Chapter 10 A Reason to Try #2
Wilder snorts and focuses his attention on me. “You cooked?”
“What? I can cook.”
“Sure.” His shoulders shake with silent laughter as Griffin materializes from the tack room. “You called it.”
“Told you,” Griffin says. “Hey, Callie.”
She offers him an awkward wave.
“When you two are done with whatever this is, would you mind having a look at Callie’s car?”
Griffin checks his watch. “Yeah, I've got a few hours before I have anything else on my schedule.”
“Oh, don’t worry about me,” Callie says. “I can get it towed to the mechanic.”
He pulls his long hair back and ties it in a low knot at the back of his head. “Don’t bother. I can have you fixed up in no time, darlin’.”
“Are you sure?” She chews on the inside of her cheek in her best attempt to hide her discomfort, but I see right through it.
I instinctively reach for her, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I told you we’d take care of you, Callie.”
She glances down at our joined hands, and I wonder if she feels the same way I do when we touch. I run the pad of my thumb over her palm in a soothing motion, resisting the strong urge to bring them to my lips.
“Do you have your keys on you?” Griffin asks.
She reaches into her pocket with her free hand and tosses him the keys.
Ignoring the smug looks on my brothers’ faces, I turn my attention back to the task at hand and the woman still joined to mine. “Come on. Still a few stops left on the grand tour.”
As we exit the big barn, I point to the west pasture, where two dapple-grey horses are grazing side by side. “The bigger one is Storm, and the little guy is her yearling, Memphis.”
“Storm,” she says. “That’s Olivia’s horse, right?”
“Mhm. They bonded when they were both pregnant, and they’ve been almost inseparable ever since.” Storm whinnies and ambles over to the fence like she knows we’ve been talking about her. “She’s spoiled. Probably thinks we have treats.”
Callie gazes at me expectantly. “Do you?”
“No.” I smile down at her. “But we’ll come prepared next time.”
Pops pulls up alongside the fence on Copper.
My throat constricts against a sudden rush of guilt clawing its way to the surface.
It’s hard to even look at Copper, not just because he’s a reminder of what happened that night.
I should be the one taking care of him, but I’ve foisted that responsibility onto everyone else.
Pops takes off his cowboy hat and sets it in front of him. He’s wearing a jacket identical to the one Callie’s wearing right now. Mama bought them for us last Christmas and had them branded with the ranch logo and our names on the pockets. “You must be Callie.”
She offers him a tight-lipped smile. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Hayes.”
“Mr. Hayes was my daddy. Call me Pops. Everybody does.”
Russell Hayes looks like a carbon copy of Wilder, only clean-shaven and with a lot more grey in his hair.
“And this here is Copper.” He pats Copper’s shoulder and runs his hand along it. “He’s as solid as they come. Best damn working horse there is.”
I can’t shake the tightness in my chest as Callie takes a step closer to the fence. “Can I touch him?”
Pops beams at her. “You sure can. He really likes a good scratch under his chin.”
She does exactly that, and Copper lowers his head against her shoulder. I turn my face to the sky, unable to watch the scene play out any longer.
She giggles. “He’s sweet.”
“Yup. Big ol’ softie,” Pops replies. “I should get back to work. You stop by the big house yet?”
I slide my hands into my pockets to hide the slight tremble in them. “Not yet. Headed there after this.”
“Alright. Your mama’s expecting you.”
“Wouldn’t dream of disappointing Evelyn Hayes.”
What was meant to be a playful quip comes out all wrong.
“And you’ll rein in that attitude before you get there.
I know you’ve got some shit you need to reckon with, but you’re not gonna put that burden on your mama today.
” He puts his hat back on and turns on that Russell Hayes charm like he didn’t just hand me my ass.
“Nice meeting you, Callie. I’m sure we’ll be seeing you around. ”
“What was all that about?” she asks once he’s gone. “Did I miss something?”
“We’d better get going.” I turn my back on Callie and head for the truck.
“Jax.” She jogs to catch up with me, but I don’t look back.
I don’t want her to see the pain written all over my face. I slam my fist on the roof and rest my forehead against my arm, taking several deep breaths to steady myself.
A soft hand presses against my spine. “Hey. Are you ok?”
“Callie. Baby. Please get in the truck. I just need a minute.”
Her touch disappears, and my guilt amplifies tenfold. Callie doesn’t deserve to be on the receiving end of my shitty mood.
I don’t know what I was thinking, bringing her here. She needs a partner who has their shit together, not someone who’s still stuck in the past—or worse, buried six feet under right along with it. I could’ve easily offered her the guest cabin up the road, but the thought never crossed my mind.
I was selfish, and now I’ve hurt her.
I slide into the driver’s seat and grip the steering wheel.
