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“Your house is cozy, and it looks like you put a lot of thought into each piece,” Caleb says as I turn to meet his gaze.
My heart flutters at his words, and I suddenly realize how much trouble I could be in. This man can afford to buy any house in the world, and yet, he is kind and gracious towards my humble, eclectic space. It’s clear that Gene raised him well after their family tragedy. But I need to remember that Caleb is only here temporarily, and I have to keep my emotions in check around him.
“Okay, pasta first, and then I think we should play some games,” I tell them.
“Games?” Caleb narrows his eyes at me. “What do you have in mind?”
“I thought it would be fun to try to teach an old dog some new tricks tonight. I have a feeling you won’t be so confident after a few rounds of my favorite card game,” I tease him, chuckling.
Gene claps his hands together. “This old man is here for the entertainment. Now, ready-made or home-cooked pasta?”
“Fresh, of course,” I tell him. “Is there any other kind?”
“I’ve got this, just point me to the ingredients,” Gene volunteers eagerly as we all get to the assigned tasks for the evening.
As Gene makes the pasta dough and runs it through the attachment on my stand mixer, Caleb asks, “Where did you learn your way around a kitchen?”
“I get bored easily and like to watch my chef a lot. Eventually, he got tired of feeling spied on and invited me in. We’ve had some amazing conversations while cooking a delicious meal,” Gene says.
Caleb drops his head. “I’m sorry, Grandad,” he says in a sad tone.
“Hey now, no need for apologies,” Gene says. “You’re here now. We’re making memories, and you have nothing to be sorry for—is that clear?”
“You’re clear,” Caleb says, and Gene pats him on the shoulder. “Now, what in the world does it mean to ‘julienne carrots?’” He points to the recipe card. “This is a salad, isn’t it supposed to be easy?”
We all can’t stop laughing as we continue working together. It’s amazing how much fun we have. Just eight days ago, I didn’t even know these two people existed. In such a short amount of time, they have had such a big impact on my life. I am aware that this will eventually come to an end; they will return to Chicago. For now, I want to enjoy every moment with them. At the same time, a part of me also longs for my relationship with my mom and sisters to be this carefree and easygoing.
9
Caleb
“I’ll take your breakfast scramble,” I tell the waitress.
“Mrs. Larson said she found the fixin’s to do that special toast you mentioned,” the sweet lady tells me.
Mrs. Larson, the owner of the diner, and I had a conversation after my morning run the other day about my favorite avocado toast that I usually eat back home. I’m pleasantly surprised that she went out of her way to make it for me. Back home, people bend over backward to please me just because of my last name. But here in Rustic Ridge, no one even knows who I am or who my family is. Sweet gestures like this are one of the things I love about this town.
“I would love that then. Please thank her for me,” I tell her, handing back the menu.
“Sure thing.” The waitress sweetly smiles as she turns to head toward the kitchen.
Suddenly, I hear someone call out my name. I turn to see Missy and Olivia making their way towards me.
“Oh, this is not good,” I mutter under my breath.
“Good, we found you,” Olivia says as they approach my table.
“Piper’s probably at the bakery, considering the time,” I reply, hoping that’s the only reason they’re here.
“That’s perfect because we actually wanted to talk to you alone,” Missy says as they both slide into the booth across from me. “We have some questions and concerns.”
“Okay…” I try to remain calm and polite. “What can I do for you?”
“Break up with Piper,” Olivia states without missing a beat. “I’m sure you are a nice guy—we can tell by the way you treat your grandfather—and you’ve got this fancy life.”
“Thank you,” I reply, genuinely confused. “I don’t see how any of that is a problem.”
“It’s not about being a problem. It’s about you not belonging here. You’re a stranger to this town, and I doubt you intend to stay here long term,” Missy adds.
