Page 59 of Second Chance Fate

“Hey, just checking in. You need anything?” Josh asked.

Josh had been a rock for Caleb during the past couple of weeks while Taylor was in the hospital. He was the only person who knew who Taylor was and that Owen was his son. Hefigured it out when they got the call that Taylor was in the hospital. But he hadn’t brought it up to Caleb again, other than just saying he was there when he needed or wanted to talk.

“I’m good. Taylor’s home.”

“Home at her place?”

“No. She’s here.”

“Oh, okay.” Josh sounded surprised.

Caleb knew that his friend was thinking the same thing that Taylor had brought up. That it wouldn’t look right for her to be staying at his house, but he honestly didn’t care how it looked. Taylor and Owen were his family; they had health issues, and he needed to care for them, and if that wasn’t enough, he’d seen the look on Owen’s face when he thought Martin found Taylor. He’d never forget the look in his son’s eyes. It was fear. Real, tangible fear.

If anyone had a problem with how he was conducting his life, he honestly didn’t care. All he cared about was protecting and caring for his family.

“How’s Owen? I bet he’s happy his mom is home.”

“Yeah, he is. He didn’t know she was getting discharged, so he’s actually spending the night at Jonah’s.”

When Owen came home at four, he was shocked and excited to see his mom, but Jonah had already asked if he could spend the night. Caleb was worried that Taylor would feel hurt by Owen’s reaction, but it was the opposite. Taylor said that she was happy he still wanted to go to his friend’s house. She said that’s exactly what any normal eleven-year-old would want to do. Her only hesitation had been his health, but since Gabe was a firefighter with EMT training and they lived two blocks away, she said there was absolutely no logical reason for him not to go. So, Owen packed a bag, and Caleb dropped him off at his friend’s house. Taylor’s new plan was to talk to him and tell him everything when he got home tomorrow.

“So it’s just the two of you.”

“Well, four of us.” Caleb glanced down at Casper and Minnie, who were flanking him, waiting to scavenge any dropped scraps of food.

“Four? Oh, right. Well, Aud and I are here if you guys need anything.”

“Thanks, man.” He disconnected the call and had just turned the heat on the chicken to simmer when he heard Taylor’s voice behind him.

“Wow, that smells amazing.”

“It’s almost ready if you want to sit do…” his words trailed off when he turned and saw her standing in his kitchen. She was wearing one of his t-shirts, a pair of his sweats that were rolled up to fit her, and his socks, which were scrunched around her ankles. “Wow, you look so...” He wanted to say sexy, but he wasn’t going to overstep. Seeing her in his clothes did something to him. It awakened something in him. A base primal instinct that made him want to rip them off of her, throw her over his shoulder, take her to bed, and claim her. He cleared his throat and attempted to erase that image from his mind. “You have some color back in your cheeks.”

She lifted her hand to her face. “Yeah, I actually feel good.”

Caleb spoke to her doctor yesterday afternoon. It was one of the benefits of playing the husband card. Dr. Carol warned him that, despite getting her energy back, she still needed to rest. It was imperative to her recovery. He had a feeling she was not going to be the most cooperative patient.

“I can help. What do you?—”

“I’m all good. What do you want to drink? Water or soda?”

“You don’t have to wait on me.” Taylor stepped into the kitchen.

Caleb moved so that he was standing between the cabinet and Taylor. He stared down at her. “Sit.”

At his gruff command, Taylor’s cheeks flushed an even deeper shade of pink. A fire lit in her baby blues, and he could see that she wanted to argue with him, to assert her independence and tell him that she was more than capable of getting her own beverage. They had a showdown, a mini staring contest, that ended with her relenting. He had one W but he was far from winning the war in the battle of wills.

Taylor walked to the kitchen table and lowered into a seat.

“What can I get you?” he asked.

“Do you have wine?”

“Wine?” he repeated, then mentally scanned the warning labels he’d read on the medications she’d been sent home with. None of them said anything about not mixing with alcohol.

“Oh, wait, do you not drink? Do pastors drink? Is it a sin? I know there was something about water into wine, but I don’t know the rules. I’m sorry.”

Caleb could see that she wasn’t being a smartass; she genuinely didn’t know what the rules were and didn’t want to offend him.

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