Chapter 25
CHAPTER 25
C aleb sat slumped on his porch, a glass of whiskey in his hand and his boots propped against the railing. The night stretched out endlessly around him, the stars above shining with the kind of indifference that only made him feel smaller.
Yesterday, Caleb had made the decision—it was time to return to the Burnett Ranch. Time to come home, bury himself in the endless demands of the land, find a marketing partner for the dude ranch, and give up on the life he’d thought he could build with Taylor and Liam.
The decision had settled over him like a shroud, heavy and suffocating. Here, on the ranch, he could lick his wounds in silence, let the familiar rhythms of ranch work distract him from the ache in his broken heart. Maybe if he kept himself busy enough, he wouldn’t have time to think about the son he’d come to know, the boy he’d loved almost instantly with a fierceness that had taken him by surprise.
And Taylor.
The thought of her sent a sharp pang through him, one he tried desperately to ignore. She had chosen a job over him, over the future he’d been ready to offer her. He couldn’t blame her—not really. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and Taylor had always been ambitious. He admired that about her, even now.
But admiration didn’t soften the sting of rejection.
He stared out over the ranch’s rolling hills, the moon rising on the horizon, casting the land in darkness with a silvery light. The sight should have brought him peace, but all it did was remind him of the family he’d hoped to bring here, the life he’d started to imagine.
Why did it feel like every time he dared to hope for an everyday life with a wife and child, something always came along to snatch it away?
It was as though happiness dangled out of reach, taunting him with what could be, only to slip through his fingers when he tried to grab it.
With a heavy sigh, he took another sip of his drink, the whiskey burn doing little to dull the pain inside him. He glanced around the quiet porch, half-expecting Eugenia’s shimmering form to appear with another dose of her meddling wisdom.
But tonight, even the ghost seemed to have abandoned him.
“Figures,” he muttered under his breath. “Sometimes, not even a ghost can help you get what you want.”
What he wanted—what he needed—felt so simple. A family. A future. A chance to prove he could be the man Taylor and Liam deserved.
And now, it was gone.
He swirled the amber liquid in his glass, scowling. Taylor’s words haunted him, playing on a loop in his mind: This isn’t just about me. It’s about us. About Liam.
He muttered under his breath, taking another sip, when a familiar voice shattered the quiet.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Caleb Burnett,” Eugenia’s voice rang out, clear and exasperated. “If brooding was a sport, you’d have a gold medal by now.”
Caleb froze, groaning. “Not now, Eugenia,” he said, not bothering to turn around.
Of course, ignoring her never worked. Moments later, she shimmered into view, leaning against the railing like she owned the place—which she had at one time. Dressed in her usual ethereal blue gown, her ghostly figure glowed faintly in the evening glow. She looked as amused as ever, one translucent hand resting on her hip.
“Not now?” she repeated, mock-offended. “Sweetheart, when are you ever in the mood for a little wisdom from your dearly departed ancestor? Never, that’s when. And yet, here I am. Still working on you. Still trying to find you happiness.”
Caleb glared at her, setting his glass down with more force than necessary. “I don’t need a lecture.”
“Oh, I beg to differ,” she said, floating closer. “You, my boy, are in desperate need of a good talking-to. And since no one else seems willing to give it to you, I guess the task falls to me.”
“Lucky me,” Caleb muttered. “Are you going to sing to me as well?”
“I just might if you don’t get off your butt and do something positive.”
Eugenia peered into his glass. “Whiskey? Really? At least wallow with a little more creativity. How about some bourbon? A good rye? Or, I don’t know, make yourself a fancy cocktail with an umbrella in it. Live a little.”
“Eugenia,” Caleb growled. “I’m ready to call a ghost hunter to return you to the other side.”
She cracked up laughing. “I’d scare him so bad, he’d be running from here faster than that crazy horse your brother owns.”
Cody had purchased a racehorse. Instead of fast cars, now he was into fast animals.
She smirked, settling herself on the railing as though it were a throne. “Fine, fine. Let’s get to the point, shall we? You’re sulking. Again. What’s it this time? Taylor? Liam? The fact that you’re scared of your own shadow?”
Caleb bristled, standing abruptly and pacing the porch. “I’m not scared of anything,” he snapped.
“Really?” Eugenia arched a ghostly brow. “Because from where I’m sitting—or floating—you’re terrified.”
