Chapter Six
“We need to get him some help before things spiral out of control.” Caleb’s features were creased. Tension was evident in the way he was sitting at his desk. One of his hands was raised to his temple while the other was holding the phone up to his ear. He seemed to be in distress.
Addie didn’t mean to eavesdrop on Caleb’s phone conversation, but his voice carried in the small confines of the back office. He was clearly talking to someone about his brother, Heath. His voice was full of strain and worry. She wondered if she should tiptoe out of the office so he could have some privacy. By the time she’d decided to do so, Caleb was wrapping up his conversation.
When he disconnected from the call, Caleb looked up at her. “Sorry about that,” he apologized. “I hope it wasn’t awkward to overhear all of that.”
“No, of course not. I just feel badly for the whole situation.” She wasn’t going to pretend she didn’t know what was going on. Clearly, Caleb was trying to get some assistance for Heath, who was struggling with a host of issues.
Caleb made a face. “Heath is in trouble, whether he realizes it or not. I think most of my family is in denial about it or hoping it passes.”
“And you don’t?” she asked, raising her brow.
“No, I don’t. He’s been to hell and back overseas.” He winced. “What he endured over there was horrific. And he has no way to process it. He’s always turned to his family or Bella, but he’s not doing that.” Caleb winced. “And he broke things off with Bella, which is troubling in itself. I know how much he loves her.”
“That’s terribly sad, Caleb. Maybe Bella could help you. If she really loves your brother, she’ll want to see him get better.”
Caleb shook his head. “I’m not sure. Bella is a wonderful woman, but Heath has really put her through the ringer lately. I don’t know how many times a person can keep coming back to try and help someone. Heath may have burned that bridge.”
Addie could hear the worry laced in Caleb’s voice. She loved his huge heart and his unwavering commitment to the Donahue family. It was awe inspiring. What she wouldn’t give to have Tabitha back. Sometimes it hurt so badly to miss her. When Tabitha had gotten sick, Addie had done everything she could to help Tab get better. She’d been tested as a bone marrow donor. Although she had been a match, the doctors had determined that Addie was too close of a match to be a donor. Addie’s heart had been broken. By then, Tabitha’s condition had taken a turn for the worse and she had been unable to accept a bone marrow donation from a successful match that had turned up on the registry.
She didn’t blame Caleb for going to any lengths to help Heath. Depression could be a matter of life and death. She knew firsthand how devastating it was to lose a sibling.
Suddenly, the door to the office opened. Rita, one of the hostesses, was standing in the doorway with wide eyes. With her bright red hair and green eyes, she was a pretty young woman. At the moment she seemed as if she was about to jump out of her skin.
“We have a visitor,” she said, her voice quivering with nervousness.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Caleb said with a frown.
“What’s wrong, Rita?” Addie asked, hoping nothing bad had happened. Everything had been going smoothly so far.
“It’s a VIP,” Rita said in a shocked tone. “Addie, it’s your father, Sebastian Fontaine.”
**
Caleb watched some of the color bleach out of Addie’s warm brown skin. She bit her lip. Her beautiful eyes were blinking like an owl.
“Tell him I’ll be right out,” Addie said in a low voice.
Rita nodded. “Sure thing, Addie.” She turned and left the kitchen, leaving Caleb and Addie by themselves. Caleb turned toward Addie. “What’s going on? You look scared.”
She ran a trembling hand through her hair and let out a huge sigh. “Let’s just say my father makes me incredibly nervous.”
“Why?” Caleb asked. “Don’t the two of you get along?”
Addie bit her lip. “Yes. I guess we get along. We don’t argue if that’s what you’re asking. But I never go against him. He’s not exactly the type of man you can say no to.”
He nodded. The few times he had met Sebastian Fontaine, Caleb had gotten an intense vibe from the man. But, that wasn’t unusual for men who were rich and powerful like Addie’s father.
“I understand that,” he said. “Take a deep breath. You look like you’re going to fall apart.”
“Old habits die hard,” she said, inhaling a deep breath. He watched her breath in and out as if seeking some calm. “I better go see him.”
