Becoming Calder (A Sign of Love Novel)(22)

"I just . . . maybe Xander's right. The cellar seems . . ." My voice faded away as Calder's face fell. "Okay," I inserted quickly and nodded, unwilling to disappoint him. "I agree. When?" I took a deep breath. "I mean, when should we meet?"
His face broke into a grin, his straight teeth flashing. His grin transformed his face, making it, impossibly, even more beautiful. Butterflies flapped their wings in my belly. I'd seen him use his grin with others, but to be the recipient of it myself was thrilling. "Tomorrow?" he asked.
I nodded, smiling, too, probably looking slightly giddy. "Okay, tomorrow." I wanted to see him tomorrow, and every tomorrow after that.
"Okay." He studied me for a minute and I wondered what he was thinking. "I'll see you then."
"’Bye, Eden," Xander said, and jumped from the rock into the water. Calder followed behind him. They waded across the water and then walked up the small bank. My eyes wandered down Calder's muscular backside, clearly defined in the wet linen pants clinging to him. I caught myself and looked away, but before I could muster up any shame, my eyes were moving back again. Just before they ducked through the rock opening, Calder looked back at me and smiled once more. I was glad he couldn't see my blush from where I sat.

**********

The next day when I showed up at the spring, Calder was already lying back on the grass with his hands behind his head. I couldn't help the giddiness I felt to see him waiting for me.
"Hi," I said as I approached him, and he sat up. I took the large, canvas bag I had brought off my shoulder and put it down on the grass in front of him. He immediately pulled the large pad of paper out and looked up at me with a look of sheer happiness. My heart started beating triple time in my chest at the look of delight on his handsome face. He continued to rummage through the bag, and as he pulled the items out, he placed them neatly on the grass in front of him. There were several paint containers, four brushes, and a set of charcoal pencils.
"It was all I could take without making it obvious," I explained when he kept looking down at the items.
He looked up at me. "This is way more than enough. Thank you, Eden." He looked as if he wanted to say more, but was at a loss. He rubbed his hands on his thighs and said, "So what lesson should we start with today?"
"Why don't you draw something first?"
He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it and started again. "You sure?"
I laughed. "Yes."
Calder chuckled. "Okay. Hey, how about this? How about we do both at once? I'll draw and give a lesson at the same time. I can multitask like that. You feel free to ask any question you want."
I tilted my head. "Okay, if you're sure that won't distract you."
He shook his head. "No. Remember, I'm used to drawing under my desk while listening to a lecture."
I laughed. "All right then."
He scooted until his back was against a rock and he was mostly in the shade, and leaned forward to grab the charcoal pencils and the pad. Then he brought his knees up and leaned the pad of paper against them.
"First tell me what you know."
I know I love you and you're the most beautiful boy I've ever seen.
I looked down, ashamed I didn't know much. I cleared my throat. "I know how to read. And that's really all."
I looked up to find his pencil still and see him studying me. "No math? No science?"
I shook my head again, scooting back so I was leaning against a rock, too.
Calder started sketching again. "Okay. So we'll start with the basics then."
And so we sat there as he sketched, and he taught me the basics of mathematics, addition and subtraction. I caught on quickly. Somewhere in my memory, I knew I had begun learning this before. It was hazy and unclear like all of my memories before this place. If I closed my eyes, I remembered a smell—like cleaning products and chalk—and I remembered being happy in that place, a school probably. But that was all I could muster.
After an hour or so, Calder set his pad down. "You'll be up to speed in no time," he said.
"Why exactly are you doing this?" I gestured my hand toward the paper. "I mean, other than for the exchange? Hector wouldn't approve of it, and we could both be punished. Why are you taking this risk?"
Calder studied me for a few seconds and then looked away, out at the spring. He bit his full bottom lip and his brow creased. Finally, he looked back at me and said, "Xander talks to the workers at the ranger station at the entrance to the state park a few miles from here."