“I bought her a damn engagement ring,” Caleb muttered, the words bitter as they left his mouth. His voice sounded loud, even to his ears, cutting through the quiet of the evening.
He dragged a hand through his hair, pacing the porch length. The ring sat heavy in his pocket, a cruel reminder of what he’d been ready to do just days ago. He’d imagined everything—the words he would say, how she’d look at him, the future they could have built together.
Now, that future felt like a cruel joke.
“I was going to ask her to marry me,” he said again, his voice raw with frustration. Saying it out loud only sharpened his loss, the weight of his failure pressing down on him like a boulder.
“What happened?” Eugenia’s voice was softer than usual, her wide eyes scanning his face as if searching for clues. For once, her usual smirk and smartass commentary were nowhere to be found.
Caleb let out a sharp breath, his hands gripping the railing tightly. “She got a job offer,” he said, his voice low.
Eugenia tilted her head, waiting, sensing there was more.
“In Chicago,” he added after a pause, the word landing like a weight in the air.
"Chicago?" Eugenia's ghostly voice echoed in the night air, dripping with exaggerated incredulity. She floated closer, her hands on her translucent hips, fixing Caleb with a pointed look. "The last time I heard about Chicago, it was just some growing city on a big ol' body of water. You mean to tell me people live there now?"
Caleb rolled his eyes, already bracing for whatever was coming next. "Yeah, Eugenia, it’s a real city. Big buildings, lots of people, even a few decent pizza joints. Welcome to the twenty-first century."
She huffed, her expression unimpressed. "Well, I’ll be. I don’t see why anyone would live so far north when there’s perfectly good ranch land right here in Texas. People these days—always chasing shiny things."
"I think they call that progress," Caleb deadpanned, leaning back in his chair.
Eugenia narrowed her eyes, wagging a spectral finger at him. "Progress, my foot. Don’t think for one second I’m letting you run off to some windy city without giving me grandchildren to meddle with. You hear me, boy?"
"Don’t worry," Caleb muttered under his breath. "I’m hearing you loud and clear."
“Why that job?”
Caleb nodded, his jaw tight. “Big promotion. Big opportunity. Bigger than me, apparently.”
"Did you ask her to marry you?" Eugenia’s voice cut through the quiet like a whip. She crossed her arms, her ethereal form shimmering faintly in the evening light. "Did you ask her to stay here? To build a life with you?"
Caleb tensed, his grip tightening on the porch railing. He avoided her gaze, staring out at the horizon as if it could give him an answer.
Eugenia’s tone sharpened. "Or did you just do what you always do, Caleb? Run."
He flinched, the accusation hitting home. “I didn’t run,” he said, his voice defensive, though it lacked conviction.
“Really?” Eugenia arched a brow, her usual sass returning. “Because from where I’m standing—or floating—it looks a hell of a lot like you handed her the door and told her to walk through it.”
“I told her to do what was best for her and Liam!” Caleb shot back, turning to face her.
“And why, exactly, didn’t you think you could be part of what was best for them?” she countered, her eyes narrowing. “Because you’re scared? Because you’re convinced you’ll screw it up? News flash, sweetness—life isn’t about guarantees. It’s about showing up. And from where I’m standing, you didn’t.”
“My father didn’t want to marry my mother,” Caleb said, his voice low and tight. He turned away, gripping the porch railing like it was the only thing holding him up. “If Taylor doesn’t want to marry me, then I’m not going to force her.”
Eugenia let out a sharp laugh, the sound both incredulous and biting. “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Caleb Burnett, what century do you think we live in? Force her? You’re not dragging the poor woman to the altar by her hair.”
He glared at her, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “You don’t get it, Eugenia. If she wanted this—wanted me—she wouldn’t be looking for reasons to leave. She wouldn’t be taking a job halfway across the country!”
Eugenia floated closer, her expression softening as she studied him. “And did it ever occur to you that she’s taking that job because you made it seem like you didn’t want her to stay? Maybe she’s as scared as you are, and instead of fighting for her, you’re telling her to go?”
Caleb flinched, her words landing like a punch to the gut. “She didn’t ask me to go with her,” he muttered, his voice defensive.
