Chapter 11

Mabel's Diner more than lived up to the hotel clerk's praise; Honey and Caleb indulged in a large breakfast, too busy eating to discuss their plans for the day. The awkwardness of the night before disappeared with the sunrise and the two travelers ate their meal in a companionable silence
Honey drank the last of her coffee and leaned back in her chair, watching Caleb intently. The young man's ego swelled a bit at her attention, only to deflate once he realized she was eyeing his last biscuit instead of his person.
"I'm not giving you none," Caleb informed his companion.
Honey bit her bottom lip. "I didn't ask," she then pointed out. "But I can't believe you won't even gimme half."
In response, Caleb took a large bite, consuming half of the biscuit in question. "I jus' ate your haf'" he said, mouth full.
Honey's blue eyes narrowed a fraction. "I'da thought your Pa would have taught you better manners than that -- to share."
"He did at that, but he also taught me to say 'please'," Caleb replied, eating the last of the biscuit.
"You can be so mean," Honey accused, looking a bit petulant.
"And you can be such a child," Caleb countered. "If you want something, you should either ask for it nicely or just take it. Don't beg."
Honey rose quickly, bumping into the table. "Caleb Tucker, I do not beg." She swirled around and headed for the door, leaving Caleb sitting at the table.
Grinning, Caleb finished his cup of coffee and reflected how womanly Honey acted when angered -- maybe that was why he liked setting her off. He glanced around the restaurant, but none of the other customers seemed to have noticed the beautiful young woman who had just stormed from the room.
The waitress arrived with the check and a smile on her pink face. "Ya'll come back," she said, her voice hopeful.
Caleb gave her a wink. "We just might do that," he agreed.
"Is that your little brother with you?" she asked, trying to lengthen their conversation.
"A cousin," Caleb lied easily. 'Wish she were my kissing cousin,' he reflected wryly.
"I thought so, both of you having dark hair and all," the pretty waitress added.
"Shouldn't you be in school, 'stead of working?" Caleb asked, curious. San Antonio was hardly San Francisco, and he didn't expect to find a large population of orphans running loose. This young woman looked neither old enough to be on her own, nor tough enough to survive; 'She couldn't be more than thirteen,' he thought, amused by her unsophisticated flirting.
"My Pa runs the place," she explained. "Since Ma died, I help out much as I can."
"Well, that's mighty fine of you," Caleb smiled and the girl blushed with pleasure at his compliment. "Do you know most of the folks in town?" he added.

"Well," she drawled, "I know the ones that eat here a lot - mainly ranchers in town on business or the bankers up the street taking their money while they're here."
Caleb chuckled. "Yep, I don't s'pose bankers and ranchers make for the best of friends." He then changed his approach. "So tell me, what's your name?"
"Mary Sue," she blushed again, pleased at his interest.
"Well Mary Sue, my cousin and me, we're here to find an old friend of my Pa's - a rancher," Caleb explained. "I was kinda hoping you might know him."
"If'n he's lived here a while, I just might," she offered, eager to help this handsome young man. "I was born here you know."
"You don't say?" Caleb continued in his most charming manner. "Well now, this old friend only went by the name of Kid, which makes our search---"
Before he could finish, Mary Sue interrupted. "Kid?! Why, everyone 'round here knows the Kid. He's got one of the best cattle ranches in these parts."
Caleb's breath nearly exploded in a joyful whoop. "You really know him? I can't believe it!"
"I shore do. He eats here 'bout once a week. I think he gets tired of his cranky housekeeper's cooking," she whispered, giggling. Then she added, "his ranch is a few miles east of town, called the L & E."
"Mary Sue, I can't believe the luck of meeting you our first morning in town," Caleb was overwhelmed. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Honey glaring at him through the window, but she quickly turned away.
Caleb hastily paid the bill and left the diner without a backward glance, not even noticing Mary Sue's crestfallen features at his departure,.
"You won't believe what I just found out," Caleb began, but Honey's look silenced him.
