Page 16 of Due North
He remained silent.
Caleb was a cowboy in every way, from his flannel shirt to his wornWranglersto his wool socks. My fingers constantly ached to run themselves through his shaggy, but silky, locks, but as of yet, they hadn’t gotten that chance. We worked together, and a relationship on a ranch like this one was out of the question. Sure, Heaven and Dawn both fell in love with cowboys, but their beaus didn’t live on this ranch, so if things didn’t work out, at least they didn’t have to work closely with them every day. I had to be careful. One wrong decision could put Poppy and me out on the streets. I couldn’t let that happen.
“I’m good,” he finally answered. “Thanks for the sandwich. I should be getting on with chores.”
“Tobi took over chores at Heaven’s request. You’re supposed to relax.”
“Dammit, Heaven,” he ground out, throwing his empty can in the recycling bin where it clanged loudly.
I raised my brow, and he sighed, pushing off the wall and walking into the living room. Watching him walk from behind always gave me a thrill. He had a butt that didn’t quit, and my hands always wanted to cup those cheeks and hold him against me.
Stay on task, Cece, I scolded myself.
My head tipped when I tore my eyes away from his backside long enough to notice how his left leg didn’t swing through quite the same way his right one did. I wondered if he hurt himself at work and didn’t want to mention it to Heaven. That would be like Caleb. He was always pressing on no matter what happened. That news article was evidence enough of that.
“You could just accept the night off without being angry about it.”
“I’m not angry,” he insisted, sitting down on the couch.
He was tired. He might think I couldn’t tell, but it was evident to all of us. I wasn’t sure if the physical fatigue was worse than the emotional, but the two combined were becoming too much for him to keep fighting.
“Could have fooled Heaven when you threatened to prepare your third of the ranch for sale.” He lowered his head into his hands and rubbed his face. “She came back to the house in tears because as much as she wants to believe you weren’t serious about it, a little part of her is afraid you are. She’s afraid you’re going to run again.”
His sigh was deep and bone-weary when he lifted his head. “I’m not running. I was upset and not thinking. I didn’t mean to upset her. You can go back to the house and deliver that message for me. I have things to do.”
“Things like wallowing in self-pity and staring at the wall menacingly?” I asked, pushing off the counter and walking over to him.
“Tobi might be doing the chores, but there’s more to do than just chores. Do you think this place keeps ticking along because I clean out the horse stalls? If that’s what you think I do here, then maybe Ishouldhead to greener pastures.”
I stood in front of the coffee table and shook my head at the man in front of me. “You are in a mood. I won’t stand here and let you treat me this way.”
His arm shot forward. “There’s the door. You know how to use it!”
I crossed my arms over my chest and stared him down. My head slowly tipped to the right the longer I stared at him. Finally, I motioned at his left eye. “There’s something wrong with your eyelid.”
His hand went to it immediately, and he grimaced. “Dolly hit me with her snout earlier. I’m sure it will be fine with a little ice and rest.”
“Is it bruised?” I asked, jogging to the freezer and searching for an ice pack. I handed one to him, and he held it to his eye, his head tipped back against the couch.
“No, must have just dinged a nerve or something. You know how that can happen around here.”
I sat next to him and patted his leg, the slight tingle of excitement at touching him traveling through my arm and up into other parts of my chest. I didn’t want to think too much about that excitement and risk the life I was building here.
Work relationships are wrong, Cece. You have a little girl to think about now. Especially since you know that he’s lying to you. His eye was doing the same thing four days ago.
“Probably good that Tobi is doing chores then. Did you hurt your leg too? I noticed you had a hitch in your giddy-up,” I teased, but he didn’t laugh.
“No, I’m fine. You better check on Poppy. I don’t want her to get scared if she wakes up and you’re not there.”
“Won’t be a problem. As long as Eden is there, she’s fine. Want to tell me about that?” I asked, pointing at the paper upside down on the coffee table.
“Not even a little bit,” he answered, his other eye closing.
His words were heavy, and so was my heart. For the boy he was then and the man he is now. The man is still tortured by the events that day. “I know what it’s like to be stuck in grief, Caleb. You don’t have to pretend that you aren’t.”
“I’m not,” he insisted with his eyes still closed.
I picked up the paper and read the headline aloud. “Halloween Fire Claims Six Members of One Family.”
