Chapter Ten – Lilibeth #2
I nodded. “I will. Thank you again for coming to find me, and for…” My cheeks heated, and I chewed on my lip.
“I’ll never forget our time together, Lili.”
I pushed away the sadness that threatened to overtake me. “Neither will I, Caden.”
Leaning over, I quickly kissed him before leaving his truck.
Someone had plowed the entire area, so it made it easy for me to get to my car and get in.
I started it and let it warm up for a bit.
When I pulled out, Caden followed me all the way to the main entrance.
I honked and waved my hand as I pulled onto the road.
It had been cleared as well but was still covered in snow.
I was pretty sure by the time I got home, my hands would be aching from how hard I was gripping the steering wheel.
When I finally made it to my little rental, I pulled into the driveway, turned off the car, and just stared at the house. How was it only two days ago that I was stumbling around in a snowstorm before Caden found me? Before we spent two days together in the most intimate way a man and woman could?
Exhaling, I made my way to the front door, making a mental note to have someone come shovel my sidewalk.
Once inside, I paused. “It’s freezing in here!”
I quickly made my way to the thermostat and turned up the heater, only to realize it wasn’t working.
“Great,” I mumbled, as I remembered my landlord’s number was stored in my cell.
Looking around, I searched for the notebook that I’d written down Larry’s information. Larry owned the rental house, and he was a super-nice guy. He would come right away if I called.
When I finally found what I was looking for, I picked up the phone, then remembered I hadn’t called Caden. Pulling out his card, I dialed his cell.
“You home?” Caden asked.
“I am. And I’m sorry to make this so brief, but I’ve got to call my landlord. My heat isn’t working.”
He cursed under his breath. “You should have just stayed here another night.”
Smiling, I pulled a blanket off my sofa and wrapped it around myself. “We had to get back to reality.”
“If I’d known your heater wasn’t working, I would have followed you.”
I laughed softly. “There was no way either of us could have known. I found his number and I’m going to call him now. I’ll head to my store and wait for him to let me know when it’s fixed.”
“You could come back to the ranch.”
Closing my eyes, I drew in a slow, deep breath before answering. “What we shared was beautiful, Caden, but you and I both know it’s better for me if I don’t.”
“I know,” he softly said. “You’ll let me know if you need anything though, right?”
“I will. Thank you again for everything, Caden.”
“Bye, Lili.”
My eyes closed, and I forced myself to sound happy. “See you around.”
I hung up the phone and waited a few moments before calling Larry. He apologized a dozen times and said he’d send someone right away.
I grabbed my keys, made my way back to my car, and headed to my store. Thankfully, they had cleared Main Street, and I could park right in front. I got out and carefully made my way to the door. Once inside, I breathed a sigh of relief. It was toasty warm in my shop.
Looking around, I tried to decide how to pass the time. I ended up taking inventory and jotting down things to order for the Christmas season. A knock on the door about twenty minutes later caused me to glance up in surprise. No one knew I was here except for Larry.
I made my way to the door and saw Ensley. I quickly unlocked the door and opened it.
“Hey, what in the world are you doing out?” I held the door for her while she hurried in.
“Thanks! I had an appointment, and thankfully, River Falls is on top of clearing the roads.”
“You had an appointment today, and you actually went to it in this mess?”
She smiled. “I did. This was a rescue horse, and he really needed a good trimming and re-shoe. Crazy little fellow, though. Kept trying to stick his tongue in my ear. Truthfully, it’s the most action I’ve gotten from a man in a long-ass time. And I’m not gonna lie, I kind of dug it.”
I couldn’t help the laugh that slipped free.
“Anyway, was driving by and I saw your car parked out front. Why are you here?”
“The heat at my place isn’t working.”
Her brows shot up. “What?”
“Larry, my landlord, said he was sending someone over right away to fix it. I came here to stay warm in the meantime, since the roads in town were pretty clear.”
She glanced around. “Do you need help with anything?”
I smiled. “No, but thank you.”
Ensley nodded and took another look around.
“Ensley…what’s the real reason you stopped?”
She looked at me, at first acting innocently confused. Then, rolling her eyes and sighing, she threw up her hands. “Fine! When I saw your car, I had to stop by and ask what happened at Caden’s.”
My brows drew down. “What do you mean?”
“Come on, Lilibeth. You guys can hardly be in the same room together for two minutes without fighting. Yet, Emeline told me you called her, and you said everything was fine. Fine! What does that even mean?”
“It meant everything was fine.”
Ensley rolled her eyes again. She started to say something, then closed her mouth and searched my face, her gaze narrowed. “Something is…different about you.”
I took a step back. “Nothing is different.”
She suddenly gasped, slapped a hand over her mouth, and pointed at me. “Oh my God!”
“No!” I quickly said.
“Oh. My. God!”
“Ensley!”
“You and Caden? Holy shit—did he know you were a virgin? Did he make it good for you? I’ll kill him if he didn’t make it good for you!” She spun away from me and started to pace. “What does this mean? Holy crap! This is huge!”
“It’s not huge. It’s really not that big of a deal.”
Ensley faced me once again. “Not a big deal? Lilibeth, my brother is crazy about you!”
Confused, it was my turn to narrow my eyes. “What on earth are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the fact that he has feelings for you.”
A humorless laugh escaped my lips. “Why would you say that?”
“He told…” Her words quickly faded away.
“He what?” I asked, suddenly very interested in what she had to say.
“I know my brother, Lilibeth. He likes you. He’s just afraid.”
It felt as if the air was violently pulled from my lungs.
Had I done the wrong thing by sleeping with Caden?
I liked him, no matter how much I tried to pretend I didn’t.
Yet, I knew going in he couldn’t give me anything more than the time we’d spent together.
Now, Ensley was telling me he liked me. But liked me how?
I drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Yes, something happened between us, but it’s not what you’re thinking. I think we were both lonely, and we needed each other for different reasons. He was upfront with me that nothing would come of the time we spent together.”
She looked concerned. “And you were okay with that?”
Shrugging, I replied, “He was honest with me, and I was honest with him. I wanted him, Ensley. And I don’t think I have to apologize for that.”
“Of course you don’t. But I see the way you two look at each other—”
I held up my hand. “Please don’t.”
Her shoulders fell. “Oh, Lilibeth.”
I felt the tears sting the back of my eyes. Forcing myself to smile, I whispered, “Sometimes our hearts want something that’s just…out of reach.”
Ensley closed her eyes then, and she slowly nodded. It was clear she’d felt the same way at some point in her life, but I wasn’t about to press her for more.
When she turned away from me, I wondered if she was upset with me, but when she turned back, a tear was slowly making its way down her cheek.
“Ensley,” I said, as I rushed to her and took her hands in mine. “What’s wrong?”
She let out a small laugh and shook her head. “Lilibeth, if I can give you one piece of advice.”
“Yes, please.”
“Don’t let him push you away, because he’s worth the fight. You’ll regret it forever.”
I led her to my office, and we sat down in the two chairs I had in there. “Do you want to talk about it?” I asked.
She shook her head as she wiped her tears away.
“The only thing I’ll say is, I lost two people I loved almost at the same time.
I loved them both differently, but because I couldn’t be truthful with either of them, plus myself…
” Her words faded as she closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, she gave a soft shrug.
“I would give anything to go back in time and just risk it all by telling them the truth.”
“I’m so sorry, Ensley.”
A soft smile appeared on her beautiful face, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Do me a favor, Lilibeth.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Don’t hide your feelings from Caden. Even if he says he doesn’t feel the same, tell him how you feel. Promise me that.”
I nodded. “I promise you, I will.”