Page 24 of Fated Despite the Moon

The timer on the oven beeped. Makayla shoved on some oven mitts and opened the door. The scent of cinnamon and nutmeg filled his nose. Makayla pulled a pan from the oven.

"You didn't have a muffin tin but you had a pan so I made something else for you as well."

Caleb stared at the brown looking loaves that smelled so tempting. Unfortunately, the eggs had told him that both looks, and smells, could be deceiving.

"I... uh... need to get to work."

"Oh... okay. I'll just pack it up then, and you can take it with you."

She was trying. The idea made all the anger in his heart begin to chip away and dissolve.

"That would be great."

“I finished your laundry. I didn’t know where you wanted everything, so I just laid it out on your bed. I hope that’s all right.”

“You didn’t have to do that, but thank you.” He stood and walked toward his bedroom.

"Well, all right, then. I’ll just wrap this bread up and get it ready to go with you." Her voice came out weak and sad, but with all that had happened in the past weeks... He wasn't ready to just pretend everything was okay.

His wolf snarled at him. Caleb stopped and looked over his shoulder. “Thank you.”

* * *

Makayla watchedCaleb walk into his room. Okay. Things weren’t going to be as easy as she hoped. How had she thought some eggs and a couple loaves of homemade cinnamon bread were going to make up for everything she’d done so far? It was okay, though. She'd do what it took to earn his affection... or at least his neutrality.

Makayla wrapped up one of the muffin cake loaves and put it in a bag. She tipped the rest of his eggs into the trash and then cleaned up the kitchen.

Caleb exited his room and stopped. They stared at each other in an awkward silence for several moments.

"Well... I need to get going."

"Here," she blurted. "It's not much but I made it and..."

He stared at her with his deep, penetrating eyes. Wrapped in his green flannel shirt and tight jeans something inside of her stirred. Something she'd never felt before. She usually preferred a pretty boy on a fast bike to the rugged type with a truck, but somehow when she looked at Caleb it just... fit.

He joined her and took the brown paper bag. "Thanks."

She nodded, unsure of what to say, and for a moment she just wanted to throw her arms around him and apologize.

"Did you need to go to town today?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I'm good."

"Okay, well I'm late so..."

"Yeah, of course. I'll see you when you get home."

He stared at her like he wanted to say something but then turned and walked out.

Makayla blew out a heavy breath as he pulled out of the drive. She stood for a minute, and her stomach cramped. Absently she rubbed her hand over her belly.

Makayla shovedall of the clothes she found on the floor in the laundry room into the washer. She stared at the knobs and buttons, trying to figure out what they did. The last time she'd watched the maid do the laundry, she'd been eight. She pushed several buttons and turned the knob to heavy then pushed start. She smiled when water poured into the unit. Then she walked into the backyard and fed the chickens. She watched them peck the ground while she listened to the sounds of the woods. Breathing deep she smiled. Somehow the quiet and solitude of these mountains pushed away all of her bad memories. Unraveled the pain, turning it to harmony. This place filled her entire body with peace.

She wandered through the trees, able to think clearly without all the pressures of having to pretend to be someone she wasn't. Amongst the trees and the animals, she was able to just... be.

In Los Angeles everything had been go, go, go. From traffic to parties to shopping. All of it kept her head in a constant state of movement. But for the first time the prospect of having nothing to do all day left her with a sense of tranquility she'd never known. For a moment she wanted nothing more than to strip off her clothes and shift so she could run through the woods. But shifting was dangerous while pregnant.

Makayla strolled to Caleb's small garden and noticed two large zucchini and a squash. She stared at them wondering what she could make with them. Did Caleb even like squash? Did she?

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