Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107803 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
I nodded. “It’s sweet of you to do this for her.”
He shrugged. “Don’t get too sappy about it, because with you showing up today, you’ve pretty much volunteered yourself to do it again next year.”
I chuckled. “I don’t mind at all. I adore Mrs. Harper, and it feels good to help out people in the community I’ve fallen in love with.”
Something moved across his face, but with the darkness of the attic, I couldn’t really read what it was.
“Did you do volunteer work where you grew up?” he asked, when the silence became awkward.
“Oh yeah. My mom and dad were big supporters of the community. I can remember being as young as eight and helping on Thanksgiving Day at the church in our neighborhood. My first-ever job there was putting a scoop of mashed potatoes onto the plates of the unhoused people who would come to eat.”
A soft smile played across his face. “It’s great that your parents taught you about volunteering at an early age. Mine did as well.”
I stood and did a three-sixty turn. “So…there’s nothing left to bring down then?”
He shook his head. “No. I’m going to head out and get the trees. If you can stay here and make sure she doesn’t climb any ladders or anything, I’d appreciate it. Unless you have to leave.”
Shaking my head, I replied, “I don’t have anywhere to be.”
When he didn’t say anything else, I started toward the attic door.
“Lilibeth?”
I glanced over my shoulder. “Yes?”
“Why did you leave this morning without telling me?”
I frowned. “Like I said earlier, you said you wanted me out of your house, Caden. So, I called Ensley and asked her to pick me up. Just doing what I was told.”
His hand went to the back of his neck and he rubbed, as if it was aching him. “I’m sorry about that. It’s just… I don’t like talking about my past, or about…” His voice trailed off.
I shook my head. “It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have been snooping into your life.”
When he didn’t say anything else, I turned and walked down the steps and out of the attic. The urge to turn around, run back up the stairs, and tell him he deserved someone who would love and cherish him was so strong, but I ignored it.
Caden Wilde was a broken man, and I clearly wasn’t the person to help heal him, no matter how much I wanted to be.
Caden
I sat on my horse, Draco, and stared out toward the west. A storm was moving in, and I’d ridden out to make sure none of the cattle were left in the west pasture. If they were, without me spurring them on, they wouldn’t be able to get to the barn or any other shelter spots.
The sky was getting darker by the minute, and I couldn’t help but think that it matched my mood. Which wasn’t anything new, but the last week, my mood had been even worse than normal…ever since Lilibeth had walked out of my house without a word.
Then to see her at Mrs. Harper’s… It gave me a glimpse at another side of Lilibeth I’d never wanted to see. She cared deeply for people. Whereas Rachel had been the polar opposite. I used to beg her to go with me to Mrs. Harper’s to visit, and she could never be bothered. Couldn’t fathom spending even an hour of her free time with “some old woman.”
How I hadn’t seen that as a red flag, I’ll never know.
The sound of someone riding up from behind caused me to turn and look.
“How long are you going to sit here and look out at nothing?”
“What are you doing out here, Ensley?”
She smiled. “Dad asked me to make sure you were okay, since you’ve been gone longer than he thought you should be.”
I smiled.
“Looks like this storm’s going to be worse than they first thought.”
“Dad does realize I’m all grown up now?”
Shrugging, she replied, “Honestly, you have been gone for a bit, Caden. The only reason I knew where to find you was because Walter told me you were riding out to check the west pasture, and I knew this was the best spot.”
I let out a soft chuckle. Ensley was probably the only person who knew me better than I knew myself.
“Want to talk?”
With a shake of my head, I said, “Not really.”
She sighed, and her horse, Kamaria, stomped her foot. I swore those two were connected. She fed off of Ensley’s mood.
“You know it’s okay if you like her, right?”
I glanced at the paint that was bobbing her head, as if impatient to stand here. Or she knew the storm was coming and wanted to be back in her warm stall. It was probably a bit of both.
“Don’t tell me you’re trying to pawn your horse off on me. You and Emeline are the only two who can ride that thing.”