Chapter 8
Eight
Caleb
“What do we have on this week?”
My receptionist and personal assistant, Freya, moves from the doorway to the chair on the other side of my desk.
I’m not sure what I’d do without her.
She manages my calendar and keeps my employees in line. Freya was my first employee when I expanded from a one-man business.
“New client. Emma Chase is after some repairs to the house she’s just bought. I thought I could send the new guy over—”
Wait, what?
“Emma Chase?” It can’t be. Not after all this time. Could it?
Her eyebrows rise. “Yes. Is that a problem?”
“I’ll do it. Tell me where and when.”
“You don’t have to do it. I can get one of the—”
“Schedule me in for it. I know her.”
She rolls her eyes. It’s not the first time a woman I’ve dated has called in.
“Another one?”
“This one’s different. I think. If it’s even her …”
Of course there’ll be more than one Emma Chase in the world. What are the chances of my Emma still being Emma Chase? It’s been over twenty-five years. She must’ve married and had a family.
Unlike me.
I guess if I haven’t, then maybe she hasn’t.
“Your schedule is pretty open. I can slot her in at ten tomorrow morning?” Freya asks.
“That works for me.” I stand and pick up my keys from my desk. “I’m going out.”
She nods slowly. “Are you okay?”
“Just need to check something out.” I force a smile. “I won’t be back today. Can you give me the address for tomorrow?”
One of her eyebrows shoots up. “Sure.”
My phone dings with a text, and I swipe to unlock and take a look.
It’s not too far from here.
“Thanks, Freya. See you tomorrow.”
“Okay, boss.”
I feel her eyes on me all the way out of the building, but I’m not about to stop and explain. I’m close with my employees, but not to the point where I’m comfortable discussing my personal life.
Once I’m in my truck, I pause for a moment to catch my breath.
It wasn’t that long ago that I thought of Emma again, and all the things unsaid between us. The way she left was on my mind for a long time after it happened, and I moved on—I had to.
But it’s always bothered me that I wasn’t understanding the way I should have been.
When I spend time with my sister and her husband, the memories come flooding back.
I start the truck up and pull out of the carpark and into the traffic. It’s only a five-minute drive to the street where this woman’s house is—I still could be wrong.
It might not be her.
Slowing to a crawl until I’m almost opposite the address, my breath catches when I see a woman in the front garden.
I pull over and kill the engine. She can’t see me through the tinted windows.
Despite the years, it’s undeniably Emma. My Emma. After all this time, maybe I have the chance to speak with her, and make up for the last time we saw each other.
It wasn’t pretty.
We were so young, and I couldn’t wrap my head around her leaving me.
“Why? Why are your parents doing this?”
Her blue eyes are so sad. “I don’t know. Dad’s sold everything. It’s scary.”
“And you’re leaving with them.”
She touches my arm. “What choice do I have, Caleb? It’s not as if I have anything of my own. I can’t leave home.”
“We can work something out. Please. I’ll talk to my parents.”
Emma’s eyes fill with tears. “We’re going in two days. If we had more time …”
She’s right. I know she’s right. But my stubborn, stupid teenage heart didn’t want to acknowledge it.
“You don’t want to stay.”
“That’s not true.” The tears roll down her cheeks. “I want to be with you. But I’m not being left with a choice.”
I bury my head in my hands. I’ve never felt anything like this before. I’m so in love with Emma, and she’s breaking my heart.
God, I was so selfish. Back then, I didn’t know any better and our parting wasn’t pleasant.
And then she was gone with no way for me to apologise. I never stopped looking. When social media arrived, she was the first person I searched for, and even though I never found her, I would search from time to time.
And now she’s here. I have no idea where she’s been or what she’s been doing for the past twenty-seven years.
She looks so good as she moves her way around her front garden.
The years fall away as I’m unable to take my eyes off her.
I’m so sorry.
Neither of us had any real power to do anything back then. Seeing her again is the balm to my soul I didn’t know I needed.
Her long, blonde hair hangs free down her back, and jeans hug her curvy hips.
She smiles and raises her face to the sun. I slouch down in my seat just in case, but she’s not looking in this direction.
When she turns and walks inside the house, I do nothing.
I’ll come back and see her tomorrow, but a million thoughts run through my head at what her reaction will be. Will she be welcoming? Or will she hate me the way she should?
Hell, I’ve hated myself for years over my final words to her.
I start the car and pull out into the street. The thought of heading back to the office is suffocating—since I expanded the business a couple of years ago, I’ve spent more time behind my desk than getting out and working with my hands and I miss it.
Emma’s house will be a good place to start again. But that’s if she agrees with me doing the work.
