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Those experiences were enough for Caleb to shut himself off from the world and do his best to keep everyone at arm’s length. His decision wasn’t made lightly. Caleb glanced once more toward home. He wanted to be able to join in with his family in celebrations like Liam’s engagement party. He wanted to be ableto feel like he was still welcomed as one of the Keagans, and yet all he could see himself as was an outcast.
He’d brought it on himself. Deep down he knew that. He just didn’t know how he was going to be able to change it. Maybe he never would.
Caleb heaved a sigh and turned his horse toward home. If he was lucky, he’d be able to give his horse a good brush down and then slip out into the night. Maybe he’d head to Sal’s. There was just something about the diner that made him feel safe, or perhaps it was more of a sense of belonging. While he would never talk to anyone but the waitresses, the whole ambiance was enough to give him some peace from the tumultuous feelings that stormed within him.
The drive to town had a calming effect. It was as if the silence could give him the hug he desperately needed. The low hum of the truck’s engine was the only sound that Caleb needed right now. It was times like this that being alone with his thoughts didn’t seem so bad. He didn’t feel so lonely for some reason.
As the lights from the hub of town came into view, Caleb allowed his muscles to relax. No longer did he clutch the steering wheel or worry about what awaited him at his home. Liam’s less-than-warm stare wasn’t a problem anymore.
For the second time that evening, Caleb couldn’t help but think about Carter. His twin didn’t have to deal with the judgment from their family. No one was going to lecture him about the decisions he’d made, because he wasn’t here. No one could make him feel guilty about taking the money and abandoning the family.
Caleb didn’t agree with his brother’s decisions, but at least he seemed to have it easier. If Caleb were to leave, take off somewhere and never come back, he wondered if anyone would come looking for him or if they’d just let him have his peace.
For the first time, the temptation to do just that hit him hard. He wouldn’t take the money from the family’s stash. And he would go farther than his brother had. What kind of person only moved to the next biggest city to get away from family? No, Caleb would move across the country. There were plenty of places to hide from the issues he dealt with.
He pulled into a parking spot in front of the diner and stared up at the lit sign. The familiarity of this place was one of the things that held him back. At least he knew what to expect in Copper Creek. There were no surprises. Well, except for that bruhaha with Shane and his family at the club. But for the most part, nothing exciting happened around here—at least nothing that involved the Keagan household.
There were occasional rumors of criminal activities going on, but the sheriff did a good job at keeping those issues under wraps. Caleb hadn’t had a whiff of scandal since he’d gotten old enough to pay attention. Copper Creek was as good as it got.
He shut off his truck engine and climbed out. The diner wasn’t terribly busy, but then it was getting later in the evening. Most folks would be home with their families. Caleb moved toward the door and then stopped, seeing a familiar face inside. Mateo sat across from his younger brother Roman, and he glanced out the window at that exact moment. With a wave and a smile, he beckoned Caleb to join them.
Mateo was one of the only people that Caleb thought he could trust. He wouldn’t say they were incredibly close, but lately Mateo had been teaching him a thing or two about raising and training working ranch dogs. Caleb smiled back and started toward the door once again.
Tire wheels squealed behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder to see a car leaving a bit too quickly. At that moment, he collided with another person. Caleb stumbled back a step. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
The woman’s sunglasses skittered across the pavement, and she scrambled after them. Her long, wavy, brown hair was pulled back beneath a ball cap, and she wore a hoodie even though the air wasn’t nearly cool enough to warrant it. When she stood, her green eyes connected with his. She froze, as did he.
“I’m… sorry…” he said again. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
The woman offered him a smile while she fiddled with her sunglasses. There was something almost familiar about her, but then, to Caleb, most people he met seemed to blur together. She looked away and a soft laugh escaped her lips. “I wasn’t looking either, so I guess we’re both at fault.” When her eyes met his once more, he was taken aback by just how pretty she really was.
Nope.
He wasn’t about to go there. Not here, not now, and definitely not with a person he’d never met. Not even if she was moderately attractive. Caleb noticed the to-go bag on the ground near her feet. “I hope you got something good.”
She followed his eyes, and her smile brightened. “Me too. I don’t usually eat out, so this is a treat.”
“Technically, you’re still not eatingout,” Caleb specified. “If you were, then you’d be inside with all the other night owls.”
This beautiful woman shot a quick look toward Sal’s and nodded. “I suppose you have a good point there. I don’t much like crowds.”
That had to be the most telling thing she could have said to him. Nothing made sense to him more than that statement. “I know what you mean. Luckily, this town doesn’t get all that crowded.” He leaned in closer to her. “Except if you head out to the club. That place is always swamped with people.”
“The club?”
He shoved his hands in his pockets, hating himself for being annoyed at her curiosity. “Yeah,” he said. “It’s the country club.It’s got dancing, a restaurant, and therapy services for veterans.” Of course a girl as beautiful as this one would be interested in something like that. Charlie talked non-stop about how romantic it would be to go there on a first date. Then again, she was the kind of girl who liked being in the middle of the action.
“Oh.” She nibbled on her lower lip and then reached down to pick up her bag. “A place like that doesn’t seem to fit in a town like this, does it?”
He shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I don’t go there often. Like you said about crowds. I don’t like them either, and that place is swarmed by them on a weekly basis.”
Her small smile returned. “Thanks for the warning. I suppose I won’t be heading out that way any time soon.”
Caleb’s sharp gaze locked with hers once more. She lifted her food and gave him a nod goodbye. Turning, he watched her walk down the sidewalk. He would have thought she’d go to a car or a truck that was parked along the street, but instead she just kept walking. Wherever she was headed, it must be close by. She didn’t glance back at him as the distance between them grew.
He shook his head, disappointed in himself for letting his thoughts get the better of him. She was still a stranger, and he had no business being interested in who she was or where she was going. For all he knew, she was dating someone or married.
Caleb headed into the diner and plopped down on the bench beside Mateo. Roman gazed at him curiously, but Mateo was the one who commented first.
