Chapter 4

Caleb

Caleb watched as Mia looked in on Ella. Colton was sitting in the rocking chair by the hospital bed with his two children as he watched Ella sleep. After she had the babies, the doctor transferred her to a bed.

"Colton," she whispered from the doorway as Caleb looked on. "We're leaving. Is there anything else we can do before we leave? Anything you need?"

Caleb couldn't help but notice how beautiful Mia looked in the soft golden glow of the oil lamp. The way she pitched in and helped out during the crisis stirred something in his heart.

Mia held out her hand as Colton started to get up. "Don't get up."

"We'll be fine." Colton's voice came from inside the room. "Mia, thank you."

She nodded as she smiled. "Tell Ella we'll come by to see her tomorrow morning." She gently closed the door.

Caleb placed a hand on the small of her back as he looked over her shoulder. "Let's go," he whispered. The children were asleep on the floor, tired from the long wait. By all rights, he should rent a room in Laramie. But he wasn't ready to share his bed with this woman… even if she was his wife. He sighed, knowing he could afford two rooms.

Mia turned to him and smiled, melting his heart. But he quickly pushed the emotion down. He had asked her to be his platonic wife, and he was determined to keep it that way.

His heart fluttered at just the simple act of touching her shoulders as he helped her on with her coat, but he quickly pushed the thought aside and turned to pick up his daughter.

"Pa?" she asked sleepily.

"It's me, princess." He kissed the top of her head and handed her to Mia. Then he bent down and picked up his son. "Shane? Are you hungry?"

Shane nodded as he nuzzled onto his shoulder and then sat bolt upright and wanted down, glaring at Mia.

"Come on, little man." Caleb reached down and took his hand, and then placed his other hand on the small of Mia's back. "Ready?"

She nodded and he escorted her out to his buckboard and helped her in, and then walked around and slid in beside her. Shane hopped into the back.

Caleb made a clicking sound with his mouth and the horses immediately started walking. "I'm proud of you, Mia."

A smile lit her lips. "I was so worried about Ella."

He nodded. "So was Colton."

"Thank you for getting him out of the room when you did." A laugh escaped her lips. "He was ready to punch the doctor, and then we would've really been in trouble."

"When I pulled him out, it was all I could do to keep him from going back in." Caleb smiled at the memory.

Mia's head snapped up. "How did you do it?"

Caleb sighed. "I told him that he could do more good by praying. We spent most of the day in prayer until you came out."

Mia looked away. "Between us, when the baby was born blue, I thought we'd lost her."

Caleb stopped and looked into her eyes. "The baby was born blue?"

Mia nodded. "The little girl."

"Well, thank goodness she pulled through." Caleb glanced over at her, his heart pounding at her beauty. "You were a big help to the doctor tonight, you know."

Mia smiled. "Thank you. I just wish I could have done more."

"You did enough." Pride shone in his voice.

As the horses plodded on through the snow, he knew that he needed to talk to her.

"Mia, I'm sorry for being so abrupt to you earlier today." He let out a deep breath. "You deserved better than how I treated you when you got off the train."

"It's okay, Caleb. I understand."

He shook his head. "No. You're a good woman, Mia, and you deserve to know what you're getting yourself into."

She looked back at Shane and then into his eyes. "I appreciate that, but I don't think now is the time."

He nodded, knowing she was right.

"Caleb, I know it hasn't been easy for you and the children."

"It's been hard," he admitted, letting out a deep breath.

She covered his hand with hers. "I know, but you have to find a way to let go of the past and move on."

He smirked without humor as he looked into her eyes, pulling his hand away. "So, you want me to forget?"

She shook her head. "No, of course not. Never forget. But someday, you'll have to find a way to move on."

"It's easier said than done." He let out a deep breath, shaking his head.

She let her hand drop. "Take all the time you need."

A few minutes later, he pulled the team to a stop in front of the hotel in Laramie. "Mia, I hope you don't mind, but I thought about it, and I don't want to get caught on the road in the dark this time of year. Also, we can't leave Colton and Ella to get back on their own with the babies. Although it hasn't snowed for the past few weeks, we're not out of the woods yet. And if it starts snowing with the children before we get home—"

"Say no more." Her eyes met his, looking so beautiful that it overwhelmed him, but he quickly pushed the thought aside. "I don't mind… really."

Caleb pulled the brake. "I'll be right back." Shane started to get down. "Come on, buddy."

Shane happily hopped down and took his father's hand. He was always following him, emulating him. It was clear that he idolized his father. Caleb just wanted to live up to it.

Inside, Caleb and Shane walked up to the front desk where a man was standing behind the counter.

"Welcome to the Laramie Inn!" the man behind the desk beamed, a bit too chipper. "What can I do for you?"

