I nod, tucking the money back into my pocket. He lets go of me and steps back to the open doorway. I take a seat on the edge of the tub and focus on the cats to steady myself. The cold porcelain against the backs of my legs is a welcome reset . . . until I remember that Callum and I shared countless naked sessions in this bathtub. When I glance up at him, he’s flushed, his eyes scanning the empty tub behind me. I wonder if he’s thinking about those same memories.

“What should we name them?” I ask, just to focus on something else.

“I’ll leave that up to you.”

“You sure? You didn’t seem too crazy about the name Lemon when I first came up with it.”

He gazes lovingly at the box before darting his eyes back to me. “It’s grown on me.”

“Let’s wait awhile. It’s been an eventful day already.” I fixate back on the kittens.

He nods once. “Good plan.”

I swallow, willing the heat inside of me to dissipate. It doesn’t. In fact, the longer I stay in his presence, the hotter I feel. I need to say something before I combust. The messy aftermath of our argument is nowhere near resolved, but I need to tell him that I love him. He deserves to know.

I clear my throat. “We should talk. Don’t you think?”

“About what?” Callum’s frown throws me.

“About us,” I say. “About what happened at the festival.”

Disappointment flashes across his face. It makes my heart plummet to my feet.

When he purses his lips, I can tell he’s choosing his words very, very carefully before he breaks me.

“Can we take a time-out on all of that?” he asks.

Time-out. Just like the one we took on the airplane. He suggested that one too. Only this time, it’s not going to lead to flirty conversation and a newfound closeness between us. This time-out is going to hurt like hell.

“I think today should be about Lemon and her kittens,” he says. “I don’t want to taint the joy of it by bringing up ugly moments from the past.”

His explanation is a total shock—and completely sweet. One part of me is aww-ing that he wants to keep today pure for Lemon and her kittens. But the other part of me is devastated that he rejected my attempt to hash things out between us.

I stand up. “I should go.”

Callum moves from the doorway to let me out. I power walk to the front door, but just as my hand grips the knob, his voice stops me.

“Nikki, wait. I’m sorry, it’s just—”