The Lost Boy

Chapter 24

Two weeks later...

I walked into work, finding my desk, and sitting down. I looked around the office feeling the depression flare. It'd been a few weeks since I've seen or even heard from Elizabeth. I was hurting, I felt betrayed. Lucky for me, I worked a full-time job so it took a majority of my time lately. I had already been to court a few times in the last week to watch Mr. Flynn in action. I pulled my new laptop out of my messenger bag, placing it on my desk. I didn't want to think about her, but all I could do was think about her. The smell of her skin, her smile, her frown, her beautiful hazel eyes. I shook the thoughts of my head, trying to focus on work. I looked up to see Flynn's secretary heading my way.

"Good morning, Mr. Flynn asked me to give you these." The brunette girl said, tucking her curls shyly behind her ears.

"Thank you, what was your name again?" I ask, grabbing the folders from her small hands. She smiled, untucking her hair, and fidgeting with her fingertips.

"Emily." She said instantly, smiling harder.

"Thank you, Emily, I'll take a look." I say, smiling back at her. She nodded, turning swiftly around and walking back to her desk. I opened the thick Manilla folder, scanning the documents. This fucking prick, I'm tired of these bullshit assignments. Fuck.

"Looks like he's going to keep giving me bullshit cases. A fucking parking ticket, Jesus." I mumble to myself, shaking my head. I've been practicing a few weeks but growing up with another attorney I knew I was better than this fucking job. I grabbed my laptop, shoving it back into my messenger bag. I huffed, slinging my bag back over my shoulder. Fuck this job. I walked through the office for the last time, fuck if I was going to to keep dealing with this corporate bullshit. I pushed through the double doors, heading for the elevator.

When I got back to the condos, I pulled my truck in its spot. I had just walked out of a job. I've never done that before. I sighed, pulling out the abundance of business cards I received at my graduation party. I shuffled through the cards, trying to find the heavier set man's card. I punched the number into my phone, letting the line trill in my ear.

"Hello, this is Maxwell Cooppola." He said into the receiver.

"Hey Max, it's Caleb Helms. I was just wondering if that job offer was still on the table?" I asked confidently, looking at the concrete wall ahead of me, praying for a yes.

"Oh, hey Caleb! I am so happy you called, that position is still open. You were interested?" He asked, abating my instant worries.

"Yes, I would love to work for you. When can I start?" I ask eagerly. He chuckled, commenting on my eagerness.

"Awesome, how about we grab dinner Wednesday night and discuss numbers?" He offers, clearing his throat.

"Sounds great, just text me where to meet you and I'll be there." I say, feeling immense relief.

"Sounds great Caleb, see you then." He said, ending the call. I hopped out, making my way to the elevator. The elevator opened on my floor, and I saw a bag sitting outside my door. I walked over, picking up the bag. I punched the code into my door, opening it to a sleepy Gage. His ears perked up and he made his way over to me.

"Hey buddy." I said, rubbing his ears. I put my messenger bag on the counter, rummaging through the bag. I pulled out a white envelope that said my name, opening it.

Caleb,

I know you don't want to hear from me...

I paused, catching my breath and sighing.

I know nothing I can say will make what happened right, but know I fell hard for you. I know that I should've told you sooner, but I didn't know how to tell you. Bryon and I hadn't been together in years. He just wouldn't sign the papers I had lawyers send him repeatedly and then he found me because I put this place in my maiden's name. Ever since, he's been showing up drunk and tormenting me into coming back with him to Portland. I want absolutely nothing to do with him. I was done when I left Portland and I know none of this is an excuse for lying about it. I just did not want him to ruin anything else in my life. If you could find some way to let me, explain in person Caleb, I will because I love you. I love you so much and am so upset I hurt you...

She loves me. I gripped the paper just slightly, felt this pain in my chest, making its way to my stomach and churning. She loves me? I felt slight guilt for how I acted but I also felt I have every right to, she lied. Period. I put the letter on the counter, shuffling through the bag again. There was a new silk grey tie and some of our favorite wine. I heard a soft knock on the door. It startled me a little, but I walked over to the door. I opened it and Elizabeth was standing in the doorway. Her hair flowing over her bare shoulders.

"Hey." She said softly, twirling the end of her shirt in her hand. Her hazel eyes staring at me in this overwhelming sadness. I motioned for her to come in.

"Can I just say I am so sorry Caleb." She said twirling to look up at me again. "I am so sorry that I didn't just tell you. I..I.." She cut herself off, the tears welding in her eyes.

"I don't know what to say. I don't know what you want me to say. You lied to me, I don't know if I can forgive you, Elizabeth. I told you, I told you that I can't deal with someone lying to me." She cut her eyes down to her fingers, fumbling with them.

"Okay, thank you for letting me come in. I hope everything works out for you Caleb, truly." She said, heading for the door. I turned from her, looking down at Gage staring up at me. I groaned, turning back around, I quickly cuffed her arm with my hand.

"Wait." I said softly, pulling her to a halt. She turned around slowly, her hair moving with her motion. It was like a scene out of Casablanca, her eyes lit up and a smile quickly formed. Our lips crashed together like the waves against a sandy shore. Our tongues finding that familiarity, the warmth filling my body. She moaned into my mouth, pulling back abruptly.

"Caleb." She said, in a huffed voice, our mouths inches from each other. "Caleb, wait. I think we do need to talk it out, everything. I want to be completely honest with you, whatever you want to know. I don't want you to ever think, ''I'd lie to you again." She pulled back further, her eyes searching mine. I looked down at her, tucking a hair behind her ear, stroking her cheek just lightly with my fingertips.

"Yes, let's do just that." I smirked, stealing a quick kiss before pulling her towards the couch. We sat down next to each, and I searched for what I wanted to ask. I know her intentions weren't malice or at least that's how I see it. I know that I probably should've been better with asking more questions about her past, our relationship has mostly been about the passion and kinks. I lost myself in her, just as she lost herself in me. I felt it was just going to grow from there. We had this connection I couldn't explain to anyone, yet I felt so distant from her now. She was like a stranger that roamed, but at the same time I felt I knew her. I know that she sleeps with a pillow between her legs and loves Pinot Noir, preferably from Willamette Valley. She loves cult classics and 80's rock. How can I not know this woman? I love her too. She pulled me from my thoughts, by stroking the skin in between my thumb and index finger.

"I love you too, I know that now and I know I've never felt this way before. So yes Elizabeth, I want to hear you out but at the end of all of this. I have no problem letting this go either. I can't risk my heart on someone that doesn't care to be honest with me." I say, rubbing her hand softly.

"Understood." She said softly, slowly sliding her hand from mine and sitting forward. I could tell this was going to be hard for her, she looked distraught and just as torn as I was. She let out a deep breath, turning to look at me again.

"What do you want to hear first?" She asks, her hazel eyes locked on mine.

"Everything, I've got nothing but time." I say softly, trying to ease her anxieties. I knew this could go one way or the other. Good or bad. I just hoped for both our sake's, her story wasn't going to crush everything we've built the last several months.