Page 47 of Lavender and Lightning

“I’d prefer if you rode in the backseat, you know,” he goes on.

I chew my lower lip. “I-I need to be up front.”

Ever since the accident, not being able to see the road properly has become one of my triggers. I’ve tried riding in the back with Mateo and Lucas before, and it only ended with me in a panic attack. I haven’t been able to work myself up to driving, but being able to be in a car at all feels like victory enough for the time being.

Caleb glances at me out of the corner of his eye before turning back to the road. I notice then how smooth his turns are, how vigilant he is to everything going on. He looks in the mirrors nearly as often as I do, constantly on guard.

“Your file said you’d been in an accident, and I saw the newspaper write up about it. Did they ever figure out how the guy didn’t see you?” Caleb asks, genuine curiosity shining in his voice.

I swallow and shake my head. “He was DOA, I guess. Alexandra—Ms. St. Clair has her team trying to figure out where he came from. The traffic cam footage is a dead end. Just him sitting parked on a neighborhood street for an hour before taking off and…”

I trail off, feeling sweat slide down my spine. I tuck my hands under my thighs, digging my nails into the backs to help focus on something other than sounds of the engine, and my own heartbeat.

“When I was overseas, my convoy hit an IED, and it flipped my squad’s Humvee. I couldn’t stand being inside enclosed spaces for months. So if you need to ride up front, then that’s fine.”

As we come to a smooth stop at a traffic light, I look up at him, finding him smiling down at me. The expression helps me relax, and I sink back into the seat, watching out of the windows in silence for the rest of the ride to Wila’s. I direct him to park in the back in my usual spot, finishing the rest of my coffee in one long pull. Caleb climbs out and rounds the car, opening my door before I even get my seat belt unfastened. I smile shyly as I slide to the ground, my shoes crunching on the loose stones of the worn pavement. Up close, his wood and cookie scent is stronger, and I try not to lean in. There’s something about that combination that just makes me want to be closer and bask in it, but I have to remind myself that he’s bonded and that would be wildly inappropriate. I scurry away before I can give in to my weird impulse, Caleb hot on my heels.

When I open the back door, the usual classic rock radio station fills the air, and I sigh. My life might be in total upheaval, but some things never change. I hang up my bag and slip on my apron before moving into the workroom. Wila is bent over a table, counting out the boxes from our most recent delivery.

“I finally have all of my limbs again, Gran,” I announce proudly.

“Good. Just in time for—hello, who is that?”

Wila turns and then stops short, looking over my shoulder. I turn to find Caleb standing within arm’s reach, looking around and taking everything in with a serious expression.

“Gran, this is Caleb, my new bodyguard? Is that what I call you?” I say, turning my statement into a question.

Caleb nods. “You can call me your detail, if you prefer.”

“Is he going to be with you all the time?” Wila asks, drawing my attention back to her.

I shrug. “I think so. At least until this whole situation with Seth goes away.”

“Well, then. We’ve got work to do. This all needs to be unpacked and put up in the cooler, so get going on that while I get the front of the store opened,” Wila orders, straightening her shoulders and starting toward the door. “And don’t you go lifting anything crazy. I don’t need you out of commission again. So you help her if she needs it, boy.”

My jaw drops a little as Wila turns her fierce gaze onto Caleb, who looks just about as taken aback as I feel. Wila’s no-nonsense attitude shouldn’t be such a shock at this point, but she just met Caleb, and she’s already treating him like an employee. Neither Caleb nor I have time to object as Wila storms from the room, rounding the corner to the back stairwell where, moments later, a string of particularly colorful curses and threats are shouted at Gabby. Caleb looks back to me, and I can only shrug before unboxing the deliveries.

About a half hour later, I hear footsteps on the stairs a moment before Caleb. He’s been standing close to me, careful not to get in my way as I move between the main worktable and the cooler. The telltale cloud of Gabby’s scent floats in and I smile to myself, continuing to work. But Caleb moves to put himself between me and the open doorway to the hall.

“Oh, no. That’s not—”

“Babe, if Gran gets any grouchier, I’m going to put her ass in a ho—HOLY SHIT! Who the fuck are you?”

Gabby stops mid-step as she rounds the corner into the workroom, jumping nearly a foot as she catches sight of Caleb. He relaxes slightly as he realizes that there isn’t a threat. I swallow a laugh as the two stare at each other, Gabby frozen in shock, Caleb assessing.

“Gabby, this is Caleb. Caleb, Gabby,” I say, thankful that my voice is steady.

“Wasn’t expecting your muscle to be so…” Gabby trails off as she edges around him toward me. Caleb turns to scan the parking lot through the windows, but I swear I see a hint of color on his cheeks.

“He’s not my muscle,” I scoff, rolling my eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Your security officer,” Gabby replies with over-exaggerated bravado.

We share a laugh before she perches on the workbench along the wall, pulling one of her legs up to rest her cheek against it, catching a few more moments of dozing before we open. We chat a little, gossiping about our regulars, teasing each other, and it’s so easy to fall into the routine of my workday that I all but forget that Caleb is even there. Wila, however, doesn’t forget that she has another set of hands in the shop, and through sheer force of will, has him helping with restocking. Even though I’m sure that acting as an unpaid employee of Grandmother Wila’s is outside of his job description, Caleb still complies and doesn’t complain. We don’t see any of Seth’s groupies all day, and by the time we head home, I can’t help the optimistic feeling in my gut. It’s nice to know that someone is watching my back, but it’s also nice to not need the backup. Maybe I wouldn’t need Caleb for much longer.

twenty

Rhett

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