Page 32 of Before the Bond
“Whatever it is,” I said. “I can see that you’re protecting something. I don’t have to like it to understand it.”
Something moved in his expression. His eyes softened, and he nodded solemnly.
“But I need you to promise me something,” I said.
“Anything.”
The word came without hesitation. It was such a simple word for the weight it carried.
“The moment it matters,” I said. “The moment telling me could prevent harm from being done — you tell me. Whatever it is. You don’t wait for the right time.”
Caleb held my gaze for a long moment. Long enough that I was aware of the distance between our chairs, which wasn’t much.
“I promise,” he said.
I nodded. I opened my book back to the page I hadn’t read.
“Thank you,” I said.
I stayed another hour. Caleb finally went on to read his own book, like he felt he had permission to do so without the guilt now.
We didn’t talk again, but the silence had a different quality than it had when I arrived. I wasn’t trying to figure him out anymore. I didn’t need to know where my place was — or to contest it. More importantly, I felt something settle. Maybe not about everything, but that Caleb cared in ways that were similar to my own.
When I finally stood to leave, Caleb said good night without looking up from the fire.
“Goodnight, too,” I said.
In the hallway, I thought about the promise he’d made, and what it would take for him to keep it, and whether those were the same thing.
Chapter 7
Olivia
Iwoke up thinking about Caleb.
My face scrunched up. He was still on my mind. I didn’t like that.
I looked at the side of my bed. The book was still in the reading chair by the window, in the grey light of early morning.
“I don’t want to see you hurt.”
My face warmed — more obvious against cold.
I thought about his gentleness. His patience. No matter how much I pushed him, he always gave way to me.
Thinking about it only made me think about his face, and the tiniest shifts in his brows and mouth whenever we spoke.
Okay, that’s really enough.
I hopped out of bed.
I did not need to think about this further.
I pulled back the bedroom’s curtain to let the rest of the dawn shine through.
The sun wasn’t fully out yet. A bluish tinge cast over the mountains, creating a somber but visible landscape.
There was fog, but not so much of it that I couldn’t see ahead of me.