“I’d like to say hello to him myself,” Caleb said, following behind Addie. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen him.” It had been well over a year since Caleb had taken out the loan that had linked the Blue Bayou with Sebastian Fontaine. Although at the time it had been a means to an end, he now wished he’d stuck it out on his own. Although he liked Addie, he still wasn’t completely comfortable with the idea of a partnership. After all, he wasn’t quite certain what the future held for his bistro.
As Caleb walked behind Addie he immediately noticed her posture had changed. Her shoulders were slightly slumped and she was walking with hesitation. He had the feeling it had everything to do with her father’s unexpected appearance at the bistro. As Caleb watched, Sebastian stuck out his hand to Addie. He let out a shocked breath as they shook hands instead of embracing. As a member of the Donahue clan, Caleb was used to touching, hugging and making physical contact with his loved ones.
“Caleb. Nice to see you again.” Sebastian Fontaine nodded his head in Caleb’s direction. He was an impeccably dressed man. Caleb imagined his suits cost more than he made in a week.
“What brings you here, Daddy?” Addie asked, shifting from one foot to the other.
“I’ve been meaning to come by to check on you, Addie. I’ve been hearing great things about the place.” Sebastian wasn’t even looking at Addie. He was way too busy checking out the place. His dark eyes were filled with curiosity. Caleb had a funny feeling as he gazed at Sebastian. He wasn’t a man who seemed very interested in his daughter, nor had he ever had more than a passing interest in the Blue Bayou. Caleb’s instincts told him Sebastian wanted something. He hoped it was something Addie didn’t mind giving him.
Addie grinned at her father. “It’s doing really well.” She cast a quick glance in Caleb’s direction. “Not that it wasn’t before I came on board, but we’ve managed to put our heads together and come up with a few new ways of doing things, such as tweaking the hours and hosting special events.”
“Do you agree with Addie’s assessment, Caleb?” Sebastian asked with a raised brow.
On Addie’s behalf, Caleb hated the skeptical tone of his voice. Why was he asking him rather than listening to his own daughter?
“Your daughter is a great addition to the bistro,” Caleb answered in a smooth voice.
Sebastian nodded. “That’s good to know.”
Caleb excused himself a few moments later, allowing Addie and Sebastian to have some private time. He hoped he’d imagined the chasm between father and daughter. Addie was the type of person who deserved to be loved wholly and completely. Unconditionally.
A half hour later, Addie showed up in the kitchen as he was making a list of items they needed to stock up on for the kitchen.
“Daddy just left,” she announced. “I’m so thrilled he stopped by. His schedule doesn’t lend itself to being spontaneous.”
“He really wants you to do well, doesn’t he?” Caleb asked.
“Yes. Success is everything to him,” Addie said in a soft voice. “Sometimes it seems like it’s the only thing that matters to him.”
“I’m sure you mean more to him than success,” Caleb said. “You’re his daughter.”
Addie let out a scoffing sound. “I don’t know about that. Don’t get me wrong. I know he loves me, but we’re not as close as we used to be. I think he’s still reeling from Tabitha’s death. He hasn’t gotten over it.” She let out a sigh. “I know it’s something we’ll never fully rebound from, but I know Tabitha would want us to live and love and be happy. When we were little my father used to take us to Pelican Bay Harbor every Saturday morning. He would wake us up early and get us dressed in completely opposite outfits. You see, he didn’t believe in twins dressing alike. He thought each of us deserved to be seen as separate individuals.” She let out a chuckle. “He always said that God made two unique masterpieces and he intended to treat us as such. So I would be wearing orange and pink while Tab was wearing blue and white. My hair was styled in braids while hers were in two ponytails. It was really something!”
The joy in Addie’s voice was evident as she took a trip down memory lane. The father she was telling him about seemed radically different than the one Caleb had just observed. Perhaps grief had changed him. Caleb didn’t want to judge the man. Life placed heavy burdens on people’s backs. Losing a daughter would surely have created scars on Sebastian’s heart.
Caleb didn’t have a hard time imagining a pint-sized version of Addie. An image of her as a child flashed into his mind. He let out an easy chuckle.
