Can't Wait, page 3
Chapter Four
THREE DAYS AFTER his late-night conversation with Summer outside the cabin, Caleb cornered Jack in his office and sat in the seat in front of his desk. Jack didn’t say a word, or acknowledge him, but kept clicking away on his new computer, inputting data into his custom spreadsheets.
“Have you seen Summer in the last few days?” Caleb asked, breaking the lengthening silence.
“She’s been working at the salon and helping out Mary at the diner, taking the evening shift,” Jack answered with an easy tone.
“That place is a wreck. Someone should buy it and fix it up.”
“Yeah.” Jack’s focus remained on the computer and work.
Caleb had no idea she’d been working two full-time shifts. To avoid him? He missed her and wanted to see her.
“What’s up?” Jack asked.
“I was thinking of the other night. Summer and that loser Charlie. Did Summer ever date any of your or Sam’s friends back in the day?”
“Why would any of our friends want to date her? You don’t date your buddy’s sister.”
Well, that answered his unspoken question.
“Besides, she had her own friends and dated a couple of guys in her class. Charlie might have been drunk the other night, but that loser is in grad school. He’ll pull his act together and probably make more money than the two of us combined.”
“The ranch is doing better, right?”
“Dad and Mom got by and saved a small nest egg, but this place needs some major upgrades. It’ll be a couple of years before I’ve got it running the way I want.”
“I hate to make things harder on you, but I’m going home to Montana.”
“Your family wants you home for Christmas.”
“I’m moving back.”
“You’re serious?”
“Things just don’t feel normal.”
“I thought you liked it here.”
“I do. I love it, but there are things I want that I can’t get here.”
“What?”
“Look, man, this is your ranch and your family. After everything we’ve been through in the army, I need something of my own. Something I can build a life on.”
“I thought that’s what we were doing here together. Building this place, making a new kind of life.”
“We are, but this is your ranch.”
“Yes, but you’re the foreman. Haven’t we made most of the decisions together? We’re partners, right?”
“We have been, yes. It’s just . . . I don’t know. I’m tired. I want to go home, see my family, regroup.”
“Nightmares.” Jack only needed to say that one word for them to share a knowing look that they each suffered the same nightly hell.
“Take all the time you need,” Jack said. “Your job and I will be here when you want to come back.”
“You mean that?”
“Of course I do. You saved my life. I owe you everything.”
“Jack, man, you’re the one who saved me after that rocket-propelled grenade opened up my side and I nearly bled to death.”
“I may have stitched you back together, but you stayed by my side more times than I can count, holding off the enemy with gunfire while I helped one of our guys. Covering my ass is saving my life—and the guy bleeding at my feet.”
Caleb hung his head, hating to think about the things they’d seen and done to stay alive. Fighting as army Rangers, Jack a specially trained medic, they’d seen way too much killing and dying.
“When are you leaving?”
“In a few days. Maybe a week. I don’t want to leave you high and dry.”
“Don’t worry about me, man. I’ll manage without you until you come back.”
“What if I don’t come back?” Caleb hated to think he’d never see Jack again. Their friendship meant the world to him, but he couldn’t spend the rest of his life here, wanting Summer and never being able to have her. The nightmares tortured him enough. He couldn’t take anything more.
“I hope you don’t mean that. Summer will miss you. Seems you two became friends the moment we arrived.”
“I really like your sister. I’ll miss her.”
“Yeah, she’s been a bright spot in my dismal mind. I think she might be mad at me about the night at the bar. Maybe it’s time I stopped being the overprotective brother and let her live her life without my interference.”
“You want the best for her. It’s understandable.”
“I do, but she has to make the decision about what is best for her, not me.”
“When did you have this epiphany?”
Jack laughed. “I saw her the other night when she got home and we got into it. Those were her words, and she’s right. With my head the way it is right now, I can barely keep track of everything I need to do for the ranch, let alone figure out what my sister wants or needs.”
“I’ll let you know when I’ve got my plans set.”
Jack frowned, but gave him a nod. Caleb left the office and walked to one of the stall doors and Summer’s horse, Speckles. The mare came to him, dropping her head into his waiting hands for a scratch.
He let the feelings building inside him well up to the back of his throat, threatening to choke him. His chest ached. He feared he’d live with this miserable emptiness the rest of his life.
He pressed his forehead to the mare’s and sighed out his frustration and sadness.
“How am I going to say good-bye to her?”
Chapter Five
CALEB WORKED HIS body and mind numb for the week he didn’t see Summer. She left for work each morning without coming up to the big house for coffee and breakfast. She came home after dark each night and hid away in her cabin. He did not breach the walls she put around her, both physical and mental.
The snowstorm last night kept her home this morning. The roads this far out of town wouldn’t be plowed for several more hours. He’d have to find an opportunity to talk to her soon. With Christmas two weeks away, he needed to say his good-bye and get to Montana before the snows up there kept him here longer.
Lost in the rhythmic stroke of the brush over the horse in front of him, he didn’t hear her come up behind him.
