I knew my cheeks were bright red by that point. It was nearly a hundred degrees out, and Caleb was never more than a foot away from me until we reached the ride. He held the bar open for me to enter first.
Two kids attempted to climb in after him, since the car was capable of holding at least four—and based on Caleb’s earlier consideration, I began scooting over.
“Sorry, guys,” Caleb said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a twenty. He held it out to the boys, who looked barely fourteen, and their eyes widened. “You guys mind me and my girl taking this one?”
His girl? I wanted to do a full-blown happy dance right then and there. What the hell was the matter with me? Was this normal? Would it ever end—this extreme giddiness every time Caleb even smiled at me, let alone called me his girl? I hoped not. I suddenly understood why those annoying couples I found ridiculous loved spending every waking moment together.
The taller of the two kids snatched the cash, his head nearly bouncing off his shoulders. I laughed at his excitement. “Hell no!”
He then looked my way, and I smiled more widely.
“Damn, she’s a hottie,” he told his friend, turning around. “I’d do her!”
I rolled my eyes and tugged at the top of my jumper to cover any cleavage.
“Excuse me?” Caleb’s harsh tone cut through my action. All friendliness had instantly vanished.
The guys looked back. “Hey, it was a compliment,” the mouthy one explained. “My bad, damn.”
Caleb was out of the car before I could stop him, falling forward in my feeble attempt to grasp his leg, which was the only thing I could reach.
“Shit,” I grumbled to myself. I’d seen Caleb’s Hulk side, and it wasn’t one these kids wanted to experience.
“It’s fine,” I spoke up, standing but unable to step out of the car with Caleb on the platform right outside of it.
“No, it’s not fine,” he said, staring at the boys. “You either apologize to the lady, or I’ll teach you a little respect.”
“Everything all right over here?” Saul sauntered over, grinning. Why the hell does he look so happy?
“S-sorry,” the smaller one said, then smacked his buddy in the arm before retreating. “Told you you’re a dumbass. I’m outta here.”
Caleb leaned down, making eye contact with the mouthy boy whom I suddenly sympathized with. He was a stupid teenager, but one who was going to have to learn the hard way how to treat a girl.
“Sorry,” he said, looking at me. “I really am. Here.” He reached into his pocket and held out the twenty for Caleb to take back.
With my anxiety on edge, I released a heavy breath when Caleb’s body loosened. “That’s yours for waiting.” He placed his hand on the kid’s shoulder. “You better figure out real quick how to treat a woman before you piss off the wrong guy. We clear?”
“Yes. Clear, sir.”
“Good. Now go have some fun. And be nice to all these girls around here, or I will hear about it!” Caleb turned around and smiled, gesturing for me to sit. I did so, confused yet relieved, just as Saul began laughing.
“Shit, you really are your father!”
“Fuck you, Saul,” Caleb replied, but with a grin. “Get this thing running before I kick your old ass again.”
Saul turned and headed back to his booth, his head dipped, body shaking with laughter.
“Again?” I asked meekly once Caleb was settled beside me, the bar over our laps.
He placed his arm around my shoulders and the corner of his mouth lifted slyly. “Ah, long time ago. He wasn’t so elderly back then. Just another asshole.”
I never had a chance to ask more before the car started spinning slowly, and before I could grip the bar, my body was plastered against Caleb’s.
“Sorry…I can’t—” My laughter broke out as we spun faster and faster, my miserable attempts to pry myself off his hard body all in vain—and unnecessary, because not even a minute later, Caleb removed my hands from the bar, interlocking one with his and holding the other at his side.
“Just go with it, Hilary,” he said in the most sensual voice. So I did just that.
We rode every ride they had set up, some more than once, until finally stopping at a concession stand where he ordered two hot dogs and the biggest bag of blue cotton candy they had. I sat at a picnic table as soon as it cleared and he stared at me after he paid, raising his brows.
“Whatcha doing?” he asked, sipping from a water bottle.