“That’s really sweet. I like how you were allowed to be your own person.”
A hint of a smile hovered around her lips. “We were. And we both enjoyed our roles. Tab was bolder. I was more creative and intuitive.” She ducked her head. “I miss her, Caleb. It’s not a stabbing, piercing pain anymore, but I miss her.” Her voice was clogged with emotion. “Sometimes when I see something funny, I pick up my phone to call her. Then it hits me like a bolt of lightning. She’s not going to answer. She’s gone.”
“Addie,” Caleb said, his heart constricting at the devastation etched on her face and the sight of tears flowing down her face. She made a few sniffling sounds. Something inside him cracked wide open at her vulnerability. He reached out and wiped away a stray tear with his fingertip. “It’s okay to cry. You miss her. But she’s with God now. My mom always told me there are no tears in Heaven.”
Addie smiled at him through her tears. “You’re right, Caleb. Tabitha is with the Lord now. She’s not suffering anymore. She’s not afraid. And I know with all my heart and soul that she’s bossing everyone around up there.” She giggled. The sound of it sounded like music to Caleb’s ears. Seeing Addie happy caused a tightening sensation in his gut. They were now standing so close to one another that Caleb could see the wetness on her lashes from her tears.
Suddenly, Paolo entered the kitchen, breaking up the tender moment. Caleb locked eyes with him. He couldn’t ignore the knowing look in his friend’s eyes. Caleb took a step away from Addie. He knew Paolo was getting the wrong idea about his relationship with Addie. That couldn’t happen in such a tight workplace. Things at the Blue Bayou needed to be one hundred percent professional. He wasn’t going to do anything to jeopardize the Blue Bayou. He’d worked way too hard to allow such a thing to happen.
**
For the remainder of the day and evening, Addie worked tirelessly at the Blue Bayou. She was so busy she’d forgotten to stop for lunch. Every day she was learning more about running the bistro, as well as making suggestions for ways to improve it. The bistro was now open for both lunch and dinner four days of the week. On Saturday it was open only for brunch and Sunday it was closed unless there was a special event. She and Caleb had even discussed experimenting with breakfast a few days of the week, although they both acknowledged the need to hire more staff in order to make it happen.
For the most part, Caleb seemed to appreciate her ideas. She couldn’t figure out why he’d retreated from her today. He was no longer making eye contact with her or talking to her in anything other than a perfunctory manner. Had she done something to alienate him? She wondered. Perhaps her father’s visit had turned him off. She bit her lip. Maybe it felt as if the bistro was no longer his own. She had to admit, her father was a larger than life figure. He intimidated a lot of people, including herself. Maybe Caleb wasn’t happy that they had horned into his bistro.
Addie frowned. She wasn’t even certain how her father had obtained part of Caleb’s establishment. Maybe she should find out, although Caleb might think she was a total novice if he discovered how little she knew about her father’s business or the reasons why he had handed her a partnership in the Blue Bayou. Why hadn’t she asked her father more questions? She let out a sigh. Still, after all this time, she was walking on eggshells around him.
At the moment she almost felt as if she was doing the very same thing with Caleb. Perhaps he was simply worried about Heath. She shouldn’t make it all about herself, but he was giving her a funny feeling. If it wasn’t something she had said or done, why wasn’t he able to look her in the eyes? Maybe he had felt uncomfortable seeing her crying. That made her sad since it was rare when she let her guard down with people.
By the time they were closing up the bistro, Addie had summoned the courage to clear the air with Caleb. She waited until they were all alone to broach the subject.
“Did I do something to upset you?” She blurted out the question before she lost her nerve.
Caleb’s expression was one of confusion. “No, of course not. Why do you ask?”
She met his gaze head-on, refusing to feel silly for asking. Addie knew she hadn’t been imagining things. “Ever since we talked earlier you’ve been distant. I’m sorry if my emotion made you feel uncomfortable.”
Caleb quirked his mouth. “No! Please…that’s not it.”
Addie held her hand up in the air. “Aha. So there is something.”