Eugenia rolled her eyes. “Of course, she didn’t. She’s not going to beg, Caleb. Taylor’s too proud, and honestly, I respect the hell out of her for that. But pride only goes so far. Love, real love, requires a little humility. A little risk. You’d know if you weren’t so busy hiding behind your father’s mistakes.”
Caleb stiffened, her words cutting deeper than he wanted to admit. “I’m not hiding.”
“Oh, really?” she challenged, tilting her head. “Because it seems to me that you’re using your parents’ mess of a marriage as an excuse to keep yourself from having something real. Your father didn’t want to marry your mother? Fine. That’s his failure, not yours. But don’t you dare use that as an excuse to let history repeat itself.”
Caleb looked away, his throat tightening. “What if I’m like him?”
“You’re not,” Eugenia said firmly. “You’re your own man, Caleb. And Taylor isn’t your mother. Stop punishing yourself—and her—for things that aren’t your fault.”
Her voice softened, and she floated closer, her ghostly form glittering faintly in the moonlight. “You bought that engagement ring because you love her. Because you believe in something better. Don’t let fear steal that from you.”
Caleb stopped, turning to face her. “You don’t understand,” he said, his voice low. “You didn’t grow up in that house. You didn’t see what my parents were like.”
Eugenia waved a hand dismissively. “Oh, please. I’ve witnessed what goes on in this family for well over a hundred years. And let me tell you, Caleb, your father was a piece of work. But here’s the thing: you’re not him. ”
Caleb clenched his fists. “I don’t want to end up like him,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Then don’t,” Eugenia said. “Honestly, it’s not that complicated. Love didn’t ruin your parents. It was their fear. Their stubbornness. Their inability to get out of their own damn way.”
He blinked, stunned by her bluntness. “You don’t pull any punches, do you?”
“Why should I?” she shot back. “You’re a grown man, Caleb. You’ve got a son who looks up to you and a woman who—let’s face it—would marry you tomorrow if you weren’t being such a ninny.”
“A ninny?” Caleb repeated, incredulous.
“Yes, a ninny,” Eugenia said with a huff. “You’re letting fear rob you of the best thing that’s ever happened to you, and for what? To protect yourself? To prove some imaginary point about how love always ends in disaster? It’s nonsense, Caleb. Nonsense!”
He stared at her, the weight of her words sinking in.
“Do you love her?” Eugenia asked, tilting her head.
Caleb hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Yeah,” he said quietly. “I do.”
“Then stop acting like a fool and tell her,” Eugenia said, exasperation lacing her tone. “And while you’re at it, tell her why you’ve been such an idiot. She’s smart—she’ll figure it out eventually, and you’d better hope she still wants to listen when she does.”
Caleb rubbed the back of his neck, frustration bubbling up inside him. “What if I mess it up? What if?—”
“Mess it up?” Eugenia interrupted, throwing her hands in the air. “Oh, honey, you’re doing that just fine by keeping quiet and retreating like a scared little rabbit. Do you want to be your father? Because this is how it starts. Running from love. From commitment. From the people who need you most.”
Her words hit him like a blow, and Caleb staggered back, gripping the porch railing.
“You have a choice, Caleb,” Eugenia said, her voice softening. “You can let fear win, or you can be the man Taylor and Liam deserve. The man I know you are.”
He closed his eyes, the weight of her words pressing down on him. When he opened them again, Eugenia stood before him, her expression uncharacteristically gentle.
“I’m rooting for you, sweetness,” she said softly. “But you’ve got to root for yourself first.”
And just like that, she was gone, fading into the moonlight like she had never been there.
Caleb stood on the porch, her words echoing in his mind. He thought of Taylor, Liam, and the life he could have if he were brave enough to fight for it.
He wasn’t his father.
And it was time he started acting like it.
With renewed determination, Caleb grabbed his truck keys, the weight of hesitation finally lifting from his shoulders. It was time to stop running. Time to fight for what mattered most.
It was time to get Taylor.
She needed to hear everything—the truth about his past, the fears that had kept him locked in place, the love he hadn’t been brave enough to voice before. And if it meant dropping to one knee and putting his heart in her hands, then so be it.
Because the woman already had his heart, whether she knew it or not, and if she was going to leave, she was taking it with her.
But Caleb wasn’t going to let her leave without knowing exactly how he felt. This time, he was all in—no fear, no retreat, no excuses.