Page 16 of Call of A Eagle

With one last deep breath, I stepped into the hall. A knock sounded at the front door, causing my heart to do a little flip-flop inside my chest. I opened the door, and there was Waylen, standing on the porch with that easygoing grin of his. My breath caught in my throat as I took him in. He was dressed simply in a clean, fitted shirt that hugged his broad shoulders and a pair of jeans that had seen better days but somehow made him look even more ruggedly handsome. His hair was tousled, as if he hadn’t bothered to tame it, but it only added to his charm.

“Hey,” he said, his voice warm and smooth. “You ready to go?”

I nodded, suddenly feeling self-conscious under his gaze. “Yeah.”

My owl stirred, reacting to him in a way that I still didn’t fully understand, but I didn’t shove her away or ignore her this time. Instead, I let her be.

“You look great,” he said, his eyes lingering on mine.

My cheeks heated. “Thanks,” I managed to say, surprised at how much I liked hearing those words from him.

“Your chariot awaits,” he said with a playful grin while gesturing to his truck as I stepped out onto the porch with him.

I chuckled and then started toward the passenger side. Waylen beat me to the door, moving to open it for me. It was a sweet gesture, one that had me feeling special in a way I hadn’t felt in a while. As I climbed inside, I tried to ignore the way my pulse quickened at the smell of his cologne lingering in the cab. When he slid behind the wheel, he glanced at me, flashing a smile that caused butterflies to flutter through my lower stomach. There was an undeniable chemistry between us, something that felt almost electric. It sparked and crackled through the air unlike anything I’d ever felt before.

How had I tried to ignore this for so long?

Waylen cranked his truck to life, and my owl settled in the center of my chest, feeling cozy and content with him being so close. I found myself relaxing, too.

As we drove toward town, I stole a glance at Waylen, searching for the right words to start a conversation. Not that I needed to say anything. The steady hum of the engine filled the space between us, but it wasn’t awkward—more like a quiet moment that didn’t need to be rushed.

If that made any sense at all.

Even so, there was a pull to talk to him, despite how little we’d spoken. I wanted to hear his voice. My owl did too, feeling a comfort from it that I couldn’t quite explain but understood because it had the same effect on me.

“So,” I said. “Think you’ll have the garden beds tamed in a couple of days?”

Waylen chuckled, his eyes still on the road. “Honestly? That would be a challenge, but I like a good challenge. Call me crazy,but I think the garden has a mind of its own. It feels like it’s testing me.”

“I’d believe that.” I grinned. “Granny has always said the plants have their own personalities.”

“She seems like she knows what she’s talking about,” he said with a nod. “She’s sharp, you know?”

“Definitely,” I agreed, feeling a wave of affection for her flood me. “She’s been through a lot and still manages to keep her sense of humor. I’m not sure I could do the same in her shoes.”

Waylen cast a quick glance my way. “You’re tough. I haven’t known you long, but I know that much about you. As for me, I may have a sense of humor, but it’s hard to tell when I’m being funny or just making a fool of myself.” He chuckled, but I could tell it was a valid worry of his.

“You’re funny,” I said, meaning it.

He tossed another quick glance at me, his brow arched. “You think so? Sure, could have fooled me. Sometimes I swear you want to slap me.”

“I’m not used to being around someone who jokes around as much as you do, that’s all. Plus, I have a resting bitch face. It’s not my fault.”

He laughed—this time it was a bold, deep, belly laugh that warmed me. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but…”

I slapped him on the arm but was unable to hide my smile. “Funny.”

“So, how did you end up living with your grandmother?” he asked, surprising me.

It was almost a blow to the gut. Not that I was embarrassed to be living with her, but because I was embarrassed to admit how things had fallen apart for me a few months ago.

“I fell on my butt and landed back here, to be honest,” I said as he came to a stop sign.

He didn’t touch the gas right away. Instead, he kept his foot on the brake and glanced at me. I could feel the intensity of his stare pulling me in. Shifting to glance at him, I noticed genuine concern filling his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he said as everything about him softened with a tenderness that surprised me. “Can I ask what happened?”

I shifted my gaze out the windshield, trying to steady my emotions as I figured out where to start from.

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