Chapter 3 #2
Harper rolled her eyes. “I would love for the girls to help, but between prom, graduation, all of those lists for college, and their final summer before everything changes, I don’t know if they’re going to have time for me and my bakery.”
I shook my head. “Stop reminding me of things like that. Their to do lists are growing, therefore, my to do list is growing. Twice.”
“It’s really exciting though. You’ve done such amazing job with them.”
I shrugged. “They pretty much did it on their own. I mean, they were already decently self-sufficient.”
Harper met my gaze, and we both knew I was lying. The twins had been ten when our parents had died. Lance had been eighteen and ready for college.
Every life plan and goal Lance had before the accident hadn’t turned out the way that we wanted, not until a couple of years later when the estate had finished going through probate, and we were able to get him off to college.
I had walked out of the family business, ready to start over with my parents’ permission and gentle nudging.
Then in a blink, they were gone, and I’d come back, trying to figure out my own life, burying my grief.
And the twins had been soft little zombies, trying to figure out how to grow up with two big brothers as their caregivers.
It was a wonder that both girls had gotten into college and were finishing their last semester of high school.
“Anyway, here you go. Everything is already on your tab, and I will just charge you when we hit the end of the month.”
“Thank you, Harper. I’m sure the team down at the shop will come and bow at your feet later.”
“That’s really all I ask for in life. Praise and rent money.
” She winked at me and went back to help the next customer, a tourist from the looks of it.
While I didn’t know every single person in town, I knew enough of them to figure out that couple in particular wasn’t from here.
While truly old-timers didn’t like all these tourists, I knew they were needed to keep the town afloat.
The Cage money helped, but they needed the cashflow and tourists too. And the tourists’ cars broke down all the time, which was great for my business as well.
Thankfully I didn’t see the mayor’s wife or anyone else who would stop me on my way, and I hopped into my truck and headed north toward my shop.
My family had been here for a couple of generations.
Families that had done their best to strike gold in the mountains.
And when that hadn’t worked, they had done their best to find something worth living for.
My grandfather had been forced to change his role in life when the quarry had dried up, and the town had turned to tourism, rather than mining.
He tried a few odds and ends jobs, and eventually when my father had been old enough to help, they had started Caldwell’s.
It had nearly failed more than once, but eventually they found their footing.
I had grown up within the mechanic stalls, learning to hold a wrench before I could write.
I was damn good at my job, and I liked doing it.
But when I had been in my twenties, I had been antsy.
I had done mostly online school for college, traveling back and forth to the city when needed to get my bachelor’s in business so I could help the family.
But after a while, the mountains had seemed to close in on me.
Champagne Peak might look large enough to touch the sky, but I’d stood in its shadow for far too long.
That’s when my dad had kicked me out of the house.
Gently. My mom had joined him, the same soft smile on her face.
They wanted me to figure out exactly what I wanted, and in the end, he decided to franchise the business.
Me doing what I loved, working at Caldwell’s, but not within the same town borders that I’d always lived within.
And I had a blessed two whole months before our worlds had collided into ash.
In those two months, I had fallen for Bella, nearly found my footing, then lost everything.
I headed into the shop and set the bakery box down on the front table. My team scrambled toward it, and I just shook my head. There was nothing like a sugar rush in the morning when you were about to be covered in grease, and probably cut your knuckles more than once.
“Hey, the cute Cage is in your office,” Allie said as she winked.
Allie was one of my best mechanics and could find the smallest issue in an engine quicker than anyone but me. She was also happily married to her wife of nine years.
For a moment, I thought she meant Bella.
It felt like a kick to the chest, and I nearly dropped my coffee.
But I realized there was no reason Bella should be here.
She was long gone. I might have saved her life, a fact that would haunt me for the rest of my days, but she wouldn’t be back to this town unless her family forced her.
“Should you really be hitting on Hudson?” I asked, knowing exactly who was in my office now that I was no longer thinking of Bella.
“Always, my friend. Always.”
I shook my head before making my way back into the admin area.
The building itself had grown over time, as we had added another bay and a car wash station in the back.
I loved this place, even though sometimes it felt like the walls were hemming in.
It wasn’t my fault that I had been born and raised here.
But it was my fault that sometimes I couldn’t get over exactly where I was going and what I needed to do.
But in the end, this was home. Even though all my birds were leaving their nest.
“What’s with that look?” Hudson asked, and I glared at the man. He had on a thick flannel, worn jeans, and his work boots covered in dried paint. Work boots that were currently on my desk as he leaned back in my chair, sketchbook in hand.
The man hadn’t shaved in a few months, his beard getting a little out of control, and he needed a haircut.
But he had those Cage blue eyes. I knew when he shaved, he looked just like Aston and Dorian.
They all looked alike. Though I knew Hudson had a twin—not that I really knew Flynn that well.
It wasn’t like I had been in the same room with all of the Cages.
Not when there had been seven of them, and surely not when there were what, twelve?
“Get your boots off my desk.”
“My boots are fine.”
“Boots. Off. Who knows where they’ve been.”
“I’ve been in the office all day.”
“It’s eight in the morning. Do you mean you worked all night?”
Hudson just shrugged, his pencil working over his sketchbook.
Hudson was a brilliant painter, though I knew he hadn’t always been.
He had started in the army, did things I didn’t want to think about, and things Hudson didn’t want to talk about, and now painted for a living.
He was also the only full-time Cage resident.
Each of the Cages owned a home around the lake.
