Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 34760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Life in a corporation or chasing whatever dream college degrees got people didn’t appeal to him. He liked the small-town life. Being near his family. Chasing memories more than dreams.
Everyone believed he was a player, and he was. No one could force him to settle down, but the truth was, his tiny little secret was he wanted the same relationship his parents had. Married for over thirty years and still as in love now as they were back then. He wanted that. He didn’t want to regret marrying a woman he couldn’t stand.
“Nothing.”
Jane frowned at him, then went to the fridge, gathering the Sunday morning’s breakfast.
James and Eliza would be arriving soon with baby Darla. Maybe even Aunt Betty. They had been a constant feature the past few months.
Lilly never arrived.
“Do you know much about Lilly Jewel?” Caleb asked.
Jane handed him the eggs and a bowl. She always did a combination of fried and scrambled.
Caleb was used to this part. Whenever he needed to have a private chat, there was always a job to do in the kitchen. His payment for the sound advice of his mother.
“I know of Lilly. Sweet girl from what I can gather. Mother, not so much. She’s a player. Treats men like they’re some kind of token in a game. She’s ruined a lot of relationships. I always wondered about Lilly, though. I hear she works two jobs?”
“That’s right.” He hadn’t had the guts yet to visit her in the library.
“I know people talk crap about the girl.” Jane shrugged. “Why?”
“She doesn’t celebrate her birthday.”
Jane put a pan down on the stove. “Caleb Hard, are you trying to ask me how you can get this girl to date you?”
Caleb frowned and continued to crack eggs.
“Caleb!”
“I don’t want to date her.”
“Now you sound like you’re twelve again and I just discovered your stash of porn under your bed.”
He groaned. “Please, don’t bring that up again.”
Jane sighed and moved toward the table. “I can’t help you when you’re being vague. You know this.”
Caleb looked behind him.
“No one is around. Your dad will sleep until I put the bacon on. Now, talk to me.”
Uncomfortable, he ran fingers through his hair. His mother was the person he came to in all matters of the heart. His dad when it came to sex, cars, and just about everything else.
“I like her. I don’t mean just a little either.”
“The mother?”
“No, Lilly.” He glared at his mother, who held up her hands.
“Sorry, just clarifying.”
“I like her, a lot. She’s sweet and kind. I … when I’m around her, I don’t care about anything else. Women hit on me, and I just want to shove them away.”
Jane clicked her tongue. “I did warn you, son, that your reputation would bite you in the ass. I’ve seen Lilly around. She’s a beautiful woman.”
“I don’t think she even realizes that I like her,” Caleb said. He’d made every single excuse to go to the bar. Last night was the first time he’d gotten the courage to walk with her. With all the eggs cracked, he took the whisk his mother gave him and fluffed them up a little.
“Look, I don’t really know this woman. I’ve seen her, but you can’t judge someone by looking at them. Would you like for us to throw a birthday party for her? The family. I know Eliza adores her and so does Aunt Betty. We can bring it up. That way I can meet the woman who has my son’s heart in a spin.”
Caleb put his hands flat to the counter. “You won’t tell anyone?”
“That you’re falling in love?”
“Mom.”
“Honey, I won’t tell anyone. Your father and I will talk, you know that. We don’t have any secrets, but he’ll know not to tell your brothers. Why don’t you want them to know?”
“It’s James and Rome. They’ll love this. You know that.”
Jane never got to respond as Rome walked into the kitchen and slumped down on the seat.
“How long have you been here?” Jane asked.
Rome hadn’t come from the yard, but from inside the house.
“Since last night. I couldn’t be bothered to head on home.”
His little brother used to live with him, but that hadn’t lasted. Rome didn’t like all the women Caleb had brought home and even said he couldn’t get a whole lot of sleep.
“What are we talking about?” Rome asked, yawning.
“Parties,” Jane said.
Caleb thanked his mother for not saying anything. He wasn’t embarrassed by his feelings for Lilly, but he didn’t want his brothers to ruin anything.
Jane got started on breakfast, and sure enough, the moment the bacon was on, their dad, Theodore, joined them, kissing his wife before stealing a slice of toast and taking a seat.
Eliza, James, and Aunt Betty arrived. The moment they entered the kitchen, Caleb was on his feet, taking his second favorite female in the whole world into his arms. Little baby Darla.