That made my mind up for me. If Ethan hadn’t wanted to deal with my problems, he never would have said that to me.
I climbed out of my car and walked to his front door. I knocked timidly, suddenly worried that I had shown up at a bad time.
Before I could worry for too long, the door swung open, and there he stood.
Ethan gave me a confused look before stepping out onto his porch. “Caley, what’s wrong?” he asked, his voice guarded.
“You told me to come to you if I ever needed to get away, so here I am.” I paused. “I hope it’s okay for me to be here. Maybe I should have called or something first.”
He shook his head. “No, it’s fine. I just finished eating dinner.” He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. “And I was headed outside to smoke when I heard you knock.”
“So, I’m not interrupting any plans or anything?” I asked.
He offered me the pack. I took a cigarette from him and allowed him to light it for me.
He lit his own and blew the smoke upward. “Nah, just another boring evening.”
He sat down on his steps, and I joined him. We sat in silence for a few minutes, both of us puffing on our cigarettes.
“So, what did he do?” Ethan asked finally, clearly picking up on my irritable mood. Maybe it was the way I was glaring at my cigarette that gave it away.
“He accepted an offer from his work without asking me. They’re transferring all their guys to an out-of-state site during the week. I shouldn’t be mad, but I am. If he hadn’t agreed to working out of state, they would have been forced to let him go.”
“So, why are you angry with him then?”
“Because he didn’t even ask me first. Even though it’s not his fault, I’m still pissed over the fact that he’ll be gone all week. Amelia won’t see him. He won’t be around to help me with her at all. She’s going to be upset once she realizes he’s gone all the time.”
He was silent for a moment, a wary look on his face. “I hate to say this, but I’m going to have to take his side on this one. I mean, it’s not his fault that they forced him to decide between not having a job or being away from home. He’s doing what he has to do to support his family.”
I glared at him for a moment before sighing. “I hate when you’re right. I hate it even more when you’re in agreement with him. I thought you were on my side.”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’m on your side. I just felt the need to point out the logic of his decision.”
“Logic sucks,” I grumbled. “Our relationship is awful to begin with. What does he expect to happen if he’s never around? It certainly won’t get better. In fact, it’ll make things ten times worse. I’ve fought so hard to stay with him because of Amelia. She needs her dad in her life. She deserves to see us together. He’s taking that away from her.”
When Ethan didn’t reply, I looked over at him. “Well?”
“I don’t really know what to say to that, Caley. All I can tell you is that no matter what happens between you and Joey, Amelia will be happy as she grows up. It won’t matter if you’re with Joey or not. She’ll know she has two parents who love her very much.”
I shook my head but didn’t say anything. Ethan didn’t understand. He wasn’t a parent. I’d watched some of my friends struggle with their parents’ divorces in school. If the divorce itself hadn’t obliterated them, then the constant bickering and being forced to choose between parents did. I didn’t want that for Amelia.
“Are you nervous?” I asked, suddenly changing the subject. “About tomorrow, I mean. Meeting my dad and getting everything squared away.”
Ethan shrugged. “Not really. I’m too thankful over the fact that I’ll have more money coming in, so I’m not worried about anything else.”
“I think you’re going to like working at the shop. The guys are really down-to-earth. Don’t get me wrong. My dad makes sure they stay busy, but overall, it’s a good place to work. Plus, you’ll get to see my smiling face pretty much every single day.”
He frowned. “Since you’re the boss’s daughter, does that make you my boss?”
I laughed. “No, definitely not. I just work there. I have no desire to be anyone’s boss.”
“Good. I’d hate to take orders from a woman,” he said with a serious face.
My mouth dropped open in surprise at his remark.
Before I could respond, he cracked a grin. “I’m just screwing with you. Calm down before you have a stroke.”
I leaned over and smacked his arm hard. “You’re an ass. Just for that, I’ll be the biggest pain in the ass while you’re working there.”
“Sure ya will,” he said. His phone chirped in his pocket, and he pulled it out. The grin slid from his face as he read the message on the screen. He glanced over at me before quickly looking away.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Nothing.” He shoved his phone back into his pocket.
“Ethan, come on. I constantly drop all my problems on you. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong exactly. It’s just…she texted me. She wants to hang out tonight.”
“She?” Then, it hit me. “Oh, she—the girl.”
“Yeah,” he said.
“Well, are you going to text her back?”
He shook his head. “Nah.”
“Why not? Because I’m here, complaining about my sad little life, like always?” I said, suddenly annoyed with myself. I was also annoyed with the girl even though I had no reason to be. “That’s crap, Ethan. Text her back. I need to go home anyway.”
“You don’t have to leave,” he said as I stood.
“Yes, I do. You have your own life to live. You don’t need to be constantly caught up in mine. Besides, I got away for a while. I feel better now.”
He hesitated. “Are you sure? Seriously, it’s no big deal if you want to stay.”
“Nah, I’m good.” I walked over to my car. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Yeah, tomorrow,” he said.