"Oh, I think you found a pretty young thing to flirt with," Honey accused.
"Are you jealous?" Caleb smirked, more than a bit pleased at the possibility, and temporarily forgetting his discovery.
"Jealous?!" Honey yelled, "Jealous of that, that….tramp?!"
"You're jealous," Caleb grinned in pleasure, convinced.
"I don't care if you smile at every waitress in this town," Honey announced, loudly. "I just want to find my Pa."
Caleb looked around. "Then I suggest you quiet down, before everyone on this here street starts wondering why a boy in britches is suddenly screeching like a jealous shrew."
His words only made her sputter even more indignantly. "I, I …I am not jealous," she said with effort, "and I am not a…a shrew!"
"'Course not Kid," Caleb drawled insolently. He decided not to tell her what his merely pleasant and entirely innocent conversation with the young waitress had revealed just yet. He so enjoyed watching her simmer and even better, watching her boil over like a pan of water on a well stoked cookstove.
Honey puffed up, angrier than she had ever been in her life. She looked around, and realized that too many people were nearby, making it impossible for her to really lay into him. She glared at him, furious that he was so smug, but more furious that she was obviously not the only female to notice his handsome looks. Honey stole a glance into the windowed restaurant, only to find that waitress watching them curiously.
Without a word, Honey turned on her heel and marched down the street. Caleb, also noticing Mary Sue's interest, tipped his hat in her direction before following Honey's path.
He kept several feet between them, and though he enjoyed the view of her swaying hips, Caleb began to wonder if she'd turn to see if he was following. Actually, he rather liked following this particular woman, but he could feel with cold certainty deep in his bones that if he didn't take the upper hand soon, she'd have him on a leash like a pet dog.
Caleb wasn't too surprised when a good five minutes passed and Honey still hadn't turned around. 'Does she know I'm back here or does she just not care?' he wondered, becoming more irritated by the moment.
She stopped, but only to go into the telegraph office. Honey didn't even glance in his direction. When he followed her inside, the door bell jingling to announce his entry, she still refused to acknowledge his presence.
"I need to send a telegram," she said, her voice tight. As she wrote out her message, Caleb noted her white knuckles, tensely gripping the pencil.
"And where is this going sir?" asked the clerk in spectacles behind the counter.
"Sweetwater, Wyoming Territory," Honey told him as she paid for the service.
Caleb leaned against the door, watching the exchange. Honey only glared at him as she tried to pass him to leave, but his large body made an easy escape impossible.
"Who you sending a telegraph to?"
"Is that any of your business?" Honey said hoarsely.
Caleb's eyes narrowed to small, dark slits. He liked making Honey mad, but he didn't like this complete withdrawal. Her emotional distance was palpable and her secrecy concerned him more than he cared to admit.
"As a matter of fact, it is," he replied. "I didn't just ride across the country for the fun of it; I'm here to help and protect you."
Honey's only reply was a stony stare. Caleb saw the telegraph operator eyeing them with interest and he quickly decided this was neither the time nor the place to settle this matter.
Heaving a great sigh of frustration, Caleb did the only thing he could think of. With a casual sweep of his strong arms, he picked up his young charge, threw her over his left shoulder and turned to leave the office.
"Thanks for helping my little cousin," he called over his vacant shoulder, easily opening the door with his right hand and exiting the building.
Honey, at first shocked into silence, let out a great shriek.
"If you do that again, folks are gonna think it strange that a boy's pitchin' some kind of girlish fit," he warned calmly.
Regaining some semblance of control, Honey clenched her teeth. "I will never forgive you for this," she ground out in a low voice.
"Oh you will," Caleb assured her. "It may take you a while, but you will."
People walking along the street cast curious glances at the pair, but for all practical purposes, it only looked like a mischievous young boy was being restrained by an older brother.
Caleb turned down the first empty alleyway, about two buildings down from the telegraph office. He looked behind, to make sure they were neither followed, nor watched, but the passersby were oblivious.