“Caleb.” Her tentative voice made his heart ache. It shouldn’t be like this. Not between friends.
Braced to face her, he held back a gasp, seeing her beautiful face framed in her golden hair. Sometimes, the woman took his breath away. Her blue eyes held a touch of sadness. She looked lovely in tight blue jeans and a red sweater beneath a brown leather vest lined in thick shearling.
“Jack told me you’re leaving. Going home to Montana and your family.”
He dropped the brush on a nearby shelf and took the few steps to stand in front of her. He owed her that much, to face her eye-to-eye when he said good-bye. He hoped she knew how much it broke his heart to leave her.
“I meant to tell you myself. I need time to figure out what I want to do.”
“Time to heal, too. How long’s it been since you slept a whole night?”
“I’m fine.”
“That’s what Jack says. You both need . . . well, neither of you cares what I think you need.”
“That’s not true.”
“Then why are you leaving?”
“Because it’s best.”
“For who?”
Caleb tucked his hands behind his back and bowed his head, unable to answer. Nothing he said would make sense, because leaving her didn’t make sense. Not when he wanted to be with her, and she wanted to be with him.
Summer sighed out her frustration and hurt. She rubbed one hand over the box in her hand and touched her fingers to the sparkling red bow. “This is for you.”
“What?”
“Your Christmas present. Since you won’t be here, I thought you’d like it now.”
“I’m not leaving for a couple of days.” He shouldn’t keep putting it off. He made one excuse after another to delay the drive to Montana. Why? He’d made up his mind to go. He should leave. Now. Before this got any more complicated and difficult.
Who was he kidding? Leaving her was impossibly hard.
“Open it.”
“Did you wrap this yourself?”
“Just for you.”
“It’s a pretty package. I hate to mess it up.”
“You don’t have to. Just lift off the lid. I’ll hold the bottom.”
The excitement built in his gut. He didn’t know what she’d bought him, he didn’t care. He’d have something to take home with him to remind him of her.
He pulled the lid free and set it aside at his feet. Tissue paper concealed the gift inside, so he pulled the loose paper away and took a step back, surprised and floored by the gift she’d picked out for him.
“Summer, that’s . . .”
“To remind you of who you really are. Who you were when you left for the war and who you are now. A cowboy.” She pulled the dark brown Stetson from the tissue paper and dropped the box on the floor. She closed the short distance between them and set the hat on his head. “Perfect fit, Montana Man. Matches your eyes,” she said, her voice husky with emotion.
“Summer, you ready to go?” Jack called from the open barn doors.
“Yeah, I’m ready.” Choked up, she swallowed hard and blinked away the shine in her bright eyes.
“Nice hat,” Jack said, stepping up to join them.
“Thanks,” Caleb said, unable to say anything more at the moment, gaze locked on Summer’s pretty face.
“No wonder you’ve been working all those extra shifts at the diner.” Jack’s gaze held his, and something came and went in his eyes Caleb didn’t recognize or understand. Did he suspect something going on between him and Summer?
“I can’t wait to see what you got me if you’re spending that kind of money on your friend.”
Again, Jack’s gaze shot to his, but fell back to his sister as he gave her an assessing stare.
“You won’t be disappointed,” she said, turning away from Jack’s scrutiny.
“Where are you two off to?” Caleb asked, confused the two of them would saddle up and ride out into the snow-covered hills.
“We always get the Christmas tree the first snow of December.” Jack continued to study Summer, then turned back to him. “Saddle up. I’ll need your help.”
Caleb wanted to ignore the implied order. Technically, he still worked for Jack, even if he’d given his notice. This was a family thing. So why did Jack invite him along? Close as brothers, yeah, he felt like part of the family. Jack and Summer and the rest of them always made him feel a part of it.
What better way to say good-bye than one last ride, in the snow, picking out a Christmas tree. He’d add the memory to all the others and pull it out when he missed her most.
“I promised her. She’s been down this last week. When you leave, it will just be me and her and maybe Sam at Christmas. She doesn’t want us to forget or forgo all the things we did as a family growing up just because the whole family isn’t together.” Jack glanced at Summer again. “Come with us.”
Did Jack finally see what he and Summer shared?
SUMMER HOISTED HERSELF into the saddle and walked Speckles around the yard in a circle, waiting for Jack to come out. When he did, with Caleb saddled on another sorrel, she hid her smile of surprise.
“Ready to go?” Jack asked, saddling up and riding toward her, the sled dragging behind his horse to pull the tree back.
“Yeah.” This time she smiled. At Jack. “Thanks for doing this with me.”
“I just want you to be happy, sis. You will bake Mom’s chocolate chip almond cookies, right? You promised.”
“It’s tradition,” she said, smiling and feeling lighter.
Caleb rode up beside her. Speckles took interest in his horse and scooted closer. Summer’s leg brushed against Caleb’s and sparks flew, their eyes met, and heat flashed in his eyes.
“Nice hat,” she teased.
“I love it,” he said, his voice deep and earnest.
“I’m glad you’re coming with us.”
“Me, too.”
