The Caregiver - By Shelley Shepard Gray Page 0,27
temper.
Calvin adjusted the straps of his orange backpack as they continued the long walk to the baggage claim area. “How will you travel to Jacob’s Crossing?”
“Charlie, Mattie’s English driver, is going to pick me up at seven-thirty.”
He looked at her worriedly. “That’s quite a bit of time from now.”
He was right. But it was how things went. “Not so much.”
“Would you like us to wait with you?”
“Of course not.” Though Lucy knew his concern for her was genuine, it felt confining all of a sudden. She didn’t want to depend on him. “I’ll stay inside, where there’re lots of people,” she said, taking care to keep her voice cool and collected. “Now, what about you?”
Calvin looked embarrassed. “My brothers are on their way.”
“In a buggy?”
“Oh, no. They hired a driver.” He flashed a smile. “I’m half surprised my Uncle John didn’t want to rent a car, but perhaps this is just as easy for now.”
Hearing about their plans made her feel empty. Even though she knew she was doing the right thing, it was still hard. “Well, I wish you well.”
He gripped her shoulder just as she was turning away. “Lucy, stop—”
Her arm felt like it was on fire from his grip. With a shake, she pulled away from him. “Nee. We have . . . We have nothing else to say.”
Stung, Calvin let his hand slowly fall to his side. “You don’t think so? That is a shame.”
His words were sharp. Painful to hear. For a split second, Lucy considered apologizing. Imagined grabbing his hand.
“Goodbye, Lucy.”
“Goodbye. And . . . and thank you for taking me to the zoo. I liked it very much.”
He frowned. “Perhaps I’ll see you in Jacob’s Crossing.”
“Yes. I’m sure I’ll see you there.” Yes, no matter how much she might be tempted to give in, she needed to remind herself not to count on him. Not to forget how happy she’d once been with Paul. How he, too, had once pulled her in with an easy smile and shining eyes.
“All right, then,” he said, but still, he looked unhappy. “Will you ever try to understand my point of view?”
“About the driver and the horse?”
He nodded.
She wanted to say she would. More than anything, she wanted to put all her fears behind her. But what would that mean?
Most likely that she hadn’t learned a single thing from living with Paul.
She was tempted. A big part of her wanted to listen to him and believe him, and think he would never yell or get angry again.
But she’d already done that. Far too often, she’d listened to Paul’s excuses. She’d believed his promises about changing. But of course, he never did.
She cleared her throat. “I know your temper just got the best of you.”
A line formed between his brows. “Lucy, I promise, I’m not usually like that.”
Paul had said that so often. That he hadn’t meant to yell at her; that she just made him lose his temper. That he hadn’t meant to break her arm. Or bruise her face. That she’d been so difficult.
And lazy.
Or ungrateful.
With effort, she tried to clear her head of the memories and move forward. “So . . . will both Loyal and Graham come for you?”
“I would be surprised if both didn’t come. It’s like them to do something like that, I think. One of us gets an idea, then the other two want a part in it. It used to drive my parents to distraction.”
“I bet it did,” Lucy said with a smile, in spite of her vow to stay aloof.
Before Calvin could reply, Katie interrupted. “I miss my brothers.”
With relief, Lucy bent to face the little girl. “I’m sure you do,” Lucy said. “And I’m sure they miss you!”
Katie tilted her head. “Will we see you in Jacob’s Crossing?”
Looking Calvin’s way again, she shrugged. “Perhaps.”
“I hope so.”
Calvin opened his mouth, then seemed to think the better of it and closed it again. Instead, he curved a hand around Katie’s shoulder just as John approached.
“Best of luck to you, Lucy,” John said.
“And you as well.”
He grinned, rocking back on his heels. “Thank you. I’m going to need it. I have a feeling it’s hard to start over again.”
Beyond them, under the bright orange-yellow glow of the fluorescent lights, people were gathering and already pulling their bags off the cart. And Lucy knew she’d stalled long enough. It was time to go. Time to put this meeting, this chance relationship, back to where it was intended to be. In the past.