Caleb's Blessing (6 page)

She slept for most of the day and I looked in on her from time to time. At lunch the boys came in to eat left overs and talk in whispers. We didn’t discuss anything major because I didn’t want her overhearing anything if she happened to wake up, but we talked.

“Brutus kicked down the south wall again.”

“Is he hurt?” That damn bull is a pain in the ass. I should probably just slaughter him for barbecue, but he’s one of the best breeders around for miles and I make a pretty penny putting him out to stud. It’s the only time he behaves.

“Uh, not sure boss, you know he won’t let any of us near him, not even Nathan.”

“I guess I’ll go have a look when we’re done here.” I stood from the table to rinse my glass and dish for the washer before heading back upstairs to check in on her.

“She’s still asleep so I’ll do that now before she wakes up.”

“I can stay and keep watch for you boss, no problem at all.”

“Mikey get your ass out of my house.” The young fool grinned and accepted the slaps to the back of the head from the others. As much as we did that it’s a wonder the poor kid didn’t have concussion three days of the week.

I wasn’t in the mood to deal with my bull right then, a few hours ago maybe, but now I just wanted her to wake up so that I could see those beautiful eyes of hers and hear her sweet voice.

“Fucking bull.” He’d torn down almost the whole wall to get out and was now huffing and puffing in the enclosure that I’d had built to hold him after the last time he’d done this shit.

“Brutus, if you don’t stop your shit I’ma put a bullet in you.” He snorted at me and turned his back. He probably knew I was the one responsible for the enclosure and keeping him from running wild, as he’d like.

Since none of the others would get near him and I needed that wall fixed sometime soon, it was going to be my job to rope his ass and tie him up somewhere until the job got done.

I went for my lariat and prepared to be bumped and bruised to within an inch of my life. Damn ornery ass bull was worst than a damn wife.

It didn’t take as long as I’d imagined because he was probably hungry. I roped him in less than five minutes which might not seem long to most, but when you were dealing with two tons of angry bull that five minutes felt like half a lifetime.

I cleaned myself up while nursing my arm where he’d clipped me just a little after I’d roped him. He hates to lose and that’s his way of letting me know he didn’t appreciate my efforts.

I couldn’t wait to get back to the house; she should be waking up soon. She’d been asleep so long, it made me wonder when was the last time my poor little girl had got some rest.

I can’t imagine what it felt like to be on the run from someone, someone you knew meant you harm. That was no way to live, and if I have anything to say about it, she won’t have that worry for long.

When I got back to the house and up the stairs, she wasn't in bed where I'd left her. I didn’t panic or anything as I left her room in search of her.

I searched the house calling out for her, but there was no answer. By the time I’d searched the whole upstairs and half of downstairs, my heart jumped into my throat and I was about to lose my shit, until I saw the note. She'd pinned it to the fridge door with a longhorn magnet.

I relaxed a little thinking that she’d probably gone for a walk to clear her head. Not to mention I was sure she was going to be embarrassed by what had happened earlier in the kitchen.

"Dear Caleb, thanks for trying to help me, I wish, I wish...it doesn't matter what I wish I can't stay here. I'm bad news I'll only bring you trouble. You should give that Cecily girl a chance she's better suited. Thanks for all you did for me. Bye Amanda."

I was running before I finished reading the note. Jumping down off the steps, I whistled loud and long until they came running.

"She did a runner, get the trucks. Search every corner she couldn't have gone far and she left the front way." I was heading for my truck as I yelled out orders.

The men split off going to their trucks without question. I was not going to lose her like this fuck that, and fuck taking it slow. If that fucker was in her head then the only thing left for me to do was to go in there and dig him the fuck out.

I drove like a bat out of hell down the long drive, my eyes trying to cover every square inch ahead of me.

She was a dot up ahead and I sped up until I cut her off by driving around and in front of her. She came up short, her eyes wide, and her face red from crying.

"You're not leaving me." I jumped out of the running truck.

"Caleb..." She had no choice but to stop when I planted myself in her way.

