“I didn’t do it for my own good. That’s for sure. Someone needs to wear a bell anytime they’re coming into a room.”
Alexandra looks between me and her mom and rolls her eyes. “Y’all are weird.”
Seeing as it’s coming from a 16 year-old, I’m going to take that as a compliment.
“So, what are we having for dinner?” She looks toward the pot sitting on the stove.
“Chili made with?—”
Calli cuts me off before I can tell her that I use venison in my chili.
Instead she says, “With cornbread. One of your favorites.”
I turn my focus to her and scrunch my eyebrows. I don’t even know if I have all the stuff for cornbread. “What do you mean we’re making cornbread?”
“The only acceptable way to eat chili is with cornbread, so we have to make it.”
She’s acting weird. I can’t help but wonder if her daughter won’t eat the chili if she knows what is used to make it. I remember the first time Piper ate it, and her reaction when we told her it was venison. It was a whole thing. The fact she watched that cartoon with deer right before probably didn’t help. If only Parker would have kept his mouth shut about it. It would have saved our ears.
“Okay, let me dig through the pantry and see if I can find a box of mix.” I grab one of the lights that is have hanging above the stove and move across the kitchen to the pantry. If push comes to shove, I can ask one of my siblings if they have any. Though I’m not sure how to explain why I have guests. My baby sister would read too much into it, and I’d like to avoid that at all costs.
Alexandra is whispering something to her mom and I would love to know what they are talking about, but it’s not my place. I’m only here to offer them a little bit of safety and comfort with the power being out. I’m not here to get attached. Maybe repeating that over and over again will get it through my thick skull.
It’s too bad Callie’s making it so damn hard for me to stay away. Especially when she keeps showing up at every turn.
Twelve
Callie
After Lexi tells me I should be hitting on Peter, she leaves the kitchen with a wink. Why the hell is my daughter trying to get me to go on a date with this man? There has to be something she’s seeing that I don’t. Oh well, I’m not going down that road. Getting settled is my top priority. Finding a date isn’t even in the top ten list.
“This is all I could find.” Peter hands me a small box of cornbread mix.
I hold out my hand for the light and search for the use by date. “Well, at least it’s still good…barely. What do you eat with your chili if not cornbread?”
He shrugs and I swear his cheeks redden, but it’s dark and it may only be shadows. “Crackers. I don’t typically cook a lot of sides. It’s just me. Hell, I’d be eating leftovers right now if my sister hadn’t kept the whole pot I just made.”
“So, you’re only cooking because we’re here?” I feel bad that he’s doing things he doesn’t have to in order to accommodate us. He should have to do this whether we’re here or not. “We could have grabbed something easy before we left.”
He reaches out his hand and grasps my arms. “Callie, it’s fine. Don’t spiral. I have to eat anyway, so it’s not a big deal.” Maybe not to him, but I don’t like feeling like a burden.
Conrad always made it seem like everything I did was bothersome until I just stopped doing anything he didn’t want to do. I because a shell of myself and I’m still trying to find the woman buried deep inside.
“Yeah, but you wouldn’t have had to go through all this.” I wave the box of cornbread in front of him. “It’s too much.” Especially when you add in the fact he checked on us and brought us to his house.
He encircles my other arm with his free hand. “Look, Callie, I know you like to be independent and take care of yourself. You’ve been that way for as long as I can remember. But dammit, stop being so stubborn and let me help you.”
His fingers on my skin and the command in his voice sends warmth throughout my body. This shouldn’t be as attractive as it is. For fuck’s sake, I make the decision to keep him firmly in the off-limits category, and he takes charge of a situation for the first time in his life.
“Fine.” I roll my eyes in an attempt to hide how much of an effect, he’s having on me. “But you go to the living room and let me handle the rest of dinner.”
“But—” He argues, but I turn my back to him. I need to break contact and put some distance between us.
“I’m perfectly capable of stirring the chili when needed and I can find whatever ingredients I need.”
“Okay, but call me if you need help.” He feet shuffle along the floor, and I’m finally alone. I really need to the roads to clear sooner than later. If I spend this much time in a confined space with Peter, I don’t know if I’ll be able to shove aside my dormant feelings for long.
“Sure.” Little does he know, I have no intention of needing his help. Not if I want to keep my emotions in check.
