Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Caleb
“There’s something you’re not telling me.”
With Alice sleeping, the kitchen cleaned, and nothing left to do, my mother was on her way home to my dad. I thought I’d gotten off light—no major inquisition—but I should have known better. She stopped on my front porch, pinning me with a prodding stare.
“There’s a lot I don’t tell you,” I said.
That earned me an eye roll. “Sure. About cattle and fences. You don’t hold secrets. You’ve never been good at that.” Resting her shoulder against a support beam, she regarded me with the kind of suspicion that had always made me crumble. “What’s your connection with Alice?”
I pressed my lips together, considering how much I should say—how much Alice would want me to divulge.
Something told me she wouldn’t mind if I told my mom—not after today and the way Alice had taken the comfort she’d offered.
I would never forget Alice’s painful screams at the hospital, and now, the picture of her sinking into my mother’s arms would be forever burned into my brain.
I’d never witnessed anyone so in need of a hug.
The things they’d said to one another had twisted in my gut, making me feel both violent and grateful for my mother.
“Alice expressed interest in me, and I—” I looked away, moving my jaw back and forth as I gazed out over my family’s land. “I agreed to take her out, then thought better of it and turned her down gently.”
“Why did you turn her down, Cay?”
Resting my hands on the railing, I exhaled slowly.
“I’m good where I am, and I’m not looking to add any kind of relationship to the mix.
I thought it was better to end things before they started.
And at the time, I barely knew her. She’d been my server at Joy’s, but I wasn’t even aware she was Jesse’s favorite librarian. ”
“How in the world did you miss that?” she asked, not hiding her incredulousness.
I lifted a shoulder. “Pheobe told me I have a habit of not seeing what’s in front of me.
I think she might be right.” I rubbed at the tension in the center of my forehead.
“I can’t help thinking she wouldn’t have been in this position if I’d gone out with her.
It wouldn’t have been a hardship. We would have had a good time, and she—”
“Cay…” My mom moved next to me, leaning her head on my bicep.
“I’ll tell you what I said to Alice: do not take this on.
What that man did has nothing to do with you.
You can bring up a million what-ifs, but who does that help?
Not Alice, and not you.” She gave my arm a sharp poke.
“That’s for not knowing Alice is our librarian.
Your sister’s right. You need to open your eyes more often.
There’s no telling what you’re missing.”
“You’re not going to get after me for not going out with her?”
She straightened and tipped her head to meet my eyes. “I’m not. Today’s not really the day to get into it. Though…I do question your entire premise.”
“What do you mean?”
“Not getting into it, honey.” Then she gave me one of her bone-crushing hugs. “I love you. Take care of Alice. Call me or Dad if you need anything.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
She waved on her way down the steps. “I know you do.”
Alice came out of her room a few hours later. I’d spent the time doing chores I’d been putting off around the house—anything that could be completed quietly—trying like hell not to replay her screams. It was difficult, but knowing she was all right under my roof drowned some of it out.
She looked better after resting. Her hair was still a little wild, and her eyes were puffy, but there was color back in her cheeks, and the small smile she offered was a relief to see.
“Hey,” she said, her voice raspy from sleep.
“Hey yourself. Hungry?”
“Yeah. I think I am. Can I help you cook?”
“Normally, if you’re here, you help. But I’ll make an exception this time.” I pointed toward a stool at the island. “Sit down. Keep me company.”
She waved her casted hand. “Is it because of this?”
I grinned at her. “You guessed it. The girl with the cast gets to take it easy.”
I was no chef, but I’d been a single dad long enough I’d mastered a few meals. I whipped up some pasta, garlic bread, and roasted brussels sprouts. We sat at the kitchen table together, eating in near silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable, though. Alice’s company was mellow and easy.
After dinner, she helped me clear the table despite my protests.
I ordered her to have a seat while I cleaned up the kitchen.
She didn’t give me much trouble, sitting at the island again, looking around my place with curiosity.
I watched her while I dried my hands on a towel, trying to figure out if she needed anything from me.
Maybe more of this. A quiet night, with nothing to do, no questions to answer. More easy.
“Do you want to read with me?” I asked.
Her head popped up, her eyes wide. “Read with you?”
