“He got another woman pregnant?”
The pain of hearing the words not once, but twice, stabbed her heart. She wondered if she’d always feel that way.
“Yeah. I worked and worked so he could finish school and get a job in San Francisco so we could live there and I could start a design company after I finished school. Only that didn’t happen. He’s living that life with someone else.”
“I’ve never been married so I don’t know what it feels like to go through a divorce and feel that betrayal. I’m sure there are some things you probably need to work through. Maybe before you even move on with someone new.”
She chuckled. “I don’t see that happening anytime soon.”
“Why do you say that?
“Oh, I don’t know. I’m impulsive. I’m completely unsure of myself.”
“You’re too hard on yourself.”
“Admit it. Even you thought I was crazy.”
Katie thought about Caleb and the way that he had come into her life after so long. She wasn’t making any sense. She wasn’t sure where she was going. But it was easy to talk to him. And she’d missed that over the last few days when she’d been angry with him for thinking she was holding back information about Julie.
“I’ve been a jerk,” he said.
She glanced at Caleb and looked at his face. He was so handsome and she wasn’t sure she’d ever seen that side of him before. Oh, she’d always known he was good looking. Could never talk to Julie about that because, well, Caleb was her brother. Katie had known many girls in high school who’d befriend someone else just so they could get close to their hot brother who was the talk of the town. Katie had known that was the reason why Julie decided to take riding lessons out of the Lone Creek Ranch. She’d known Hunter was working there. She’d wanted to get close to him. And she eventually did. Was that why Caleb was with her now?
“It’s no secret that you’ve been looking for Julie for long time,” Katie said.
Her insides jumped with nerves. Did she really want to go down this path? She had no right to be upset with Caleb when part of her response had nothing to do with his asking her questions about his sister. Of course he wanted to know where she was. What brother wouldn’t want to make sure that his younger sister was okay? Katie just didn’t want to know that the reason he’d been hanging around as much as he’d been was because she had once been friends with Julie and Caleb was desperate for information.
Caleb frowned. “Well, yeah. Wouldn’t you if Kas all of the sudden dropped off the face of the earth?”
She shrugged, and stood up, unable to sit and just look at him. She knew if the tables were turned, she wouldn’t leave a stone unturned and neither would Kasper. Caleb was just doing what any loving brother would do.
“Is that why you’ve been with me?”
His frown grew deeper as he got up from the sofa. “Well, yeah, in a way.”
She nodded her head and looked down to zip her jacket. But her eyes filled with tears, making it hard to see what she was doing and she fumbled with the zipper.
“Did I say something wrong?”
Katie shook her head. “You were being honest.”
He took a few steps towards her. “Then why do I feel like I said the wrong thing?”
Katie tried to shrug off the feeling of disappointment that was enveloping her. What was she thinking? She’d been thinking a lot about Caleb, that’s what. It had been hard to think about anything other than his sweet smile and those strong arms that she longed to be held in like when they’d been dancing.
It had been a long time since she’d been held. She didn’t want to end up living alone like some of the other women she knew from the bank. These women would come in to cash their checks and talk about the husband that left them or the boyfriend that was gone. It didn’t matter what their age was for their particular story. The end result was that they were alone.
Katie felt more alone in that moment than she’d been for months.
“I need to go. Thanks for being honest with me,” she said quietly.
He stared at her with confusion. “You just got here. Stay a while. Tell me what’s on your mind.”
“I’m fine. I’m just busy.”
“Keep telling yourself that’s. But then tell me the truth.”
“I am telling you the truth.”
“Talk to me, Katie. Something’s wrong.”
“It’s nothing.”
He walked the rest of the distance to her and pulled her into his arms.
She felt the burning of tears filling her eyes so she turned away so Caleb wouldn’t see. But he would have none of that. Grabbing her with both hands he forced her to turn around and look up at him. “Something’s bothering you. And I know it’s not the chapel, and I know it’s not the accident. So what is it?”
“I just… I wondered why you were spending all this time with me. And now you’ve told me. If I hear or remember anything about Julie, I’ll let you know. I promise I will. But you don’t have to spend all your time with me, and looking after me just so I give you information about your sister. I want you to find her.”
He clenched his jaw as anger flashed in his eyes. “Is that you really think? You think the only reason why I want to be with you is to fish for information?”
“You just said…”
“I know what I said. I ask everyone about Julie any time I think there might be a chance of getting some new shred of information about her. But that has nothing to do with you and me.”
“Yeah? Then fill me in. Because right now I’m a little unsure about