I’ve thought about this so many times over the years, but now the moment’s here.
Without even thinking about it, I find myself in front of Chloe’s place. I have friends I can talk to, but if anyone understands this situation, it’ll be my baby sister.
She knows what it’s like to have loved and lost.
The circumstances might have been different—she had years with her husband, Scott, before he died in a car accident. Back then she confided in me, and I know now I can lean on her.
I park out the front and shake my head as I pass Hunter’s car.
He went to school with Chloe and Scott back in the day, and now he and Chloe are all loved up and happily married.
I’m not surprised he’s at home with her on a workday.
But he’s another ear I trust to hear me out.
I make my way around the back of the house—Chloe often works at her kitchen table—and give the back door a quick tap before pushing it open.
Chloe’s at the bench, beaming a smile at me, her hand on the jug switch, ready to flick it on.
“Caleb? I didn’t know you were dropping by today.”
I walk over to her and peck her on the cheek. “I thought I’d give my sister a surprise. Is that okay?”
She grins. “It’s always okay. Hunter’s home too.”
Rolling my eyes, I step into the kitchen. The big man waves at me from the table, and I give him the chin up. “Hey, Hunter.”
Chloe squeezes my forearm. “Take a seat and I’ll make you a coffee. Hunter and I were about to have one anyway.”
I make my way to the table.
“Hey. How’s it going?” Hunter smiles.
Next to Hunter, my niece, Hannah smacks the table. She’s two now, and her arms are waving madly to get my attention.
“Hey, pretty princess.” I bend, and she wraps her arms around my neck.
“Tayleb!” she screeches.
I place a kiss in her hair, and when she lets me go, I do the same to her sister, Eve, before dropping into a chair next to their father. “I’m good. How’s work?”
“Doing fine without me today.”
I grin. “Playing hooky?”
Hunter chuckles. “Something like that. Some days I just want to hang out with my wife.”
“It’s good you can do that.”
“Privileges of being the boss.”
I chuckle. “I know that feeling.”
He studies me closely. “We don’t see you often during a workday. What brings you here?”
“All in good time.”
It’s not Hunter I want to talk to—not that I have anything against him. Despite the five-year age gap, Chloe and I have always been close, and I’ve been her shoulder when she needed someone.
Now I need her.
Chloe places a mug in front of me, and I wait until she takes a seat.
“So, I have news.”
I grip my coffee mug between my hands as if it’ll give me strength to tell Chloe what I’m about to say.
While I love my sister dearly, I know her well enough to know that she’s going to make a bigger deal of this than it needs to be.
Even if my chest tightens at the thought of Emma being back.
“What is it?” Chloe studies me closely. I flick a gaze to her husband, Hunter, whose eyebrows are raised. It’s not like me to gossip.
But I need to tell someone.
“Do you remember Emma Chase?”
Chloe’s eyes widen. “Yes?”
“Who’s that?” Hunter asks.
I smile. “She was my one who got away.”
I know Hunter will get it. That’s how he thought of Chloe. At least, I think that’s how he thought of Chloe, even if she was with Scott at the time.
Chloe pinches the bridge of her nose.
“What?” I grit my teeth.
Hunter’s lips curl into a smile. “Chlo? What is it?”
She looks up, sucking on her top lip for a moment before meeting my gaze. “You were sixteen.”
“So? You were younger when you knew Scott was the one.”
Hunter chuckles. Chloe shrugs.
“Her family moved away. She was still my one.” I pout. Chloe reaches over and pinches my cheek. I shove her hand away. “Ow. That hurt.”
“Diddums.” She rolls her eyes. “I know she was your first.”
“How do you remember that?”
She grins. “Because you told me and I remember everything.”
Hunter nods. “She’s got you there, dude. She remembers all kinds of things we did as kids that I have no fucking idea about.”
I shake my head and roll my eyes. “How I feel is still valid.”
Hunter reaches across the table and takes Chloe’s hand in his. There’s an affectionate look between them that’s shows me how much they love each other. It’s something I’ve never had since Emma—and nothing I ever really wanted.
But Emma’s got me thinking.
Maybe I’m a fool for thinking of her the way I do—as some romanticised ideal I had when I was sixteen.
Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing her again.
“She’s back in town. Moved into a house on Elm Street. She called the office looking for help—I don’t think she knows it’s me—wanting some odd jobs done around the house. I went past her house today just to see if I could confirm it was her. She was out in the front yard.”
Chloe’s eyes soften. “And it’s her?”
I nod. “I felt like a stalker, but I just wanted to know. I’ll be going to see her tomorrow, but … I just had to try and see her.”