Caleb shifted from one foot to the other. He couldn’t seem to stop fidgeting.
“Tell me what I did,” she said in a raised voice. “I love working here, Caleb. I don’t want to do anything to alienate you.”
He shook his head. “Addie, I don’t think there’s a single thing you could ever do to alienate me. You’re pretty near perfect.”
Addie sputtered. “Me? Perfect?”
“You’re beautiful. Not just on the outside. It radiates from inside you. And you’re kind. The way you treat the wait staff and the customers speaks volumes about who you are. You’re quirky too. I like that. You don’t take yourself too seriously. And you have a hearty appetite. When you came over to my parents’ house, you threw down at the dinner table. I think you may have eaten more than me and my brothers.”
Addie swatted at him. “That’s a terrible thing to say.”
Caleb burst into laughter. “I’m kidding about that, but the rest of it is true.”
“So what’s the problem?” Addie asked.
“I like you more than I should,” Caleb confessed.
The words had the effect of a mini explosion. Addie’s jaw dropped. For once, she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Caleb liked her? As in more than a co-worker or business partner?
“Is that a bad thing?” Her voice came out like a squeak. Of all the times for her voice to give out on her. She wanted to seem calm, cool and collected, even though Caleb had said he liked her quirkiness.
“Addie, I haven’t dated much in the last year or so.” He made a face. “My heart has been kicked around a bit. It’s made me gun shy.” They locked gazes. Addie felt her pulse quicken. There was something about Caleb’s eyes that made her want to fall headlong into their dark depths. “It might sound odd, but I’ve avoided relationships for a while. I’ve channeled my focus into the bistro and told myself that was enough.”
“And has it been? Enough?”
“It was. Until now. You’re the first person in a very long time who I’ve wanted to be with…in a romantic way.” He reached out and swept his palm across her cheek. “I like you, Addie Fontaine. A lot. So it became a little bit overwhelming earlier when I realized it. It hit me square in the gut. I don’t like the idea of getting involved with my business partner, but I keep thinking God put us in each other’s path for a reason.”
Addie felt as if her smile was threatening to take over every inch of her face. Caleb’s confession had both surprised and flattered her. It wasn’t every day that a gorgeous bistro owner told her he had feelings for her.
“Of course I could be totally off base by saying these things to you,” Caleb said, his features creased with concern.
“You’re not way off base, Caleb. I don’t have any worries about blurring the lines between our professional and personal lives. You see, I don’t date much myself. I wasn’t burned in a relationship before, because I haven’t had many. The ones I’ve had were pretty trivial. Only one actual boyfriend. I guess you could say I’ve been in a bubble since my sister’s death. Grief can take you on some pretty lonely journeys.”
“That’s perfectly understandable,” Caleb murmured.
“I like you too, Caleb. I like the way you listen to my ideas. And even if you don’t totally agree with them, you always make me feel as if what I have to say is important. There aren’t many people in my life who make me feel that way. When you invited me to your parents’ home I loved watching you interact with them. It was so solid and loving. You care about them so much. It’s awe inspiring.”
Caleb leaned his head down and placed his lips on hers. She gladly welcomed the kiss. Addie closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of him. He smelled like evergreen and spices. She reached up and laced her hands around his neck, feeling the need to get closer to him. The kiss continued, deepening in intensity. Strong feelings coursed through her.
Kissing Caleb was more romantic than any kiss Addie had ever had in her life. Not that there had been many, but she knew enough to realize there was something special about this one. She knew it had everything to do with the man himself. Addie felt safe with him and more alive than she’d felt in many years.
Caleb Donahue was special. And at this moment, there was no place she’d rather be than in his arms. For the first time in her life, Addie felt as if she was daring to color outside the lines. She wasn’t playing it safe anymore. Not by a long shot.
As the kiss ended, Addie felt as if she might just give anything to have it last a bit longer.
She gazed up into Caleb’s eyes. “Thank you,” she said.
His lip twitched with mirth. “Are you thanking me for the kiss?” he asked in a teasing tone.
