Chapter 18
18
Caleb
T he number of times Caleb had heard Emma’s phone ring wouldn’t have been concerning if it wasn’t for the way Emma reacted whenever it happened. She was hiding something; that much was clear. The only peace of mind he could gather from observing her was that he knew she was a terrible liar.
He knew it was her sister calling, and she was likely concerned about whatever it was Emma was running from. While he didn’t think the caller was anyone else, that didn’t mean that Emma’s past wasn’t coming back to get her. She’d never mentioned that she had an abusive spouse or if she’d done something that was against the law—though either one of those options frequently came to mind.
As much as he wanted to ask her outright what was happening, he knew already that she wouldn’t tell him. And why would she? Her life was her own, and she was allowed to have her secrets. One day she might want to share those secrets with him.
But then that little voice in the back of his head reminded him that if she couldn’t trust him now, then would she ever? The same went for his feelings. Caleb wanted to say he could believe everything she was saying, but the truth was simply that he couldn’t.
Caleb pushed aside those disparaging thoughts. He didn’t need to worry about that yet. For all he knew, she wouldn’t want this relationship to continue when she went home—yet another disappointing possibility.
He glanced at her from across their shared breakfast. Either she was tired, or she was just as unhappy as he was. They needed to get out and do something to get their minds off what was bothering them.
Reaching for her hand across the table, he smiled. Her eyes met his and she smiled back, though it wasn’t the same bright smile she’d had even a few days ago. He ran his thumb across the back of her hand and said, “I think we should do something fun today.”
“You do?”
He nodded. “Don’t you feel like we’ve been hanging around here too much? There’s a lot to do out there.”
“Well, yeah, but to me it feels like time moves slower here.” She tilted her head, and her smile shifted into something more genuine. “I like that.”
Caleb nodded. “I know. But…” He hesitated. “I don’t even know how long you’re going to be here—in Copper Creek.”
Her smile faded. It was a truth they both had avoided discussing.
“And I want to use that time wisely.”
Emily didn’t respond right away. Her eyes darted to their hands, and she pressed her lips together.
“It would be a lot easier if I knew what your plans were—like how long you plan on staying.”
She pulled her hand away and placed it in her lap. “I don’t know. I’d like to stay as long as possible.”
“What does that even mean?”
Emily let out a sad laugh, meeting his eyes. “That means I don’t have any idea how long I can stretch out my visit. Right now, things—” She cut herself off and looked away again. “Let’s just say that I have a life back home that I can’t completely walk away from.”
“I get that. But it’s not like you’ll never come back here, right? It’s not like you can’t consider moving… out here.” Warmth spread from his midsection into his chest. It was the first time he’d asked her about relocating to Copper Creek. As terrifying as it was to ask, he didn’t regret it. If there was one thing he was sure of in his current state of mind, he knew he didn’t want to miss out on a good thing—and that included Emily.
Unfortunately, the way she continued to look anywhere but directly at him made him wonder if this spontaneous string of events was only that.
A fling.
“Hey,” he murmured softly.
She lifted her gaze to meet his.
“I don’t want to put you on the spot or anything. I just figured that with how things are going… that it’d be nice to consider what the future might be.” He forced a smile he didn’t feel like giving. The fact was that he couldn’t shake the doubt that had started creeping into his mind. But he couldn’t let her see that. “How about we just take one day at a time, okay? This is still new, and while I feel like I can trust you more than anyone, I understand if you don’t feel the same.”
Emily’s eyes widened measurably. “I absolutely feel the same way as you do. But you’re right. We don’t know what the future might be. There are so many variables. I just don’t want us to get ahead of ourselves.”
He could understand that. She was right. Relationships took time, and if that meant trying to make something work long distance, he was willing to make that sacrifice. She didn’t have to know that, though. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her off. Caleb nodded. “So, what do you say? Should we go to town? We could get some ice cream, or maybe check out the bookstore. I could take you to Sal’s—” He raised his eyebrows suggestively. “It is where we first met, you know.”
It wasn’t hard to miss the hesitation in her eyes. Caleb couldn’t tell if it was the trip to town or if it was something else that bothered her. Instead of pointing it out, he waited. She needed to be the one to tell him if she wasn’t comfortable going.
Finally, after what felt like ages, she nodded. “You’re right. We shouldn’t stay cooped up here. I don’t know when I have to go back, but I don’t want to spend my whole vacation here. There’s a lot to be explored in this town.”
He slapped his palm on the table and let out a holler. “That’s what I’m talking about.” Getting to his feet, he grinned at her. “You know what else might be fun? They have this country club where people go dancing in the evenings.”
Her brows pulled together, and the hesitation returned. “You mean that club you told me about that night we met?”
