Page 60 of Forgotten Dreams
“Hello, Mr. Bruce,” I answer him, putting it on speaker.
“Hello yourself,” he booms out, “you called and left a message late last night.”
“It was six thirty.” I try not to laugh.
“I get up early.” The gruffness to his voice feels somewhat like a hug. “What do you want?”
“I was wondering if I could come over and ask you a couple of questions.”
“Are you going to bring me something sweet?” he almost whispers.
“I can but?—”
“But nothing, I’ll be waiting for you this morning.” He doesn’t even give me a chance to answer him, he just hangs up.
“Who was that?” Caleb asks, walking into the room as I grab a pair of brown dress pants that are tight on the hips but loose all the way down.
“That was Bruce,” I answer as I button the pants and look over at his side of the closet. Which made me stop in my tracks yesterday when I came upstairs. I knew he was “moving in” but I’ve never had a man live with me before. His stuff mixed with mine, I thought would look out of place but it’s the complete opposite. “I’m going to go over there and talk to him about the private clinic.”
He looks at his watch. “Okay, let me get a couple of things in place and I’ll come with you.”
“What?” I stop getting dressed to look at him. “Don’t you have to work? I thought you were going to the barn today?”
“I’ll send Theo, get him out of this house. He might like it.”
“You don’t have to do that.” My voice is just above a whisper.
“I know I don’t have to, I want to,” he says. “I’ll be waiting downstairs.” He turns and walks out of the room, and I have to squat down and exhale because the tightness in my chest gets even tighter. Besides my parents, there hasn’t been anyone in my whole life who has tried to take care of me like he does. Who has gone above and beyond to make sure I’m okay, and I’m not sure what to think or feel. Can I fall in love with a man in less than a month? That’s insane, right?
I swallow down the lump before getting back up and sliding a knit, long-sleeved brown sweater on before pairing it with my brown boots, and then making my way downstairs. “Thank you,” Theo calls from the front door, “I never thought I would leave this house.” I shake my head, laughing as I walk with him to the front door, with Caleb following me.
“It’s literally almost done,” I tell him. “You said I could move my office downstairs this weekend.”
“I know, but it feels like forever,” he says, walking out and down the steps to his truck. “I may never come back.”
“He’s so dramatic,” Caleb mumbles as he takes my hand and leads me to his truck. I get in, trying not to laugh. We stop and get donuts, and when we pull up at Bruce’s house, the screen door shows you that the front door is open.
I get out with the box of donuts as Caleb walks beside me, and then I see Bruce walking toward us. “Who did you bring?” He pushes open the door as we walk up the stairs.
“This is Caleb.” I turn toward Caleb and smile. “We brought donuts.”
“He your man?” He moves aside so we can step in.
“Yes,” Caleb answers for me as I roll my eyes.
“He’s something,” I mumble and then hear the sound of footsteps.
“Is that why you were trying to rush me out of the house?” Heloise questions with her hands on her hips. “Why you lying liar who lies.”
“I did no such thing, woman,” Bruce defends, grabbing the box from me. “How was I supposed to know she was going to show up and bring donuts?”
Heloise shakes her head. “Hello, dear.” She looks at me. “Ignore my husband with no manners, please come in,” she invites, going to Caleb. “I’m Heloise.” She extends her hand to him. “I’ve heard about you.”
“From who?” Bruce says. “Say their name.”
She rolls her eyes and walks away from him, but he is quick to follow her. “They seem nice.” Caleb puts his arm around my shoulders, bringing me to him and kissing my lips.
“They really are,” I tell him, then hear the arguing coming from the kitchen. “We should get in there.”
