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"How was it?"
"Exhausting, but I think I found a place. I did hear that the Gallo's are officially no longer a problem."
"Well, yeah, Caleb shot them all."
Indigo smirked at me, and it annoyed the hell out of me.
"When are you going?" My father asked.
"Today, after Christa wakes up."
He nodded, and looked down at the rag he was wiping his greasy hands on. I could never read him, but I knew he hadn't been happy about what I'd done to Judd. He'd never say it though. I think he was glad the dick was dead.
"Clare's putting on a lunch for everyone," Indigo said. "Stay for that and then you can head up home."
I nodded. "Sounds good."
Indigo took the bag and headed inside with me. My father went back to the garage without another word.
"Is he okay?"
"Yeah, he's just…upset that you got your hands dirty."
Indigo moved off and left me on the back patio with Clare. She was on the phone, organising her lunch with everyone. I was glad my dad had her. She wasn't chaotic like my mother was. They may still love each other but Clare was good for him. I could see that now. She offered a brief smile over at me before she went back to talking. I sat down on the love seat and started to rock it as I looked down at my phone.
* * *
Christa was bubblingfrom the massive lunch Clare had put on. I had seen her sneak Christa a few donuts under the table when they thought I wasn't looking which meant she was going to be a chatterbox the entire way back to the little piece of paradise I had scored for us. It was out of the city limits and close to a lake, enough of a distance that I couldn't be dragged back down into the Gallo mess but close enough that I could still see the family when I needed to.
Caleb put her in the back and handed her an iPad. She was glued to the damn thing, but I was also grateful for it. Indigo came to stand at the door, as I sat down behind the wheel of the car.
Just as I was about to start the car, Indigo smirked at me as he leaned down.
"What?" I barked. "Why are you so fucking smirky?"
The passenger side door opened, and Caleb jumped in, closing the door, and putting his seatbelt on.
"What the fuck are you doing?" I asked him.
"You think I'm letting you go off on your own?" Caleb asked me. "Hell no. You need someone to watch your back."
"Yeah," Indigo piped up. "Her back. Sure."
I turned back to Indigo to slap him, but he backed away, laughing.
"Caleb…"
"Look, you may think that you need to do this alone, but that girl needs someone in her life as a father figure, one she can trust. I'm not her dad, but I can help you. You don't want to be a single mum."
"I can't be in a relationship, not yet," I told him.
"I didn't say I wanted a relationship," Caleb replied, a smile on his face. "Look at you, thinking you’re hot shit and all that. I'm just coming to make sure this girl stays away from the donuts."
"Hey!" Christa exclaimed. "I like donuts."
"I'm very aware," Caleb replied.
"Can we keep him, Mama?" Christa asked. "I like when he pushes me on the swings."
"Yeah, Mama," Caleb said, a huge smile on his face, knowing he'd won the kid over. "Can you keep me?"
I rolled my eyes and looked in the rear-view mirror. Christa's big eyes had sold it for me. Not that it was hard. Caleb was a hunk of a man, and I knew I could trust him implicitly. I hadn’t really wanted to do it alone, so this was perfect, but could it be too perfect?
"Put the car in drive, Callie."
I started the car, pulled out of the driveway, and headed toward our new place. Just me, Christa, and Caleb.
