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“Jack, man, you’re the one who saved me after that rocket-propelled grenade opened up my side and I nearly bled to death.”
“I may have stitched you back together, but you stayed by my side more times than I can count, holding off the enemy with gunfire while I helped one of our guys. Covering my ass is saving my life—and the guy bleeding at my feet.”
Caleb hung his head, hating to think about the things they’d seen and done to stay alive. Fighting as army Rangers, Jack a specially trained medic, they’d seen way too much killing and dying.
“When are you leaving?”
“In a few days. Maybe a week. I don’t want to leave you high and dry.”
“Don’t worry about me, man. I’ll manage without you until you come back.”
“What if I don’t come back?” Caleb hated to think he’d never see Jack again. Their friendship meant the world to him, but he couldn’t spend the rest of his life here, wanting Summer and never being able to have her. The nightmares tortured him enough. He couldn’t take anything more.
“I hope you don’t mean that. Summer will miss you. Seems you two became friends the moment we arrived.”
“I really like your sister. I’ll miss her.”
“Yeah, she’s been a bright spot in my dismal mind. I think she might be mad at me about the night at the bar. Maybe it’s time I stopped being the overprotective brother and let her live her life without my interference.”
“You want the best for her. It’s understandable.”
“I do, but she has to make the decision about what is best for her, not me.”
“When did you have this epiphany?”
Jack laughed. “I saw her the other night when she got home and we got into it. Those were her words, and she’s right. With my head the way it is right now, I can barely keep track of everything I need to do for the ranch, let alone figure out what my sister wants or needs.”
“I’ll let you know when I’ve got my plans set.”
Jack frowned, but gave him a nod. Caleb left the office and walked to one of the stall doors and Summer’s horse, Speckles. The mare came to him, dropping her head into his waiting hands for a scratch.
He let the feelings building inside him well up to the back of his throat, threatening to choke him. His chest ached. He feared he’d live with this miserable emptiness the rest of his life.
He pressed his forehead to the mare’s and sighed out his frustration and sadness.
“How am I going to say good-bye to her?”
Chapter Five
CALEB WORKED HISbody and mind numb for the week he didn’t see Summer. She left for work each morning without coming up to the big house for coffee and breakfast. She came home after dark each night and hid away in her cabin. He did not breach the walls she put around her, both physical and mental.
The snowstorm last night kept her home this morning. The roads this far out of town wouldn’t be plowed for several more hours. He’d have to find an opportunity to talk to her soon. With Christmas two weeks away, he needed to say his good-bye and get to Montana before the snows up there kept him here longer.
Lost in the rhythmic stroke of the brush over the horse in front of him, he didn’t hear her come up behind him.
“Caleb.” Her tentative voice made his heart ache. It shouldn’t be like this. Not between friends.
Braced to face her, he held back a gasp, seeing her beautiful face framed in her golden hair. Sometimes, the woman took his breath away. Her blue eyes held a touch of sadness. She looked lovely in tight blue jeans and a red sweater beneath a brown leather vest lined in thick shearling.
“Jack told me you’re leaving. Going home to Montana and your family.”
He dropped the brush on a nearby shelf and took the few steps to stand in front of her. He owed her that much, to face her eye-to-eye when he said good-bye. He hoped she knew how much it broke his heart to leave her.
“I meant to tell you myself. I need time to figure out what I want to do.”
“Time to heal, too. How long’s it been since you slept a whole night?”
“I’m fine.”
