Beyond Broken(72)

"I'm afraid it is goodbye," she told him. She pulled out a piece of paper and pen from her purse and scribbled on it. "But here's my cell phone number if you ever want to reach me. I hope I'll see you again sometime." 

Brian looked down to the ground and then glanced over his shoulder at the garage. Peter must've already left because it was empty. "I'm sorry to hear that." He took the piece of paper and folded it carefully into his back pocket. "But I know I'll see you again, even if you don't think so."

He gave her another big hug, nodded at her, and then made his way to his truck parked on the far side of the lot. Maddie watched him go, but just as he drove past her on his way out, he rolled down his window and said, "Caleb's in the back garage." Then he hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I don't know what happened between you two, but ever since you started workin' here, he's been different. It might not be easy for you to see, but I've known that boy since he was young. Somethin' has changed."

Then he drove away and Maddie stood in the empty parking lot, shivering. Nothing would ever come from their weird relationship. Nothing. She knew that as certainly as she knew the sky was blue.

But sometimes the sky is grey, or pink, or pitch black, she couldn't help but think. She put a plug on her thoughts and walked around towards the second garage as the November air wove through the thin sleeves of her cardigan.

It was like a punch in the gut when she spotted Caleb, with his tousled hair and dark eyes, his strong body bent over the restoration he was working on, his jeans perfectly cupping the firmest backside she'd ever seen.

He turned when he heard her shoes tapping on the concrete and he rose from his position, snagging a rag lying on the work bench before wiping his hands. The movement was so innately masculine, so innately Caleb, that Maddie swallowed and forced her gaze away.

Every nerve ending of her body was hyper-aware of how close he was. Looking at him, knowing the power, the strength, of him, remembering the feeling of his length inside her, Maddie felt overwhelmed. Mortified. Disappointed. Her skin itched and her fingers fidgeted at her sides until she closed them into fists. It was too soon. She shouldn't be here.

"You came," he said, his eyes running over her body, assessing, as though assuring himself that she was all right. At least physically.

"You sound surprised," she replied, avoiding his gaze, standing a couple yards away and not daring to venture closer.

"A part of me is."

Maddie bristled at his words. Had he not expected her to come after all? Was this just another one of his games?

"I've had a long day," she told him. "I'd like to get back what belongs to me and then I'd like to get home."

"Not before you hear what I have to say," he said, approaching her. He was wearing a grey t-shirt today and Maddie looked at it instead of him when he stopped in front of her. "Maddie."

"What?"

"Look at me."

Knowing he wouldn't give in until she did what he asked, she raised her gaze. His eyes scanned her face, his brows furrowing at what he saw.

"I don't like you like this," he murmured.

"Like what?" she challenged.

"Indifferent and detached," he replied, a hand coming up to brush back a strand of her hair. "Cold."

Maddie was two inches away from screaming. "I don't know what you want me to say, Caleb."

His gaze was hard and probing and it made her feel warm and flushed. Silence spread between them until he said, "Why didn't you tell me?"

She knew exactly what he was referring to and she flinched. Part of the blame for yesterday's events fell on her shoulders. She should've told him. They'd both handled it poorly.



       
         
       
        

Honestly, she said, "The words wouldn't come out."

"You should've said something."

Her eyes slid away at the anger in his voice. "I'm sorry. I know I should've told you, but everything happened so fast."

He ran a hand through his hair. "I would've … " he trailed off, biting off whatever words he would've said. "Fuck."

She waited for him to say something else, but when he didn't, she was hurt. He'd told her they needed to talk and that was all he had to say? She'd apologized to him, yet he didn't say anything about the way he'd stormed out afterwards, leaving her alone in that office after what they'd just done.

Resignation steeped deep. The only other time in her life when she'd been this emotionally exhausted was when her father had died. And didn't that say something? That she was comparing her relationship with Caleb to the death of her father?