Chapter 24
Rae
The next couple ofdays were so peaceful and exactly what my heart needed. We made plans for Luke and Jenny to come over on the weekend so I could catch up with them. I was excited to see them and felt no nerves about having them here for dinner. Every time Ethan had made plans for someone to come over, I always said something wrong that made him mad, and he would let me know how he felt later. With, Caleb though, I knew things would be different.
I had not heard anything from Ethan since the package arrived, and I was starting to hope that if he was watching, maybe he’d seen how Caleb reacted and decided to back off.
Caleb did anything and everything to make me smile or laugh, and when he could tell I was trying to process my emotions, he held me. There was something...almost intoxicating about being in his arms—more than just feeling safe and cared about. He never made me feel like a burden.
Having him hold me that first night was one of the best feelings I had ever experienced. I had been tired, but I hadn’t realized how tired until I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. Then I woke up in the guest room with the night-light on as well as the one in the living room. He remembered, and it meant the world to me.
Now, he was inside making lunch and wouldn’t let me help. He said I could help with dinner if I wanted, but he wanted to surprise me with lunch.
“Hey, Ranger, are you sure I can’t help?” I said loud enough that he could hear me from the porch. He had said this was where I should stay until he was done because “fresh air and sunshine were good for his Sunshine.” He had winked at me when he said it, and my face only heated more. While I was still kind of feeling guilty about not helping, I was enjoying spending time outside, listening to the birds singing and watching Duke chase a butterfly.
Caleb appeared at the screen door with a big smile on his face. “Positive. Lunch is served.” He carried two plates out and placed one in front of me. When I saw what he’d made, I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry because this sweet man remembered something about me again. He made one of my secret snack obsessions from when we were teens: a peanut butter and jelly quesadilla with banana folded into it. He even remembered how I liked it, with half the tortilla cut down the center, banana on one side and jelly on the other.
Ethan had made fun of me prior to him even changing, so I had only made this once since leaving for college.
I stared at the plate in awe, then looked at him, then back at my plate. I had tears in my eyes and giggles flowed from my mouth.
I looked up at him again and saw a big smile on his face. Quickly placing the plate on the porch swing, I jumped up and wrapped my arms around his neck. “You remembered.” I pulled back just enough so I could look at him. “Thank you.”
He placed his hands on my hips and somehow pulled me closer than I already was, then leaned his forehead against mine. “You’re not one I would ever want to forget, Sunshine.”
I was suddenly very aware of his hands being on my hips and curves. I was feeling self-conscious and my pulse was starting to race, but I also didn’t want this moment to end. I was fighting with myself and hating myself for not just being present.
“Where’d your mind go?” Caleb whispered, our foreheads still touching. His words brought me back to reality.
“Just thinking...”
Duke barked at the butterfly he was chasing, and it broke our focus on each other. We laughed as Duke happily jumped and spun when the butterfly landed on his head.
“Let’s eat while you tell me what you were thinking about and while we watch that crazy pup make friends with a butterfly.” He gave me a wink and a grin that made my heart melt.
I nodded and laughed but also didn’t want to tell him what I had been thinking of.What if he thinks it’s stupid?
We watched Duke run around in the yard for a bit. He eventually walked up on the porch and drank the water that Caleb had set out for him, then lay down to rest.
“Rae, you don’t have to tell me anything, and I mean that, but it would mean a lot if you shared what was on your mind.”
“It’s...Nothing. Stupid, even.” I took a bite of the snack he made me, loving the memories it brought back.
“I doubt that. Remember, I understood the night-light thing. Also, just so you know, even if I hadn’t felt similarly about that, I still wouldn’t have judged you. You’re my favorite person.”
I know I blushed at that comment, so I finished eating my snack until my heart rate slowed. He didn’t pry.
