Caleb

Chapter Thirty

Caleb ~

Having to sit at the kitchen table while his team was outside talking to his Lainey was tearing Caleb apart. He wanted to run out there, scoop her up and take her to bed where he could hold her all night and explain himself, but he couldn't. He had to sit there and wait for her to invite him outside because that's what she needed. It had to be on her terms and Caleb understood that, but it didn't make the waiting any easier.

Come on Boys. Work your magic.

His heart stalled as he watched his teammates stand and walk toward the kitchen door, waiting for one of them to smile and say they had convinced her to hear him out.

"Give her some time, she'll come around." James said, giving Caleb a sincere pat on the back.

"I take it she's not ready to talk to me yet?" Caleb asked with his shoulders sagging in defeat.

"Not yet. She just needs a little time to process all this shit on her own." Declan said, passing behind Caleb and giving him a squeeze on the shoulder.

The next few hours went by so slow, Caleb could have sworn time was moving backwards. She had been on that couch for almost two hours, giving zero indicators of how she was feeling or what she was thinking, which was pure torture for Caleb.

Where's your head at Lainey girl? What are you thinking about out there?

He sunk his head into his hands keeping Lainey in his sights as he let out an impatient sigh. Willing his soul to reach out and speak to hers, Caleb apologized in his head over and over and over, praying that she might sense how sorry he was without having to speak to him. He was willing to try anything at that point as desperation started to sink in.

Just as he was starting to lose hope, he saw her dark hair swish to the side as she turned over her shoulder to look at him. Those big bright eyes were dull and unsure, but she was looking right at him, which pumped him full of energy as he raised his head with hopeful anticipation.

Lainey whipped her head back around as soon as his eyes locked on to hers, causing a wave of anxiety to wash over him as she forced her eyes away from his.

What was that? Was that a good look or a bad look? Should I be relieved or worried about that look?

His wheels were turning a hundred miles per hour, trying to analyze the look she'd just given him, but before he could work himself into a panic, his eyes picked up on the slight movement of Lainey's arm. She had deliberately draped it over the side of the couch and flattened her palm toward him.

That's the signal for - "stay there, I don't need you" - great.

Just as disappointment started to overwhelm him, he watched her tiny fingers curl into her palm, changing her nonverbal signal from "Stay there I don't need you" to "Caleb come save me" in an instant and his heart practically exploded at the beautiful sight.

Caleb shot up out of his chair, letting himself focus through the darkness, praying his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

"Sit your ass down, Doc." Declan said over his shoulder without looking at him.

"She fucking signaled me." Caleb said, with excitement in his voice.

Marcus looked over his shoulder and grinned at Lainey's signal.

"Go get her then, brother." Marcus chuckled as Caleb's hand lunged for the door.

Caleb's feet couldn't carry him fast enough as he approached Lainey from behind. He wasn't sure what she wanted him to do or what she was comfortable with at the moment so he announced himself and chose to let her take the lead.