Page 58 of Wolf's Chance

Maybe that’s why he’d been in town? Was he a logger? Working at Lily’s dad’s plant? That would fit.

“Did you work for Lily’s dad?”

Caleb glanced at me and shook his head. “Who’s Lily’s dad?”

“He owns the lumber mill on the outskirts of town.”

“A lumber mill.” His top lip curled into a sneer. “No, I wouldn’t work for people who cut down trees.”

He was an environmentalist? “You’re a tree hugger?” I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice.

“Rather be a hugger than a feller.”

No way. There was no way in God’s green earth that Caleb Foster was a hippie.

Biting my lip, I watched him. It would explain the minimal living. The camping outside. Holy shit. “You’re a hippie?”

“I am?”

“Okay, hippie may be a stretch too far. You don’t give off the bohemian vibes, and you always smell fresh, plus you eat meat.”

“I think you need to reassess your stereotypes,” he chided me.

“Yeah, probably. Okay, so I suppose I should say that you’re an environmentalist.”

Caleb seemed to think about it, and I saw the small smile. “Maybe I am.”

Leaning back in my seat, I continued to stare at him. “That shocks me.”

“You can’t see me caring about the environment?” he asked me casually.

“No.” I thought about it. “Maybe. Honestly, I pictured something else, like you in a suit wouldn’t look amiss.” Caleb shuddered. “You have CEO vibes,” I declared with a laugh.

“I do?” He appeared affronted by the comment.

“Yeah, you’re all bossy and commanding. You give orders like it’s second nature to you.”

“So, because I have leadership skills, that automatically puts me in a suit amidst corporate America?” He shook his head, but he was smiling. “I knew we weren’t friends, but there’s no need to insult me.”

I laughed at his outrage and got comfy in the seat as I watched him. “You’re funny,” I told him. “You should show that more often.” I sat up with excitement. “Ooh, you’re a stand-up?”

“Stand-up what?”

“Comedian! Do you work the circuit?”

“Willow…” He reached over and patted my knee. “Stop. I’m just a guy who likes to travel and picks up odd jobs where he can. Okay?”

It wasn’t okay. I knew there was more to him, but I didn’t know what it was. “No,” I protested, watching the light humor disappear from Caleb’s face. “I don’t believe you’rejusta guy.”

“Well, I’m flattered, but I am.”

Once again, silence filled the air between us, but this time, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him, even though he seemed completely disinterested in me. Eventually, I shifted my focusand leaned over to reach into the back seat, grabbing my tote. I pulled out my sketchbook and rummaged through the contents of my bag, finally unearthing my pencil case. With the book open in front of me, I felt the smooth texture of the clean page beneath my pencil as I sketched.

“Really?” Caleb grunted, and I noticed his hand tightening on the wheel.

“I have a captive subject,” I teased. “It’s not an opportunity I am going to let pass me by.” Making strong strokes with the pencil, I drew his profile. The details I could concentrate on later, but right now I wanted to capture the tilt of his head, the way the sunlight lit his features, the way his lips were pressed together in annoyance.

“You’re smiling,” he murmured, glancing at me.

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