ice. Was this the real man she was seeing? The real Calvin underneath all the jokes and kidding? A man who could let anger overcome him, reducing everyone around to silence?
Lucy blinked as the driver said something and turned away. Then practically dropped her jaw when Calvin stepped forward and argued again.
Even from her distance, Lucy saw that Calvin was in the man’s space. Standing so close that the man had no choice but to listen. Just like Paul used to do to her.
Though Calvin wasn’t touching the man, Lucy recalled Paul gripping her shoulder, his fingers digging into the soft muscles of her shoulder.
Calvin wasn’t actually yelling at the driver, but Lucy could almost hear Paul yelling at her. Saying such awful things that her ears would ring.
“Lucy, your hand’s all clammy.”
“Sorry.” Pulling her hand away, she wiped her palm on the skirt of her dress, then placed both hands protectively on Katie’s shoulders.
Tears pricked her eyes as she pushed the awful memories away. Forced herself to look toward Calvin, hoping that he had turned back into the calm, patient, fun-filled man she’d gotten to know that day. The man she’d started to believe in.
But that man had vanished, right before her eyes.
Calvin’s voice became more harsh. Lucy noticed his hands were balled into fists at his sides. Then, when the man started to walk away, Calvin grabbed his shoulder.
Against her will, she flinched. “Oh, this is terrible,” she murmured.
When she gripped her apron with both hands, Katie used the freedom to rush forward.
“Katie? Katie, come back!” Lucy called out.
“I’ll be fine. Calvin needs me,” she said as she weaved her way through the people, then stopped at his side.
Lucy held her breath, half waiting for Calvin to turn on his sister. But he didn’t. Instead, he took her hand in his and kept talking.
But Lucy had seen enough.
Unable to stand there another minute, she crossed to the opposite corner of the intersection and scurried down the sidewalk, taking care to keep her head down and to look away from the small crowd around Calvin.
Picking up her pace, she practically raced the last two blocks to the train terminal and burst through the doors. A few people looked up at her arrival, but then turned away.
Thankful for some peace at last, she slowly walked to the electronic board showing the train schedule. Noticing that her train was still due to leave at five, Lucy looked for the quietest, most out-of-the-way spot that she could find.
She would sit there and wait. Wait for the train to come, so she could board and get to Cleveland. And while she waited, she made a vow right then and there to never think the best of Calvin Weaver ever again. She had seen his true colors.
Chapter 9
“You did the best you could,” a man nearby told Calvin as he and Katie were about to walk away from the horrible driver and his rig.
“Not enough, obviously,” Calvin replied, filled with regret. When Katie sidled up closer to him, he reached out and gently rubbed her arm. “Tomorrow, that poor horse will be walking the same streets, in pain.”
“Maybe, or maybe not. A lot of people around us heard what you had to say,” the man said thoughtfully. “A couple of people even told me they were going to make some calls to the animal welfare league.”
“I’ll pray that something gets done, then. I feel bad for losin’ my temper, but I hate to see any animal getting abused. It ain’t right. That poor mare’s knee was terribly swollen.” He swallowed hard.
“She was near starving, too.”
“That driver didn’t even look like he cared. All he seemed worried about was if he could drive that poor horse another four hours.” The waste of such a fine animal made his heart sink.
“Something will get done, sooner or later. We’ll all make some calls, and who knows—maybe that guy heard you after all and will get the horse some treatment.”
“I can only pray that he did,” Calvin said fervently.
After another awkward look of sympathy, the man left, leaving Calvin alone with Katie. Bending so they were eye level, he searched his little sister’s gaze. “I hope I didn’t scare you. It’s just that, well, I felt terribly sorry for that horse.”
“I felt badly for it, too,” Katie whispered. “We’re much nicer to Beauty.”
Pressing his lips to her brow, he smiled. “You’re right. Compared to that mare, our Beauty is a right lucky horse.” Straightening, he held out his