“Cal? Who’s on the phone?” mumbled Twiggy in a sleepy voice.
“No one,” he said quickly, getting out of bed.
“Was that a woman’s voice I heard?” asked Shelby, starting her whole jealous routine.
“Look, we’ll talk later.”
“When will you be home?”
“Later today. I gotta go.” He clicked off the phone just as Twiggy walked up behind him and slipped her arms around his waist. The baby giggled from the bed as Burrito licked the little girl’s face.
“I had a great time last night,” said Twiggy, sounding so sultry that it about drove him mad. “Maybe we can have a repeat this morning?” Her arms snaked around him with her breasts pressed up against his back. Then he felt her fondling his manhood and he just groaned.
Grabbing her hands, he stopped her, turning on his heel to face her. “No. Not now.”
“What’s the matter?” she asked, with a sexy pout. “You aren’t regretting what we did, are you?” She reached over to the bed and pulled off a blanket, wrapping it around her. He could tell she was starting to feel insecure.
“No, not at all,” he said, taking her chin in one hand and kissing her gently on the lips. “It’s just that –”
The phone in his other hand buzzed, and he glanced over to see it was Shelby again. “Damn it, not now,” he mumbled.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?” asked Twiggy.
“It’s just spam,” he said, hitting the button to stop the call. “Look, I’m going to let the dog out and take a fast shower. Then we really need to hit the road.”
“Do you have another job scheduled?”
“I guess you could say that,” he answered, wondering how he was going to bring Twiggy and the baby home with Shelby there. All hell was probably going to break loose. “Can you take care of the baby this morning?”
“Of course,” she said, looking a little disappointed that they weren’t going to make love again. He was, too, but couldn’t do it before he explained everything to her about Shelby. He had to let Twiggy know he was breaking up with the woman as soon as they got back to the ranch. God, he wished he had done this before they ever made love, but it was too late to worry about that now.
“Thanks,” he said. “I’ll just be a few minutes and then we’ll go.”
“Oh, go to pick up another shipment?” she asked.
“Not yet, although I am waiting for an important call from a potential client that could mean a boatload of money for me.”
“That sounds nice,” she said, reaching out for Maggie. “More money will mean a better life for Maggie. Have you decided what you’re going to do yet?”
“About what?” he asked, pulling open the blackout curtains and opening the door for the dog to go out.
“I’m talking about Maggie’s future,” she said, picking up the baby with a smile, kissing the little girl on the head. “You can’t possibly keep taking her with you on your jobs. A truck isn’t a good place for a baby to live. Besides, you’d need someone along to care for her. You can’t possibly do it yourself while you’re working.”
“No, I don’t suppose I can,” he said, feeling very fidgety right now. Things were changing all too fast. He didn’t even want to think about what to do about Maggie. Not until he took care of the first problem – getting Shelby out of his life. The dog returned and he closed the cab door, heading back to the sleeper compartment, opening the bathroom door. “Twiggy, there’s something I need to talk to you about when we get back on the road,” he told her.
“Really? What is it?” she asked, holding the baby up and doing baby talk, making Maggie giggle. It was so heartwarming that he never wanted it to end.
“We’ll talk. Later,” he said. “Do you want to take the first shower?”
“No, I’m good. I showered last night after you fell asleep.”
“I’ll be quick,” he told her, stepping into the bathroom and closing the door.
For the life of her, Tuesday couldn’t figure out why Cal was acting so odd this morning. She thought everything went great last night, and hoped that he felt the same way. After getting Maggie back, it had seemed to draw them closer together.
She got dressed, changed the baby, and fed Maggie a bottle. All the while, she wondered what Cal wanted to talk to her about. He probably didn’t want to give up trucking, and she couldn’t blame him. This rig was like a home away from home and very comfortable. Then she started to wonder if he was going to ask her to stay on and travel with him to take care of Maggie while he drove his truck.
The thought wasn’t all that unappealing since she loved being with Cal and Maggie. However, she had goals and they pertained to back home in Michigan. She was so close to becoming part-owner of the daycare, and that meant the world to her. Tuesday loved children and wanted to always be around them in one way or another. What if Cal asked her to stay on with him? What if he asked her to marry him? All these thoughts were swarming around in Tuesday’s head when she heard Cal’s phone buzzing again.
“Cal?” she called out. “Your phone is buzzing.”
He didn’t hear her with the water running. She worried he was going to miss that important call he’d mentioned. Putting down the baby, she wandered over to his phone, seeing the name Shelby as the person calling.
“Cal? Is that man’s name Shelby that you’re waiting to talk to about the next job?”
“I can’t hear you, sweetheart. I’ll be right out.”
Deciding she didn’t want him to miss the call, she picked it up and answered for him.
“Hello?” she said into the receiver.
“Where’s Cal?” came a woman’s voice from the other end.
That surprised her, since she thought it would be a man. Then again, Shelby was a unisex name.
“Oh, he’s in the shower but if you’ll just wait a minute, he’ll be right out.”
“Who the hell are you?” the woman snapped.
“I’m – I’m Tuesday Twaggard. I work for Cal. Cal?” she called out, wishing he would hurry.
