Page 48 of Shake the Habit

“Uh, ok.” He looked at me, eyebrows drawn down. “When I unscrew this, it might to be too heavy for you to hold. Can you and Sir go get Marc?”

“I don’t want to leave you in here alone.”

“Kayleigh, this is my house.” Now he sounded slightly annoyed. “I’m fine.”

Right. “Sorry. It was probably a spider,” I said, and I did run out to get my cousin. The door was open and sunlight streamed in the yard outside, but it didn’t reach too far into the rooms. The roof of the porch seemed to block it and the windows were probably filthy. I hurried out into the sun and over to Marc, with Sir jogging happily along beside me.

“What’s the matter with you?” my cousin asked, peering at my face.

“Nothing! Go help inside,” I ordered. “Please.” He strode off and we looked around the barn before we walked back toward the trucks. Caleb was just carrying out that last monitor, which really didn’t seem very heavy at all.

Pets were, fortunately, allowed in his new office building, so Sir and I were able to help with unpacking, too. My dog’s primary job was to steady my nerves. I had been really scared, although now I could see that I’d worked myself up into it, just like when I’d been a kid and had thrown angry fits about one thing or another. My Lord, my parents had been saints.

“I don’t need to do everything right now,” Caleb finally said, which was good because my arms were tired. It seemed that all the running we’d been doing hadn’t really worked to strengthen my upper-body muscles very much.

“It’s such a nice office. We should get some plants for you,” I offered as I looked around. It was very sunny, very light, whichwas good for growing things. I believed that it was also better for people.

“I can water them from a bottle I’ll carry around, rather than drinking the liquid myself,” he suggested—and for the first time since I’d had the problem in the farmhouse, he smiled at me.

“I’m sorry about what I did before,” I said.

He sat in the bed of his truck and Sir effortlessly jumped to join him, so I climbed up, too. “You were really scared,” he said.

“I’m sorry. I’m sure there was a moth or a spider or something, and I talked myself into it. I don’t usually do that,” I promised. “I’m not fearful. My mother was worried when I moved into my apartment alone, since it was the first time I’d lived by myself, but I was fine. I like it better with Sir, though.” He huffed and put his heavy chin on my leg. “I like it better with you, too,” I added to Caleb. Because, really, it was a lot more fun now that he’d moved up on the mountain with us. It was odd when I came downstairs for coffee and I’d run into him as he sat shirtless in the kitchen.

Odd, but lovely, too.

“I lived alone for a lot of years,” he mentioned. “My last roommate was when I was in college, and since then, I’ve been on my own.”

“It must be an adjustment to have me and Sir around,” I said.

“It’s funny to hear someone else in the house. I can hear you singing,” he explained.

“Sorry.”

“No, I like it. I like having dinner together.”

“We’re really bad at cooking,” I pointed out.

“The family leftovers are great, and your aunt Paula invited me over on Saturday to teach me. She and I have been texting,” he said.

“What?”

“She thinks that one person in the house should be proficient in the kitchen, and you’re a lost cause so it’s down to me.”

That did sound like Aunt Paula. “She’s a really good cook,” I had to admit. “I hope she teaches you how to make her white cornbread.”

“I’m already on it,” Caleb assured me. “Besides our diet, I like riding to work together and we can do that more now that I won’t have to go all the way out to the farmhouse.” I nodded and shivered a little. “Are you sure it was just a spider and imagination?”

I nodded again, now feeling embarrassed. “I’m sorry.”

“I was glad to leave,” he told me.

But for him, it was the memories, and I had scared myself into thinking…what? I was being attacked by moths? “We can go back together and finish sorting your mom’s stuff,” I offered.

“I’m not in a rush. Isn’t Sir’s class tonight?”

“It’s the last one before graduation. I’m going to make him a cap and gown for that,” I said. The dog’s eyebrows raised andhe huffed again, but he would agree to wear it when he saw how good he looked. “We could even have a party for him.”

---