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He knew what she meant. What that redneck at the saloon had said, that she was either frigid or gay. The jerk didn’t have a clue. Maya Brand was made for loving.
“I won’t tell, though,” she said. “Caleb…tonight was about proving something to myself, not so much to the rest of this town.” She shrugged. “Besides, I really think I’m starting to make some inroads with the church ladies. No sense blowing it now.”
He nodded. “No regrets, Maya?”
She shook her head, then tilted it to one side. “Not a one. You?”
“Not a one.”
“You’re a good man, Caleb Cain,” she told him softly. “I can tell.”
“You really think so?”
“Uh-huh.”
He backed the truck around, drove down the path from the falls, and turned onto the road to head back the way they’d come.
“Whoever is trying to tell you what to do with your life…don’t you let them. I get the feeling a man like you won’t be happy unless you’re doing what you want to do…not what someone else thinks you should.”
“What did you do, Maya? Catch your sister’s ESP?”
She shrugged. “Maybe I did. Turn right down here.”
He did, driving in silence along Main Street. It was charming, small. Rockwellesque, with an Oklahoma twist.
“That building there on the left—that’s Ida-May’s boarding house. Our place is another five miles along this road. Think you can find your way back alone?”
“I think so.”
“Good.”
He kept driving. She was silent, but he got the feeling she wanted to ask him something. Finally he pulled into the driveway of the old-fashioned farmhouse, white with red shutters. Every light inside blazing. A small red barn stood off to the left. Maya turned to him and said, “Youarestaying the night at the boarding house, aren’t you, Caleb?”
He smiled at her. “Of course I am. I want to see you again, lady.”
She brightened. Then he pulled her close and kissed her, long and slow. And even while a little voice told him this was not possible, his heart kept whispering that it was. That it had to be.
When he lifted his head she flung open her door, jumped out and ran all the way to the house, not even giving him a chance to walk her to the front door. She waved once, then went inside.
Caleb turned the truck around and drove away.
It was late. He was feeling guilty. Decidedly guilty. Running away from his life was a selfish thing to do. Not that he regretted it. But maybe it was time for him to do what Maya had suggested. Figure out what he wanted his life to be, instead of continuing to live by the expectations of other people.
Maybe it was time he made his own decisions.
He flipped open the glove compartment and pulled out his cell phone. He’d had it turned off, until now. But he supposed the right thing to do would be to call his father, tell him that he was having some doubts about his future, and that he would be back just as soon as he decided what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.
Maybe he didn’t want to tie himself to the city. To a senate seat. To a political alliance instead of a marriage.
He hit the power button on the phone. Glanced down at the lighted number pad. Before he could punch the first number, the phone bleated in his hand, startling him so much that he damn near dropped it.
Frowning, he brought it to his ear. “Hello?”
“Caleb! Thank God we’ve finally reached you!”
His heart iced over at the tone of the voice even before he recognized it as that of Bobby McAllister, his longtime friend and adviser, even before Bobby said the last words Caleb had expected to hear.
“You’re father’s had a stroke, Caleb. We need you to get home right away.”