“No, silly. For being so honest with me about your feelings,” Addie said, feeling emboldened by the kiss they’d shared. It was twice now that they’d kissed. It hadn’t been a fluke. “It allowed me to be open about my own.”
“One of the things I’ve learned as a member of the Donahue family is the power of honesty.” He made a face. “As much as I hate the fact that my parents are going through a separation, I do appreciate their openness about it. And I can’t help but hope they’ll find their way back to each other.”
“Where there’s love, anything is possible.”
“So, are you hungry?” he asked, patting his stomach.
“Now that you mention it, I’m starving,” she admitted. Addie had a fairly hearty appetite, but on busy days like today, she had a tendency to ignore hunger pangs until she was famished. Her stomach was beginning to rumble.
“Come on, then. I’m going to take you somewhere to get something to eat.”
Addie chuckled. “So we’re leaving the bistro in order to find food elsewhere?”
Caleb grinned. It made him even more gorgeous than he was on a regular basis. There was something so disarming about his smile. It really wasn’t fair. How was she even supposed to concentrate when he was smiling at her?
“Not just any food, Addie. This is top-of-the-line diner fare. I grew up on it.”
Caleb ushered her out of the establishment, then turned off the light and locked up behind him. He led her to his car in the parking lot. Like a gentleman, Caleb opened up the passenger side door and closed it after she was comfortably settled inside. With the windows rolled down, the summer air blew all around them. Five minutes later, Caleb turned in to a parking lot heavily crowded with cars. Although Addie hadn’t been here in ages, she recognized it instantly.
The Silver Spoon. The legendary diner owned by Caleb’s folks. The exterior of the diner was retro in design. Candy apple red and platinum. A neon sign sat on the roof, ensuring that anyone and everyone who passed by would be alerted to the diner’s presence.
A heavenly smell wafted in the air. Addie closed her eyes and inhaled.
“Smells good, doesn’t it?” Caleb asked as he took her by the elbow and ushered her toward the entrance.
“It smells divine,” she said, looking all around her as she stepped inside. The establishment was full of diners. There was barely an empty seat in the place.
“Caleb!” A pretty dark-haired waitress with Ellie etched on her nametag stepped toward them. “It’s great to see you.”
“You too, Ellie. This is Addie. We were hoping to get a booth if you’ve got one.”
Ellie winked at him. “For you, Caleb, anything. I’ll go clean one up for the two of you.” She jerked her chin in the direction of the counter where folks were seated side by side on stools eating their meals. “Your dad is over there. Penelope is in the kitchen.”
“Let’s go say hello,” Caleb said, taking Addie’s hand and leading her over.
Jude’s face lit up with joy the moment he spotted them. “Hey there. It’s great to see the two of you over here.” Jude came from behind the counter and he placed a kiss on Addie’s cheek, then gave his son a hearty hug. “Did Ellie find you a table yet?”
“She’s cleaning a booth right now,” Caleb said with a grin.
Jude let out a chuckle. He looked at Addie and wiggled his eyebrows. “My kids and booths. Ever since they were little they always insisted on booths. They said it made the eating experience all the better.”
Addie giggled. She could easily picture the eight Donahue children laughing and eating and slurping down shakes and French fries.
Suddenly, Ellie appeared. “Your table is ready. Follow me.”
Ellie led them to their table, which was a nice-sized booth with a jukebox right next to it. The pink leather seats were plush and comfortable. It brought back a world of memories for Addie. She’d sat at one of these very booths with Tabitha and her parents eating double cheeseburgers and chili fries. It had been back in the day when her family had been an intact unit. The Silver Spoon had been the perfect backdrop for their family outing.
Addie got a kick out of the Silver Spoon’s menu. It was making her mouth water. By the time Ellie came back to take their order Addie knew what she wanted to eat. Addie placed the menu down on the table. She looked across the table at Caleb. “Your folks have quite the menu. I think I’ll go old school and order the double cheeseburger, cheese fries and a chocolate cherry shake.”
“Good choice,” Ellie said with a grin.
“Ditto for me,” Caleb said, handing the menus back to Ellie before she walked off toward the kitchen. Caleb nodded at Addie. “I like your style.”
