Haunted Read Online Free PDF Page B

throughout the night, and she found his chivalrous
gestures sweet and unexpected. “Your mother really raised you right, didn’t
she?”
    Caleb laughed. “Let’s just say my mother
expected a lot from me, and God help me if I disappointed her.”
    “So she was kind of hard on you?” Elle knew
what that was like, never living up to a parent’s expectations.
    “Not at all,” Caleb said, setting the tray
on the coffee table. “She was great. She wanted the best for me, and she made
sure I worked hard to fulfill my dreams. It was never about her dreams for me;
it was always about me figuring out what I wanted and going after it.”
    “Was your father the same way?”
    “Definitely.” He sat on the suede
sectional, tucking one leg under the other before reaching for his mug and
taking a sip of the black coffee. “They were both supportive. I couldn’t have
asked for better parents. They’re a big part of the reason I was so hungry for
success. I wanted them to be able to retire, travel a bit, and enjoy life.”
    “You’ve obviously accomplished your goals,”
Elle said, sitting down beside him. “Your business seems very successful.”
    “It’s exceeded my expectations. When I
started out, I didn’t know what the hell to expect. You hear the stats about
most new businesses failing within the first year, and I sure as hell didn’t
want to be another sad story. Truth is, I didn’t have a plan B, so I had to
make this work.”
    “How many employees do you have?” She took
a tentative sip to test the temperature of her tea.
    “Last count was about three hundred and
sixty.”
    Elle took a larger swallow and sputtered
when it went down the wrong way. She reached for a paper napkin and wiped her
mouth. “I’m sorry, did you say three hundred and sixty?”
    “Yeah.” He grinned. “We’re opening our
tenth office in Birmingham next month. Each office employs about thirty-five to
forty people, so we’ve got a nice little business.”
    “A nice little business? Sounds like an
understatement.” Elle couldn’t deny her respect for him just climbed another
notch. “Congratulations, Caleb. That’s amazing.”
    He set his coffee on the tray and stood to
slip off his jacket. He rolled back the sleeves of his white dress shirt before
loosening his blue silk tie. “It’s not as impressive as it sounds. I perfected
the formula here in Nashville. After that, it was just a matter of duplicating
a proven strategy.”
    “I think you’re being modest.” She tried to
ignore the tightening sensation in her stomach as she watched him slip off his
tie and undo the top two buttons of his shirt.
    “What you’ve accomplished is a hell of a
lot more impressive. You’ve made it in a town and business that’s used to
chewing people up and spitting them out. Tell me, how’d you manage that?”
    “I met Evan Spencer.”
    “Ah, yes, the owner of Titan Records. I met
him tonight while you were performing.”
    “Really? I didn’t even know he was there
tonight,” Elle said. “I wonder why he didn’t stick around to talk to me.”
    “He must have slipped out right after your
set… He’s very protective of you. He wanted to make sure my intentions were
honorable, that I wasn’t trying to get close to you to further my own agenda.”
    Elle dropped her head. “Please tell me he
didn’t say that.” Elle loved Evan and Ryan Spencer, but sometimes they took the
big brother routine a little too far. Between Evan, Ryan, and Drake, it was a
miracle she dated at all.
    Caleb smiled. “He did. At first I thought
he was into you, but then I spotted the wedding ring. It sounds like he cares
about you a lot—as a friend, I assume?”
    Elle was thrilled to know Caleb may be
jealous. “Evan and his brother Ryan are happily married. Their wives are
sweethearts. Trust me, they have no interest in me or any other woman.”
    “Good to know,” Caleb said, looking
satisfied. He looked around the large room, zeroing in on the