From Temptation to Twins(40)
“Checking out the competition.” She looked at Caleb again, her expression appearing decidedly guilty this time.
“It doesn’t matter. The important thing is I’m fine.”
She paused again.
“I am. There was some damage to a few businesses, but it’s all repairable.”
Caleb’s gaze moved to the front of Neo. He sure hoped it was repairable. Although he supposed anything was repairable. It only depended on time and money.
“I’m going home today,” she said.
Roland started talking again, or maybe it was shouting from the expression on Jules’s face.
“Did she tell you that? Then she is. No, we’re not coming home.”
Jules pressed her lips tightly together as she listened. “Dad. Dad, stop. It’s our money.”
Caleb was itching to grab the phone again.
“We’ve been through all that.” Jules turned her back on Caleb, but she didn’t walk away. “We both know how you feel about it, but nothing has changed. We’re doing this. Goodbye, Dad.”
A pause.
“Yes.”
Another pause.
“No.”
She turned back, shaking her head and gritting her teeth.
“Maybe soon. Goodbye.” She ended the call.
“Everything okay?” Caleb asked.
“It’s fine.”
“It didn’t sound fine.”
“That’s just the way he is. Sometimes he frets. He’s convinced I was hurt worse in the earthquake than Melissa admitted, and that I’m glossing over it.”
“You want to send him a quick photo to show you’re healthy?”
“Of me in front of Neo? Yeah, that’ll throw gasoline on the fire.”
“You should stop in and see him.”
“When?”
“Now.”
She frowned. “He’s in Portland, Caleb.”
“You’re about to fly home.”
“That’s Olympia. I don’t have a spare day to drive down to Portland. Are you trying to delay construction at the Crab Shack even more? Is that what last night was about?”
He gave her a hard look. “Last night had nothing to do with the Crab Shack or Neo or anything else related to business. And I sure didn’t plan the earthquake. Hell, if I could do that, I wouldn’t need Neo or anything else to make money.”
She had the grace to look embarrassed. “Sorry.”
He moved closer. “Don’t be sorry. Last night was complicated.”
“Which is why we agreed not to talk about it. I was wrong to bring it up.”
“But now that you have...” He fought an urge to reach for her hands. He wanted to touch her. He felt like he had a right to touch her.
“No,” she said sharply. “I didn’t. I shouldn’t. I won’t do it again.”
He regrouped, knowing this wasn’t the time or place. “Obviously, I’m going to be here awhile, maybe a couple of days. You can take a cab to the airport and get the plane. I’ll tell them to expect you. The jet will stop in Portland, and you can see your dad for an hour.”
Her expression was incredulous. “The jet will stop in Portland?”
“It’s on the way.”
“So, what, we’ll just pop down and land.”
He fought a smile. “That’s exactly how it works.”
“And how do I explain it to my father?”
“Tell him you had a stopover. You don’t have to go into detail.” He fought an urge to ruffle her hair. “You know, you’d be the worst covert operative ever.”
“And you’d be the best. That’s one of the things that scares me about you. I can never tell what you’re up to.”
He softened his tone. “I like it that way.”
“Don’t.” She meant don’t get intimate.
“I won’t. I’m sorry. I’ll call you a cab. You don’t have to wait around here any longer.”
Much as he hated for her to go, she had to get back. And he had to get started assessing the damage.
Seven
Jules had practiced her lie over and over on the short taxi ride from the Portland airport to her father’s town house. He was obviously baffled when he opened the door to find her on the porch.
“I had a stopover,” she said, taking Caleb’s advice and keeping the explanation short. “I thought I’d come by and say hi.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“You sounded funny on the phone.”
“It was an unsettling night.” She silently acknowledged to herself that it had been unsettling in far more ways than one. “Can I come in?”
“What kind of question is that?” He frowned as he stepped out of the way.