Page 56 of Caleb

What he wanted—what he needed—felt so simple. A family. A future. A chance to prove he could be the man Taylor and Liam deserved.

And now, it was gone.

He swirled the amber liquid in his glass, scowling. Taylor’s words haunted him, playing on a loop in his mind:This isn’t just about me. It’s about us. About Liam.

He muttered under his breath, taking another sip, when a familiar voice shattered the quiet.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Caleb Burnett,” Eugenia’s voice rang out, clear and exasperated. “If brooding was a sport, you’d have a gold medal by now.”

Caleb froze, groaning. “Not now, Eugenia,” he said, not bothering to turn around.

Of course, ignoring her never worked. Moments later, she shimmered into view, leaning against the railing like she owned the place—which she had at one time. Dressed in her usual ethereal blue gown, her ghostly figure glowed faintly in the evening glow. She looked as amused as ever, one translucent hand resting on her hip.

“Not now?” she repeated, mock-offended. “Sweetheart, when are youeverin the mood for a little wisdom from your dearly departed ancestor? Never, that’s when. And yet, here I am. Still working on you. Still trying to find you happiness.”

Caleb glared at her, setting his glass down with more force than necessary. “I don’t need a lecture.”

“Oh, I beg to differ,” she said, floating closer. “You, my boy, are in desperate need of a good talking-to. And since no one else seems willing to give it to you, I guess the task falls to me.”

“Lucky me,” Caleb muttered. “Are you going to sing to me as well?”

“I just might if you don’t get off your butt and do something positive.”

Eugenia peered into his glass. “Whiskey? Really? At least wallow with a little more creativity. How about some bourbon? A good rye? Or, I don’t know, make yourself a fancy cocktail with an umbrella in it. Live a little.”

“Eugenia,” Caleb growled. “I’m ready to call a ghost hunter to return you to the other side.”

She cracked up laughing. “I’d scare him so bad, he’d be running from here faster than that crazy horse your brother owns.”

Cody had purchased a racehorse. Instead of fast cars, now he was into fast animals.

She smirked, settling herself on the railing as though it were a throne. “Fine, fine. Let’s get to the point, shall we? You’re sulking. Again. What’s it this time? Taylor? Liam? The fact that you’re scared of your own shadow?”

Caleb bristled, standing abruptly and pacing the porch. “I’m not scared of anything,” he snapped.

“Really?” Eugenia arched a ghostly brow. “Because from where I’m sitting—or floating—you’re terrified.”

“I bought her a damn engagement ring,” Caleb muttered, the words bitter as they left his mouth. His voice sounded loud, even to his ears, cutting through the quiet of the evening.

He dragged a hand through his hair, pacing the porch length. The ring sat heavy in his pocket, a cruel reminder of what he’d been ready to do just days ago. He’d imagined everything—the words he would say, how she’d look at him, the future they could have built together.

Now, that future felt like a cruel joke.

“I was going to ask her to marry me,” he said again, his voice raw with frustration. Saying it out loud only sharpened his loss, the weight of his failure pressing down on him like a boulder.

“What happened?” Eugenia’s voice was softer than usual, her wide eyes scanning his face as if searching for clues. For once, her usual smirk and smartass commentary were nowhere to be found.

Caleb let out a sharp breath, his hands gripping the railing tightly. “She got a job offer,” he said, his voice low.

Eugenia tilted her head, waiting, sensing there was more.

“In Chicago,” he added after a pause, the word landing like a weight in the air.

"Chicago?" Eugenia's ghostly voice echoed in the night air, dripping with exaggerated incredulity. She floated closer, her hands on her translucent hips, fixing Caleb with a pointed look. "The last time I heard about Chicago, it was just some growing city on a big ol' body of water. You mean to tell me people live there now?"

Caleb rolled his eyes, already bracing for whatever was coming next. "Yeah, Eugenia, it’s a real city. Big buildings, lots of people, even a few decent pizza joints. Welcome to the twenty-first century."

She huffed, her expression unimpressed. "Well, I’ll be. I don’t see why anyone would live so far north when there’s perfectly good ranch land right here in Texas. People these days—always chasing shiny things."

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