Page 88 of No Judgements

“We’re not breaking into Frank’s,” Drew said, as the dogs scrambled eagerly up the porch steps ahead of him. “CVS will probably reopen soon. Even though the last thing I want to do is give my hard-earned money to a corporate conglomerate, we can buy food—”

It was as he was saying this that a figure I hadn’t noticed before rose from one of the porch chairs and stepped in front of me.

“Hello, Sabrina,” Caleb said.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Due to flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Marilyn, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) is advising residents to take precautions against unclean water. Your tap water may contain disease-causing organisms and may not be safe to drink. BE SAFE NOT SORRY!

Iwas so startled, I nearly fell back off the porch.

“Wh-what are you doing here?”

My mind was whirling. This didn’t make any sense. What was Caleb doing in Little Bridge? How had he known I’d be at this house? And why was he wearing white jeans and a pink Lacoste shirt in a hurricane-recovery zone?

“You know why I’m here, Sabrina,” Caleb said. His handsome, expressive face was filled with angst. “How else was I supposed to see you? You won’t take my calls. You won’t answer my texts. You—”

“There’s no cell service.”

“I meant before.”

Before he could take another step toward me, Drew came striding up, seized Caleb by the collar of his shirt, and pushed him back against the home’s decoratively painted front door.

“Hello, there,” Drew said, with deceptive cheerfulness, as both the pitties immediately thrust their noses into Caleb’s crotch and began to paw at him, barking excitedly. “Have you met my new dogs?”

Caleb was wincing and trying to break free, but there was nowhere he could go with Drew pressing him so firmly against the door, and the pitties’ hot breath on his middle section. “I-I don’t know you. You got the wrong guy, man.”

“I don’t think I do,” Drew said, his face just inches from Cal’s. “Your name is Caleb, isn’t it?”

Caleb, still trying to squirm away since Drew was in his face and the dogs were in his private parts, threw a glance of appeal at me. “Sabrina, who is this guy?”

“This is my new friend Drew.” My heart was still hammering from the surprise encounter, but it was slowing down a little, and I felt able to make introductions, the tall, dark, handsome man to the tall, blond, handsome man. “Drew, this is Caleb. Caleb, Drew.”

“Hey, man,” Drew said, relaxing his hold on Cal’s collar slightly, though the dogs continued to bark and paw at him. “Maybe you can explain something to me. See, we’re supposed to be feeding a cat at this house. Or maybe it’s a dog. What is it, Bree, a cat or a dog?”

I checked the list. “It’s a cat.”

“Yeah,” Drew said, relaxing his hold completely on Caleb,since the dogs were managing to keep him cornered. “But then we get here, and we find you instead. Where’s the cat, Cal?”

Caleb looked terrified. “There’s no cat, okay? I saw the judge’s post last night online and seized an opportunity. This is my second cousin’s house. He said I could borrow it anytime I wanted—”

I shook my head, amazed. “How did you even get here?”

“Flew into Miami this morning, then took a floatplane. They’re letting anyone land as long as they bring food or medical supplies. We brought a bunch of antibiotics. I know a doctor. Look, Bree, can you get this guy to call off his dogs? I really need to—”

“We?” Something cold had clutched at my heart. “Who iswe?”

Caleb sighed. “Fine, okay. Kyle is here, too.”

The cold thing turned to icy panic. “What? I thought he was in rehab!”

“He was. He got out.”

“Got out? Or signed himself out?”

“He signed himself out. Look, I really don’t like dogs, could you just—”

“Hold these.” Drew handed me the dogs’ leashes, then confronted Caleb. “Where is that douchebag?”