Chapter 2
Caleb – a soldier who doesn’t know who he is if he isn’t a soldier anymore
Caleb
I scowl at the ‘Welcome to Smuggler’s Hideaway’ sign as I drive onto the island. Welcome, my ass. I’m not here because I want to be.
I don’t have a choice. I need time to heal. Time to lick my wounds away from prying eyes and questions I can’t – won’t – answer. Which is why I’m keeping to myself until I’m better.
Once I’m healed, things will be different.
In the meantime, knowing Maya is here on the island – nearly within touching distance – will be torture. I have some experience with torture. But this won’t be similar to being in the sandbox. Those occurrences never touched my heart. Not the way Maya does.
I drive through Smuggler’s Rest but I don’t pay attention to the town or people or whatever crazy festival is going on now. There’s always some crazy festival happening on the island. Smugglers love to party .
I keep my eyes focused on the road and pray no one notices me. Although, I doubt anyone would recognize me anyway. It’s been twelve years since I stepped foot on the island. I’ve stayed away for one reason and one reason only – Maya.
Everything comes back to her.
When the town fades behind me, I blow out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. No one saw me. No one’s chasing after me. A twinge of regret pokes at me, but I ignore it. Maya doesn’t want to be around me now anyway.
I glance down at my legs. My legs are covered by a pair of jeans but in my mind, I see blood, gore, and bone sticking out of a gaping wound. I force those thoughts away. It’s the past.
I adjust my leg and pain shoots up my foot to my groin. I grit my teeth. Not as much in the past as it needs to be.
I follow the road from Smuggler’s Rest toward Rogue’s Landing. Hideaway Haven Resort should be halfway between the towns.
The resort didn’t exist when I lived here. Hudson Clark, who was two years ahead of me in high school, built the resort when he came back to the island after his career in the NFL crashed.
He also owns the cabin I rented. It should be near the border to his resort. I follow the GPS directions past the resort and turn left onto an unpaved road.
It’s a good thing I rented a truck for the time I’ll be back on the island since the road is uneven and bumpy. Every time the truck hits a bump, I grit my teeth as pain shoots up my leg. It’s a relief when a cabin comes into view .
It’s small and isn’t much but I don’t need much. All I need is a bed to sleep in and room to do my exercises.
I park in front of the cabin and slide out of the truck. My knee buckles when my leg takes my weight – I’ve been sitting too long, but I wanted to make it to the island before dark. I use my hold on the truck to keep my balance. I will not be collapsing again. Never again.
“Caleb?” someone shouts.
I squint and notice a man standing on the porch.
“I’m Caleb.”
The man jogs down the steps toward me. I recognize him. It’s Hudson. He’s moving well for someone whose ankle was blown out by an illegal tackle during a football game.
Hope and determination fill me. If he can do it, so can I.
“Sorry, man,” Hudson says when he reaches me. “I didn’t recognize you.”
I run a hand over my jaw. I barely recognize myself without a bushy beard but I shaved it off the second I was stateside. I don’t need a reminder of why I’m not overseas staring at me every morning in the mirror.
I grunt and he chuckles. “And I’m supposed to be the grumpy one.”
My brow wrinkles. “Don’t seem grumpy to me.”
“I’m not as grumpy as I used to be. Love will do that to a man.”
I’m confused. Maya’s letters never mentioned any news about Hudson being in love. Considering my pen pal is obsessed with love and romance, she would have told me if the famous former NFL player had fallen in love.
Although, I haven’t received a letter from her in some time. Correction. I threw away her letters in a fit of rage before reading them. Regret knocks on my consciousness but I ignore it. If I let my regrets in, they’ll overwhelm me.
I clear my throat. “Love?”
“You know Nova Myers?”
I nod. Of course, I know Nova. She’s one of Maya’s best friends. Together they founded a brewery with the rest of their friends. I’m not surprised Five Fathoms Brewing is a success. Those five women can do anything they put their minds to. The island is lucky they didn’t decide to start a criminal empire.
“She’s my woman and she’s having my baby.”
My eyes widen in surprise. Of all the things I expected him to say, announcing Nova’s having his baby didn’t even make the list.
Jealousy whirls around in my stomach. I want to be the one announcing the woman I love is having my baby. But I’m not. And I won’t be anytime soon. Maybe never again. Not after—
Nope. I shove those thoughts away. My guilt belongs in the box with my regrets.
“Congrats.”
“Thanks.” He motions to the cabin. “Can I help you with your stuff?”
I reach inside the truck and grab my duffle. “I’m good.”
Hudson nods and leads me to the cabin. He unlocks the door and pushes it open before handing me the key .
“It isn’t much, but it’s clean and isolated.”
Isolated is exactly what I need. I glance around the interior. The area is split into two. On the left are the living room and kitchen. On the right are two doors. One should lead to the bedroom and the other to the bathroom.
“It’ll do,” I say and step inside.
“I’ll leave you to it.”
I reach to shut the door but he stops and whirls around. “By the way, I’m having a party on Saturday.”
“Not much for parties.”
“I figured you’d say as much, but you’re welcome none the less.”
I grunt my thanks before closing the door to shut him and the world out.