Jack led them through the pastures to the old fire road that wound up into the hills. No one spoke, everyone taking in the beautiful, sunny, crisp day and the blanket of fresh snow covering the ground. The nude trees stood like sticks reaching up to the blue sky, making it easy to spot the evergreens as they searched for the perfect Christmas tree.
Caleb stayed beside her as the horses took them deeper into the forest. The quiet wrapped around them, creating an intimacy they’d never shared on the ranch. She loved it out here, and having Caleb with her in this place she loved made it all the more special.
They lost sight of Jack around a corner and Caleb pulled his horse close to hers again. Their legs rubbed together and another blaze of awareness and heat rushed through her. His hand covered hers on her thigh.
“You forgot your gloves.”
“I got distracted back at the barn.”
“Too busy giving me gifts and staring at me.”
She smiled, shy and embarrassed about being caught. She turned to the trees, avoiding his steady gaze.
He squeezed her hand, brought it to his mouth, and breathed on her frozen fingers. His warmth seeped into her.
“I like looking at you, too. You’re so beautiful.”
She sucked in a breath and turned to face him.
“Why do you always braid your hair?”
“It gets in the way,” she answered with the lame excuse for not taking the time to do her hair every day.
“I like it when it’s down.” He reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled out his olive drab ski cap and handed it over to her. “Here, put this on.”
She took it and went still when his fingers brushed against her earlobe, sending a shiver through her.
“Your ears are pink, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart?
“Caleb, I . . .”
“Are you two coming, or what?” Jack called from up ahead.
“If you’re too cold, you can have my jacket.”
“I’m fine. Thank you.”
He gave her hand a squeeze, indicating she should put the hat on. She did and he smiled at her. It felt like before everything got weird between them.
“Go on ahead. Catch up to Jack. I’ll be along in a minute.”
“You sure? I don’t mind staying with you.”
“I’m sure,” she said, smiling to encourage him to go and to hide the devious plan she hatched before leaving the barn.
Chapter Six
CALEB JOINED JACK around the bend and dismounted next to his horse. He tethered his horse to a tree limb and joined Jack in the middle of the road.
“Where is she?” Jack whispered.
“Why are we whispering?”
“Family tradition.” Jack held up a handful of snow. “Snowball fight.”
Caleb propped his new Stetson on the saddle horn. Like old times, Jack used hand signals for him to go left down a short embankment and follow the road back around the bend to come up behind Summer as she approached Jack. Caleb grinned and headed out, gathering up snow in each hand. He felt bad about ambushing her, but liked being part of her family traditions.
He made his way along the road inside the tree line. He had a moment of déjà vu, but shook off the demons that attacked him in the night, which he kept at bay during the day.
The spot he’d left Summer came into view and he stopped short, surprised to find the road empty. No way she got past him. He’d have seen her.
All of a sudden, two large snowballs pelted him square in the back of his head. Snow slid down his collar, chilling him. He held back a yelp and brushed it away and spun around to catch her with one of his snowballs. He didn’t see her. Cagey woman. So, she wanted to play. Well, he’d been trained by the best. No way she got away from him.
A twig snapped off to his right. She’d already passed him and closed in on Jack’s location. Caleb made a beeline for her and laughed when Jack grunted and yelled out, “Man, that’s cold.”
She got him, too. Impressed, he made a wide circle to come up behind her, but before he spotted her, she tagged him with another large snowball right in the chest. He looked down at the icy mess on his jacket and glanced up just in time to catch her jump down from a low tree branch and make a run for a clump of rocks.
He signaled Jack with a low whistle, caught a glimpse of him through the trees, and gave him a hand signal to indicate Summer’s direction. They smiled at each other. Caleb swore he heard Jack’s thought, Just like old times. Caught up in the game, they stalked their prey.
He couldn’t hide the crunch of snow under his boots, but neither could she. Ahead of him, he gathered icy ammunition. Snowballs at the ready, he came around a tree only to get pummeled by a barrage of snowballs. She laughed and launched another one when he chanced a look around the tree he hid behind. The snowball hit him smack in the face. He had to give her credit. The woman threw a mean snowball.
Jack whistled, signaling their attack. Caleb came out from cover firing. Jack did the same, twenty paces away. Summer took the high ground and stood atop a large boulder with at least a dozen snowballs at her feet. She launched one after the other at him and Jack as they advanced on her. Her laughter rang out in the forest, setting what few birds remained to flight. Jack laughed along with her and he joined in. The most fun he’d had in . . . he couldn’t remember when.
He and Jack pummeled her. He got her in the gut and one to the chest. Shock widened her eyes when the snow went down her sweater between her lovely breasts. She shook it out, but Jack didn’t relent and hit her in the top of the head with another barrage. She stood to lob another at him and Caleb tossed another, hitting her in the thigh. She slipped on the icy rock, stood tall to gain her balance, but her other foot hit an icy patch and she fell backward, arms wind milling in the air. She disappeared off the back of the rock yelling, “Ow,” when she hit the ground with a thump that stopped his heart.
