Page 15 of Caleb’s Cause (Broken Wheel Ranch #12)
Caleb sat back and listened to the men and women making plans for Katherine, and when he looked over at her, he saw that she was either in shock, overwhelmed, or exhausted. He didn’t know which.
“Excuse me,” he said, and had to repeat himself several times before someone finally looked over at him. He held his hand up in surrender and shook his head. “I don’t know shit about what you’re discussing, but I have a few concerns.”
“What’s that?” Ryan asked him, and the way his face scrunched up, Caleb swallowed hard, not wanting to be on his bad side.
“First, you’re talking like Katherine isn’t even here.
Second, she’s exhausted, just look at her.
Third, I will be happy to keep an eye on her over at Broken Two, however, none of the cabins are furnished with furniture.
Hell, I’m sleeping on an air mattress I happened to have in my car from a camping trip a few years ago.
For now, I’m not saying it would be forever, but for now, I’m putting my two cents in with the fact that I will look out for Katherine, but not at Broken Two.
” He turned to look at Erin, and couldn’t read her expression.
“I’m not being disrespectful, but you mentioned that you didn’t want her off the ranch in case she was being followed.
I agree, but if she can’t leave to get her own furniture, or even pick out a bed, then what is she to do? ”
“What do you suggest?” Erin asked with a frown, and slumped back in her chair.
“That both she and I move into the spare cabin, one of the big ones, on Broken. We would be closer to the men and women that already live there, and it would give us time to get supplies brought in. I’m not talking food stuff.
I’m talking beds, dressers, and a couch.
Stuff like that. I also need to remind you that deep in my soul, I feel Katherine would be safer at Broken, because I’ll be going in and out with my stuff.
” He saw the confused looks on the others’ faces and shook his head sadly.
“I have an appointment with Dr. Rob, I need to look for a truck, I have to get my own furniture, not only in the cabin, but also the office. I also need to think about hiring a receptionist.” He turned to Katherine for the first time and shrugged.
“I’m not pushing you off onto anyone. Please, don’t think that.
I’m also not going to shrug my promise to keep an eye on you.
But, I feel that until I can get established, then I will be better able to keep an eye on you.
” He looked at the others and saw understanding on their faces.
“We’ll both be closer, I’m not saying it has to happen today, or tomorrow, but eventually I’m sure Katherine will end up working at Broken or even New Double.
I agree that she needs to be hidden for the time being, but that doesn’t mean she has to do it in an empty cabin, does it?
” He braced himself for any backlash and it shocked him when they all started to nod.
“Kid,” Ryan said quietly as he settled in the chair next to Pru and looked across the table at him.
“I can see you thought your suggestion would have been met with disdain, or outright nastiness. We are not like that. We are not Karen. You have some very valid points. We are not mad at you.” He nodded, then looked at Clark, and Erin.
“I’m going to go out on a limb here, and say that we are all at fault for the points Caleb said.
Why? Because we’re so busy with the builds that once the cabin is up, and we get the final inspection, and it passes, we move onto the next.
I know after hearing Caleb’s reasoning, I’ve been guilty of that. ” He shook his head sadly.
“I don’t mean to repeat myself, but we get it built, inspected, then I’m guilty for this next part. Once it passes inspection, I close the door and walk away. I don’t think anyone goes back and really walks through the cabin, or the offices or bunktels for that matter to see what they need.”
“Fuck me,” Erin said on a heavy sigh. She shook her head and looked at Caleb. “Thank you. Thank you for pointing out that the cabins aren’t completely done yet. The only thing I’m mad about is that you’re sleeping on an air mattress.”
“Yeah, I wanted to wait until I had a truck to purchase one, and I know this might be bad on my part, but I didn’t want a delivery truck to come to the cabins. To the offices and the bunktels, sure, but not the cabins.”
“I agree with that,” Clark said with a nod.
“I can see why you would think that, and thank you for not wanting complete strangers there.” He turned to his sister with a worried expression.
“I don’t want to step on your toes, and don’t think I’m mad at you, but maybe you have too many irons in the fire. ”
“I know, but what about if I ask Laurie to take over the cabins? She’s constantly begging me for something to do to earn her keep.”
