taken to build up his own body.
Levi expected Callie to try and strike up another conversation. Normal people talked over dinner. But, apparently, she’d figured out that he preferred to be left to his own thoughts because she didn’t say anything. Only the click of their utensils and an occasional “Would you like some more iced tea?” broke the silence.
“That was the best,” he said when he’d finished.
She’d already gotten up and gone to the sink. Apparently, she hadn’t expected him to say even that much. “Thank you.”
When he didn’t leave, she cast a glance over her shoulder. “Feel free to go out and get some sleep.”
He was on his own? That easily?
At first, Levi felt relieved that she demanded so little. He was tired and sore, and he had a terrible headache. But he couldn’t walk out without doing something to show his gratitude. Where would he be without her? His wounds had been stitched up, he had his bike, he had a full belly and a bed for the night. That was a lot to accept without giving in return. He hadn’t even been good company.
He hadn’t been good company to anyone for a long time....
“Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked.
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
The setting sun cast shadows across the kitchen; she hadn’t yet turned on the lights. “I’d like to repay you in some way, if I could.”
“Painting the barn’s enough.”
He gathered up their glasses and silverware. He could at least do the dishes. She was looking pretty tired. When she thought he wasn’t paying attention, she’d lean on the counter or hang her head as if she needed to regain her breath.
“I’ll do it,” she said, taking what he held. “It’s not a big job. And you haven’t had much sleep, considering what happened last night.”
He couldn’t quite figure out why she was going so easy on him, why she was allowing him to stay. “You’re sure?”
She smiled. “Positive.”
For a second, he wondered if something more than fatigue could be wrong with her, but then he decided it was the odd lighting that made her look so pale.
“Okay.” He left the dishes to her but didn’t go directly to the barn. He went into her bathroom so he could wipe up the mess he’d made there last night when he was bleeding. He’d been meaning to do it all day, but he’d been too drugged with whatever sleeping pills the vet had given him while stitching him up. Then he’d met Kyle, slept while they went looking for his bike because he could hardly stand, gone with Callie himself and, when they returned, started tinkering with his engine. Now he saw that it was too late. She’d already cleaned up.
The shower curtain he’d pulled down had been washed and was neatly folded on the back of the toilet. He must’ve bent the rod, since it was gone.
Making a mental note to see about fixing what he’d broken—so he wouldn’t leave her any worse off than he’d found her—he headed out. But the place suddenly seemed too quiet. He glanced toward the kitchen to see why he couldn’t hear Callie doing dishes anymore and spotted her through the doorway.
It looked as if she was clutching the edge of the table so she wouldn’t topple over.
The creak of the floor must’ve given away his approach. She straightened and turned. “You’re still here?”
He ignored the question. “Are you okay?”
“Of course!” She pressed a hand to her stomach. “I just...ate too much and...it gave me a cramp.”
Not entirely convinced, he waited to see if she’d venture another explanation. What she’d said so far didn’t quite match what he saw in her face. But when she left it at that, he could only accept her response. He couldn’t see why she’d have any reason to lie, but he also couldn’t see how whatever pain she felt could be related to too much food. From what he could remember, she hadn’t eaten anything.
* * *
Rifle woke Callie for the second night in a row. Nerves jangled, she
Levi expected Callie to try and strike up another conversation. Normal people talked over dinner. But, apparently, she’d figured out that he preferred to be left to his own thoughts because she didn’t say anything. Only the click of their utensils and an occasional “Would you like some more iced tea?” broke the silence.
“That was the best,” he said when he’d finished.
She’d already gotten up and gone to the sink. Apparently, she hadn’t expected him to say even that much. “Thank you.”
When he didn’t leave, she cast a glance over her shoulder. “Feel free to go out and get some sleep.”
He was on his own? That easily?
At first, Levi felt relieved that she demanded so little. He was tired and sore, and he had a terrible headache. But he couldn’t walk out without doing something to show his gratitude. Where would he be without her? His wounds had been stitched up, he had his bike, he had a full belly and a bed for the night. That was a lot to accept without giving in return. He hadn’t even been good company.
He hadn’t been good company to anyone for a long time....
“Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked.
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
The setting sun cast shadows across the kitchen; she hadn’t yet turned on the lights. “I’d like to repay you in some way, if I could.”
“Painting the barn’s enough.”
He gathered up their glasses and silverware. He could at least do the dishes. She was looking pretty tired. When she thought he wasn’t paying attention, she’d lean on the counter or hang her head as if she needed to regain her breath.
“I’ll do it,” she said, taking what he held. “It’s not a big job. And you haven’t had much sleep, considering what happened last night.”
He couldn’t quite figure out why she was going so easy on him, why she was allowing him to stay. “You’re sure?”
She smiled. “Positive.”
For a second, he wondered if something more than fatigue could be wrong with her, but then he decided it was the odd lighting that made her look so pale.
“Okay.” He left the dishes to her but didn’t go directly to the barn. He went into her bathroom so he could wipe up the mess he’d made there last night when he was bleeding. He’d been meaning to do it all day, but he’d been too drugged with whatever sleeping pills the vet had given him while stitching him up. Then he’d met Kyle, slept while they went looking for his bike because he could hardly stand, gone with Callie himself and, when they returned, started tinkering with his engine. Now he saw that it was too late. She’d already cleaned up.
The shower curtain he’d pulled down had been washed and was neatly folded on the back of the toilet. He must’ve bent the rod, since it was gone.
Making a mental note to see about fixing what he’d broken—so he wouldn’t leave her any worse off than he’d found her—he headed out. But the place suddenly seemed too quiet. He glanced toward the kitchen to see why he couldn’t hear Callie doing dishes anymore and spotted her through the doorway.
It looked as if she was clutching the edge of the table so she wouldn’t topple over.
The creak of the floor must’ve given away his approach. She straightened and turned. “You’re still here?”
He ignored the question. “Are you okay?”
“Of course!” She pressed a hand to her stomach. “I just...ate too much and...it gave me a cramp.”
Not entirely convinced, he waited to see if she’d venture another explanation. What she’d said so far didn’t quite match what he saw in her face. But when she left it at that, he could only accept her response. He couldn’t see why she’d have any reason to lie, but he also couldn’t see how whatever pain she felt could be related to too much food. From what he could remember, she hadn’t eaten anything.
* * *
Rifle woke Callie for the second night in a row. Nerves jangled, she
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