Page 62 of Caleb

Eugenia stood at the edge of the room, her ghostly form shimmering faintly but unmistakably. She smiled, her expression soft and full of pride. Caleb’s breath hitched, and for a moment, it felt like she was part of the celebration, sharing in their happiness.

But, true to form, Eugenia couldn’t resist making her presence known. She floated over to Cody, leaning against the bar, sipping his whiskey.

“You’ve been hiding from me, young man,” Eugenia said, her voice carrying just enough to make a few people glance their way. “But guess what? You now have my full attention.”

Cody blinked, choking slightly on his drink. “Oh, hell no,” he muttered, shaking his head.

Eugenia grinned, undeterred. “Oh, yes. It’s your turn, sweetness. And this time, I’m not going to get sidetracked. You’re getting married next.”

“Like hell I am,” Cody shot back, his voice rising slightly. “You can take your ghostly form straight on back to your crypt because this cowboy’s not in the market for a wife. A horse maybe, but not a wife.”

Eugenia raised a perfectly arched brow, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. “We’ll see about that. And for your information, I don’t have a crypt.”

“Maybe we can get you one,” he told her.

Caleb caught Taylor’s eye, and they both burst out laughing, the sound mingling with the cheers and music that filled the room.

Whatever came next—whether it was building their life together or watching Eugenia torment Cody—they would face it as a family. And that was all Caleb had ever wanted.

CHAPTER28

Cody had always loved his cars fast and his horses faster, but today, neither seemed to be on his side. His prized Ferrari, gleaming in a shade of deep red, was now parked on the side of a dusty country road with smoke curling lazily from under the hood.

The damn car was his prized possession, his pride and joy. And somehow, the lazy Texas backroad he’d decided to take, pushing the Ferrari to its limits, seemed to have killed it.

Cody sighed, running a hand through his hair as he stared at the smoking hood. He’d barely eased off the high of watching his newest racehorse come in second place at the track. Second wasn’t bad, not by a long shot, but it still left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He’d been gunning for first, for the prestige, the trophy, and, sure, the prize money. Not that he needed it—he was a Burnett, after all. Money wasn’t an issue. But he loved the thrill of a smart investment paying off, the satisfaction of proving he’d made the right call.

Now, the high of the racetrack was fading fast, replaced by the sharp sting of disappointment and the frustrating realization that his beloved Ferrari was stranded on a sunbaked road in the middle of nowhere.

With no cell service and nothing but miles of empty road stretching out before him, Caleb was about as stranded as a man could get.

The irony wasn’t lost on him—his state-of-the-art Ferrari, a machine built for speed and luxury, was now little more than an expensive roadblock. He sighed, leaning against the car’s sleek frame, the scorching Texas sun doing nothing to improve his mood.

Stranded. Alone. And completely out of options.

“Great,” Cody muttered, glaring at the plume of steam wafting from the engine. He’d taken a detour to clear his head, but now all he had was a dead car and no cell signal.

He crossed his arms and stared down the deserted stretch of road. The low sun cast a golden glow over the landscape. If no one came by, he could be here all night.

“This is what I get for trying to ‘enjoy the drive,’” he grumbled, kicking at a pebble.

He glanced at his phone, the bars mocking him with their nonexistent signal.

Just as he started pacing, trying to figure out how to get back to civilization, a beat-up old pickup truck rumbled down the road. Cody waved his arms, feeling equal parts hopeful and annoyed.

The truck slowed and stopped, and out stepped a woman in cut-off jeans, boots, and a tank top that read,Not All Who Wander Are Lost.Her long blonde hair was pulled into a messy bun, and her skeptical green eyes locked on him like he was a puzzle she didn’t have time to solve.

“You lost?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“No, my car’s just enjoying a dramatic meltdown,” Cody replied, gesturing to the Ferrari. He offered his most charming smile, the one that usually worked wonders on women.

The woman was beautiful in a natural, effortless way that caught him off guard. She wasn’t one of those overly polished types with two inches of makeup that melted off at the first touch. No, her beauty was all her own—gorgeous alabaster skin that seemed to glow in the sunlight, long lashes that framed sharp, emerald-green eyes, and an expression that practically dared him to keep up with her sharp wit.

And that smartass attitude of hers? It only added to the allure, a perfect match to the confidence she carried like a second skin. She wasn’t trying to impress anyone, least of all him, and somehow that made her even more magnetic.

She glanced at the car, unimpressed. “Cute. Looks like a toaster that got too big for its britches.”

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