Significance (Significance #1)(46)

“But you forgave me.”
“Yes, and I forgive her, too, but she shouldn’t live here, Dad. She said you held her back. She’s been living with other men. It wouldn’t be-”
“She what?”
Crap. He hadn’t known that. I bit my lip. “She told me she was dating. She talked about a few of them.”
“A few of them?” He laughed a bark of a humorless laugh. “Well, I guess I made the right decision then. I told her she couldn’t come back to stay with us and she shouldn’t come see you without calling you first.”
“Very smooth, Dad, way to handle things.”
“How’d you get so smart?” he smirked, but sadly.
“I learned from my old man,” I joked and bumped him with my shoulder. “You did the right thing. I don’t know what happened to her but you are way too good for her to do this to you.”He laughed. “All right, kiddo. You’re late now, I’m sorry. I’m fine. Get going.”
“No worries, Dad.” I kissed his cheek and he hugged me before standing.
“Have fun tonight.”
“I will. Bye.”
I went out to meet Caleb and he still looked a little worried but smiled sadly at me. “You ok?”
“You heard?” He nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just can’t believe she’d do this to him after being gone almost a year,” I said vehemently. “She’s so selfish!”
“I’m sorry, but I think your dad did the right thing.”
“Me, too. I just hate that he has to go through this again. He’s been through so much this year. He’s just now starting to be normal.”
“I know.” He hugged me around my middle. “You want to stay here with him instead of going to work?”
“Nuhuh. He’s fine. I just hope she doesn’t try to come here or anything.” I glanced at Caleb’s watch. “Dang it, I’m so late. You might not have to worry about my quitting; I might get fired if I keep this up.”
I put my helmet on and he buckled it for me. “Well, let’s go then. I’d hate to not see you in action in that outfit.”
“Hey!” I smacked his back playfully as I climbed on behind him. “I don’t get it. Why do you like it?”
He shrugged and I could literally feel his attraction. “What’s not to like? It’s hot.”
I just rolled my eyes and hugged him close from behind as he cranked it up and we drove to the diner.
When we pulled up, we got off the bike and he dragged his bag out of the back compartment. I took my helmet off and shook out my hair before twisting it into a messy up do. Caleb turned to see me and groaned.
“Ah, Maggie, you are making my fantasy so much worse.”
“All right you,” I laughed. “Get a hold of yourself,” I said in as low a voice as I could muster, and pulled him down to kiss me.
It wasn’t long before I had the urge to glance inside. I then had a slight moment of panic. Number one, Big John was walking out the door with a meat cleaver gleaming in his hand. Yes, a meat cleaver. Number two, he was glaring at Caleb like he was the devil himself.
“Maggie, get your butt in this diner, right now,” he commanded.
“Big John, this is Caleb. I’m sorry I’m late.”
“Get inside, Maggie. I’ll handle this.” He came to stand in front of us. “You. What do you think you’re doing with my little girl, huh? She’s only seventeen and I won’t have you riding in here on your hog, all smooth and messing with my girl.” 
“Hog?” I asked and he pinned his glare on me.
“I thought I told you to go inside.”
“B.J.” I positioned myself in between him and Caleb. “I told you, this is Caleb. He’s my...”
Dang it. I still didn’t know what to call him.
“I’m her boyfriend, sir.” Caleb extended his hand but Big John just continued to glare, ignoring the hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from Maggie.”
“Oh, is that right? Boyfriend? You mean dead man! I know your type, ok? I used to be your type. You think you can trick a pretty little girl into giving you the goods and then skip town.”
“Big John, eww. Enough. Look, Caleb is a nice guy. I’m sorry if you think he’s a bad influence on me because I wasn’t here yesterday and I’m late today, but there’s a lot of stuff going on right now. Stuff you don’t know. Can you lower the cleaver, please?”
He huffed and crossed his arms with it instead.
“What things?” His brow drew together and then it turned to rage. “Oh, my Lord, Maggie! Are you pregnant? I’ll kill you!” He lunged for Caleb and I pushed him back with me.
Caleb was confused. He thought meeting my dad was going to be bad and it had been cake compared to this.