I opened my door and climbed in. He was still standing on his porch, watching me, when I pulled away. I closed my eyes for a brief moment before opening them again and continuing down the road. I refused to hold Ethan back. He deserved better than that.
I clocked out and headed to the restroom to change out of my filthy uniform. Once I was in a decent pair of jeans and a plain black shirt, I tossed my soiled work clothes into my backpack and headed outside.
I waved at a few of the guys as I walked past the shop and headed to my car. I kept my pace slow and steady, but inside, I was nervous. It wasn’t just because I would be meeting with my new boss for the first time. It wasn’t even because I was running behind. No, it was because of her. I would be seeing her soon, and after today, I would be seeing her on pretty much every fucking day for the foreseeable future.
After these last few weeks, I should’ve been used to seeing her. It seemed that I was the first person she would run to when things got hard. I didn’t mind, not at all. I relished the fact that I could calm her troubled mind and ease her sorrows even if it was only for a few minutes. It made me feel as if I was taking care of her, protecting her, even though I knew that was a lie. I couldn’t protect her from the life she had chosen, the man she had married.
Married. God, I was a fool.
I’d kept stepping deeper and deeper into her life even though I knew it was wrong.
The way I felt about her was wrong. She wasn’t mine, nor would she ever be. I could see it in her eyes every single time she looked at me. There was no way she would leave her husband. She despised him, but she wouldn’t do it. In her mind, leaving him meant ruining her daughter’s life. I couldn’t grasp how she’d come to that conclusion, but I had never truly asked for an explanation for her reasoning. I didn’t deserve one. She had no reason to explain her choices to me.
I never should have agreed to take this job at her father’s shop, knowing that I would constantly be around her now. I co
uld handle the small periods of time when she was near because it would usually be days before I saw her again, giving me time to regroup and remind myself that, no matter what I felt, it didn’t matter. It couldn’t matter.
But it did. I was falling in love with Caley, and I hated myself for that. The fact that she was married should have instantly shut down any feelings I had, but that definitely hadn’t happened. To make it worse, I knew how miserable she was in her marriage. Joey, the fucking asshole that he was, made her miserable on a daily basis.
I wanted to tell her that someone better was out there, someone who would really take care of her. I wanted her to know that her life could be so much more, but I’d kept my mouth shut. If I told her that, she’d laugh in my face, unable to believe that a man could care for her. I would never understand why she thought so little of herself.
When I’d first met her, I’d barely paid attention to her. I’d been wrapped up in my girlfriend at the time, Andrea. My mind had been too focused on her to notice anything else. Then, I’d started to notice Caley. She had been quiet most of the time, but when she opened her mouth, I always found myself laughing. Her smile had made me smile. When I’d stopped and really looked at her for the first time, I’d wondered how I could have missed how pretty she was.
Her face was round, her skin blemish-free. Her nose was cute, upturned at the very end. Her green eyes shone brightly, especially when she was excited. Her lips were full, almost too full to be real. I had caught myself staring at them more times than I could count. Her brown hair was smooth and hung around her shoulders, shielding her face a lot of the time, almost as if she were afraid of someone really seeing her.
By the time Andrea had been finished with me, I’d considered Caley a friend. I’d expected her to continue to be my friend even though we no longer sat together at lunch, laughing and joking. Instead, she’d all but ignored me. The only time she would even glance in my direction was when we passed by each other in the halls. She’d give me a tiny smile but would never stop to speak with me. I’d assumed she no longer wanted anything to do with me, so I hadn’t bothered with trying to keep our friendship going.
So, imagine my surprise when she’d randomly messaged me one night, years after the last time we’d spoken. In only a few texts, I’d realized the girl I’d once known was no longer there. The new Caley was broken and just plain sad. There was no joy left in her. Joey had taken that and so much more from her.
I’d never expected her to keep talking to me or that we’d once again become friends, and I’d certainly never thought I’d start to feel the way I did about her now.
I’d never cared about any woman. Hell, I wasn’t old enough to care about any of them, but I cared for Caley in a way that scared me. I wanted to put the smile back on her face. I wanted to be the one who gave her a reason to be happy again.
It didn’t help that time had only increased my attraction to her. Now, she was more beautiful than ever before. Her body had filled out in places that drove me crazy at times. I knew she thought she was fat after having Amelia, but I disagreed. Curves were beautiful on a woman, especially one who looked like her.
I forced my mind away from Caley’s curves as I pulled up in front of her dad’s shop. I knew there was no other way to put it than to say I was screwed.
I climbed out of my car and stared at the building across the lot. It was simple enough—a gray block building with a regular-sized front door on the right side. Display windows were on each side of the door, showcasing tires and rims. Next to the left window were two large garage doors.
I liked it already. It wasn’t flashy. It seemed that some shops tried to make their store pretty instead of actually doing what they were supposed to do—repair vehicles. I preferred a less flashy entrance myself, but that was just my opinion. What did I know about business? Nothing.
I walked to the front door and stepped inside to the small showroom. They had displays of oils, filters, wiper blades, and several other basic items. A counter was set off to the right with a computer sitting on top of it.
“I’ll be right with you!” a voice called from a doorway behind the counter.
