27. Halle
CHAPTER 27
HALLE
I wake slowly, feeling as if I completed a vigorous workout in my sleep, and stretch my arms overhead before gradually peeling my eyes open and surveying the room around me. Where I expect to find Caleb, I’m met with cool sheets. The room is bright already, the kind of light that means the sun has been up a while.
Clutching his sheets to my chest, I peek over at the clock.
Nine-thirty.
I grimace. It may not be super late, but I never sleep in like this.
On my feet, I relish the sensation of the plush carpet beneath me for a heartbeat before I scurry around and gather up all the pieces of my costume. With them clutched to my chest, I ease his bedroom door open and listen for my brothers. When I’m met with nothing but silence, I sag in relief. They must not be back yet.
I dart across the hall to my room with my clothes clutched to my bare body, exchanging them for a simple pair of jeans and a long-sleeve tee, then head for the shower, where the warm water does wonders to soothe my aching body.
Apprehensive about seeing Caleb, I take my time applying a light base of makeup and swiping mascara onto my lashes.
Finally, when I’ve run out of tasks to occupy myself with, I creep down the stairs and into the kitchen.
I freeze when I catch sight of Caleb. He’s shirtless, and his sweatpants sit low on his hips as he moves around the kitchen with calm efficiency.
I gather myself before he catches me gawking and shuffle to the island.
“Hey.” I leave it at that. Otherwise I’m bound to make it awkward.
He looks up from the griddle, where he’s pouring pancake batter, and smiles. “Hey, hope you’re hungry.”
At the mention of food, my stomach growls. Thankfully between the sound of bacon popping in the pan and music playing low in the background, he doesn’t hear it.
“Starving.”
He wipes his hands on a towel, then strides over and kisses me. It’s so easy. Natural. Like we always openly kiss like this, PDA has been nonexistent.
“How are you feeling?” he asks when he pulls away and goes back to his tasks.
I wring my hands, unsure of what to do with them. “Okay,” I finally reply.
He cocks his head, lips pressed together, eyes dancing with amusement.
“Did I fuck the English language out of your brain? Are you only capable of one-word responses after last night?”
“No, I just…” Cheeks heating, I inhale deeply. “Last night was… it was intense.” I look down at my bare feet. Intense probably isn’t the correct word, but yeah, maybe he did scramble my brain.
With a finger hooked through my belt loop, he tugs me close. When I don’t look up, he lets go and uses that same digit to carefully raise my chin. “It was for me too.”
“I’ve never…” My throat closes up, making it hard to breathe, but I force the words out anyway. “It’s never felt like that before.”
“I know, baby.” With a soft smile, he angles in and kisses me. It’s just a peck, but it’s oddly intimate. Maybe it’s the quickness of it, the simplicity, like we have all the time in the world and therefore he doesn’t need to linger. “Get the plates out,” he directs as he turns back to his food.
Thankful for a task to put my mind to, I set out the plates and utensils at the kitchen table. We normally eat at the counter, but after last night, this meal is one we should sit at the table for .
“Orange juice?” I ask as I pluck the carton from the shelf on the fridge.
“Orange juice is great.” He nods. “This is almost ready.”
I swipe two glasses from the cabinet and set them on the table, along with the juice. “Need any more help?”
He shakes his head. “I think all we need now is coffee. Want to pour?”
Coffee sounds like an excellent idea. While I slept more soundly than ever and Caleb let me sleep in, we were up late, and our middle-of-the-night activities mean I didn’t quite get a full night. I snag a mug from the cabinet, then another, bobbling it when it slips from my hand. Before it can crash to the floor, I grasp it firmly and set it on the counter, sighing in relief.
“How is it possible that you’re still nervous around me after last night?” He appears at my side, his hand steadying my shaking fingers. “I know it’s not because you’re afraid of me, Halle. So, what is it, exactly?”
“I’m scared,” I admit.
He carefully plucks the mug from my hand, then fills both with coffee.
“Scared?” He shuffles to the fridge and grabs creamer. “Of me?” He pours until the coffee is more beige than brown, just the way I like it.
“No.” I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear and take the mug from his outstretched hand. “Of…” I drop my gaze to the steaming liquid, taking a moment to gather my thoughts.
Thankfully Caleb doesn’t press me.
He’s still waiting with a patient expression on his face when I force myself to look at him. “I never thought I’d meet someone that makes me crave a normal life.”
Brows knitted, he picks up the spatula and slides pancakes off the griddle and onto a plate. They’re a little too done but not burned.
He greases the griddle again, then pours batter for another batch. “What does that mean?”
I take a sip of coffee, savoring the contrast between it and the sweetness of the creamer. “My whole life, my mom bounced from one man to another. Like if she could just find the one , that love would fix her. But I swear each guy was worse than the last. It made me wary of traditional relationships—marriage and babies, the whole thing. I’ve told myself since I was old enough to see what was happening that I wouldn’t let anything keep me from being my own person. That I wouldn’t get lost in someone else the way she did.”