I hope I'm dong the right thing here, heaven please help me. I wanted to hold her so bad, to erase that look of sadness from her face. I didn’t have much time to think about my approach so I went with my gut.

I’d been willing to play the game by the rules, but whose rules were those? I wasn’t about to live my life according to the things he’d set in play. Fuck that.

"You're not leaving me, not now not ever, no one's gonna hurt you here baby, look at me. I will never let anything happen to you.”

The look on her face said she wasn’t buying it and all I kept hearing was her telling me in her sweet voice that she was damaged goods.

“I'm willing to love you Amanda but you gotta start loving yourself, you can't let that fucker win, why would you let him win?

Who the fuck is he that his words are more powerful than anyone else's? What has he ever done that's so great that you have to take his word?

Did you always believe you were nothing or did the great Lance Woods teach you that shit?" She was crying but at least she'd stopped trying to evade me.

"Tell me something, before this saintly hero of mankind tore you down, who were you? What did you want out of life, what did you think of yourself?" I was talking fast and probably not making a lick of sense, but I had to get it all out.

I heard the others slowing down as they drew near, but I didn't turn around, I kept my eyes on her.

"Don't you think I deserve the chance to meet that girl? In your note you thanked me, well I don't want your words Amanda, words are empty without actions. Thank me by getting back in that truck and coming home with me. Thank me by showing me that you're worth it. Do you remember our kisses in the wildflowers Amanda?"

Good, I got a nod.

"Wasn't that beautiful? What was wrong with that?"

"Nothing, it was perfect." She whispered the words like a prayer.

Oh thank you. That was all I needed to move in just a little bit closer.

"Don't you want to have more of that? Don't you want to walk with me down by the stream in the spring when it's really beautiful?"

"But it's beautiful now." She took a step towards me, keep coming baby, just keep coming, I've got you. My heart was beating so fast and hard I don't know how I was getting the words out.

"Pffffttt, that's nothing, it's almost the end of summer. If you really want to see beauty you should see it in the spring when everything's new, or in the winter when the water freezes over and there's snow covering everything. I'm sure Nathan would fix up the old sleigh and we could go for rides."

She stepped a little closer and I fought myself not to move, to let her come to me.

"You have a sleigh?"

"Yep, a great big old fashioned one, we'll camp out in the snow and roast marshmallows."

She wrinkled her nose at me.

"I don't know about camping in the snow, sounds cold and wet to me."

"Okay fine be that way. I guess I can go camping with Mikey but he just bitches and moans the whole time."

She laughed, sweet heaven she laughed.

"What if I never get better?"

She spoke so softly I had to bend down to hear her. She breaks my fucking heart.

I finally allowed myself to touch her, and pulling her in close, kissed her forehead before whispering in her ear.

"You will I'm sure of it, we'll take it one day at a time. Now let's head back, it's hot as hell out here."

"Okay, I guess I better get dinner started anyway, I've wasted half the day already."

"You don't have to worry about dinner I've go it covered."

She almost choked on her laughter.

"What's so funny?" I stopped walking and looked down at her ravishing face under my arm, and stole a quick kiss, before opening the truck door.

I helped her climb up and buckled her in. "No offense but the guys kinda told me about your cooking. If you don't mind I think I'll take care of it."

"What the hell did those liars tell you? I'm a master cook, I can rustle up a mean rattle stew."

"Eww, gross." She turned up her nose at me.

"Have you ever had it?" She shook her head no.

"So how do you know?"

"I don't, it just sounds gross."

"You're right, it does but it might be fun to try. Maybe we can send Mikey after one, maybe it'll bite him and he can stop working my damn nerves"

She was freely laughing now and I felt the tight constriction around my chest ease.

Closing her door I signaled the guys as I walked around to my side. Engines turned over as they all headed back down the drive, crisis averted.

AMANDA

I feel like such an idiot for making such a fuss. Now everyone’s walking around on eggshells, and Caleb is stuck to my side like he’s afraid that I’d run off again.

“Caleb I can peel these, go on outside and do whatever you’re supposed to be doing.”

