Page 89 of Chasing the Sun

TWENTY-SEVEN

ELODIE

Wear somethingyou don’t mind getting dirty.

Cal’s words rolled through my mind as a delicious shiver crept up my back. He had surprised me when he’d asked me out on a date, but then again, the entire afternoon had been surreal.

Cal had apologized for his reaction at the Keepers’ meeting. I hadn’t realized how much I needed him to say those words until they were out. It wasn’t that I was surprised Cal was interested in the farm—I knew that—but such a public display against my plans felt sopersonal.

A part of me was still irritated at him, but the more curious part won out. Cal was so confident I would eventually accept his apology that I was curious to see what other ways he might want to apologize.

It was so on brand for him to just show up, frowning and watching what I was doing, as though he was trying to figure out all the ways in which I was doing it wrong. But then he softened, his hackles lowering until we found a quiet, steady rhythm of working side by side.

Once the planting was completed, he and Leviretreated back to the inn, and I spent the rest of the time cleaning up the trowels and empty planting containers while dodging sidelong glances and snickers from my sister and parents.

My parents had the uncanny knack of seeing the good in everyone, so of course they were already half in love with Callum Blackwood. A strange pressure built beneath my breastbone. I was starting to see it too—not just the good in him, but the quiet steadiness beneath all that gruffness.

Anyone who cared to look would see the way he took care of the people in his orbit without asking for anything in return. It was dangerous, the way he could slip past my guard when I wasn’t paying attention.

Dad had taken Levi under his wing, patting him on the shoulder and showing him the best way to use the square shovel to cut a new walking path into the earth. It was grueling, sweaty work, but Levi worked hard and my dad, always free with his praise, encouraged Levi every step of the way. The sullen moody teenager I had met only weeks ago still clung to the edges, but over time Levi was relaxing into a quiet, confident young man.

Despite his mistake, somewhere along the line I had fallen for that kid, and I couldn’t help but smile anytime he came to mind.

I glanced at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. “And now you’ve got a date with his dad,” I said aloud, my excitement growing.

My reflection beamed back at me, eyes bright, cheeks a little flushed—not from nerves, but from something dangerously close to giddiness. I pressed my fingertips against my lips like I could hold it in, but there was no stopping it.

I was excited.

I reveled in the sensations—the way my skin hummed inanticipation, the way my stomach did that ridiculous little swoop. I wasn’t just hoping for a good time with Cal—I was genuinely looking forward to it, and hell if that didn’t make my heart trip over itself.

It wasn’t just the idea of Cal seeing me like this—it was the way I wanted him to see me.To notice.

Anyone could see that Cal Blackwood was the hottest bachelor in Star Harbor. Sure, he was grumpy and kept to himself, but he was also kind—the type of man who showed up when you needed him, who took care of things without making a show of it, who watched over the people he cared about even when he pretended not to. A man who spoke with passion but apologized when he was wrong.

His looks might have caught people’s attention, but it was that quiet, unwavering steadiness that held it.

With a sigh, I surveyed my outfit—a simple heather gray V-neck T-shirt cuffed at the sleeves. The front was tucked into a pair of jeans that made my ass look incredible. They weren’t exactly work jeans, but I was willing to get them dirty if that meant Cal might also appreciate the way the denim hugged my curves.

My toenails were painted a hot pink, not that I expected Cal to see them—oh hell, who was I kidding? A very large part of me was hoping he might.

I spritzed on a few pumps of the expensive perfume I reserved for special occasions and secured a simple pair of gold studs in my ears. We may be getting dirty, but it was still a date.

Nerves tickled my tummy, and I pressed a palm against it to settle the butterflies, blowing out a steady stream of breath through my pursed lips. Cal had nearly seen me naked already, and we had even spent the night spooning in my bed after the Lantern.

So why the heck was I so nervous?

That was when I realized it wasn’t just about the sex. Yes, I certainly was hoping Cal and I might find ourselves in a tangle of limbs and panting breaths, but what was more, I actually wanted Cal to like me.

I smoothed my hair, twirling a loose, frizzy curl around my finger in hopes of forcing it into shape. When I released it, it sprang back up, doing whatever the hell it wanted.

This pick-me energy was new and unsettling. Cal had been a thorn in my side, actively cheering for my failure in revitalizing Star Harbor Farm, all for the sake of his preciouspeace and quiet.But somewhere along the way, something had shifted. He wasn’t quite so cantankerous, and more than a few times he had been actually helpful.

Maybe I liked that unexpected and interesting side to Cal, or maybe the bratty side of me liked knowing I had the power to get under his skin and into his head. A low thrum pulsed at my core, and I chuckled to myself.

Yep, that was definitely a part of it.

A hard knock at the front door made me jump and I stifled a yelp, the remainder of my nerves skittering across the floor.