took a sip of her wine and leaned back on the
couch.

“Yes I am not used to being waited on either and it is nice,”
Cali muttered thinking back to her sisters again.

Carl and James came and sat down in the living room with
Cali and Marie.
“So what do you have planned next James?” Marie asked
excited.

“Actually, Marie it’s a good thing you are here because
the next thing on my list was to teach Cali how to ballroom
dance! Since you’re a dance instructor, you and Carl can
show us how it’s done,” James said grinning at Marie.