Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
A week had gone by. It was a day of freezing rain, sheer winds, and graying skies.
In that little bungalow Evie was racing around trying to think of what to wear.
Even though she had lost a lot of weight, she hadn’t really gotten out much to buy new clothes due to her depression that lasted for nearly four months.
She mostly had two types of clothing to wear: lounge and work with nothing practical or truly warm for fishing on a lake.
Her closet was raided and Teddy slept on the bed.
The news said it was supposed to be a whopping forty-five degrees that day, nothing like what it had predicted a week prior.
Evie had never handled the cold well since she moved from Alaska.
Well, in Alaska she could be properly dressed for cold weather.
Wet snowsuits, rain boots, warm boots, big coats, mittens, scarves.
But Missouri was weird. In Missouri, she could wear her big heavy coat in the morning with her mittens and scarves but then be dying of sweat even as she arrived at work.
Or it was like trying to guess if it was going to rain or not, and if so, how much rain?
She finally decided on the best thing she could.
A pair of comfortable black leggings, a baggy gym shirt, and a pink hoodie.
If she zipped the hoodie up and styled it with nice earrings, good hair, and makeup, she wouldn’t look so bad.
Yet she felt bad. The leggings were stretched out, the shirt hung out lazily below the hoodie, and her shoes were white faux fur-lined boots that made her look like a clown.
She opted for a slimmer tank top, but when she went to go check outside for the weather, there was no way in hell that tank top would hold up on a cold lake for hours on end during late winter.
And what would Caleb think of her if she showed up wearing earrings and makeup on a day like that?
Evie had to hurry. Rushing around trying to get ready and being picky over her attire drained a lot of time.
Not to mention packing up pjs that didn’t look too trampy (not that she had any) but didn’t make her look like a slob either.
And it was almost like another date! She had to look her best, but what the hell would she wear?
Once more, she dove into her closet and frantically panicked, throwing everything on the bed.
Teddy made the ‘mrrp’ sound from under a dress.
Evie heard his bell jingle when he shook his head out.
As she turned, she saw Teddy crawling out from the dress she wore when Caleb aired up her tire.
The dress Pawpaw bought her. Slowly, she left the closet and picked it up, feeling the summery fabric in her hands.
It wouldn’t fit her now, and the fabric wasn’t suitable for the current season or event.
However, a smile swept her face, and she thought of Pawpaw.
“I wish you were here, Pawpaw.” She turned and sat on the bed, tracing and fumbling the beautiful blue dress with sunflowers on it in between her hands.
“You told me to watch out for Caleb. But so far, he’s done nothing wrong and has done everything right.
” She twisted to look out the window, and the pale light washed her body. Soothing. Tranquil.
Peaceful.
“We’re dating in a way now, Pawpaw. And he’s treated me awfully good. He’s helped me with my house, airs up my tires, protects me, open doors for me, cares for me.”
And then she broke. She cried, leaning over as the tears dripped onto the dress that lay in her lap. “Saves me.”
His truck was coming up the drive, and now it was too late to change.
She was going to have to pray that her well-styled hair, cute makeup, and earrings would suffice.
Oh, and she grabbed a trendier slouch bag.
Evie laid the dress on the bed and hurried to the kitchen to grab some snacks and quickly stuffed them in her purse.
She couldn’t forget her CBD chews, or her antacids either.
She heard Caleb coming up the steps after closing his door and doubt came hard like a tidal wave, crashing into her happy world and destroying it. She felt she looked stupid.
The doorbell rang, and she couldn’t turn back now. “Coming!” she called out. Teddy appeared from the bedroom, sat down, and softly closed his eyes up to her. Evie scooped him up and kissed him. “Wish me luck, little man.”
She walked to the door, fixed herself once more in the mirror next to it, grabbed her purse, and opened the door. There he was all rugged with his blue jeans, beanie hat and warm sweater. And she felt like she was trying too hard with her makeup, hair, earrings, and beautifully white snow boots.
He smiled underneath his sunglasses with a hand cooly placed on the door frame. He lowered his glasses in a joking fashion. “Hey, cutie. Goin’ my way?”
She smirked and checked him up and down. “With you lookin’ like that, I’d ride the highway to hell with you.”
