Caleb watched as she began gathering leaves into a pile. She worked quietly, efficient without rushing. He fell into step beside her without comment.
They cleared a section of the backyard in mere minutes, scrapes and crunches filling the space between them.
“So . . . your brother stopped by yesterday,” Millie started.
Caleb threw her a surprised glance. “How did you know?”
“I was in the kitchen and overheard part of the conversation. I promise I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop.”
His lips pressed into a tight line. “I’m sorry about that. We should have kept our voices down.”
“It sounds like the county is giving you problems.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know if I’d say problems. The truth is, there are people around here who don’t like us.”
“Why wouldn’t they like you?”
He paused and let out a deep breath, wondering how much to share. “Let’s just say that my sister’s husband was a powerful man. When my family took ownership of this property after his arrest, he wasn’t happy. He has a lot of contacts and friends who are on his side, who think he was cheated out of this property, that we stole it from him and slandered his good name. They don’t know the whole story.”
“Wow . . . that’s a lot.” She leaned on the rake, her head tilted toward it and the light catching her gaze.
His throat went dry at the sight of her.
She was so beautiful as she stood there in an eggplant-colored shirt, her khaki jacket, and a beige knit hat on her head. The best part was that it was effortless. She didn’t even try to get attention.
She was just a natural.
He forced his gaze away and paused. “Sorry. I shouldn’t have dumped it on you.”
“Don’t apologize. And don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s nice sometimes to hear about other people’s problems. It puts your own in perspective.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
They worked another stretch in silence.
As they did, Caleb peered up on occasion to study her.
Millie had always been a hard worker. Back when they’d dated, she’d been a grants manager for a federal agency—something with social services, he thought. She’d administered funding programs, reviewed applications, monitored compliance.
He remembered thinking it seemed too buttoned-up for someone who loved adventure, but she’d been pragmatic. “A government job means I can actually pay my bills and take vacations,” she’d said with a laugh.
But there’d been more to it. She’d genuinely cared about making sure funding reached the organizations that needed it most.
“Someone has to make sure these programs actually help people,” she’d added. “Might as well be me.”
She deserved much better than what life had handed her.
Caleb would do everything in his power to help her make a good life for herself—one that was away from fear and danger.
chapter
eighteen
Millie continued to help Caleb.Biscuit stayed close, his attention split between sniffing all the leaves and keeping an eye on Millie.
Caleb had grown quiet, as if deep in thought.
When they’d been dating, Millie had always told him he didn’t have to hold the whole world together by himself.
