“Because we are partners.”
Simone’s eyes held vulnerability as she said, “I will be fine on my own.”
“Yes, you would be fine,” Caleb agreed, “but you deserve to be more than ‘fine.’ You deserve to be happy.”
“I haven’t been happy for so long, not since my mother died,” she shared.
Caleb felt a tear slide down Simone’s cheek and he wiped it away. “Thenwemust work on that,” he said.
They stared at one another, and in that moment, Caleb felt as if time seemed to stop. It was a feeling that he never wanted to end. He didn’t know what he was doing with Simone, holding her in his arms, but it felt right.
It felt like he was home.
Simone blinked, as if she had just realized the precariousness of the situation. “I think it is safe to leave our hiding spot.”
“Yes, of course,” Caleb responded as he reluctantly dropped his hand.
After Simone stepped out from the drapes, Caleb took a deep breath as he tried to gain his composure. He didn’t know what had transpired between them, but something had shifted. And he was different because of it.
Caleb tossed back the drapes and approached the window. “It is late,” he said. “I shall call upon you tomorrow.”
Simone watched him closely. “I have no objections.”
“Very well.”
After Caleb climbed through the window, he turned back around to Simone and said, “Try to get some sleep tonight.”
“I’m not sure if I can, especially after what my father revealed,” Simone remarked.
“We will get to the bottom of it,” Caleb assured her.
Simone nodded. “I believe you.” She hesitated before adding, “I know I was against you helping me, but I am glad that you were here this evening.”
“As am I.” Caleb smiled. “Goodnight, Simone.”
“Goodnight, Caleb.”
Knowing that nothing else needed to be said between them, Caleb stepped into the shadows and headed towards the back gate.
Chapter Ten
Simone stared up at the ceiling as she chided herself on how vulnerable she was with Caleb the night before. She wondered what she had been thinking. She was starting to let Caleb in, and that terrified her.
If he ever saw the person she truly was, he would never approve. The way he looked at her was with such compassion, causing her to believe that he might truly care for her. No. He couldn’t. That was impossible. How could he care for someone that struggled every day to put one foot in front of the other? Her thoughts, her feelings, everything about her was imperfect.
The only person who had ever understood her was her mother. That is why she still mourned her every single day.
A knock came at the door before it opened, revealing Felicity. “Good morning,” she greeted. “Your father has requested that you join him for breakfast.”
Simone sat up in bed. “He has?”
Felicity closed the door as she replied, “I was just as surprised as you were when Clarke informed me, but it is a good thing, is it not?”
“I don’t rightly know.”
Felicity gave her an odd look. “Do you not want to spend time with your father?”
Simone put her feet over the side of the bed and rose. “I searched my father’s study last night and I discovered something interesting.”