Callie’s expression, once so filled with awe, is now steeped with concern.
Where I expected to see hurt, I find sympathy instead.
I should’ve known she’d be the one to offer me understanding—she’s special that way.
Kindness is inherent to who she is. She may be wary, at times, but in spite of everything she’s been through, she hasn’t let it harden her.
I press my thumb against the opposite palm, massaging my pressure point in a harsh grip that leaves behind angry red marks on the back of my hand.
I glance out at the ranch, catching sight of Copper somewhere off in the distance. “I have a complicated history with this place. With Copper.”
“We don’t have to talk about it.” Callie’s gentle touch replaces mine, soothing me with the delicate brush of her fingertips along my abused flesh. “But I’m here for you if that’s what you need.”
This time, I don’t hesitate. I couldn’t resist her even if I wanted to—not with the way she’s touching me. It feels like I’ve spent months reaching for her, and it’s the first time she’s reached back. I brush a soft kiss against her knuckles.
Her pupils dilate, and she blushes an adorable shade of pink. I can’t help but wonder what else I could do to make her look like that.
“We’d better get over there before Mama sends out a search party.”
It’s a short distance to the big house. I pull into the circular drive and park next to Emmy’s bright pink ride-on Jeep.
Callie hops out of the truck. “Wow, even the four-year-old has a nicer car than me,” she says.
“If you ask her nicely, she might even give you a ride to work tomorrow.”
She snorts. “I think I’ll pass.”
I lead the way up the front steps onto the wraparound porch, holding open the screen door for Callie. She follows me inside, and I deposit my hat and boots in the entry, inhaling the scent of Mama’s pancakes.
Gracie’s in her high chair at the island, double-fisting French toast sticks while Emmy swirls cut-up pancakes in a massive puddle of syrup that takes up her entire plate.
“Uncle Jaxy!” Emmy says, reaching for me with sticky fingers.
“Hands to yourself, Emmy Lou,” Mama says. “At least until you’re cleaned up.”
I cradle Emmy’s head and press a kiss between her pigtails. “Morning, Em. Being a good girl for Gigi?”
I take note of the way Callie’s eyes flare, just a bit, and add praise to my imaginary list.
Emmy nods and makes an incoherent sound around a bite of food.
Mama offers Callie a warm smile, drying her hands on her apron. “You settling in alright?”
She’s probably tired of the question already, but she doesn’t let on. She pulls out the same answer she gave Wilder. “So far so good. Your son’s a great cook.”
Mama’s brows knit together.
“I told her I learned from the best.”
“Well, at least you aren’t a total liar,” Mama says. “I did teach you a thing or two, but I didn’t realize you actually retained any of it.”
“Maybe I just didn’t have a good enough reason to try.”
Mama’s expression softens. “I’m glad you found one.”
She disappears into the pantry, returning with a large wicker basket and setting it on a stool at the island. “I took the liberty of putting together a little welcome gift for you. It’s not much, just some candles, bubble bath, mostly things you won’t find in a bachelor pad.”
“Hey,” I say defensively, “I have candles.”
Callie pulls out a chunky blanket that I’m certain my mama had to have made by hand at some point. I swear she keeps them stashed away for special occasions.
Callie is special, I’ll grant her that.
“I’ve got blankets, too,” I say.
She dismisses me with a wave of her hand. “Go away. Let me have my fun.”
I lean against the wall and watch her fawn over Callie like she’s gained another daughter.
Callie hugs the blanket to her chest, “Thank you. You really shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble for me.”
Something solemn crosses her features, but it’s gone before I can grab hold of it. It’s not the first time I’ve seen the haunted look in her eyes. I want to know what put it there, and more importantly, how I can make it disappear for good.
Mama pulls Callie in for a hug, glancing at me over her shoulder in silent communication.
I clear my throat, drawing Callie’s attention. “What time is Mo bringing Arnold over?”
She laughs, and it’s the first genuine smile I’ve seen all morning. I want all of her smiles, and if it takes fumbling her cat’s name to get them, I’ll come up with a million different names for him.
“It’s Atticus. Atticus Finch. They said they’d be here around noon.”
“He has a full name?”
“Of course he does. He’s named after one of my favorite fictional characters.” She searches my face for some sort of recognition. “Don't tell me you’ve never read To Kill A Mockingbird.”
“I love that movie,” Mama says, placing the gifts back into the basket. “Used to have a crush on Gregory Peck.”
Callie’s face lights up like a kid on Christmas. “The book is better, as with most adaptations, but if you’re more of a cinephile, it’s a great movie, too.”
Goddamn, I love when she sounds all smart and shit. I could stand here and listen to her talk all day, but we don’t have time. “We’d better get going. Wouldn’t wanna keep Atticus waiting.”