“I’ll bet you do! And how much is he paying you?”
“Pardon me?” she asked, wondering how this woman knew she worked for Cal.
“To sleep with you,” the woman added, shocking Tuesday by her rudeness. “After all, we both know the kind of ‘work’ you’re doing for him.”
Tuesday was feeling very shaken, and also angry with this crude woman. Still, she didn’t want to be disrespectful, since this could be the client Cal had mentioned with the good paying job. “If you’ll just tell me who exactly you are and leave a message, I’ll have Cal call you right back.”
“You can tell that cheating bastard that I’ve got a big surprise waiting for him at home, and he’s going to get everything he deserves.”
“Excuse me, I don’t understand. At home? Who exactly are you again?”
“I’m Shelby, and we live together, sweetie. You see, I am Cal’s lover, roommate, and girlfriend.” With that, she hung up, leaving Tuesday standing there with the phone to her ear and her mouth hanging wide open.
“Were you saying something, sweetheart?” asked Cal, opening the door, grabbing a towel and wiping his face.
She slowly put down the phone. “You had a phone call, and I thought it might be important so I answered it.”
“Oh, hell, no,” he said, throwing down the towel and grabbing the phone from her, checking to see who called. “Shelby,” he muttered. “Damn it, Twiggy, why did you have to answer my phone?” He threw the phone on the bed and hurriedly dressed. Twiggy walked over and picked up Maggie, not saying a word.
“Well, say something,” he said, sounding panicked.
“Why didn’t you tell me you have a live-in girlfriend?” she asked, sitting on the bed and rocking the baby in her arms. Burrito jumped up on the bed and laid down.
“Look, I was meaning to tell you about Shelby, but was waiting for the right time.”
“Let me give you a hint,” she g
round out. “The right time is before we made love, not afterwards. What am I to you, Cal? Just a nanny and a means to satisfy your sexual urges when you’re not home with your – your lover?”
“Now wait a minute. You have it all wrong,” he said, but Tuesday didn’t want to hear anything more. She put the baby on the bed to crawl around.
“I’m not the one who has it wrong, Cal. That’s you. You can’t play with me the way you do and think it’s all right to treat me this way!”
“Twiggy, sit down and we’ll talk.” He reached out for her, but she pushed him away. She was even too angry to cry right now. “You used me. Again. I thought you’d changed since our high school days when you dated me on a dare. Did someone dare you to bed me, too? Huh? How much were you paid to sleep with me?”
“Stop it, damn it! You have no idea what you’re saying.”
Tuesday continued, not wanting to let him get away with this. “You are a player, Calvin Reeves, and not worthy of having a daughter, especially not Maggie. She deserves someone so much better. Not a man who is going to raise her in a damned truck, hauling her all over the country, hiring one woman after another to take care of her – and sleep with you as well.”
“Oh, God, why is this happening?” he groaned, running a hand over his face.
“It’s happening because you are self-centered and only think about yourself. Stop hurting people to find your own happiness, because it isn’t right.”
“Twiggy, please let me talk.”
“You don’t need to talk, because there is nothing you can possibly say that I want to hear.”
“Listen to me, please.”
“I’m done listening. As soon as we get back to the ranch – or your home – or your brothel or whatever it is, I am leaving and going back to Sweetwater where people are sincere and caring and –”
She was cut off when Cal pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard. She pushed him away and hit him on the chest. “Stop it! Why did you do that?”
“Because I have no other way of shutting you up,” he said, talking loud to be heard over the dog because he started barking like crazy. “Quiet, Burrito!” he commanded.
“Cal, I don’t –” Tuesday stopped in midsentence with her mouth open and her eyes opened wide. “Th – the baby,” she said, pointing, not able to move.
Maggie was on the bed, having somehow crawled atop Burrito. The dog had stood up and the baby was on his back, gripping on to the dog’s hair.
“Maggie!” cried Cal, reaching out and scooping her into his arms, just as she started to slide off.
“Is she all right?” Tuesday ran to him, putting her hand on Maggie’s back.
“Yes, she’s fine.”
“I can’t believe she just did that, Cal,” said Tuesday in shock, forgetting all about why they were fighting. “This baby never ceases to amaze me. She is progressing so quickly.”
“I don’t love Shelby, and I am planning on breaking up with her as soon as I get home,” he blurted out.
“What?” she asked, not quite understanding what was going on.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about her, but I didn’t think it was important.”
“Not important?” Cal watched as Twiggy blinked her eyes, seeing she had already put in her blue contacts. “How could sleeping with me before telling me you had a live-in girlfriend not be important?”
“I never even see her much,” he tried to explain, bouncing the baby in his arms. “We had a one-night stand and she moved in with me and never left.”
“What?”
“I’m telling you the truth, sweetheart.”
“Don’t call me that. I’m not your sweetheart. Shelby is.”
“No, she’s not. That’s just it. I am on the road most of the time and hardly ever home. I rent the place but was thinking of buying it. Actually, Shelby was talking me into it, probably just so she’d have a place to live since she’s too damned lazy to work.”
“What are you saying, Cal?”