I nodded to her phone. “Do you have books on there? I’d offer to lend you one of mine, but I don’t think you’d be interested in one of Jesse’s comics or robot manuals. His biographies, on the other hand…” I raised a brow.
She laughed. “I’m not much of a nonfiction reader, no matter how hard Jesse tries to convince me. But yes, I do have books on my phone.” She chewed on her bottom lip for a beat. “The doctors told me to give my brain a break. Sadly, that includes reading.”
I should’ve known that. A woman with a fresh concussion needed to take it easy. But just because she couldn’t read didn’t mean…
“How about I read to you?”
Her spine straightened as she perked at the idea. “Really? I’d love that, but you don’t have to.”
“I offered.” I gestured toward the living room. “Come on. Let’s sit in here.”
Alice took one corner of the couch, and I took the other, tossing her a throw blanket. She spread it over her lap, and it satisfied me in a deep, surprising way to see how comfortable she was here, with me, after what she’d been through.
I cracked open the hardback I’d checked out from the library. “Do you want me to start from the beginning?”
She shook her head. “No. You don’t need to do that. I won’t be lost if you start where you left off.”
Mindful of her head injury, I tried to keep my volume low, not wanting to do more harm than good.
Given the circumstances, I wasn’t able to really get lost in the story like I had the first time I’d sat down to read it.
My eyes kept sliding over to her, making sure she was awake and okay.
Seeing if she needed anything. Too aware of her presence to concentrate.
“Do you like it?” she asked when I came to the end of a chapter.
I looked up. “Like what?”
“The book.” Her mouth tipped at the corners. “I can’t tell if you’re enjoying it.”
I glanced down at the book beneath my hand then back at her and sighed. “I like it more than I thought I would. Just having trouble concentrating tonight.”
She nodded, her eyes going soft with understanding. “Do you want to talk about it?”
My brow creased until I realized she meant the book.
I rubbed a finger over the words on the paper.
I had been wondering something, and I couldn’t read fast enough to get to the answer.
There were two more books after this one, and I was worried I’d have to get through them both before I did. Maybe Alice could end my suspense.
“I have a question.”
Her eyes lit as she turned her body toward me. “Hit me with it.”
“Why is Fathaniel able to walk under Glavspor’s eighth moon when Binboa can’t? Aren’t they both Dorfits?”
The clock hanging on my wall ticked, ticked, ticked, then a laugh burst out of her, light and breezy.
She shook her head. “I can’t tell you that, Caleb. You’re going to have to keep reading.”
I scratched behind my ear. “Figured you’d say that.” I jabbed at the pages. “Just tell me, will I find out in this book or the next one?”
She pressed her lips into a flat line, shaking her head again. “No way.”
“You’re mean,” I grunted. “I could flip to the end, see for myself.”
She gasped. “No! Don’t do it. You’ll ruin the magic!”
“Yeah.” I ducked my head, hiding my grin. It was cute how serious she was about this, but it made sense. Books were a big part of her life and who she was. “I’ll keep reading.”
“Good.” She curled her legs to the side and rested her head on her arm. “Thank you for tonight, Caleb. I’m starting to feel almost normal.”
More satisfaction filled me. “That’s the goal.”
She gave me a sleepy smile then turned her eyes to peer out the window.
I watched her for another second before forcing myself to focus on my book again.
It was a good story. Action, friendship, a side of romance.
I could see why she liked it. If she hadn’t been sitting a cushion away with a black eye and concussion, I’d probably be enjoying it.
When I came to the end of the next chapter, I looked at Alice to ask her if she wanted me to keep going, only to find her asleep. It did me good to see her so peaceful, covered in the same blanket my boy liked to snuggle under.
I tipped my head back, letting my mind wander over my last couple days. It was always peaceful at night on the ranch, but tonight was a little sweeter.
Most evenings when Jesse was at his mom’s, I either hung out with family or had dinner at Joy’s. Then I’d come home, finish my chores, shower, and go straight to bed. Being alone in the house never bothered me much before.
With Alice curled up on my couch, her quiet breaths and tiny reactions filling the space, I realized this was nice too. Having her here was nice, even if the circumstances were shitty.
I’d better not get used to it, though.
The last thing I needed was to start wanting something I couldn’t keep.