Hurt flashes in Caleb’s eyes. “Are you saying I’m a waste of time?” He swallows audibly, the spatula in his hand trembling. “I’m a little confused here, Hal.”
“No.” Heart lurching, I shake my head. “God, no. That’s not what I meant. I… God, I suck at explaining things. I just meant that I never thought I’d meet someone who’d make me want to settle down. To think about the serious things.”
A slow smile spreads across his face. “So, what you’re saying is you see a future with me?”
I shrug, trying not to appear too eager. Regardless of how I feel, we haven’t known each other long, so that makes me cautious. Then again, my grandma was eighteen when she met my grandpa. They were married a month later and had a loving marriage. I guess, as ridiculous as it can sound, love at first sight really does exist.
Head bowed, I peer up at him. “Yeah, I do.”
Caleb grabs the back of my neck and pulls me in, kissing my forehead. “Don’t overthink it.”
My first instinct is to bristle at the accusation, but I’m evolving, allowing myself to grow and lower my walls, so instead, I allow myself to appreciate just how well he knows me.
I wrap my arms around his middle and stay like that as he works around me to remove the last batch of pancakes from the griddle. Physical touch has never been my thing. My mom was never overly affectionate, even when things were good, so I suppose it has more to do with what I’m used to. But as my comfort level grows, I find myself wanting to touch Caleb any chance I get.
He rubs his fingers idly against my arm, completely at ease, as he works around my koala hold.
It’s only when he picks up the dishes of pancakes and bacon that I finally let go and follow him to the table.
I’m perfectly capable of plating my own food, but when he does it for me, I choose not to protest. More and more, I’m discovering that Caleb enjoys taking care of me.
“You haven’t been up too long waiting on me, have you?”
He shakes his head and moves on to plating his own breakfast. “No, I was just pulling out ingredients when I heard you get in the shower. I figured you’d rather have breakfast here than go out. ”
He thought right—because I’d be convinced that every person we encountered in this tiny town would take one look at my face and know exactly what we did last night.
“I was thinking about asking the boys if they wanted to spend a day in our hometown and visit with friends soon. Would you want to come?”
Asking Caleb to come to my old stomping grounds is a big move for me. I’m not proud of where I came from, but it did shape me into the person I am today, and though I don’t have much experience with relationships, I do understand the importance of sharing pieces of oneself, both good and bad.
He surveys me quietly, like he’s giving me a chance to take it back.
I won’t. I sit straighter, looking him in the eye so he can see the certainty there.
“Yeah.” He takes a bite of pancake, his lips curling up on one side. “I would love to come. Would you want to stay the night there? I’m sure I could?—”
“Uh, no. The only places to stay are janky motels where questionable activities tend to go down,” I mutter.
“No staying the night.” He dips his chin. “Got it. But yes, I’d definitely go.”
“I’d like that,” I whisper, my chest tight.
A raucous peel of laughter spills out of him. “Why do you sound like you’re saying that under duress?”
“Because my old town sucks,” I gripe as I stab a piece of pancake. “It’s not like this place.”
He points his fork at me. “It’s not full of nosy busybodies? ”
“Oh no, it has that too. But it doesn’t have any of the charm. This place is cute. Happy. Yeah, it’s small, but it’s full of life. Arlo Hollow isn’t like here. It’s small, sure, but it’s far more run down and?—”
He reaches across the table and presses a finger to my lips. “I’ve been there before.”
“You have?” I squeak, stomach twisting.
He nods. “Yep. You don’t have to explain anything to me, Hal.”
“I talk too much when I get nervous.”
“I hadn’t noticed,” he jokes.
I stick my tongue out at him, but at the sound of the front door flying open, I bolt out of my seat.
My brothers tumble in, all long limbs and loud voices.
“Did you have fun with?—”
Without even acknowledging us, they scramble up the steps, leaving the front door wide open.
“I’ll get the door.” I’m halfway across the room when Thelma and Cynthia let themselves in. With a sigh, I shuffle back to my seat and pop another piece of pancake into my mouth.
“Hey, lovebirds.” Thelma smirks at us as she pads into the kitchen. “You both look freshly fucked and ready to conquer the world.”
Those words— freshly fucked —coming from this little old lady, make me want to crawl beneath the table, never to be seen or heard from again. Yet at the same time, I have to hold back uncontrollable laughter.
“Thelma,” Cynthia scolds, batting at her wife. “Watch your mouth. You’re embarrassing her. Look at her face. She’s so red.” To me she says, “Breathe, hun. There are only two of us in this house who are old enough to go. Let’s not resort to dramatics, okay?”
Caleb snickers and sets his fork down. “You two want any breakfast.”
