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Caleb followed her gaze, where Henley spun wildly on his back like a malfunctioning robot.
“He’s going to hurt himself.” Concern laced Sarah’s voice.
Caleb chuckled. “That’s Henley for you. Pushing the boundaries of safety on the dance floor.”
He grabbed his jacket from the back of the seat, grateful for the change of conversation. Too often for his liking, discussions about Ryder’s love life would veer into an analysis of his own single status. It was a topic he preferred to avoid. He was happy with his solitary existence exactly the way it was, thank you very much. That way, no one got hurt. “Ryder will call, Sarah. Ellie’s his entire universe, but he won’t miss an opportunity for a little child-free time.”
Sarah tore her gaze away from Henley’s antics and turned back to him. “Sure.” She inclined her head toward his jacket. “You need a ride home?”
“Nope. Water all the way. I’ll catch you later.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Catch you later, sis. Bishop.”
Bishop raised his glass as Caleb left the table. It was time to head home. The atmosphere was growing increasingly rowdy, and one bartender was setting up the karaoke. He needed the space, the quiet of home to process the day.
At least, that’s what he told himself.
5
Caleb stepped out of the bar, his breath billowing wisps of cloudy white in the crisp night air. The raucous sounds of the ongoing party faded into the background as the heavy door swung shut behind him. His affection for his team ran deep, but tonight he needed to be alone.
Navigating through the icy parking lot, he relished the satisfying crush of snow under the weight of his boots. Ever since he was a child, nature had grounded him, stopped him from going off the rails.
Dolly’s head peeked out from under her blanket when he opened the cab. He scratched the top of her head as he climbed in.
“Hey girl.” The ancient engine rumbled to life as he turned the key, the headlights casting a feeble yellow glow onto churned snow.
A raggedy streak of mismatched black and white, Dolly had turned up on his doorstep three winters ago. She had been emaciated and filthy, with no ID or microchip. He took her in that day and within an hour, knew he wouldn’t be able to surrender her to the rescue. They were kindred spirits. Dolly was a survivor, just like him. Life had tossed them both through the wringer and spat them out the other end. It would have been wrong to give her up.
“Let’s go home.” He cranked the heater up to full blast as he pulled onto the road although it barely seemed to make a dent in the cab temperature.
Between gaps in the dense forest that crowded the road, the moon loomed large and luminous in the sky, bathing the landscape in an ethereal, bone-white light—the unmistakable glow of January’s Wolf moon. The wind had sculpted snow drifts at the side of the road and now they looked like they belonged in an art museum.
Sensors beeped on his dashboard. Black ice. Caleb lifted his foot off the gas a fraction, adjusting his grip to keep control on the treacherous surface. A deer bolted from the side of the road and he tramped on the brakes, his brain registering a blur of long limbs and a stream of dark hair.
Not a deer, a woman.
She stumble skidded to a stop in the middle of the road, her hand raised to shield her eyes from the glare of his headlights. Caleb veered hard to avoid hitting her, the truck’s brakes protesting as he swerved around her and came to a shuddering halt.
The woman lurched off the road and disappeared between bushes crusted with snow.
“What the fuck?” His heart kicked bricks against his breastbone as he leaned forward.
Dolly whined.
“Did you see that, girl?”
What the hell?
Relief washed through him as he realized he hadn’t hit her, but it was instantly replaced by anger. What the hell was she doing running out onto a dark road in the middle of the night? That was asking to be killed.
He jumped out of the truck, the wash of his rear lights casting the snow in a red glow. If it wasn’t for the bushes dusted clean of snow at the side of the road, he might almost believe he’d imagined her. He crossed the road to where she’d disappeared. She’d plowed through knee deep drifts in the ditch below the road and kept going.
Determined.
Caleb ignored the sting of arctic air seeping through his flannel shirtsleeves. What the fuck was she doing? And where the hell did she think she was going? The temperature was barely double digits, and they were in the middle of god forsaken nowhere. Perfect conditions for becoming a human popsicle.
He stared at the impassive forest. This was nothing to do with him. He should get back in his truck and drive Dolly home. The stove would still be warm and there would be a burning shot of bourbon to help keep the nightmares at bay.
You can’t leave her.
