Breathless Descent (Texas Hotzone 3)

“You told him?” she said. “Just like you told me?”

Shay hesitated. “I feel I’ve expressed my feelings, but that doesn’t change the fact that my gut tells me that he’ll leave if things go wrong. I feel it. I know him, and that’s the problem. I know I’m right. So of course, I didn’t want to tell you guys about us. Why would I shake things up if I feel he could be gone tomorrow?”

Her mother’s eyes narrowed keenly. “You just pointed out that Caleb has only us, only our family. He lost his. That kind of thing leaves a mark on a person.” Her expression turned thoughtful. “He knows we love him, but I’m sure it’s hard to feel he has a real place where he belongs. Maybe, Shay, you sense he’s willing to leave because you haven’t convinced him you’re that place.”

Shay squeezed her eyes shut against a sudden pinching sensation. Her mother was right. Shay had been so afraid of being hurt, she hadn’t truly given herself to Caleb. If this was their time, as Caleb had said, if she really wanted it to be their time, she was going to have to put herself out there. She was going to have to risk getting hurt.

Shay pushed to her feet. “You’re right. You’re so right.” She hugged her mother. “Thank you so much. I have to go, Mom.” She was already walking. She’d been so blind. So worried about being hurt that she’d hurt Caleb. And in the process, she might have lost him.

Shay had her cell phone out and dialed Caleb before she even made it to the car. No answer. She dialed again. Still no answer. “Caleb,” she told his voice mail, “please call me. I’m coming over.”

Thirty minutes later, she pulled up to the trailer. Caleb’s truck was there, but Caleb wasn’t. Shay pounded the steering wheel. He wasn’t here. Caleb wasn’t here. Still, she got out of the car and ran to the door. She knocked. And knocked. No answer.

She started to dial Kent’s number but thought better of it. She didn’t want to explain herself to Kent right now. Not until she had explained herself to Caleb. She leaned against the door and used her last resource. She called Sabrina.

Sabrina answered on the second ring, the sound of country music in the background.

“Sabrina,” Shay said.

“You’re looking for Caleb?” she asked.

“Yes,” she said. “Yes. I’m looking for Caleb.”

“He was as miserable as you, and we talked him into coming out to the country bar we all go to every Friday night.” She named the bar and the address, and then added, “He’ll be glad to see you, Shay.” She hung up.

Shay stood there, shaking inside, but clinging to Sabrina’s assurances that Caleb would be glad to see her. Still, she was scared to death of being rejected—and in public made it worse. But she was more afraid of losing Caleb. She couldn’t wait. She had to go see him tonight.

***

CALEB STOOD AT A TABLE near the crowded dance floor, not far from the DJ booth, as a Tim McGraw tune wailed from the jukebox about a real bad boy trying to be a real good man. Bobby and Ryan were out there, too, trying to prove they were real good men to their wives. Kent was doing the proving to Lori. It was going to be interesting for sure to see where those two went. Maybe a one-night stand. Maybe more.

Lord only knew, Caleb had tried his share of one-night stands in the early days of the Army, trying to bury himself and the horrors of war and loneliness in a woman. Never worked. Anyone that wasn’t Shay had never worked.

Caleb finished off his first beer, the bitter bite adding to his bad mood. He needed another one. He was dead serious about getting drunk. Every heartbroken man deserved one good night of getting legless before they got up the next morning and moved on.

A beer appeared in front of him, brought by a blonde named Heather something—he wasn’t sure she’d ever told him—who’d been hitting on him for two months. Every weekend, she’d buy him a beer and he’d turn it down.

“You can take that one,” she said, leaning in close so he could hear her. “That’s to soothe your broken heart, and don’t tell me you don’t have one. It’s written all over you. So drink the beer. I’m not into being a rebound chick. You’re safe.”

“If I’m that pathetically obvious,” he said, “I’ll take the beer.” He took a sip. “Thank you.”

She leaned on the table. “Who is she?”

“A woman destined for a very long time to break my heart,” he said. “I knew, but it didn’t matter.”

“Because you love her.”

“Because I love her.”

“Lucky girl,” she said. “Maybe I should have a talk with her.” She touched his arm. “Hang in there. She’ll come around. She’d be a fool not to.”