Page 1 of Captured on Film
Dare You
A clatter of knocks on Caleb’s door startled him sothat he nearly lost his balance. Teetering on the next-to-top rung of asix-foot stepladder, he sourly muttered, “Rude.”
He hated ill-mannered people. And inconsiderate behavior.
Staying home was supposed to spare him from such things.
Nessie shot from the plush cushion that took up most of thespace under Caleb’s computer desk and scrabbled on bare planks until she foundpurchase on the Turkish rug. Bouncing as high as she could, her baying drownedout Caleb’s grumbling as he worked his way back to the floor.
The pummeling of his door didn’t cease, only changed tempo.
Couldn’t be a courier. Groceries had been sent up earlier,and he wasn’t anticipating any further deliveries until after the weekend. Butreally, Caleb already knew who it had to be. This wasn’t Nessie’s stranger-dangerbark. And her tail was whipping fast enough to stiffen egg whites.
Doggie bliss on this level only meant one thing.
Caleb grudgingly released all his locks in order to face thegrinning fool whose battered boots were firmly planted in the center of hispristine door mat. Which had been chosen because it didnotsay“welcome.”
“Hey, bro!”
Caleb barely recognized his younger brother. Too much hair.Too much beard. He warily returned the greeting. “Josheb.”
Squatting to rough up Nessie’s fur and tug at her long ears,Josheb laughed. “Wellsomebody’sglad to see me! Aren’tcha, girl?”
That was fair. Caleb wasn’t exactly glad to see his brother.Maybe a little relieved. Josheb was always off on some adventure, usually insome godforsaken off-the-grid thicket of wilderness. Doing things that requiredsurvival training. And surviving in general.
Josheb’s smile had gone lopsided. “Is that for me?”
Caleb glanced at the lightbulb in his hand. “I was in themiddle of something.”
“Need help?” Nodding past him, he cheerfully added, “Heightsare more my thing, right?”
Silently stepping back, Caleb invited his brother insidewith the sweep of an arm.
Josheb tossed a mammoth duffle through the door first. Itlanded with aclang. He eyed Caleb critically. “You stopped growing.”
“Lose the boots.”
With the glint of challenge in his blue eyes, Josheb ditchedthe footwear and stood tall. Preening. As if a couple of inches mattered in thelong run. Competitive much?
Caleb shut the door but hesitated over the locks. MaybeJosheb wasn’t staying?
His brother was already halfway up the ladder, handoutstretched. Deciding to let the idiot put his extra inches to good use, Calebpassed along the lightbulb.
Completely at ease at the tippy-top, Josheb screwed it backin place.
“I need the one next to it,” said Caleb.
Josheb extracted it and held it up to the nearby skylight. “Idon’t think this one’s burnt out.”
“Neither was the last one.”
That earned him a stare. Josheb finally asked, “What? Yourotate them like tires, or something?”
Caleb produced the microfiber cloth tucked in his backpocket. “They don’t need to be changed out. I’m dusting them.”
Josheb looked around Caleb’s apartment like he was seeing itfor the first time. “You’ve got nothing better to do than dust lightbulbs?”
“I have a maintenance schedule,” he retorted stiffly. Itwasn’t like his loft needed a lot of upkeep, but he was diligent, even withdetails. Changing the subject, he asked, “What are you doing here?”