There were plenty of other homes from other residents, but the main land was all owned by Cages—not surprising.
Hudson resided in his, and also took care of the other houses when the family wasn’t in town.
And because he was the only Cage around, that meant residents of Cage Lake constantly bugged him about the things they needed.
It didn’t matter that each one of them could contact Aston, Flynn, or James since they ran the main businesses.
Or even Dorian, since he was the one who worked with different companies around the area to increase numbers and add revenue.
No, they bothered Hudson because the man was in sight.
No wonder he was slowly becoming a hermit.
“So, to what do I owe your wonderous presence?” I asked after I shoved Hudson’s boots off the desk.
He didn’t seem to care as he set down his sketchbook.
“Just wanted to bug you. I’ve been up all night working, and figured I’d stop by here on my way into town for coffee.”
I shook my head, lips twitching. “You do have coffee at home, you know. Considering your studio is in your house right on the lake.”
Hudson just shrugged. “I needed to get out. I have family dinner coming up.”
I winced. “Which family dinner?” With Hudson, that could mean more than one thing, and that wasn’t always a good thing.
“Just the brothers one. I can’t really say the originals, because I tend to like the new Cages.” Hudson stole my coffee from me and took a sip. I didn’t bother growling at him. It was what the man did.
“So you’re having it at Aston’s house?” I guessed, considering the eldest Cage had the biggest place.
“This time. Blakely’s cooking.”
Blakely. That was her name. I felt bad I’d forgotten in my memory of our altercation. “Isn’t that weird? Aston all settled down.”
“Not really. We’re getting of an age. And I like Blakely. Plus with her around, Isabella isn’t as antsy. I mean, I like my new sister, but she is just as protective as Aston is, and I know that she’s pissed off at her mom.”
At the sound of Isabella’s name, I stiffened.
“Oh?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.
With the way Hudson narrowed his eyes at me, I figured I hadn’t done it well enough.
He shook his head and moved on. “Well, her mom did keep the secret. And while I couldn’t care less what my mother thinks because she’s always been an icy bitch, I have a feeling that Isabella and her mom had a good relationship.
Things are a little testy now, but us siblings are at least getting along.
Which is weird. I have to have a flowchart in order to figure out everyone. And you know that’s not my thing.”
I remembered Isabella talking about her mother.
The two had been good friends. They got along and relied on each other because her father was always working.
It turned out that hadn’t been the case.
No wonder Isabella seemed to be having issues of her own—and why she had been on that lookout to begin with.
She had a lot on her mind. And damn it, I didn’t know why I wanted to be the one to reach out and see if she needed to talk.
It wasn’t like it was my place. I had burned that bridge long ago.
“You think you’re ever going to have a family dinner in town?” I asked carefully.
“Maybe. We have the space. And I know a few of the siblings haven’t been out here yet. Isabella was over here visiting when Blakely came to visit last. But the others not so much.”
Again. Her name. There was no getting away from it. Or her. “I still find it weird that you have so many brothers and sisters.”
“Tell me about it. Christmas is going to be big this year. At least, if we decide to celebrate as a family. That should be fun. How many Christmas trees should we get?” Hudson rolled his eyes before he got up from his chair.
“First, I’m here to annoy you. But the real reason is, I wanted to say hi before I head out of town. I’ll be back in a couple days.”
“You need me to take care of your place?” I asked, a familiar refrain.
Hudson shook his head. “I checked all the houses on my way over here. We should be fine. But if there is a random snowstorm because it’s spring in Colorado, let me know and check the house if there’s an issue.”
“You’ve got it. And I can always send Lance to do the work since he’ll be home soon from school.”
“Lance is the same brother who held a party in my place when I was out of town that one time?”
I winced. Because Hudson hadn’t been out of town. He had been deployed. A very big difference. And Lance and his nineteen-year-old friends had nearly destroyed the place.
My brother had been working through his demons, and I had to put my foot down for the first time. It hadn’t been pretty. Thankfully Hudson hadn’t cared because we had cleaned it up. But if it had been anyone else? There probably would’ve been charges.
“Okay, I’ll just send myself,” I said after a moment.
Hudson grunted. “On that note, I’m heading out. Thanks for the coffee.”
“I didn’t get you coffee,” I shouted to his back.
“I’ll take a doughnut too.”
I rolled my eyes and took my seat at my desk, knowing I had tons of paperwork today before I could get my hands dirty.
However, a thought couldn’t quite leave my mind, so I picked up my phone and hoped I wasn’t making a mistake.
Me:
Just checking in. Did you rest up and go to the doctor?
I hit send and ignored the bile running up my throat. She had probably changed her number. There was no reason that she should even text back. This was lunacy.
Three little dots formed before they disappeared, and I let out a sigh, resigned to know that she wouldn’t be texting back. Maybe if I saw her passing through town because her family was here, we would walk past one another like strangers. Maybe it would be better if we did that.
I had already hurt her once before and I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to win her back.
My phone buzzed and I looked down, my heart in my throat.
Isabella:
I’m fine. I did rest. Thank you for checking in.
My lips curved into a smile, and I swallowed hard.
Me:
Just stay away from the edge of cliffs from now on.
Isabella:
I don’t think I’m going to be standing on anything too high anytime soon.
Isabella:
How are you?
And with that, my heart shuddered. Because this was her reaching out.
I had messed up so many things in my life, Isabella being the main one.
A part of me couldn’t help but text her back, an ache for what couldn’t be. And maybe, what could.