"I'd like two rooms please." Caleb didn't want to think that it was technically their wedding night, and he also didn't want to think about losing the kindest, most beautiful woman in the world. Guild reared its ugly head within his chest.

The man turned around and pulled two skeleton keys from a peg board behind him. "That'll be .75 cents each or $1.50 for two."

Caleb pulled the wallet from his back pocket. The price was a bit steep but having the extra room was necessary. He didn't know Mia, after all. And even though he knew that Mia was a good person, he didn't want to take a chance… not with his children.

"Here you go." Caleb slid the bills to him across the counter and he handed him his change.

"Name?" the front desk clerk asked, ready with pen in hand.

"Henley. Reverend Caleb Henley."

The clerk wrote it down and then turned the ledger toward Caleb. "Here. Sign this."

Caleb scribbled his name, as his insides fluttered. He felt as nervous as a bride himself, although he had no idea why. He wasn't even going to be sharing a room with her. Guilt filled his chest once more as thoughts of Jessica and their wedding night years ago flooded his mind.

The clerk laid two sets of keys on the counter and slid them toward him. "Here you go, Reverend Henley. Upstairs to the left."

"Thanks." Caleb slid the keys into his pocket and took Shane's hand. "Come on." Together, they headed out into the cold air. Caleb felt guilty for leaving Mia and Hailey outside. It was cool when he and Shane went inside but it seemed to have gotten colder in that short amount of time. He guessed they weren't through with the cold weather completely yet.

"Pa!" Hailey's face lit up as she reached out for him.

"Come here, baby girl." Caleb reached for her, and she went to him immediately. Then he extended his hand to Mia to help her down, unable to meet her eyes. "Let's get you inside. I'll come out for your bags in just a bit."

Mia nodded. "I'll come down with you to pick out some things from my trunk so you won't have to carry it upstairs."

"That won't be necessary. I'll need to bring it inside anyway so no one helps themselves to your things." He walked with her up the stairs and then stopped before the two rooms and opened the first door.

"Yippee!" Shane ran in and jumped on the double bed.

Caleb laughed. He set Hailey on her feet, and she ran inside and jumped on the bed along with her brother. "Well, I guess this room is ours."

Mia laughed but said nothing.

Caleb unlocked the door to the other room for her and handed her the key. "Here you go. I'll be up with your trunk in a bit."

Mia nodded, nervously wringing her hands. "Thank you."

"Would you mind watching the kids for a minute while I bring up your trunk?" Caleb asked, his voice cracking a bit. "I'll only be a minute."

"I'd be glad to." She stood in the doorway between the rooms.

"Kids, stay here with Mia and I'll be right back up."

"Oh, I want to go!" Shane wailed, plopping himself down onto the bed, landing on his bottom.

"No, I need you to stay here with your sister," Caleb said sternly. "I'll be right back up."

Caleb hurried away but glanced over his shoulder at Mia one more time. She looked at him with the most beautiful green eyes he'd ever seen.

When he rounded the corner, he took off his cowboy hat and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair. "What are you doing, Caleb?" Never in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined he'd marry a woman other than Jessica, let alone a woman he didn't know.

Outside, white puffs of snow flurried around and then fell to the ground. Caleb was suddenly thankful that they had decided to stay the night in Laramie. Although it was a bit rowdy, especially at night, he never would have forgiven himself if anything happened to the children or Mia on their way back home. And then they'd have to make the trip back to Laramie in the morning to help Colton and Ella anyway.

Caleb lifted the trunk out of the back of the buckboard and carried it inside the hotel and up the stairs. Mia was sitting at a small table just inside the door of his room, watching the children. She smiled as he walked past and set her trunk on the floor just inside her room.

"I'll be right back."

She nodded and he hurried back down the stairs. Outside, white cottony bits swirled around. He just hoped they didn't get stranded here in Laramie. Although Caleb had some cash with him, he couldn't afford hotel rooms for a week, either.

"Just get through tonight and tomorrow will take care of itself." He climbed into the buckboard, released the brake, and headed toward the livery stable.

After leaving the horses and his rig at the livery stable, he pulled the collar of his coat up over his neck and headed back toward the hotel. He darted inside in a flurry of snow.

"After the blizzard we had at Christmas, I thought we were nearly through with this." The front desk clerk shook his head, leaning against the counter.

"So did I." Caleb headed up the stairs. The door to his room was still open and the children were playing happily on the bed. When Caleb walked in, Mia rose to her feet.

"Well, if you don't need me anymore, I'll go freshen up a bit."

Caleb nodded, knowing he should say something, but unable to bring himself to.

Mia smiled as she walked out and closed the door behind her.

Although he had no intention of anything else, there was no reason why they couldn't spend an enjoyable evening together. He looked over at the children and said, "Stay here. I'll be right back." As he headed over to Mia's room, he knew that she would never be his real wife, but he hoped they could find some middle ground.