He gave her a hug, brushed her arms, and looked at her with meaningful eyes.
Once more, he held the truck’s door open for her, and she climbed in with a thankful grin. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, princess,” he said sweetly. Caleb put her suitcase and bag in the back and laughed, looking at the design on it. “What’s with you with cats and flowers?”
“Oh! I actually designed that graphic, and my brother Darren got it turned into a bag for me. Cool, huh?”
“Sounds like you got a nice brother!”
The back door was closed, and he looked, noticing movement out of his peripheral. Sarah was gathering her mail at the end of her driveway but had paused to look at them. He simply waved.
As Caleb got in, he looked in his rearview mirror and started the engine. Evie turned around. “What are you looking at?”
“Sarah was staring at us. Watch what I’m about to do.”
He backed up skillfully, turned around, and headed down the driveway. Evie looked forward, seeing that Sarah was still standing there and watching them.
As Caleb pulled down to the end of the road, he took another glance at the broken mail post. “Don’t worry. I’ve still got it in my truck bed, and I’ll fix it when we come back tomorrow.”
“That doesn’t matter to me. I wanna know why you two are having a staring contest.”
Before he could even pull out a bit, Sarah started walking over to Evie’s side, but Caleb rolled down her window and called, “You’re gonna come over here and talk to me.”
Evie’s body tightened with the thrill of his confidence.
Sarah tried to protest, but Caleb shook his head and beckoned her, “Nope, you’re gonna talk to me.”
Sarah walked in front of the truck and came to Caleb’s side. He rolled down the window. “Evie had a hard week and is not in the mood. What can I do for you?”
“I told her last week that she needs to be careful being seen with you, and she’s doing this again.”
“Are you her mother?”
“No, but—”
“Are you her boss?”
“No, but—”
Caleb lifted his hand to silence her. “Listen, this poor woman has been through hell these last five months. And I’m the only one making an effort to reach out to her. She fainted from the fucking stress, Sarah. That’s some serious shit. She’s not eating. Look at her, for fuck’s sake!”
Sarah tried to talk, but he sat up right and leaned out his window to her a bit, his deep voice growing in warning, “How would you like it if I told you to stop fucking around with other guys while Joshua is at work?”
Evie clapped her mouth in utter shock. Her eyes went wide.
Sarah tried to answer, but once again Caleb shut her up. “Yeah, thought so. It doesn’t feel so good when people know your dirty little secrets and throw them back at your face, does it?”
“You don’t know anything about that!” Sarah retaliated.
“Oh yes, I do. You see, I installed a ring camera on Evie’s front door while she was at work this week because some fuck head could be stalking her. And I see two different cars pulling up in your driveway, and don’t think I don’t know who they are, because I do.”
Sarah shot back and put her hands on her hips, “That don’t mean nothin’!”
“Exactly,” he finished.
Sarah withdrew. “People aren’t talking about me like they are you guys though.”
He raised a brow, the truck’s engine still vibrating loudly. “They can, if I tell people. But I’m not gonna, and neither are you, right?”
Sarah sighed.
“RIGHT?”
Evie was completely stunned. Sarah withdrew and agreed not to say anything. Caleb said calmly, “Thank you. I’m tryin’ to give this poor girl some company. And so, whatever we do is none of your business. Got it?”
Sarah Jackson had no choice but to agree. Caleb pulled out and began the beautiful drive to Eagle Rock Lake.
Evie slowly pulled her hands away from her mouth, but so many things shocked her. For one, Sarah could be having an affair on such a wonderful man, and two, Caleb installed a camera without her knowing. It could have been considered creepy to some, but not to her. He obviously cared for her safety.
“You installed a ring camera without my knowing?”
“You pissed off?” he said with slight agitation still lingering from confronting Sarah.
“No, not at all. That’s insanely nice of you. That actually makes me feel so relieved. Is she really cheating on him?”
Caleb had his eyes fixed on the road. “I don’t know and don’t care. It’s not my business.”
They smiled at each other.
“Thank you,” Evie said.
He grabbed her hand and kissed it. “You’re welcome.”
“Okay, so this is how you hook a live worm.”
Evie grimaced but then laughed. “These things smell so bad!”
Caleb smiled and began to show her how to hook a worm properly.