8 Weeks (Time for Love 1)

"Hey, Cal, what's going on?" My brother was descending the stairs. I looked up and felt a surge of pride. Craig was a senior in high school and about to turn eighteen. He was smart, handsome, and a hell of a baseball player. He was my polar opposite, and I loved him for it.

"Not much, Craig, how's school?"

Craig walked over and put his arms around me briefly, before pulling away with a grin. We could have been twins. We were the exact same height, shared the same dark hair and facial features, but while I had dark brown eyes, his were an unnatural sea green. I'd never seen anything like it.

"Great, only a few months left, and the season is about to start," Craig answered. "I'll send you the schedule."

"Sounds good." I looked around the cozy living room and asked, "Mom around?"

"Yeah," Craig said, thrusting his head toward the back of the house. "I think she's in the kitchen making bread. Dad's out at the golf course."

I clapped my hand on his shoulder and said, "I'll come find you in a bit."

"Sorry, brother," he said, his grin cocky. "I've got a date."

"Shit." I grinned back. "Who allowed that?"

He just snorted at me, grabbed his jacket from the closet, and walked out with a wave.

I shook my head, then walked down the hallway toward the kitchen.

"Is that my long-lost son I hear?" My mother's amused voice reached me before I turned in to see her smiling face. She was standing at the island in the middle of the kitchen, her hands full of flour and dough as she kneaded.

"Hi, Mom," I walked over and kissed her on the top of her head. "Sorry I haven't been by recently.”

She looked up at me with eyes that matched my own and said, "I figured your absence had something to do with the For Sale sign in front of your house."

I should have known better than to think I would be able to hide anything from my mother.

Chapter 18 - Shelly

I looked over and studied Cal's face as he drove. He looked deep in thought, with a small frown on his face. I wondered if I should ask him what was wrong, or stay out of it. I'd left him, after all, so I didn't think I had a right to pry. I hated to see Cal upset though; he was always such a positive person. If he was troubled, there was a good reason for it.

When he'd come by for our date, I'd met him outside, rather than having him come in the condo. I don't know if I was protecting him from the pain of seeing me on my own, or if I was protecting my newfound freedom. To ease the sting, I'd agreed to ride with him this time, rather than drive myself.

Now that we were in the car and on our way to date number three, I found myself struggling. Should I remain quiet, or ask him what was wrong.

Knowing Cal, he wouldn't feel better until he got whatever was bothering him off his chest, so I asked, "Is everything okay?"

Cal turned briefly to look at me, almost as if he'd forgotten I was there, then turned his eyes back to the road before him.

He was quiet for a minute, which made me rethink my decision to pry, then he sighed deeply.

Uh-oh, a big sigh usually meant it was something personal, not work related.

If it was something personal, it probably had to do with our situation.

Maybe I didn't want to know ...

"I went by my parents’ the other day," Cal began. "I had kind of been avoiding them since everything happened between us."

"Cal," I said, my voice filled with surprise. He told his parents everything. "You didn't tell them we were ... separated?"

"I couldn't, Shel," he responded. "Not only because I hope it's only temporary and I didn't want to worry them, but because I didn't want to disappoint them."

My heart thumped loudly in my chest.

"Cal, your parents adore you, you could never disappoint them."