Chapter 22

 

Caleb’s eyes fluttered open, the harsh fluorescent lights causing him to wince. His head felt like someone smashed him with a two-by-four when he began to remember his fall and the time he spent hurt and alone in the woods. He also remembered Kate hugging him to her chest, the gentle brush of her fingers across his cheek and hand.

He needed to tell her that he loved her. That he was a fool. He shot up, forcing his eyes to open despite the protest. Everything was blurry, but he tried to focus.

“Caleb!” he heard, and swung his head to his right, causing white, hot searing pain to explode in his head. He rested a hand against his forehead, cringing as the pain radiated then subsided.

“Here drink this,” Kate said, holding a cup to his mouth. “The doctor said you’d probably wake up with a wicked headache.”

He took a sip from the paper cup, savoring the cool liquid as it went down his throat. He remembered how desperate he was for even a drop and greedily finished off the rest of the water.

The bed shifted beneath Kate’s weight as she sat beside him and brushed his hair off his forehead. “How you feeling?”

“Like I was hit by a bus.”

“Not a bus, just the ground, but I imagine it’s a similar feeling.”

“Smartass,” he managed. He shifted to sit up, realizing he was restricted by a cast on his leg.

“Broken,” she said. “Looks like we won’t be going riding for a while.”

“Guess not.”

“You were also severely dehydrated and have a bump on your head.”

“That makes sense,” he said, thinking about how he imagined his brother with him.

“You scared me.” He hated the sorrow in her tone the underlying fear. He could feel it in her words and it went right to his heart.

“I scared me, too. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“I’m an idiot.”

“Not going to argue there.”

“That’s a first.”

“It was bound to happen.”

“Right.” He laced his fingers with hers and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “I’m an idiot, because of some stupid promise I made to myself years ago, I was almost dumb enough to walk away from you when in fact you’re the best damn thing that’s ever happened to me. All I know is loss and pain, but I can’t keep running from it because I’m scared one day you’ll get bored with me and find someone else.”

“There is no one else for me. There’s only you and I’ve wanted to tell you…” She stopped and he tensed, wondering what it was she had to say to him. He braced prepared for anything. “I love you. I love you so much and I know that might scare you, but I don’t care because I’m sick and tired of holding it inside and I just need you to—”

He cut her off with his lips, kissing her with everything he had, showing her before he told her that he loved her too. He loved her so damn much it hurt.

“I wasn’t done,” she said, when he finally pulled away.

“You said enough. I love you, too.”

Tears glistened in her eyes as she stared at him with shock and awe. “You do?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

“I do, and I’m done being scared. I want it all. A house, kids, a dog, everything. And you’re the only person I want to share it with.”

“Good, because I’m not going anywhere, pretty boy.”

He laughed at the ridiculous nickname she’d given him on that first day, one that he had grown to love, and pulled her into his arms, knowing that as long as Kate was on his side and in his heart, he’d never be lonely again.

Just as the thought rested in his mind, the door pushed open and half of Red Maple Falls poured into the room.

No, he’d never be lonely again.