“Of course I’m not pregnant! I’m...being stalked,” I blurted. Big John stopped and looked sharply at me. “There’s this guy who’s been after me. Caleb’s been watching out for me. Making sure I’m safe.”
“What? Who? Give me his address. I’ll end this right now.”
“It’s not that simple. I don’t know where he lives or anything about him really, just that he tried to kidnap me the other night and Caleb stopped him. He saved me.”
Big John glanced at Caleb with new eyes and tucked the cleaver in his apron, like that helped.
“All right, thank you. Maggie is like a daughter to me. Get inside, you two. Come on.”
We followed him in and Caleb whispered in my ear from behind. “What in the-”
“Honey!” Smarty yelled. “Oh, my goodness, I thought he was going to kill your biker friend.”
“Me, too,” Caleb muttered.
“It’s ok, now. Smarty, this is Caleb. Caleb, Smarty and Mena Bena.”
“Nice to meet you, ladies,” Caleb said and it was hard to stifle the giggle at the look they got on their faces. I wasn’t the only one affected by his charm. “Ok,” he thumped my nametag and smiled, “Sweet Pea. I’ll get out of your way and go park it in the back booth.” He kissed my upturned lips softly and quickly. I heard a soft gasp and an angry grunt behind me. “Pretend I’m not here.”
“That’s not possible,” I said breathlessly making him smirk as he walked away.
“Um, details. Now,” Mena ordered.
“That’s Caleb,” I said aloofly as I started to stack napkins.
“Yes, we gathered that. And is he your man?”
“Yes,” I said and heard the smile creep in.
“Oh! Yay. He’s so cute, honey,” Smarty chimed.
“I know. I’m sorry I’m late. I had a problem with my dad. But Caleb’s going to sit in the back while I work. Because...someone’s stalking me. Caleb saved my life.”
“Ah! How romantic!” Mena said as she clutched her chest.
“Which one?” Smarty asked dryly. “The stalker or the saving her?”
“Both!”
Smarty and I both groaned at her as she bounced away. “I have more bad news,” I confessed. “I’m officially giving my two week notice.”She sighed. “I knew this day would come. Big John!”
“Yeah,” he said and came around the grill.
“Our girl is quitting.”
“What for?” he asked and I could hear the hurt.
“I’m leaving for college soon. Caleb’s father helped me and I can go to school in the fall. So, I’m going. Plus with this whole stalker thing...it’d be one less thing to worry about. I’m sorry. I’m gonna miss you guys so much.” I hugged him around his middle. “You’ve been so good to me.”
He hugged me back with gusto. “I’m gonna miss you something awful, girl.”
“Me, too,” Smarty said and wiped her eyes.
“You're sure it’s not this boy. He’s not gotten you mixed up into something has he? Not taking advantage of you?”
“No. I promise.”
“Ok. Well, then you get your butt to work then if I only got you for two more weeks,” he said gruffly and cleared his throat.
I laughed and pulled away from him, wiping my eyes, too. “Ok. Thanks.”
I took my first table and kept glancing at Caleb. He wasn’t getting much work done back there because he was watching my every move with eager eyes. One table was a group of guys there vacationing from Michigan to see the mountains. They flirted with me but I remained politely obtuse as I usually did.
I looked at Caleb on the way to place their order and saw him with his head propped up on his fist. His lips were twisted in irritation and his leg was bouncing under the table.
It’s just boys. Don’t get all worked up. You know, you’re not getting much work done back there.
It’s driving me insane how incredibly hot you look. Plus it’s ingrained in me to want to pummel those guys for even looking at you. I can’t help it.
Well, I’m sorry but I can’t help how I look, I said and sent a laugh with it.
Very true. Ok, gorgeous, I’ll get to work, but can you tone it down, just a little bit?
You are insane.
I looked to see him grinning at me. I grinned back and then got back to work. He stood by his statement and the next few times I glanced, he was going through his books and writing.
It went by slowly but steady. I told Smarty all about Caleb, how we met, how he was incredibly sweet and careful with me. She said she was happy for me and that he was extremely cute. We talked about college and my dad a little bit in between tables. I told her about my mom, too, and how she had called and wanted to come home and my dad had said no.