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How long was a long time? Since last summer when he’d started working here? Did that mean—could she have been dating Caleb instead of Kenneth? She tried to picture it. Caleb asking her on a date, taking her out to dinner. Smiling across the table as he tried to charm her, hoping for a goodnight kiss at the end of the evening. She couldn’t even picture the smiling part, much less the rest of it.
She tried to clear her throat and made a choking sound instead. “You acted like you didn’t like me.”
“I was trying to keep my distance.” His expression turned reproachful. “You had a boyfriend.”
“Who was a cheating jerk. Which you could have told me at any time.” If Caleb had ever given her even the slightest hint he was actually interested in her, she would have dropped Kenneth like the flaming bag of dog poop he’d turned out to be.
“I was afraid you’d hate me if I was the one to tell you.”
Unbelievable. Literally, it was impossible to believe this man who’d barely acknowledged her existence had actually been attracted to her all this time. It was inconceivable, and not in the Princess Bride sense of the word.
And yet…he had kissed her. It hadn’t been a half-hearted kiss either. That was a serious kiss he’d given her. Deadly serious.
Penny swallowed. “I don’t have a boyfriend anymore.”
Caleb gazed at her for what felt like a long time. “I’m moving to Mississippi in a month.”
“What?” It was the second time he’d knocked the wind out of her in this conversation.
“I’m starting med school at the University of Mississippi in the fall and my dad got me a summer job at a clinic there.”
“Med school? Wow. That’s—wow.”
“That’s why I’m sorry.” He looked genuinely sad. “Because I’m leaving soon.”
“I see.” Her whole body had gone numb. Pins and needles prickled in her fingers, and she balled them into fists.
The shop bell jangled again and Caleb’s mouth twisted into a regretful grimace. “I have to get back to work.”
“Sure,” Penny mumbled as all her fantasies came crashing down. She felt like she’d been run over by a truck and left by the side of the road. “Good talk.”
“I’m sorry,” he said again as he moved past her and away.
Not as sorry as she was.
Chapter Ten
Penny stood in the hallway alone, trying to get her bearings back.
Caleb had liked her. Did like her. But he was leaving. Moving away. In a few weeks, they’d never see each other again.
It wasn’t fair. They’d missed their chance before she’d realized they even had a chance.
She went into the restroom and washed her hands, just so she’d have something to do. So she wouldn’t have to go back out and face Caleb yet.
As she stood at the sink staring in the mirror, her gaze went to the reflection of the stall behind her. Her mind flashed back to the night she’d come in here to cry, when Caleb had come to check on her.
He’d actually cared. She still couldn’t quite believe it. Her mind was reeling. It was too much to process at once. She needed to go off and think. Somewhere that wasn’t here. Someplace where Caleb wasn’t.
She pushed her way out of the bathroom. The back door they used for deliveries beckoned to her left. The urge to slip out without having to see Caleb was strong, but she’d stupidly left her purse on the counter—unattended. What had she been thinking?
She hadn’t, obviously.
Penny hurried out of the hall, breathing a sigh of relief at the sight of her purse still sitting where she’d left it, next to the remains of the lavender latte Caleb had made. He glanced her way, his hands stilling as he fastened a to-go lid on the iced coffee in his hand.
Penny made a beeline for her purse, avoiding his eyes as she snatched it off the counter. Amazingly, she managed to keep her composure until she was out the door.
As she hurried down the sidewalk, she sucked in a ragged breath, panting like a cross-country runner. Her heart was pounding in her chest, but it eased a little with every step that carried her farther away from Antidote and Caleb.