Instantly, I knew it was Caley. I’d know her voice anywhere. I had all of two seconds to wipe any and all emotion off my face before she suddenly appeared from the doorway and stood behind the counter.
“Oh, hey!” she greeted me.
“Hey. Sorry I’m a few minutes late,” I said.
“I didn’t even realize it was time for you to show up yet. Come on back. I’ll take you to my dad’s office.”
She lifted a portion of the counter, so I could walk through, and then she shut it behind me. I followed her through the doorway and into a parts room. I looked around, taking note of everything they had, as she led me to a doorway in the back. She knocked once before opening the door and stepping inside. I followed her into what was apparently her father’s office.
The room was on the smallish side. A row of filing cabinets sat against the wall to my left. To the right was a table covered in mail and other papers. A wooden desk sat a few feet away from us. It was also covered in papers along with a computer.
Caley’s father sat behind the desk. I could tell he was a tall man even though he was sitting down. He was built like an ox. His hair had started to turn gray, but otherwise, he looked fairly young for someone who had a grown daughter of his own.
“Dad, Ethan’s here to see you,” Caley said. “Ethan, this is my dad, Ben.”
I walked over to the desk and held out my hand. He took it in his.
“It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“You, too, Ethan. Why don’t you have a seat?”
I sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk.
“I’ll leave you guys to it then. If you need me, just give me a shout,” Caley said. She gave me a reassuring smile and patted my shoulder before turning and leaving the office.
Once the door closed behind her, Ben spoke, “I need you to fill out these forms. Bring them back with you tomorrow when you start your first shift.”
“I’m starting tomorrow?” I asked, surprised.
I had assumed I wouldn’t start for a few days. After all, Caley had just asked him yesterday about giving me a job.
“Of course. That won’t be a problem, will it?” he asked.
“No, not at all.” I took the file folder out of his hand and rested it on my lap.
Ben studied me for a few moments, sizing me up. I stayed still even though I wanted to shift in my seat, uncomfortable with his attention.
“I’ll have the guys show you the ropes tomorrow when you come in. Ted is our lead tech, and he’s in charge of the shop. If you have any questions or problems, talk to him. If he can’t help you, come see me.”
“Okay.”
“We’ll start you out with simple repairs and tune-ups. It’ll take some of the work off of my guys and show me what you’re capable of.” He paused. “I know you’re friends with Caley, but I want to be clear on one thing. If you’re unable to do your part, I can’t keep you on board. It’s nothing personal, but we have too much to do as it is without trying to teach a new guy basic mechanical skills. I’m giving you a chance because you’re a friend of hers, but the special treatment ends there.”
I grinned, unable to stop myself. Ben seemed surprised at my reaction. He raised an eyebrow in question.
“I assure you, I can do basic repairs and tune-ups with no problems at all. And I don’t expect special treatment. I’m just glad you’re giving me this chance. You won’t regret it,” I said. “And I admire your bluntness. I prefer people to be up front with me rather than tiptoe around stuff.”
He smiled. “Good. Then, it’s settled. I’ll see you tomorrow, Ethan.”
I stood and shook his hand again. “I’ll see you then.”
I left his office and walked back through the parts room. Caley was standing behind the counter, waiting patiently as the printer spit out paper after pa
per.
“Your dad seems like a decent guy. If the shop guys are the same, I think I’ll like it here,” I said as I stopped behind her.
Instead of answering, she shrieked in surprise. The papers she was holding in her hands flew through the air and rained down around us.
“Holy shit, you scared me to death,” she managed to gasp out.
I laughed as I knelt down and scooped up the dropped papers. “I gathered that.”
“Thanks.” She took the papers from me and started sorting them. “I take it that your meeting with my dad went well?”
I nodded. “Like I said, he seems like a decent guy. I start work tomorrow.”
“That’s awesome. You’ll be busy. I can promise you that. We have so much to do.”
“Good. I’d rather be busy than stand around, doing nothing. It makes the time go by faster.” I hesitated for a second. “You okay today? About Joey leaving, I mean.”
She sighed. “Yeah, I’m fine. He’ll be gone by the time I get home, so there won’t be any time to fight over it anymore. I’m just going to have to accept the fact that I’m basically a single mother until his job decides to bring him back or until he finds someplace else to work. I doubt if the latter will happen since he seems content with where he’s at.”
“Maybe space and time apart will help you guys,” I said cautiously.
“I doubt that, but who knows?” She shrugged. “Anyway, I’d better get back to work.”
“Yeah. Right. I’ll see you tomorrow then,” I said. “If you need something tonight, text me, okay?”
“You won’t be busy?” she asked, her voice so soft.
I almost hadn’t heard her words. “What do you mean?”
“I just thought you might be hanging out with that girl again, the one who had texted you last night.” She laughed. It sounded high-pitched. “I don’t even know her name.”
“It’s Danielle,” I said, wishing we were discussing anything but this.
“Danielle—that’s a pretty name,” Caley said. “Anyway, I just assumed you would be hanging out with her tonight.”
Elusive Love Page 6