egg hatching,” Caleb said. “Know why?”
“No. Tell me,” Ally said.
“Because then you’d have a baby goose on your head.”
She giggled. “You’re funny.”
“Hmmm. . .think so? No one else does.” He smiled at Julie and winked then looked back at her daughter. “Of course you know what we’ll have to call you now, don’t you?”
Ally gave him a questioning look. “What?”
“Knothead. Little Knothead Ross.”
“No, I don’t like it,” Ally protested.
Julie laughed softly. “I’ll inform your teacher of your name change.”
“My name is Ally, not Knothead.”
“Tell you what, if the bump is gone by morning, your name doesn’t have to change,” Caleb told her.
“Mommy, will it be gone?”
“Yes, it should be.” Julie turned to Caleb. “Thanks for bringing her in. It’s difficult being a single mom.”
“No problem.” He glanced at the clock. “If I’m going to make it to the hardware store before it closes I’d better go. I keep having to replace things in that old house.” He shifted his gaze from Julie to Ally. “I hope you feel better, Knothead.”
Ally gave him a pretend frown and folded her arms while making a low huffing sound. He laughed, then crossed the room to the door.
“Caleb, thank you for the hummingbird,” Julie said.
He paused in the doorway between the kitchen and den and turned toward her. “It wasn’t much.”
“It was to me. Thanks.”
After leaving Julie’s, Caleb ran inside his house long enough to grab a few bucks hidden beneath his bed, then walked outside. On the ride into town, a police car cruised behind him, so he stayed within the speed limit.
He parked along the curb in front of the hardware store, and the police car pulled in behind him. His heart moved into his throat, choking him with each loud thumping beat. His shoulders grew rigid. The uniformed officer stepped out and approached him.
Caleb spoke up. “Is there a problem?”
“Yeah, you,” the officer said, removing his shades.
Caleb noticed the name on his badge. Grear . Then he recalled Mr. Higgins telling him that Frank Grear had laid claim to Julie. Had the deputy seen him leave Julie’s house?
“I haven’t broken any laws. So what’s the problem?”
“McGregor, you stay away from Julie and her kids, or I’ll see you’re thrown back in prison.”
Caleb had never been one to back down from a bully. “I respect Mrs. Ross. She’s a fine lady and a good neighbor. I don’t take to threats well, and I won’t hold back because you’re wearing a badge. If I’m sent back to prison, I’ll at least have the satisfaction of knowing I kicked your ass."
Though the thought of returning to prison scared the shit out him, he wouldn’t let this lousy bastard know it.
Grear flashed him a nasty grin. “Another time. See you around, McGregor. You better remember what I said.”
Caleb waited until Grear had left before entering the hardware store. “I know it’s closing time. I’ll hurry.”
“Take your time,” Mr. Higgins said.
“Thanks.” Caleb walked to the plumbing materials and searched for what he needed. Adrenaline still pumped through his veins over Grear’s threat.
Christ, calm down.
He leaned his head forward, closed his eyes, and took deep breaths until his heartbeat slowed. Then he headed up front and set all the items on the counter. “This should keep me busy.”
“Working on your toilet?”
“Yep. Fixed all the faucets. They don’t leak nearly as bad.”
The old man laughed. “Not much of a plumber, are you?”
“Nope, not hardly.” Caleb glanced at the Help Wanted sign still in the window. “See you haven’t hired anyone yet.”
“No one’s interested.”
“As I said before, I’m a hard worker if you decide to give me a chance.”
“Anyone who gives you a job is asking for trouble, son.”
“Actually, someone has offered me a job, but it won’t start until school’s out, and I could use the money now. But I’d like
“No. Tell me,” Ally said.
“Because then you’d have a baby goose on your head.”
She giggled. “You’re funny.”
“Hmmm. . .think so? No one else does.” He smiled at Julie and winked then looked back at her daughter. “Of course you know what we’ll have to call you now, don’t you?”
Ally gave him a questioning look. “What?”
“Knothead. Little Knothead Ross.”
“No, I don’t like it,” Ally protested.
Julie laughed softly. “I’ll inform your teacher of your name change.”
“My name is Ally, not Knothead.”
“Tell you what, if the bump is gone by morning, your name doesn’t have to change,” Caleb told her.
“Mommy, will it be gone?”
“Yes, it should be.” Julie turned to Caleb. “Thanks for bringing her in. It’s difficult being a single mom.”
“No problem.” He glanced at the clock. “If I’m going to make it to the hardware store before it closes I’d better go. I keep having to replace things in that old house.” He shifted his gaze from Julie to Ally. “I hope you feel better, Knothead.”
Ally gave him a pretend frown and folded her arms while making a low huffing sound. He laughed, then crossed the room to the door.
“Caleb, thank you for the hummingbird,” Julie said.
He paused in the doorway between the kitchen and den and turned toward her. “It wasn’t much.”
“It was to me. Thanks.”
After leaving Julie’s, Caleb ran inside his house long enough to grab a few bucks hidden beneath his bed, then walked outside. On the ride into town, a police car cruised behind him, so he stayed within the speed limit.
He parked along the curb in front of the hardware store, and the police car pulled in behind him. His heart moved into his throat, choking him with each loud thumping beat. His shoulders grew rigid. The uniformed officer stepped out and approached him.
Caleb spoke up. “Is there a problem?”
“Yeah, you,” the officer said, removing his shades.
Caleb noticed the name on his badge. Grear . Then he recalled Mr. Higgins telling him that Frank Grear had laid claim to Julie. Had the deputy seen him leave Julie’s house?
“I haven’t broken any laws. So what’s the problem?”
“McGregor, you stay away from Julie and her kids, or I’ll see you’re thrown back in prison.”
Caleb had never been one to back down from a bully. “I respect Mrs. Ross. She’s a fine lady and a good neighbor. I don’t take to threats well, and I won’t hold back because you’re wearing a badge. If I’m sent back to prison, I’ll at least have the satisfaction of knowing I kicked your ass."
Though the thought of returning to prison scared the shit out him, he wouldn’t let this lousy bastard know it.
Grear flashed him a nasty grin. “Another time. See you around, McGregor. You better remember what I said.”
Caleb waited until Grear had left before entering the hardware store. “I know it’s closing time. I’ll hurry.”
“Take your time,” Mr. Higgins said.
“Thanks.” Caleb walked to the plumbing materials and searched for what he needed. Adrenaline still pumped through his veins over Grear’s threat.
Christ, calm down.
He leaned his head forward, closed his eyes, and took deep breaths until his heartbeat slowed. Then he headed up front and set all the items on the counter. “This should keep me busy.”
“Working on your toilet?”
“Yep. Fixed all the faucets. They don’t leak nearly as bad.”
The old man laughed. “Not much of a plumber, are you?”
“Nope, not hardly.” Caleb glanced at the Help Wanted sign still in the window. “See you haven’t hired anyone yet.”
“No one’s interested.”
“As I said before, I’m a hard worker if you decide to give me a chance.”
“Anyone who gives you a job is asking for trouble, son.”
“Actually, someone has offered me a job, but it won’t start until school’s out, and I could use the money now. But I’d like
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