“I haven’t gotten the full brief yet, but my last report from Young was that there was no sign of him.”
Cammie walked up to the table and winked at Calder. “You boys ready to order? The special this morning is Huevos Rancheros.”
I was more than a little relieved to see the mischievous glint back in Cam’s eyes. “I’ll take the special.”
Calder handed her his menu. “I’ll do the oatmeal, and two scrambled eggs on the side.”
She rolled her eyes. “Always so predictable.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. Calder sent me a glare. “Don’t encourage her.”
“She has a point. It wouldn’t hurt you to get out there and shake things up a bit.”
“How is ordering a breakfast special going to shake things up?”
I took a sip of my coffee and studied my friend. “It’s starting small. Then maybe you’d actually take some steps to having a life beyond your job and your girls.”
“I like that life.”
“I’m not saying you shouldn’t. I’m just saying that there’s more.”
Calder met my stare. “And you’ve found that more?”
“I have. It wasn’t where I expected to find it, and that makes it all the sweeter.” Everly might as well have come along and smacked me with a two-by-four. And it was precisely what I’d needed—a wake-up call and coming home all at the same time.
“Does she feel the same?”
Calder’s question brought me out of my Everly haze. “What?”
“Does she feel the same about you?”
“I think so. She’s skittish. And she carries a lot of weight from things that aren’t hers to carry.”
“The kidnapping.”
“That. And things her brother has done. Her uncle.” God, I’d give anything to help her release even just a little of that. I hated that it ate at her, and I had no idea how to help her let it go. I only hoped that it would start to fade with time.
Calder ran his thumb along the rim of his coffee cup as if searching for words he didn’t have. “That’s rough. And I feel for her, being raised in that environment... I can’t begin to imagine. But do you really think you should put all of your eggs in that one basket?”
My spine stiffened. “Is that what this breakfast was about? To tell me you think Ev isn’t a fit for me?”
“It’s to catch up with my closest damn friend. And to tell you to be careful.”
“Everly isn’t like Jackie. She doesn’t have that reckless streak in her. If she has a flaw, it’s that she cares too deeply.”
A muscle ticked along Calder’s jaw. “You’ve only known her a few months. You can’t be sure—”
“Stop. I appreciate you looking out, but you’re just pissing me off.”
Calder held his tongue, but I could see every doubt in his expression.
I took another sip of coffee, trying to give myself time to choose my words carefully. Something Everly was responsible for. Knowing how I’d hurt her with carelessly dropped bombs the first time we’d talked had stayed with me. I didn’t want to let my temper get the best of me with anyone I cared about.
“I love her. And that’s not going to change. I also know it won’t be an easy road or a simple one. But it’ll be worth it. There’s nothing in me that doubts that in the slightest. And we have all the time in the world.”
Calder nodded, but it had a bit of a robotic quality to it. “I hope you’re right.”
I bit down on the inside of my cheek to keep from biting his head off. “Have you ever considered that what you went through has skewed your vision?”
He let out a chuckle with a bitter tinge. “How could it not? But I’m not sorry that it’s made me cautious. I won’t let anyone hurt my girls like that again. Put them at risk—”
“Or hurt you,” I interjected. Because as much as Calder was trying to shield his daughters, he was trying to protect himself, too. When the woman you loved turned on you, it left scars. I simply hadn’t realized just how deep they’d been carved into Calder.
His grip on the coffee mug tightened, knuckles bleaching white under the restaurant’s bright lights. “I just don’t want to ever go down that road again.”
“Opening yourself up to finding someone doesn’t mean that’s where you’ll end up.”
“But there’s always a chance. So, I’m not going there.”
The flash of fire in Calder’s gaze told me that this wasn’t a conversation worth pursuing right now. I held up both hands in surrender. “It’s your life. But Everly isn’t you. She wants a connection, a person to be with. She’s just scared of what that means she could potentially lose.”
“She’s smart to realize that now. But I don’t want you getting caught in the crossfire if she bolts.”
“Everly will always be worth that risk for me.”
Calder set down his mug with a thud. “I hope that’s the right play.”
It had nothing to do with right or wrong anymore. It was the only play. Because I’d given myself over to Everly without even realizing it. And I wouldn’t change a damn thing.
40
Everly
Tim pulled me into a hard hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I mean, you are okay, right? They said you were, but you never know. I can’t believe that happened at your house.”
I patted his back and then stepped out of his hold. “I’m fine. Really. Hayes has a few stitches, but other than that, we made it out relatively unscathed.”
Tim scowled at Hayes’ name. “You’d think they would’ve had this figured out by now. You should really think about staying with me for a while. It would be safer in town.”
Kelly made a tsking sound as she came out of the office area. “Please, she’s locked up with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sexy. I wouldn’t be giving that up for anyone. Wouldn’t matter how many bullets were flying.” She gave me a quick hug. “Real glad you’re okay, though.”
I couldn’t hold in my laugh. “Not even for bullets, huh?”
“Girl, that man is fine. And the way he looks at you?” She started fanning herself. “Break me off a piece of that.”
Tim made a gagging sound and headed for his reception station.
“I think we might’ve been a little too much for poor Tim.”
She waved me off. “He’s just bummed because he has himself a little crush on you, and now you’re taken.”
“No, he doesn’t—” I stopped mid-sentence, thinking back on all of our interactions so far and realizing that maybe Tim did have a small crush on me.
Kelly arched a brow. “See?”
“He’ll get over it. I’m just fresh meat.”
“True enough. Everybody always has to check out the new girl.”
Miles bustled in through the back. “Morning. I brought donuts.”
Kelly perked up. “I always said you were the best boss I ever had.”
He smiled at all of us. “Sugar is always a good bribe in my book.”
I took a strawberry donut and almost moaned when I took a bite. “This is amazing. Thank you.”
“No one does it better than the bakery. And, good news, your paint mare and the mini-donkey will be ready to go home on Friday.”