Without a word, Caleb unceremoniously dropped Honey atop a stack of feed sacks. As she scrambled to get her balance, her cheeks blazed a bright red, but what really struck Caleb was the unmitigated fury in her vivid blue eyes.
She advanced on him, hands clenched in tight fists on each side of her body, eyes flashing. "I don't know who you think you are Caleb Tucker, but my Pa will beat you for treating me like that. That's if there's enough left after I get through with you…"
Caleb, unable to help himself, burst into laughter. He had to clutch his stomach as the spasms took over his tall, lanky body. If possible, Honey flushed brighter and the fists clenched tighter. Caleb laughed harder, tears beginning to pool in the corner crinkles of his eyes and on his dark lashes.
His jovialness abruptly ended when Honey's small clenched hand landed solidly in his stomach. His breath left his lungs in a startled "whoosh." Honey quickly followed the punch with another swing, this time connecting with his eye. She jumped back with a soft cry, putting the fist in her mouth. Tears now formed in her eyes as she sank onto sacks behind her.
Caleb immediately straightened, and rushed to her side. "Let me see your hand," he ordered.
Honey shook her head. Embarrassed by her weakness and shocked at her violent actions, she couldn't meet his eyes.
"Let me see it," Caleb repeated. Though his tone was gentler, it brooked no argument.
Honey carefully pulled the injured hand from her mouth, biting her lip to contain a whimper. The knuckles were already beginning to bruise, and a thin trickle of blood ran between her fingers.
"Ahh girl," Caleb spoke softly, "I think you broke it."
Honey looked up into his tan face. His eye was also showing signs of bruising, and she hesitantly reached up to touch his brow with her uninjured fingers.
"Don't worry about my eye," he chuckled, "your stomach punch hurt a lot worse."
A small smile played at the corners of Honey's mouth, but it quickly disappeared as Caleb manipulated her bruised fingers. "Ohhhh!" she cried, unable to control the outburst.
"It's broke alright," Caleb sighed. "Hell and tarnation, what were you thinking?"
His question brought back a wave of fury. "You wanna know what I was thinking? What were you thinking?" Honey's voice began to rise with her anger. "First, you waste time smiling at some girl, then you pick me up like a sack of grain, embarrass me in front a street full of gawking townfolk---"
"Hold it right there," Caleb said. He was softly caressing her broken fingers, but she was too resentful to notice. "I was trying to help you, and if you think I'm ever gonna let you just walk off and leave me like you tried to do in that telegraph office, well, you just better not try it again."
Honey heaved a deep breath. "I wasn't leaving ya for good or nothin', I was just mad."
An immediate wave of relief washed over Caleb, but he didn't take the time to dwell on it. "We have to get you to a doctor," he said tenderly.
"More time wasted that I could be searching for my Pa," Honey grumbled.
Caleb's arm wound around her waist as she stood up from her perch on the sacks. "Do you really want to know why I was talking to that pretty waitress?"
"You thought she was pretty did you?" Honey muttered under her breath.
Caleb beamed at her apparent jealousy, but didn't take the bait. "She happens to know a lot of the folks around here," he continued to explain.
"So?" Honey interjected, nursing her broken hand.
"So," Caleb replied. "She knows Kid - your Pa."
"What?!" Honey shrieked. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You didn't give me much chance," Caleb snickered. "Now let's get you doctored up, and we'll take a ride out to his ranch."
This time, when Caleb looked into her eyes, they were shining with a different brightness. He felt an uncomfortable twist in his gut that had nothing to do with her earlier punch. "Now don't you start crying," he ordered.
"I'm sorry Caleb," Honey offered sincerely. "I can really be a shrew sometimes."
"That's okay darlin'," he grinned, "you probably fight better than a shrew." With that, he ruffled her hair, and wrapped an arm about her shoulders as though she were a younger brother. They re-entered the street and headed for the nearest doctor's office, more aware of the other than ever before.