“It’s what my sister and I used to order when we were kids. We would always switch back and forth between chili fries and cheese fries. Sometimes we would order both and share.” For the first time in a long time, the memories didn’t sear her heart. Sharing them with Caleb felt good. It helped keep her sister’s memory alive.
“It’s funny,” Caleb said. “I wonder if we ever crossed paths as kids. Did you come here often?”
“Not really, but it was very special when we did come here. Those days were idyllic. My parents ending up getting a divorce which splintered our family. Shortly thereafter, Daddy’s businesses took off, so he became embroiled in his life as a businessman, which included a lot of travel. By the time Tabitha got sick, my family was on the verge of imploding. Losing her was the final straw. Some families come together after adversity, but we just fell apart.”
Caleb leaned across the table and squeezed her hand. “It’s understandable. The loss of a family member is one of the most stressful events for human beings. I’m sure that becomes heightened when it’s a child.”
Addie nodded. “You’re pretty wise, Caleb Donahue.”
“Being part of a big family has made me a good listener. Growing up I was always the one who my siblings would turn to when they needed a listening ear.” He chuckled. “Not that I always imparted good advice, but I tried.”
“It sounds like nothing has changed over the years. You’ve been a great sounding board for Heath…and you always listen to me. It’s a huge part of who you are.”
Caleb nodded. “Thanks. I think I’ve always been that way. It was a skill I learned in foster care before I was adopted. I didn’t like talking about myself or why I’d landed in the foster care system, so I always tried to be a listening ear. I wasn’t much of a talker.”
“So you remember being in foster care?” Addie asked.
“Snatches of memory. Nothing distinct. But I do recall listening to the other kids and their stories. To be honest, I don’t have many memories of before. It’s all jumbled up inside my head. The past is a bit murky.”
Addie didn’t want to press the subject. She had no idea how Caleb had ended up with the Donahue family and she wasn’t going to ask him. If he wanted her to know, he would tell her in his own time.
Ellie appeared with the food, placing it down in front of them along with their shakes and two glasses of ice water. She pulled a bottle of ketchup out of her apron pocket. “Enjoy, guys. If you need anything else, just let me know.”
Feeling ravenous, Addie reached for her burger and took a huge bite, letting out a satisfied sound as the flavors hit her tongue. At the same time, Caleb was digging in to his own burger. For a few moments they ate in companionable silence. Suddenly, Penelope was standing at their booth with a wide smile on her face. Dressed in a black T-shirt with the words Silver Spoon etched on the front, Caleb’s mother looked beautiful in her simple attire. Her manner was warm and inviting.
Penelope reached out and placed her hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “What a lovely surprise to see the both of you here. You could have given me a head’s up, Caleb.”
Caleb swallowed his food, then placed his burger back down on his plate. “That would have ruined the surprise,” he said with a wink.
“True. And it’s a lovely surprise to see you here.” She turned her gaze toward Addie. “Welcome to the Silver Spoon, Addie. Are you enjoying the food?”
“Immensely,” Addie said. “It’s just as good as it was when I was a kid.”
Penelope’s eyes twinkled. “That’s great to hear. People come from far and wide for our Silver Dollar Burgers. We just had a customer from Germany.”
“Mom,” Caleb said in a warning tone. “You sound like a commercial.”
Penelope made a tutting sound. “I’m sorry, Addie. Blame it on so many years of advertising the business. I do it on auto pilot.”
Addie dipped one of her fries in ketchup. “No need to apologize, Mrs. Donahue. This is the best food I’ve had in ages.”
Penelope said, “Please call me, Penelope. Any friend of Caleb’s is a friend of mine.”
Ellie rushed up to the table. “Penelope. Jude needs you out back.” She made a face. “Something about a jar of spoiled pickles.”
Penelope groaned. “No rest for the weary,” she said before hustling off toward the kitchen.
“Your parents are amazing,” Addie said, her gaze trailing after Penelope. “It’s wonderful that they can still work together. My parents couldn’t even be in the same room with one another once they had decided to end things.” Addie winced. “It wasn’t pretty.”
