Page 28 of Caleb

CHAPTER13

Taylor set the dishrag aside and leaned against the counter, sipping her tea. The house was quiet for the first time in days, with Liam resting upstairs in his room. His recovery had been slow but steady, and she wasn’t taking any chances. No playdates, no outings—just rest, books, and her mother’s endless stash of homemade cookies.

She exhaled, savoring the rare moment of calm. Calm wasn’t something she had much of these days—not with work, Liam, and her lingering frustration over her impulsiveness at the convention.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Frowning, she glanced at the clock. Visitors were rare, especially unannounced ones.

She crossed the living room, brushing a strand of hair from her face as she peered through the window. Her breath caught, and the mug in her hand wobbled precariously.

Caleb Burnett stood on her porch, his broad shoulders and familiar stance unmistakable. His signature cowboy hat rested atop his mass of unruly brown hair, and his casual tilt gave him that effortless charm she both admired and resented. Taylor’s heart skipped as she darted to the peephole, her pulse quickening with a mix of irritation and something far more confusing.

What the hell is he doing here?

She considered ignoring him, but the second knock was firmer, insistent. The last thing she needed was for Liam to wake up and Caleb to start asking questions she wasn’t ready to answer. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door, bracing herself for whatever Caleb Burnett had come to say this time.

The one man she’d spent years trying to forget, the one she’d sworn she’d never let back into her life, was now before her like a ghost from the past she hadn’t invited.

With a sigh, she unlocked the door and pulled it open, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Caleb.”

He gave her that crooked, self-assured smile, though there was an edge to it like he wasn’t entirely sure of his welcome. “Taylor.”

“What are you doing here?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“I found you,” he said as if that explained anything.

“Congratulations,” she said dryly. “You want a cookie?”

His smile faltered, and he shifted his hat in his hands. “I wanted to see you. Talk to you.”

“About what?”

“Can I come in?”

She hesitated, every instinct screaming at her to say no. But then she thought of Liam upstairs, oblivious to the man standing on the porch. With a tight nod, she stepped aside, motioning him in.

“Thanks,” Caleb said, stepping past her into the living room. His eyes roamed the space—her parents’ neatly arranged furniture, the framed photos on the wall, and the faint smell of cookies lingering in the air.

He turned back to her, his expression more serious now. “You left without saying good-bye.”

“I had to go,” she said.

“Who does that? Especially when they are in a relationship. To just leave without saying anything.”

“We aren’t in a relationshipthis time,” she said.

She watched Caleb shift uncomfortably, the tension in his jaw betraying how much he hated being called out for what he’d done all those years ago. The flicker of guilt in his eyes only made her press harder.

Taylor raised an eyebrow, her tone sharp. “So, you decided to track me down? Ever heard of a phone? I could’ve saved you the trouble and told you the same thing you told me back then—‘Something came up, and I had to leave.’”

Caleb winced, rubbing the back of his neck. “I figured I owed you... something,” he said, his hand sliding through his hair in that familiar, restless way.

“Something?” she repeated, her tone sharp. “What exactly do you think you owe me, Caleb? An apology? Closure? Because whatever you think you’re here to say, you’re about three years too late.”

Before he could respond, a small voice called from the stairs.

“Mommy?”

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