“Um…sitting down?” I questioned my own answer.
“Baby, we still have games to play and prizes to win you. No time for that.”
“Okay,” I said, unable to hide my smile anymore.
I got up from the bench immediately, self-propelled his way. I felt like a mindless moron, head over heels and unable to process proper reasoning. But I was blissfully happy, which made nothing else matter.
He handed me my treats, then leaned in. “I’m gonna wear you out today, Honey Pie.”
I didn’t argue with that. Instead, I followed him from game to game, even the cheesy ones. It was the first time I’d really seen him happy. His eyes were so clear and lively, and the longer we were there, the happier he appeared.
He insisted I pick the games, nearly forcing me to when I explained that I didn’t care. He paid for us each to play on each one, never laughing too hard when I failed miserably.
We won three bags of goldfish and gave each one to a different kid standing around watching. But I kept the small keychain he won, with a red spade dangling down. Not because he won it for me, explaining that I brought him luck since he hadn’t lost a single game, but because he placed it in my palm, closed my hand, then brought it to his lips, where he placed the tiniest of kisses before he said it.
The afternoon was full of all the things dreams are made of. Caleb placed his hand at the small of my back and told me to lead the way. I didn’t care what we did next, I just never wanted the day to end—at least, not until we returned to the Tilt-A-Whirl an hour later.
Suddenly, the joyful butterflies in my gut transformed into nasty, mean dragonflies, and I felt the rise of vomit take hold.
“Oh, God!” I shrieked, forcing my hand over my mouth in terror. Please, God, if you’re out there, do not let this happen!
Caleb must’ve guessed my issue, waving his hand up then slicing a finger across his throat. Saul tipped his head and a few seconds later, we were slowing to a stop.
“Sorry. I, uh…I gotta go!” I stumbled out, unable to make it farther than two steps on the platform before Caleb was there, lifting me off my feet and hauling me toward the exit.
The moment he set me on my feet, all I saw was blue. I just had to have that freaking cotton candy!
Mortification was the only thing I felt in that moment. The searing burn of vomit gushing from my throat didn’t matter. The tears in my eyes meant nothing, nor did the crowd of people laughing and gasping as they walked by. The only thing I felt was complete and utter humiliation, even when the coolness of his hands caressed back, stroking my bare skin beneath the thin straps of my jumper. It only made my tears fall harder.
I remained bent over once the vomiting ceased, listening to Caleb direct someone to get him a bottle of water. A damp napkin suddenly appeared in my view, which I grabbed immediately to wipe my mouth with.
“Steady,” Caleb said sweetly—too sweetly, if I was being honest. It was obvious he felt sorry for me, which was nice, but there was no chance he’d want to put his mouth on mine now. And who could blame him?
With small breaths, I wiped my eyes and took a giant gulp of the water, holding it in my mouth for a bit. No way was I going to be able to swallow down the debris in there.
Caleb took my shoulders, turned me gently around toward the pile of vomit, and instructed, “Spit.”
My eyes slid shut again. I was thankful for his understanding as I did just that, then slowly took a few smaller sips.
“Thanks,” I said, han
ding him back the water and tossing the napkin into a nearby trash can I wished I’d seen early enough to make my mess in. “I shouldn’t have eaten so much cotton candy then rode again…I guess. Never thrown up before.”
“Ah, it happens all the time, sweetie.” Saul appeared, sprinkling a white powder over the vomit. “No worries, but I’d skip any more rides today.”
“Yeah, good idea.” I peered up at Caleb. “If you want to ride without me, I understand. I won’t mind. Actually, if you want me to catch a ride home so you don’t have to be near me again, I’ll understand that too.” I wasn’t joking, despite my forced smile.
Caleb closed the gap between us, stroking his thumb across my cheek. “How about we get you to a bathroom where you can freshen up, then go find the parade route instead?” he suggested.
“You sure?”
“Absolutely.”
“Can we find me a mint along the way?”
