My heart sinks. I’m totally in debt to this man, and I didn’t even know. I feel totally helpless.
I glance around my simple but lovely little home, biting my lip. On the one hand, I’m grateful because Mr. Minor’s generosity is the reason I get to pursue my dream. But on the other, this is such a huge surprise. Can I make it up to him somehow? I don’t know, maybe volunteer at his consulting company so he gets some free labor? I bite my lip, shaking with frustration. This is just so confounding and I need to figure it out.
But then, a firm knock sounds at my front door, and I take a breath to compose myself. I need to have a serious conversation with my parents, and acting crazy isn’t going to help.
“You guys are half an hour late,” I grouse as I pull the door open. “Where have you been?”
But the words die on my lips because to my embarrassment, it’s not my parents standing in my hallway, but rather Caleb Minor himself – the very man I’ve been obsessing over for the last several days.
“Um, hi,” I stammer, peering around his huge form. “What are you doing here? Are you coming to the game? But where are my parents?”
He cocks a black eyebrow at me, those blue eyes glinting.
“No, actually Margaret and Frank aren’t here.”
I stare at him, my heart practically beating out of my chest. Finally, I find my voice again.
“I’m sorry, they aren’t? I don’t mean this to sound rude, but, um, where are they then? Did they invite you to the game?”
Caleb flashes a stunning smile, and my entire body feels like it’s been set on fire.
“They did,” he confirms in a low voice. “But in an unfortunate turn of events, Margaret and Frank got sick at the last minute, so they’re recuperating.”
I stare at him.
“What? Why didn’t they tell me?” I ask, stepping aside. “Come in, come in. Sorry, this just took me by surprise.”
The huge man steps into my small apartment, his enormous size making it feel even smaller. He shrugs and grins at me.
“Well, I swung by their house about thirty minutes ago, and they answered the door looking worse for the wear in their bathrobes. Margaret and Frank say it’s likely a bout of food poisoning and told me to find you by myself.”
“What?” I ask, blinking with shock. “OMG, are they okay? Why didn’t they call me? I should go see them!” I immediately start dashing around my apartment madly, looking for my coat, keys, and bag.
“They’re fine,” the older man says in a low tone, putting a large hand on one of my shoulders. “Your parents did look pretty pale, but they’re going to be fine. I suggested they go to the ER just to be sure though.”
But all I hear is the word “ER.”
“The emergency room?” I gasp. “OMG, I have to go to make sure they’re okay!” I twist out of Caleb’s grasp and continue pawing under pillows for my purse because I’m in full panic mode now, my heart racing. I feel like the worst daughter in the world for having been so upset with them earlier. What does that matter when my parents could be dying? My body starts shaking, and I race around in a frenzy until Caleb stops me again.
“Lori, take a breath,” he says in a low, soothing tone. “Breathe. Just breathe. Honestly, it’s probably just food poisoning. Your dad said they had oysters at some bar last night, which they both admit was a mistake. You know how unvetted seafood is.”
“Just food poisoning,” I repeat, shaking my head, still on the edge of panic. “Ugh.”
Caleb speaks again, his blue eyes level and calm.
“Plus, Margaret and Frank specifically didn’t want you to worry,” he adds. “They asked me to come over here to take you to the football game. That way, you have someone to cheer with. Seriously, they’re going to be fine. I know this is sudden, but your parents are perfectly healthy and will likely be back on their feet by tomorrow.” Caleb’s eyes search mine, perhaps trying to make sure that I am no longer panicking.
My heartbeat subsides a bit, and I do feel better actually. I smile hesitantly, and Caleb nods.
“So you really don’t think that I need to go the ER to check on them?” I ask, feeling my breath catch in my throat as I speak.
Caleb cocks his head to the side and grins.
“No, there’s no need to panic. Frank and Margaret want you to enjoy yourself, and spending hours in the ER with them isn’t going to change anything. Just shoot them a text, and I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.”
I nod as tears spring to my eyes.
“Thank you for being so understanding,” I whisper. “I realize I must have come off like a fool just now.”