Free A Rare Gift by Jaci Burton Page A

want…”
    “Again, not that simple.”
    “Why? You worried about what people will think, what they’ll say?”
    He didn’t say anything.
    Brody frowned. “Screw that. We’re behind you. Family sticks together and we’ll kick anyone’s ass who has something to say about it. Calliope’s cool. And damn, man, you’re the most relaxed I’ve seen you in years. It’s about time you went out and had some fun. If she’s the reason behind it, then don’t let anyone stop you.”
    He nodded. “I’ll think about it. Thanks.”
    He headed out the door and climbed in his truck, tossed his gear to the passenger seat.
    Maybe Brody was right. Maybe he was worried too much.
    Then again, he knew what small-town gossip was like. He knew his family would rally around him. It wasn’t himself he was worried about. Anything people had to say, any whispers and innuendos were water off a duck’s back to him. He’d heard it all after his divorce.
    But Calliope was building a business. She dealt with families with small children. Rumors and gossip could hurt her and her business.
    And that he wouldn’t tolerate.
     
    Calliope stood and laid her hands at the small of her back, stretching out her tight muscles.
    What an interminably long day. She was glad it was Friday and the week was over. All she wanted was a hot bath, a good meal and her man. And a massage by said man. She wondered if she could convince Wyatt to give her a back rub. Maybe she could use her feminine wiles to wrangle a back rub out of him.
    Or, she could just get naked. That should convince him.
    Then again, they hadn’t made official plans for tonight, or for the weekend. She’d assumed they’d see each other. He’d come over to her place or she’d gone to his after work almost every night for the past two weeks.
    He and the other guys had left the addition about an hour ago, so she assumed she’d find him in the trailer doing some paperwork. She locked up the center and headed that way, frowning when she saw all the lights out in the trailer. She pulled on the door. It was locked.
    Huh. She walked around to the front of the trailer and didn’t see his truck.
    He’d left. Without saying anything to her.
    Okay, so maybe he’d had an emergency and didn’t have time to tell her about it. She hoped everything was okay.
    She drove home, tossed her coat and purse on the sofa and grabbed her phone, dialing his number as she kicked her shoes off.
    He answered on the third ring.
    “Hi,” he said.
    “Is everything all right?”
    “Yeah. Why wouldn’t it be?”
    “I looked for you after I closed for the day. I thought you might be in the trailer but you had already left.”
    “Yeah. Cut out on time for a change. Had to head back to the office.”
    “Oh, okay.” She took a seat at the kitchen table. “So what are your plans for tonight?”
    “I thought I’d work on the car.”
    “Oh.” She heard the definite brush-off signals in his tone of voice. “What about tomorrow? There’s a new movie out I’m dying to see.”
    “I don’t think so. I have a few things I need to catch up on.”
    Pain and irritation swirled around in her empty stomach, making her nauseous.
    “Sure. I understand. I’ll see you on Monday, then.”
    “Okay. See you.”
    She clicked off the phone and slid it across the table, angry with Wyatt, and with herself.
    No. Not with herself. Definitely with him. They had a relationship. They’d been together every day for three weeks. That allowed her to make assumptions. He’d been happy, dammit. He couldn’t just make an about turn and suddenly blow her off without an explanation.
    An explanation she deserved.
    She went into the bathroom and took a shower, washing off the day and some of her annoyance with it. By the time she’d dried her hair, she had the phone to her ear and Tori on the line.
    “Are you busy tonight?” she asked.
    “I was going to do a home pedicure. It doesn’t get more exciting than that.”
    Calliope