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He was looking at her funny now, but she had to make sure things were on the level.
“I didn’t authorize this.” Lucy looked up.
“You’re not Ms. Erickson?”
“Only in my dreams.”
Lucy realized Caleb must have waved his magic wand and made things happen while she was asleep. A deep sense of gratitude flowed over her. She stepped back and held the door open wide.
“Please come in. Would you like something to drink before you start?”
“No, I’ll get on.” He winked at her. “I’m on triple time right now.”
“Oh! Then I’ll show you where the generator is.”
An hour later, the main generator was running again. After giving him some cookies and coffee to see him through the return journey, Lucy waved Nick off from the front porch. She’d asked for the bill, but he’d told her that was dealt with by the office, and that she’d probably get an invoice after Christmas. She suspected Caleb would be getting it sent to him. How she was going to persuade him to let her pay it was another matter entirely.
She slowly spun around in the well-lit hall, her gaze catching on the lighted Christmas trees, and the glittering tinsel, as she inhaled the scent of the pine candles above the fireplaces. A sense of her grandma’s satisfaction swirled around her like a warm blanket, and she smiled like a fool. This was her home. If Caleb couldn’t deal with that then he wasn’t the man for her. She’d had her dream date with her longtime crush and maybe it was time to move on . . .
After she’d sent him a text thanking him for getting the generator repair done. That was only polite. She turned on her phone and then wished she hadn’t. There were texts from both her parents, one from Dan, and one from Caleb.
Ignoring her family, she clicked on Caleb’s, which he’d obviously sent just as Chip had arrived back at the ranch without her.
Where are you? Is everything okay?
What she loved about Caleb was that, even though she’d walked out on him, rather than continue to text, he’d done something practical to make sure she was safe and warm at the B&B. She began to type.
Thank you for organizing the generator repair guy.
She held her breath as she saw the three dancing bubbles in the corner of the screen indicating he was replying.
You’re welcome.
She waited but that appeared to be it.
You remember when you thought I was on my phone talking to some guy who wasn’t you?
Nothing.
I was talking to Colin about his lack of mouse hunting skills.
More nothing. Lucy was just about to put her phone down when he replied.
That’s funny.
You’re not mad?
As you said you wouldn’t have slept with me if you’d been seeing another guy.
Lucy smiled foolishly at the screen. Caleb’s no-drama approach to life was very refreshing.
I should have told you straight out.
Much more fun to keep me guessing, right? Gotta go. Stuff to do.
Lucy waited a minute, but he appeared to have followed through and had left the chat. She sighed, feeling vaguely hurt. She had no more reasons to contact him and maybe that was for the best. She’d enjoy her Christmas Day alone at the B&B while he got to share it with his dad, Chip, and the ranch hands.
Except, now who was being melodramatic? She didn’t have to be alone. All she had to do was call her auntie Linda across the street and she’d be set. Spending the day with her cousins seemed a far better alternative to fake pining away like Miss Havisham from that Dickens book. She had family, she had friends, and a real community around her. If that didn’t include Caleb Erickson, she’d survive, even if she missed him forever.