“I don’t have a problem with that, and I’m not being an ass here, but it’s not like we’re asking her to decorate them, we just need them stocked.”
“Correct.” Erin looked at Julie and nodded when Julie said she’d call her after they broke up.
“Katherine?” Erin asked quietly. “How are you holding up?”
“Honestly?”
“Please, we all want an honest answer.”
“Okay, now that I’ve told my story, and eaten. I feel safe for the first time in months, but I’m kind of fading here. I only heard about every tenth word of what you discussed, and if you asked me to tell you what that was, I can’t.”
“Okay, Caleb is going to take you over to a cabin where you can shower, change your clothes, and climb into a bed. Rest assured that you are one hundred percent safe. Are you okay to be alone for a few hours?”
“That’s fine,” she said, and they could tell her words were mumbled and she looked exhausted. They broke up after that, and Caleb helped her to her feet, out to his car, and caught Duane as he returned from lunch. Laurie was with him, and he jumped the gun and grinned.
“Laurie, Erin wants to talk to you. She said she might have something for you to do.”
“Thank god,” Laurie laughed as she gave Duane a quick kiss and hurried to the back door.
“What’s up?” Duane asked.
“I’m taking Katherine over to Broken, not Two, to one of the larger cabins to get her settled in. Can she have her pack back?”
“Sure, let me go get it.” He left and returned a few minutes later. “Why not take her to Two?”
“Because there’s no furniture. No couch, no table, just the kitchen with a stove, microwave, dishwasher, and refrigerator.
Nothing else, not even a coffee pot. I’m sleeping on an air mattress I found in my car, and bought instant coffee.
” He laughed at the look of disgust that came across Duane’s face.
“Yeah, I know. I didn’t want to say anything, because I thought I was responsible for it all, and with me trying to get my office set up before the wedding, I thought I could rough it for a few weeks.
” He shook his head, then looked over both shoulders before he looked back at Duane with a grin.
“Erin’s going to ask Laurie if she can go to all the new cabins and see if she can’t stock them.
Or at least make a list of what they need.
I don’t know what will happen after that. ”
“That will keep Laurie busy. I know she’s been going stir crazy with just taking the rehabilitation classes. Are you going to stay with Katherine?”
“Only until she’s settled in one of the rooms, I need to get over to my office to finish working on that.”
“Would you mind if I come over later, after dinner, to talk with the two of you?” He saw the doubt on his face and shook his head. “It’s all good.”
“Okay, yeah, seven?”
“I’ll be there.” Duane left, and Caleb climbed into his car.
He noticed Katherine had her eyes closed, but had her seatbelt on, so he left her alone.
Because it wasn’t as rough as driving from Two to Broken, he was able to go a little faster, and in about ten minutes he had parked at the cabin he knew was empty.
Instead of waking her, he took her pack inside, and set it on the kitchen table, then he inspected the two bottom bedrooms, and liked that they were all ready for people.
He then ran upstairs to check on them, and found them the same way. He went to get Katherine.
He opened her door, reached in and undid her seatbelt, and tried to wake her.
She never moved, so he picked her up, and carried her inside.
Instead of taking her upstairs, he took her to the downstairs bedroom, the furthest away from the front door, laid her down on the bed, and because she never moved, he removed her shoes and socks.
He stood there looking at her and looked up at the knock on the door, and nodded to the three women standing there.
“We’re Marcia, Opal, and Adele.”
“That’s right. Sorry, it’ll take a little to get everyone straight.”
“That’s okay, we’re here to see if you need help?”
“She’s asleep, I carried her in here, and she never moved. I don’t want her to sleep in her jeans, and I’m not a prude, but I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to remove them.”
“We understand, why don’t you step out?” Marcia asked, and closed the door behind him. Less than ten minutes later, they were back in the kitchen. “We removed her jeans, and were able to move her to beneath the covers. She should be okay now.”
“Good, I know how uncomfortable it is to sleep in denim.”
They all left after that, but Caleb had written a note for Katherine when the others had been in the bedroom with her, and he made sure it was in the center of the table before he left.