Scoffing, Thelma pulls out the chair beside me. So much for our quiet morning in. “Breakfast was hours ago. I eat at eight sharp every morning. You should try it. It’s great for your digestive system.”
Despite her speech, she plucks a piece of bacon from my plate and bites into it.
Caleb gives me a look, lips pressed together but twitching, as if to say can you believe her?
Yeah. Yeah, I can. If there’s one thing I’ve learned since moving here, it’s that Thelma marches to the beat of her own drum.
“The boys were great,” she goes on, as Cynthia eases into the fourth seat at the table. “Though I’m sure you were too busy to think about them.”
Cynthia heaves a sigh, placing her hands in her lap. “Stop with the guilt trips. We offered.” She turns to me with a soft smile. “I hope you both had a lovely night.”
I have never wished to be sucked up into a tornado or fall into a sinkhole, but right now, either would be preferable to this.
“It was great.” Caleb sends a smirk my way, his chin lifted.
Kill me now, please.
“Good, good.” She pats him on the cheek. “Happy to hear it. You deserve it. ”
I shove my plate away. Nothing kills an appetite like being congratulated for having sex by a pair of elderly neighbors. I might hate my hometown, but there are far more strange people here.
Though I suppose the town and the people in it are growing on me.
Like a weed.
“Well.” Thelma smacks the table hard enough to rattle the cutlery. “We better be heading out. Headed to the flea markets today.”
Cynthia gives us a gracious smile and eases to her feet. “Your brothers are lovely. We love having them over.”
My heart pangs with gratitude. “Thank you. They’re really fond of both of you.”
I’m not sure I’ll ever understand the friendship they’ve developed, but it’s adorable anyway.
They let themselves out of the house, and we’re once again alone, since the boys are nowhere to be seen.
Caleb picks up his fork again, eyes dancing. “You’re not running away screaming, so I’ll take that as a good sign.”
Head lowered, I laugh. “Your town is crazy.”
“My town?” He tosses a piece of bacon at me. “It’s your town too, now.”
I pick the bacon—which has landed in my hair—out and drop it onto my plate. “But it isn’t named after me.”
His eyes darken with heat. “It could be. One day.”
My heart stops, my chest pinching painfully. “What did you say?”
“I said”—his smile grows, like he’s not the least bit concerned about freaking me out—“it could be yours one day too. If you want it.” He shrugs, as if it’s no big deal to casually mention that he thinks about marrying me one day.
Yes, I just told him I could see a future like that with him, but this is so much bigger. He’s talking about sharing a last name. As I process it, my pulse takes off, my breaths coming shallow.
Halle Thorne.
As the name echoes in my mind, a strange sense of peace sweeps through me. I have to admit, I like the sound of it.
The sounds of my brothers’ feet on the stairs, thankfully, kill the conversation. When they step into the kitchen, they stop in their tracks, taking in the spread.
“Can we have some of this?” Casen asks, shoving his hair from his eyes.
“Sure. Help yourselves,” Caleb replies, leaning back in his chair. “There’s plenty.”
They dart across the room and pull out plates, then pile them high with the last of the pancakes and bacon.
“Did you not eat breakfast with Cynthia and Thelma?”
“We did, but we’re teenagers,” Quinn throws over his shoulder. “We have to eat.”
“Like all the time,” Casen adds, chewing a piece of bacon.
I sigh, resting my elbows on the table and my chin in my hands. “They’re going to eat through my paycheck.”
“Good thing your boss pays well.” Caleb shoots me a wink that has my stomach doing a somersault.
Before my mind can drift to how he looked above me last night, naked save for the mask, I clear my throat and focus on my brothers. “Would you guys want to go back to the Hollow next Saturday to see your friends?”
Those of us from Arlo Hollow never use the town’s proper name. To us, it’s just the Hollow.
Using the twin telepathy they’re so good at, they exchange some sort of silent communication.
“Sure,” Casen says. “We’ll check to see who’s free.”
Before I can respond, they’re looking at each other again, and I swear the temperature drops, telling me that I’m not going to like what they have to say next.
“Could we see Mom?” Quinn asks, his gaze averted.
My stomach plummets.
They haven’t asked about visiting her since I took them shortly after she was convicted. The visit was okay, but they haven’t asked again until now, and I didn’t push the issue. And now that we’ve moved, I figured… I don’t know what I figured.
I don’t want to see her, but I won’t stop them if that’s what they want. They haven’t been as hurt by her actions as I have. I didn’t have an older sibling acting as a buffer the way they do.
It would be cruel of me to say no, no matter how badly I want to.
“Yeah,” I say, hoping they don’t notice the tremor in my voice. “We can do that.”
Based on the sympathetic look Caleb sends my way, I’m not fooling anyone.
“We’ll see Mom while we’re there.”
I just hope I can stomach it.