Rough and Rugged: A Meet Me In Milwaukee Charity Anthology

Chapter Four

Gemma

Iheard him before I saw him. A guy Caleb’s size was never exactly quiet. I listened as he dumped his boots in the mudroom at the back of the house, the same place I’d left my shoes, then looked up from the stove as he appeared in the kitchen doorway.

“I need a shower, then I’ll help.” His eyes flicked down me and back up, and I looked down, checking my sweater and jeans for anything I may have spilled on myself, before looking back up to find an empty doorway.

Shaking my head and wondering what that had been about, I went back to what I’d been doing. I’d found the ingredients for chicken broccoli alfredo in Caleb’s kitchen and had jumped at the chance to make it, knowing it was his favorite. Any weapon I could use to put him in a better frame of mind to listen to me, I’d take.

I had the chicken cooking and was steaming the broccoli when Caleb reappeared, barefoot, his dark hair still damp, wearing a t-shirt that stretched across his broad shoulders and a pair of gray sweatpants. My lips quirked up in a smile as I thought about our earlier conversation in the driveway. Caleb was a shoo-in for a mountain man calendar, true, but he’d absolutely steal the show in a “hot men in gray sweatpants” calendar. Knowing how much he’d love that thought – not – I kept it to myself, focusing on the chicken even as I felt Caleb giving me the eye.

We worked together in companionable silence. Though it had been a while, it was far from the first time we’d cooked together. We’d done it plenty of times both when I’d lived next to the guys and in the years since. As always, I forced myself not to overreact each time Caleb’s big body brushed against mine. Step by step we pulled the meal together and sat down to eat.

I bided my time, waiting as Caleb inhaled his food. Knowing him, he hadn’t eaten since breakfast, either because he’d forgotten, been too busy, or both. If I hadn’t been here to force dinner on him, it was an even bet whether he’d have eaten anything at all before he’d eventually dropped into bed.

After a few minutes, Caleb finished his plateful and sat back.

“It’s always better when you make it. Thanks.”

I shrugged as a thread of warmth swirled through me.

“I’ll have to make it for you more often.” Why did I suddenly feel like I was flirting with him? A weird tension ran between us. “Besides, you helped.”

Caleb stood without a word, carrying our plates to the kitchen. Once everything was cleaned up, the dishes and pans stacked neatly in the dishwasher, we settled back at the kitchen table. Caleb leaned back in his chair, crossing his muscled arms across his chest. I couldn’t help my smile, earning me a frown in return.

“What?”

“You look like you’re bracing yourself for an onslaught. Am I that intimidating?”

“You’d be surprised.” Caleb exhaled roughly as he leaned forward, bracing his forearms on the table. “Look, Gem. I know you want me to take your money, and you know I’m never going to be okay with that. I don’t know what there is to talk about.”

I’d turned twenty-five months before, gotten access to my trust, and had been having this discussion – or non-discussion – with Caleb ever since.

“It’s our money.” I kept going as he shook his head at me. “Caleb, it is. I wouldn’t even have it if it weren’t for you.”

His frown deepened.

“I didn’t marry you so I could take your money.”

“Of course not, you goose. You married me to help me. I know that.”

He didn’t respond, just watched me in that quiet, intense way he had.

“How about this? If you don’t want it for yourself, take it for the sanctuary. You could use it for a new enclosure or more supplies so you can rescue more wolves. Or maybe hire someone so you and Lloyd don’t have to work so hard. Or… I don’t know… give yourself a little bit of a cushion so you don’t have to worry every minute of the day about keeping this place afloat.” He looked down, no longer meeting my eyes, and disappointment crept in. I’d been so sure I could make him see sense, make him let me do this. “Darn it, Caleb. You helped me get my dream. Why won’t you let me help you with yours?”

He pushed back abruptly and stood, startling me with the suddenness of his action. I’d obviously upset him, but I wasn’t sure how. He stalked to the big front window and stood looking out at the darkness, hands on his hips. At a loss, I stayed where I was, waiting him out.

“It’s not the same.” His voice was tight, rough. “This place isn’t…” He broke off, shaking his head as he glanced at me, then away again. “That money is for you, for your future. Not this place.”

He sounded so… resigned, maybe? And I was almost certain that wasn’t what he’d started to say.

He seemed tired, like the weight of the world was sitting on his shoulders. I knew the stress he was under. The last thing he needed right now was me pushing him on this.

“What if I made a donation?” I asked softly. “It wouldn’t have to be half the money.” I could still make it a significant amount. Something was better than nothing. “Would you let me do that?”

He met my eyes again, letting me see the conflict in his. He wanted to say no, but he recognized my offer for the compromise it was.

“I…” he started, then paused, one big hand gripping the back of his neck. “I’ll think about it. That’s all I can do.”

“You promise?”

“That I’ll think about it, yeah. That’s all I can give you right now.”

I nodded and stood, knowing that was the best I was going to get tonight and knowing he’d do what he said. Caleb, his brothers, and my grandfather, as angry as his will had made me, were the only people who had never broken a promise to me. Caleb had promised he’d give my offer serious thought, so he would.

“I’ll take that for now.” I pushed my hands in the back pockets of my jeans, feeling awkward in a way I rarely did with Caleb. “I’ll get my shoes on and get out of your way.”

“You’re never in my way, Gem.”

Like earlier, there was something in his voice, something just under the surface, that I couldn’t tease out. Tucking it away to think about later, I headed to the mudroom, pulled on my shoes, then crossed back out to the main living area to the front door. Caleb joined me, flipping on the front porch light, casting just enough light for me to see the way to my car.

“Night, Caleb.”

“Night, Gem. Be careful on your way home.”

“Always.” I made my way to my SUV carefully in the dim light, feeling my way along the hood to the door handle and climbing inside while Caleb kept watch from the front porch. I closed my door, pulled on my seatbelt, and pushed the start button.

There was a loud “pop” then nothing.

A second later, Caleb was heading my way. I popped open the door to talk to him.

“I don’t know what happened. All I did was start it like normal.”

“Okay, sit tight for a minute.”

He popped the hood, blocking my view of him. I waited… but once again, heard nothing. No thumps, no taps, no request from Caleb to try to start the engine again, just dead silence.

“Um…Caleb?” I knew he was still there. Why wasn’t he saying anything?

I heard a low curse, then he closed the hood firmly and came around to my door, pulling it all the way open.

“You’re not driving this anywhere tonight. I can fix what’s wrong, but not without more light. It’ll have to wait ‘til morning.”

“I’m sorry, Caleb.” I hated it when things went wrong with my car. I always felt so clueless. “It seemed fine earlier.”

“I’m sure it did,” he replied, his tone dry. “Either I can run you home, you can call Carson or Cade, or you can stay here tonight, and I’ll fix your car in the morning. Your choice.”

It was so dark, and he seemed so on edge. I wished I could see his eyes better, get some clue what he was thinking.

“It… well, it seems simplest to stay.”

“I agree. Let’s head back inside.”

I grabbed my purse from where I’d left it sitting on the passenger seat earlier, shut the door, and made my way toward the porch with Caleb close behind.

Once inside, I set my bag down and turned to Caleb, only to see him moving away from me.

“Make yourself at home,” he threw over his shoulder as he disappeared down the hall. “I’ll be right back.”

Um… okay? Shaking my head, I grabbed a notebook out of my bag and settled in at the table to wait.