“Yeah, saving a homeless guy. He woke whenIwas with him, andIhad to tell him. He was so broken up, I didn’t know what to say. Then Mom came in and she told him it was okay. But I didn’t do anything. I couldn’t make him feel better. I still can’t.” His voice cracked, having stated the worst part, the part where he’d let his brother down.
“Saving a homeless guy?”
Emotional when he didn’t want to be, and suddenly aware of responsibilities he didn’t know he’d held towards his brother, he headed to the shop door. He turned around the sign so that, from the outside, it read CLOSED.
“It’s after five, I’m closing up.” He moved around, locking up the safe and cash register.
“Here’s the thing,” she said, getting in his face to make him look at her. “I think we have something special. I think he thinks I can’t deal. I think he thinks he’s protecting me.”
“Yup. Sounds like him.”
Caleb wrapped a scarf around his neck against the cold wind and shrugged on his warm, lined leather coat, relishing the smell that reminded him of rides in open air.
Stomping one booted foot, she put a hand to her forehead. “So, are you going to let your brother sacrifice himself for no good reason? When he has a chance to be happy?”
“You sure you can make him happy?” He infused her romantic dreams with some reality. “That’s some tough shit,” Caleb warned. “He’s not the easiest guy to live with, and he’s probably even more ornery now.”
“Because of his arm?”
He grabbed his keys. “Vamoose,” he told her, indicating the door.
“Just do this, Caleb. For me . . . for him. Find me a chance to see him so we can talk.” She followed him out, buttoning her coat. He swung onto his bike parked at the curbside, revving the engine.
“I’m outta here but I’ll think about it. And to answer your question, yeah, probably missing a hand makes him ornery, but how come you aren’t giving any credit to his missing leg?” He accelerated away from the curb in a wide arc, pulling a U-turn before the oncoming traffic reached them. “Ciao, babe,” he called to the gape-mouthed beauty staring after him.
CHAPTER 44
LOVE, INTERRUPTION
Orchid
SATURDAY MARCH 16
Orchid walked Uptown, head bent against the cold. There was no way she was going into the subway system and board a train after what she’d just learned.
Missing leg?She realized that it didn’t change her feelings for him. Of course, it shouldn’t matter. How little credit did he give their relationship to hide that from her?
Her resolve withered when she imagined the full extent of his injuries. Then, she was angry for even pausing.He’s still Phoenix, right?
How had he kept all this from her while she was in China? Not for the first time, she reexamined the time they were apart. She’d been climbing the Great Wall while he was immobile in a hospital bed, trying to protect her with silence. She’d cherished his protectiveness, but now it seemed like his Achilles heel.
She found herself at Mandy’s building. The doorman called her friend’s apartment, then sent Orchid up.
Mandy opened the door dressed in stretchy leggings and an oversized T-shirt.
Mandy glanced at Orchid’s bandaged forehead. “Did you get in a bar brawl or have you taken up wrestling?”
Orchid hugged her friend. “Long story. How are things with you?”
Mandy guided her through the warm apartment. “Oh, we’re all good. Same old. Hubby’s worried about his job, as usual. Part-time daycare’s going fine, when it’s not closed for snow days, that is.”
“Yeah, heck of a winter, huh?”
Mandy patted the barstool nearest the kitchen and then grabbed a wine bottle from the fridge.
Orchid felt a little better in the familiar chaos. “Where’s Matty?” she asked, and reached for two crystal stems.
“Down for his nap. Hopefully, he’ll sleep for a while. So, what’s up with you?” Mandy filled the glasses high, commensurate with how rattled Orchid looked.