“Whatever you need.” He took my hand as if nothing had happened, weaving us through the crowd and stopping to chat with a few of his old friends. Then, I spotted the one man I never thought would be there.
“Dad!?” I hollered just as he and Felicia stepped away from a group of officers.
Chapter Fourteen
“Hey, girly, I was hoping I’d find you here!” my dad called out as we walked over.
I wiggled my hand instinctively, attempting to free it from Caleb’s hold. My dad had never seen me with an actual boyfriend, and if that’s what he thought Caleb was, God only knew what all he’d say—not to mention the warnings he’d given me specifically about this guy.
I gazed up at Caleb, pleading. “I can’t.” Instantly, he released my hand.
“Dad, what are you doing here?” I asked, shell-shocked, as we reached them. I was still in elementary school the last time he’d come out for the carnival.
“You know Felicia,” he said. “She showed up this morning, and here I am.”
“Hi, sweetie.” Felicia embraced me in a quick hug and whispered in my ear, “Took all week convincing him to come and he hasn’t had a drink all day, so you can relax.”
She stepped back, looking at Caleb. “Wasn’t expecting to see you here. This mean you won’t be breaking in after hours?”
“Hey, it’s not breaking in when they give you the keys,” he replied with a chuckle. “How’ve you been, Mrs. Clarke?”
They exchanged a small hug—one she initiated—but he appeared easily comfortable. I peered up at him, impressed at the respect he gave her.
“Been telling this one since he was little, sneaking over to play in the sandbox in my backyard, to call me Felicia,” she explained to my dad and me. “And I’m good. You remember Hank Robinson, Caleb?”
“I do. Good to see you again, sir.” Caleb held out his hand for my dad to shake, which he did, giving it two strong pumps. “Your dad used to run me and my buddies off when we’d hang around his block.”
“Really?” I asked, surprised. “Wait, you were one of those guys—the ones he chased off with his shotgun because he was convinced you were gangsters?”
I giggled. How did I not know he hung out right next door?
“Yeah, sadly so.” Caleb chuckled.
“Ah, no matter what I did, it never worked. You little thugs always came back.” My dad shook his head. “Always hangin’ around the back of the church, drinkin’. There were better places around here when I was growing up to do that. No respect nowadays.”
“Not my best decision, I’ll give you that,” Caleb agreed.
“And I know all about the reefer you punks had back there too. You’re lucky I didn’t tell your father.”
“Yeah, thanks for that.” Caleb scrubbed a hand across his tight jaw. “I waited for you to, after hearing how you talked to everyone else’s parents. Never knew why not my father.”
My dad stared at Caleb. “If I’m being honest, boy, your father’s a prick. I figured it made sense you’d be one too, so why bother?”
Caleb’s chin dipped the slightest bit, a glimpse of disappointment flashing across his features. I brushed my arm against his, the only comfort I knew to give, but he stepped away just far enough to break the connection. I saw his shoulders square, all traces of emotion being hidden away as quickly as they had come.
My father stepped forward, directly in front of Caleb. “Then I heard about that girl, the one your buddy Josh used to bring around with him.”
“What girl?” I butted in, but quickly pressed my lips shut when I saw the look on everyone’s face, including Felicia’s.
My dad’s expression softened. “I saw all you boys from my window. I was about to call the sheriff—no girl should be out that late, and definitely not with five horny high-schoolers. Next thing I knew, they had her on the ground.”
What!? Where was I!? Holy shit. My jaw went slack, all air spilling from my lungs.
My dad dropped his gaze. “I grabbed my gun and ran downstairs to my front porch, ready to do what needed to be done, when I saw you carrying her in your arms. Your buddies were all yelling at you like the punks they were, calling you some bullshit names. But you didn’t stop until she was safe in your car. I didn’t know what to think, so I called Felicia down at the station. Before she could call dispatch, she told me you walked in with the girl.”
Caleb regarded my father firmly, never breaking eye contact as the latter went on.
