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“Hello, Evelyn,” he said.
For a beat, those eyes traced over me, his teeth grinding when his attention roved over my pink tank and cut-off shorts. I was prepared for the day when he decided I had to wear a uniform since he clearly didn’t appreciate my attire.
But it was hot as balls out here. Who could blame me?
“We went so very far on our ride today, like a thousand miles, and guess what we found?”
That pulled Caleb’s attention back to Evelyn, his brow quirking. “What did you find?”
“An old cabin!”
“An old cabin, huh?”
“Yep, and I think it was even haunted.”
“Haunted?”
A soft laugh rolled up my throat. “Well, it might not be haunted, but I would bet it definitely has a few stories to tell. It’s way up along the river. Pretty dilapidated. I would guess the first homesteaders might have built it and lived up there long before this house was built. It’s gorgeous.”
“It has spider webs and broken windows. I think it’s definitely haunted.” Evelyn’s eyes widened like she was trying to convince Caleb of the fact.
“You didn’t go in it, did you?” The question slanted out like a dart. Sharp and accusing. I knew him well enough now to know it was worry that had it coming out.
“Of course not. We just peeked at it from the outside,” I told him.
“You should ride on a horse sometime so you can go see it with us!”
Caleb worked his jaw.
I laughed a low sound, rubbing at Mazzy’s neck as I looked at the man who stood there itching like it was his worst nightmare. “Not sure we could get him on a horse to save his life.”
I cringed a little when I realized what I’d said. I was trying to be careful with the way I phrased things around Evelyn, to be cautious of her precious heart. At least she seemed not to notice it that time.
And Caleb just grunted. “The only thing I ride is a motorcycle.”
My brow arched for the sky. “You ride a motorcycle?”
“Before…yes.” He seemed to leave a thousand details out.
The man this mystery.
A dichotomy.
Everything I never expected.
A chuckle pilfered out, just picturing it because against all odds, it fit. My tummy stirred, liking the idea of it too much.
And maybe I liked the way he stood there, just kind of smirking, like he wanted to be with us right then.
Like some of those walls were crumbling. Getting knocked down.
A gust of wind came up without warning, and it picked up a few pieces of mail that Caleb was holding.
Envelopes whipped up by the wind before they fluttered to the ground.
One landed at my feet. I reached down and picked it up to hand it to him.
He went to grab it, then he froze with his fingers gripping one side of it as he looked down at his name written on the front.
Any easiness he’d worn drained off his face.
He went a pale, pasty white, though darkness flashed in his eyes.
He finally took it, his entire demeanor stiffening, something that looked like horror edging into his frame.
“Are you okay?” It left me on a wheeze.
“I’m fine.” It cracked through the air. Then he turned and hurried into the house without a parting word.
And I knew he was definitely not fine.
Knew it as I led Mazzy and Evelyn the rest of the way back to the barn. As we settled Mazzy back into her stall, brushed her, and watered her down. As I cleaned up Evelyn, fed her lunch, then tucked her into bed for a nap.
Knew it in the fear and hatred that clouded the air like a noxious storm when I stepped out of her room.
It floated down from the third floor.
Emanated from the man I didn’t understand.
And I’d done so good at minding my business. Keeping space.
But this time, I climbed the stairs, wobbling on my unsteady feet.
Quicksand.
I eased across the floor, trying to keep my boots as quiet as possible on the wood.
I could barely breathe by the time I made it to the door that sat halfway open. I pushed into the space, drawn, unable to stop myself.
In his sprawling office, he stood with his back to me, staring at the wall of bookshelves behind his desk.
Blankly.
Frozen.
A stone statue that bled agony. The energy painted in violence.
Dark and menacing.
Chained and held, thrashing through the stillness for a way to be released.
I knew when he felt me hovering at the doorway. His shoulders tensed more than they already had been.
“What are you doing up here?” The question was fragments of glass. Slicing through the dense, dense air.
“I needed to check on you.”
“I don’t want you to be concerned about me.”
“But I am.” I took a tentative step forward.
“Where is Evelyn?” Worry tripped from his mouth.
“She’s down for her nap.”
He seemed to let go of the breath he was holding, like he found some kind of comfort in knowing she was fine for that moment.
