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Daniel didn’t respond. The only indication that he’d been paying attention was the slight twitch in his left eye.
“Well, we need to be careful, especially if she’s not. There are so many people coming to town lately, and there’s no telling where their morals lie.”
“You’re overthinking this,” Daniel said. “In fact, I would wager that you’re projecting. You don’t want her to date anyone because you’re scared of dating.”
Caleb scoffed. “I’m notscaredof dating. I know better than to believe that people are inherently good. They’re far from it. I’d rather just stick to the group of people that I know and care about, thank you very much.”
Daniel glanced at him once more. “You know, d’Nile isn’t just a river in Egypt.”
Caleb scowled at his brother. “I get it. You all think I’m being ridiculous since that whole thing with Liam and Margot, but you should listen to me. The more outsiders we welcome into Copper Creek, the less safe it will become.”
“I think the time to worry about letting outsiders into town is long past, Caleb. You’re just going to have to get used to figuring out who the good ones are before you let yourself get close to them.” Daniel turned the page of his book. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get back to my book with the precious little time I have left before the rest of them come back from dancing.”
Caleb huffed and headed out of the living room. He hurried up to his bedroom and contemplated slamming the door but thought better of it. Daniel might be calm, quiet, and collected, but he was also the biggest one of the Keagans and could very well change his tune if he really wanted to. The last thing Caleb wanted was for Daniel to come tearing up to his room and give him a lecture on how to treat his things.
He collapsed onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. He’d known it would be hard to convince his family of his views—especially after what he’d said to Liam about Margot. Caleb might even be more of a pariah than his twin at this point. No one seemed to like his company lately.
Perhaps his reasoning for spending so much time with Mateo was so he didn’t have to look his family in their faces and see their disappointment. It was easier to use the excuse that he was interested in raising and training ranch dogs than to accept the truth that, in a way, he’d betrayed his brother.
Caleb dragged his hand down his face and let out a sigh. His eyes drooped but then flew wide when his phone rang. He fumbled for the device and brought it to his ear.
“Caleb?”
“Mateo? How’s the dog?”
“She’s doing great. So are the pups. But listen, I have a favor to ask you.”
Caleb sat up on the bed. “Sure. What do you need?”
Mateo seemed to hesitate for a moment, then he sighed. “I hate to ask you, but something’s come up. We were planning on leaving in a few days for the wedding, but they want us there earlier. My cousin’s family is a mess, and they changed some of their plans at the last minute. Do you think you could stay at my place? Keep an eye on the animals and the puppies? The vet has all the visits scheduled, but I can’t leave the pups by themselves, and I’m not sure how long we’ll be gone.”
“Of course. I can be there tomorrow after I get some things done around here.”
“We’ll be gone by then. We leave first thing in the morning. But I can leave a key for you. It will be under a mat by the front door.”
“And all you need me to do is keep an eye on the puppies? Feed the dogs and the horses?”
“Yes. I’ll have Sophia write up a list for you and have her leave it on the table. It shouldn’t be too hard since you know your way around the place. I know you’ll be able to figure it all out. And if you have any issues, you can always call.”
Perhaps this was the opportunity Caleb needed. He could take a few days away from his family and let things settle a little more. Maybe then he’d be able to feel better about his relationship with them. “Safe travels, Mateo.”
“Thanks. And thanks for helping out. I’ll let you know when we’re on our way back.”
They hung up, and Caleb fell back onto his bed. Spending some time with new puppies sounded a lot better than sitting at the table across from Liam. This would be a welcome reprieve.
7
Emma
“Are you certain it’s okay? Have you talked to your family about me staying?” Emma followed Sophia around the barn. It was too early in the morning for anyone to be awake, and yet here she was, helping Sophia feed the horses and other animals on the premises.
“They won’t care. The animals need to be looked after. It’s a lot for even one person, but you won’t have to worry about that. Mostly, I just want you to look after the puppies. They need fresh food and water and changing out the pads. You think you can handle that?”
Emma nodded. “Of course. But wait, you said I won’t have to worry about the other animals? Is there someone else who will be helping out?”
Sophia nodded, but she was frazzled as she tended to the animals in the barn. “Mateo asked someone to come help out, so you don’t have to worry about the other animals. He’s also got avet to come check on the pups in a few days. It should be easy enough.” She dusted off her hands and gave Emma a smile. “If you need anything, you can call me on that brick of yours.”
Emma held up her burner phone. Sophia’s description of the phone was more than accurate. It was a far cry from the smart device she had hidden away in her belongings, now without its SIM card. A smile tugged at her lips. The only other person who had her new number was her sister, and she’d been sworn to secrecy. “Yeah, I have your number.”