“I’m saying I bought this rig so I wouldn’t have to buy the ranch. I love my job and I don’t want to settle down, especially not with someone like Shelby. I told you, I am throwing her out as soon as I get back.”
“And she doesn’t know this?” Twiggy’s words were cautious and clipped.
“No, not yet. But I swear as soon as we get to the ranch, I am going to tell her.”
“I see.” She bit her lip and looked the other way. “Well, then I suppose we’d better hurry and get there. I’m sure she’s not going to be happy with you since she now knows I’m here with you.”
“What exactly did she say to you on the phone?” Cal asked, curious.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it does. Tell me.”
“All right.” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the ground when she spoke. “She thinks I’m nothing but one of your pinup girls, or one of your one-night stands, and honestly, she’s right.”
“No, she’s not. How can you even think that?” The baby started crying and Cal switched her to his other arm and continued to bounce her.
“Isn’t she?” asked Twiggy. “After all, I am nothing more to you than your hired help. Now give me the baby, and go drive the truck, since that’s what you seem to like to do the most.”
She snatched the baby away from him, leaving Cal standing there feeling lost and confused. He probably should have told her right then and there that he loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. But he didn’t. For some reason, settling down scared him, and he couldn’t even suggest it out loud right now. Between Shelby and Twiggy, his head was spinning and he no longer knew what to do.
“I’m sorry, Twiggy,” he said, making his way to the driver’s seat. “I never meant to hurt you.”
“That’s Tuesday to you,” he heard her say as he settled into his seat. He started the engine, ready to make his way back home . . . or to hell, since he was sure that was how this would all end.
Chapter 16
Tuesday did her best to avoid Cal for the rest of the trip. She stayed in back with the baby and let the dog occupy the seat that should have been hers.
I slept with him, but I shouldn’t have since I just found out he has a live-in girlfriend, she texted Charlotte.
What?!!! The scum, Charlotte answered. Then she added, how was he in bed?
That’s the problem. He was great and I can’t stop wanting to do it again.
Why don’t you?
No, I can’t. I feel like he just used me, Tuesday answered.
Did he force himself on you?
No! I wanted it as much as he did.
Then he didn’t use you, Charlotte answered. Still, he is scum for not telling you about the other girl.
He says he is breaking up with Shelby as soon as we get back to the ranch, but I don’t believe him. Tuesday sighed as she sent the text, glancing up to the driver’s seat where Cal was talking with his trucker friends on the CB. Burrito was sitting up on the passenger seat staring out the front window. She could see the dog’s ears sticking up over the back of the seat. Dang, she was going to miss this.
Shelby? Is that his girlfriend’s name? Charlotte texted.
Yes. Why?
No reason, I guess. It’s just that the new girl, Amy, who works for me said someone named Shelby who had a Texas accent called just a little while ago asking a lot of questions about you.
About me? This surprised as well as scared Tuesday. Wait, how did she even know my name or that I worked there?
Not sure. But Amy said she thought she heard a man’s voice in the background that sounded a lot like that guy, Marcus, who came by the daycare saying he was Maggie’s birth father.
Charlotte, I’m scared. Cal told me Maggie’s birth father is in prison. What did Amy tell him?
I think she told him you were riding along with Cal to watch the baby and that he was going back to Abilene, Texas. I’ll have to fire her for giving out so much pe
rsonal information.
No, don’t do that, texted Tuesday. Charlotte, as soon as I collect my money from this job, I’m going to buy into the business and be a part-owner with you. If you still want me to.
Hell, yeah, answered Charlotte. J.D. wants out of the contract so you can be half-owner. Besides, I just found out I’m pregnant, so I am going to need someone to run the daycare when I’m on maternity leave.
“Oh, how exciting!” she said aloud.
“What’s exciting?” asked Cal, looking into the rearview mirror when he spoke. “Twiggy, please come sit up here and talk to me.”
Congrats! I’m so excited for you, Charlotte. Gotta go. The big bad trucker is beckoning me. Talk later.
Cal was happy when Twiggy finally came up to sit with him. She’d been ignoring him all day, and he didn’t like the feeling. “Burrito, go in back,” he told the dog as she approached.
The dog did as he was told.
“The baby is sleeping, but her teeth are giving her a lot of pain.” Twiggy sat down and buckled her seat belt.
“So what is exciting?” he asked, not wanting to talk about Maggie. He’d seen Twiggy texting someone and knew something was up. Curiosity made him want to find out more.
“Hmm?” she asked, pretending not to know what he meant.
“I saw you texting someone. What’s going on?”
“Oh, that,” she answered, actually looking happy which really confused him since he thought she was still angry with him. “Charlotte is pregnant. Isn’t that exciting?”
“I guess so.”
Her smile disappeared. “Some of us think having a family is important, even if you don’t.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t need to.”
“Twiggy, please. I don’t want to fight anymore. Having you along on this journey has made me stop and think about a lot of things in my life.” He was working up to telling her that he loved her and wanted to be with her always, and it was unnerving because that would mean he’d have to probably give up trucking. Unless he could talk her into coming with him on his deliveries. At least for a while.
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