“Nope, I’m not needed out there.” He peeled one more potato before dropping it in the water, but he couldn’t quite hide the sigh that escaped him.

I knew why he didn’t want to leave and I felt even worse, because now I was taking him away from his work. I’d been here two days and already I was causing problems.

“I’m not gonna try to leave again.” I said the words softly as I reached across him to drop a potato in the water. He didn’t say anything for a good minute and I was afraid of what he would say when he did speak.

“That’s not why I’m in here baby.” His voice always has this tone that somehow wraps around me and makes me feel safe.

“Then why?” I looked at him as I waited for his answer. He seems so strong and steady. Like he could carry my weight and his, but was it fair to ask him to?

“Because I don’t want you alone with those thoughts. I should’ve thought of it but my head was elsewhere. It’s a new place and on top of it that kiss might not have been a good idea.”

I think I lost the color in my face at that. Of course, after my little display, no wonder he regretted the kiss.

“I’ll be right back...” My voice broke as I turned to flee the room.

“Come back here Amanda.” He reached for my hand and pulled me back to the sink where he leaned me back against the rim of it as he stood in front of me.

“I can see your mind working but you’re wrong. I know you’re accustomed to being knocked down, but please don’t paint me with that asshole’s brush. I’m not in the habit of knocking down women, especially not one that I find so desirable.” He kissed my nose and I all but melted into a puddle at his feet.

This all seemed so unreal; that a man like him could actually exist somewhere in the world didn’t seem real

I’d started to believe that this breed no longer exited if they ever had, and now here he comes, but is it too late?

“Caleb, those things you said before; did you mean them and if you did how?”

“Every word and how is easy. You’re beautiful first and foremost and I’d be a fucking liar if I said that that wasn’t part of it. But in life there’re very few things that a man is ever sure of. With me, I have a built in radar. It’s saved me a lot of headaches in the past and I’ve learned to trust it.

The first time I saw you I knew. Same as I’ve always known when I went through the gate. I’m one hundred percent sure that you’re the woman who’s going to bear my children and sit out on that porch out there with me in the sunset on many an evening.”

“Oh my.”

“Damn straight. Now let’s get this grub going before those asses get done.”

***

CALEB

I kept my eye on her for the rest of the day. The boys had been perfect gentlemen when they traipsed in to eat. I was rolling my eyes hard enough to give myself eyestrain halfway through at their antics.

“This is the best Chicken fried steak I ever did have.” Nathan got the praise brigade started and pretty soon they were all grunting like Olaf the Viking after a sacking. Pigs.

“Maybe you can stop chewing long enough to talk like a human eh Mikey.” I’ma smack him upside the head, the boy ought to know to show some class in the presence of a lady.

“No can do boss, I take too long to polish off my food, Simon will snag my last piece for sure.”

“Lies, the young’un lies. Ms. Amanda I must say my friend here is quite correct, this is about the nicest fare I’ve partaken of in quite some time, if ever.”

“What the ever-loving fuck Simon?” We were all staring at him like he’d grown an extra head. All except Amanda, who was preening under his glowing praise, smarmy fuck. I better hurry up and get her some flowers or some shit.

“Hijo de la chingada.” Diego almost fell out of his chair as he glared at Mikey. “What...?”

Mikey stifled a laugh but I caught on to what he was up to. He’d obviously seen me glaring daggers at Don Juan who was trying to make time with my girl and was trying to alert the other man, who was sitting next to him.

“Which one of you are washing the dishes?”

“Oh never mind that Caleb, I can take care of it. These guys have things to do.”

“Don’t spoil them baby, they’ll never go away then. One of you got cleanup or it’s your last meal in my kitchen.”

“I’ll take that duty. It’s the least I can do after such a fine meal.” I’ma kick Simon’s ass if he makes her smile one more time.

“Thank you kindly for your help sir, and to show my appreciation, I’ll dry while you wash.”

What the fuck? “Never mind I’ll take care of the dishes. Get the fuck out.” I knew I’d been had when the assholes donned their hats with grins on their faces before heading out the door.

Even my girl was laughing at me, until I kissed her that is.