“You could’ve calmed her down and driven her home, or taken her to your father to deal with it. Instead, you did the right thing. You let her decide. You protected her from your own buddies—stopped things before she found herself hurt. That’s not easy.”
“I didn’t know they’d try to…” Caleb finally admitted, appearing unsure what to say. “We’d been drinking. They weren’t themselves that night.”
His tone grew hard. “I won’t let anyone hurt a female if I can stop it. Not then, not now.”
My dad reached out and placed his hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “I realized that. You learn in life that you never know what people are capable of until it’s too late.”
Pain filled my heart, my bottom lip attempting to quiver despite my constant chewing on it. I knew exactly who he was talking about. My dad never spoke of my mother with anyone, and to have him even hint at her to Caleb of all people sent a rush of emotions through my body that I didn’t know how to process.
“You did the right thing, son.” My dad offered a thin smile, clearing the heaviness in the air. “And I told your father just that the next day. Also told him you did the right thing by leaving town. You’d be a bitter ol’ bastard like me had you stayed.”
Caleb’s lips parted in a small, beautiful smile.
Son. He called him son.
I was officially high, floating around with the clouds. No drugs required—only that one man standing there with my father, sending me over the edge.
I still couldn’t get over the fact that he’d been hanging around right outside my house. I’d spent as much time as possible at Cassandra’s because she was my best friend, but also because of the added perk that he lived across the street from her. Now I wondered if during all those nights he was gone, he was right next door to my own place.
“You still living over there?” Caleb asked as we all began to walk.
“Since before Hilary was born. No point in moving now.”
Did he even know I lived there back then—that grumpy old Hank Robinson had a daughter who was infatuated with him?
Felicia stepped away to talk to a group of women.
“Understandable.” Caleb chuckled. “So how come I haven’t seen you around Haven lately?”
“Pretty sure I’ve been banned from your place by a pretty little brunette.”
Caleb’s brows furrowed. “Banned?”
An awkward, tension-packed laugh escaped my lips. “Dad, you can go to the restaurant anytime you want. I’ll even take you there this week, for dinner. They have a fantastic menu—”
Caleb bru
shed his hand against my back; the small act caused my rapid words to fade.
“Pick a night, sir, and I’ll have the best table waiting, on the house,” Caleb said, saving me from another ramble fest. I just needed my dad to understand Haven was more than a bar.
“Well, thanks, but if I can convince Hilary to take her old dad out, the treat will be all mine.”
Felicia returned, looking disappointed.
“Everything all right?” I asked.
She nodded. “You guys haven’t seen my daughter, have you?”
“Not yet,” Caleb responded for us both.
She stared at me. “You know if she changed her mind about coming?”
“Not sure,” I said honestly. “I tried talking her into it. I’ll let her know you’re looking if we see her.”
“Thanks.”
“She’ll be here,” Caleb said, drawing both our attention.
“You think?” Felicia asked, hopeful.
Caleb’s lips curled up. “Trust me. Oliver, Logan’s little boy, is counting on it. She won’t let him down.”
I smiled to myself. “No, she wouldn’t.”
Felicia appeared to agree. “I’ve been worried about her.”
“Don’t be,” I said, smiling. “She’s tougher than we give her credit for.”
“I saw Mark here earlier,” she grumbled, looking the way I felt every time Cassandra’s ex was brought up. “Your dad made it three steps toward the bastard and he ran the other way, so I doubt he’ll bother her.”
I grinned up at my dad. “Check you out. You’re on a roll today! Told you that you should get out more.”
We all moved aside as a small pack of kids ran past, nearly bumping us into the row of caricaturists sitting behind their easels.
“Hey, what do you say, girly, for old times’ sake?” My dad gestured his head toward an open seat in front of one of the artists.
“Oh, uh, sorry Dad, but we should get going,” I replied. “We need to find a spot along the parade route before everyone heads that way. Maybe next year.”
“Sure, next year,” my dad replied, hiding behind a tight smile.