Caleb froze, sobering. “Oh, right. You don’t like crowds.”
“I seem to recall that you don’t like them either.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. A lot of things had changed since he’d met her. The idea of going to the club had started to appeal to him. He could already feel what it would be like to have her in his arms, pulling her along the dance floor. “I guess I changed my mind.”
Emily sighed. “Caleb, I don’t know?—”
“We don’t have to,” he hurried on to add. “We can steer clear of the crowds if that’s what you want.” Once again, he couldn’t ignore the feeling that something strange was going on. No crowds. She didn’t want to talk about the future. There was more to this; there had to be.
No. He wasn’t going to let himself sabotage what he’d found with her. There was a part of him that must not want to find happiness. Anyone would find problems if they started seeking them out.
He glanced at her once more. “How about we pick out some fixings and go on a picnic tonight instead?”
The grin that he adored so much filled her face. “I’d really like that,” she said. “It sounds perfect.”
Caleb reached for Emily’s hand as they wandered down the street away from the ice cream shop. He didn’t know what he’d been expecting when they were to go out—perhaps her feeling a little more secure around him—but just like before, she kept her identity hidden.
Each time she ducked her head, every time she flinched when someone got too close, he noticed. Emily didn’t feel safe out in public. He wished he could change that, but he couldn’t fight a monster that he couldn’t identify.
Her hand tightened on his, and she glanced at him with a smile. Her eyes were hidden not only by her sunglasses but also by the hat that shaded her face. She lapped at her ice cream, and every so often he could see the carefree woman he’d gotten to know at Mateo’s place.
One day she’d be comfortable here. He swore it to himself. She deserved to feel safe no matter where she lived. Caleb reminded himself to ask her if there was something he could do for her to make that happen for the remainder of her visit. If she was scared of an ex, then he would promise to keep her safe.
Caleb smiled back, tightening his hold on her hand. As promised, he led her to the bookstore. Once inside, she didn’t bother removing her glasses or her hat. Compared to the sunny day outside, it couldn’t have been easy for her to see much. Caleb didn’t understand it.
“I think I’ll get this one.” Emily held up a science fiction book. The silhouette of a man with a galaxy behind him adorned the cover.
He made a face. “You read that sort of stuff?”
She laughed. “What’s wrong with it?”
Caleb gave her a pointed look. “I figured a girl like you would be into romances and the like.”
Emily turned the book over in her hands and laughed again. “A girl can be well-rounded, you know. If you picked up a romance, then I would support you.”
“I wouldn’t be caught dead reading either one of those options.”
“Fine.” Emily placed the book on the shelf. “What would you recommend?”
“I don’t really like reading.”
Once again, she laughed. “You’re ridiculous. You can’t scoff at what I pick and then tell me you don’t read. If you’re going to judge me, then you have to have something to back it up.”
“I prefer writing to reading.” Caleb chuckled, knowing full well that the two usually went hand in hand.
This time she gave him a pointed look—one that said everything he was thinking in that moment. Even with her eyes covered, he could read every nuance from the muscles in her face.
“I know .” He laughed. “You’re right. You should pick what you want to read.”
She reached for the book once more and waved it in front of him. “If I get this, will you promise to read it when I’m done?”
He lifted a brow. “You can’t be serious. That book has to be at least five hundred pages long. There’s no way you’re going to finish it while you’re here.”
Emily’s grin spread deeper. “I’m surprised you don’t have much faith in me. I would have thought you’d give me the benefit of the doubt. If nothing else, you would have agreed because you believed that it wouldn’t happen.”
“Alright, alright, I give. Sure, if you finish that book before you head home, I’ll read it.”
Emily pushed the book into his arms. “Good.”
Before he could say anything, she got a phone call.
She pulled her phone from her pocket and then sighed. “I should probably talk to her. Give me a few minutes, okay?” Emily moved to a corner of the store and answered the call, speaking in hushed tones.
Caleb watched her, trying to figure out what was being said from a distance, until his own phone rang. He answered it absentmindedly. “Yeah.”
“Caleb, it’s Mateo.”
He turned away from Emily. “Mateo. I hope everything turned out okay. Is this call good news?”
“It is. We’ve figured everything out, and we’ll be coming home tomorrow.”
“That’s great.” Caleb glanced once more over to Emily, wondering what her living situation would be when Sophia returned.
“Look, I wanted to thank you for all your help. I didn’t expect you to do it for free, so when I get back, we’ll work out a fee that is appropriate.”
“It’s fine, really,” Caleb said. “I’m happy to help. Just keep letting me shadow you, alright?”
Mateo chuckled. “Absolutely. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow,” Caleb confirmed.