“I hope they never get to that point,” Caleb said, heaving a gigantic sigh. “Am I crazy, Addie? Or in denial? Because I still can’t wrap my head around the idea that their marriage is over. I keep thinking this is someone’s twisted idea of an April Fool’s Day prank. A very unfunny one.”
“I totally get it,” Addie said. “Life as you’ve known it is going to change. And no matter how old we are, we tend to view our parents through a childlike lens. Suddenly, it feels as if nothing makes sense.”
“I just want to know why.”
“Maybe there is no one why, Caleb. And perhaps they are both trying to find their way through this.”
“I’m just disappointed, I suppose. Being raised in a Christian family has taught me about valuing marriage vows. Through sickness and health. Till death do us part. I guess things don’t always work out like that.” Caleb pushed his food to the side. He seemed too aggravated to finish his food.
“I think sometimes life is more complicated than we can ever imagine,” Addie mused. Her own life had shown her that things were never simple. Sometimes, love wasn’t enough, although she deeply believed in honoring marriage vows.
She didn’t know what else to say to Caleb, who was clearly struggling to understand his folks and their situation. Addie didn’t know what challenges Jude and Penelope had faced in their marriage. It wouldn’t be fair for her to weigh in on their troubles.
“But I do know one thing. God hears our prayers. Talk to Him, Caleb. Lay all of your burdens on His shoulders. It always makes me feel better when I do that.”
“I have. And I’ll continue to do so.” He looked across at Addie and shook his head. “Do you know how good it feels to be with a woman who encourages me to pray? I think this is a first for me.”
“Really?” Addie asked. “For me, it’s automatic. It’s such a huge part of my life. And I’m glad it’s part of yours as well. I don’t know what I would do with myself if I couldn’t talk to God.”
When Ellie brought them two slices of apple pie at Jude’s insistence, Addie let out a huge groan. Even though she was stuffed from dinner, she couldn’t resist digging in to the sweet treat. Like everything else on the menu, it was scrumptious. She looked over at Caleb’s pie plate and saw it was empty. Before Addie knew it, they were the only customers left in the diner.
“Have we worn out our welcome?” she asked, nervously looking over her shoulder. She didn’t want either Jude or Penelope to think they were taking advantage of their ownership of the Silver Spoon.
“Of course not. They still have to finish up out back and get things in order for the breakfast crowd.” Caleb looked over at the jukebox. “I’m going to put some music on.” He stood up and fished around in his pocket, pulling out a few quarters. He walked over to the jukebox and began to flip through the listings.
“Aah. An oldie but a goody,” Caleb said as music began to fill the air. He began to tap his feet in time with the rhythmic beats. He turned back toward Addie.
“Dance with me.” Caleb offered his hand to her.
“Dance with you? Here?” she asked.
“My parents do it all the time,” Caleb said. “Come on, Addie. Live a little. Dance with me.”
Live a little. Isn’t that what she had been trying to do for the longest time? Live. Take chances. Kick up her heels.
She nodded her head. “Okay. Let’s dance.”
Caleb reached for her hand and pulled her toward him. She placed her hands on his shoulders as his hands rested on her back. They began to slow dance to the music.
Addie rested her head on Caleb’s shoulder. She could see Penelope and Jude standing at a distance watching the two of them. Jude turned toward Penelope and extended his hand. Penelope hesitated for a moment, then clasped Jude’s hand before he led her toward the parquet floor where they began to dance. Addie tapped Caleb on the shoulder, then nodded her chin toward his parents. Caleb grinned as he spotted them dancing cheek to cheek. She saw a hopeful expression on his face. It made her chest tighten just to see him so happy.
Addie knew if she could see her own face in the mirror it would be flush with joy. She felt like the luckiest woman alive to be dancing with Caleb as he guided them effortlessly in time to the music. For so long she’d wanted her life to be bigger and grander. She’d wanted to live life rather than hiding herself away from the world. And now, here she was, feeling on top of the world.
In such a short time, Caleb had managed to change her outlook on life. And she knew if she wasn’t careful, she was going to fall head over heels in love with Caleb Donahue.