Caleb (The Harlow Brothers Book 3)

by Brie Paisley

  Shaking my head, I snap open my eyes, pushing out a harsh breath. I can’t let my imagination get the best of me, like it always does. If I let myself, I’ll stay in my fantasy world, never really knowing what life would be like with her, because in the end, I’m too afraid to admit to her how I feel.

  Why would she want me? Since the day Carter introduced us, she’s never even glanced my way. Plus, the timing has never been right. She is smart as hell, funny, and the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on. But Bethany Adams will never want me the way I want her. I’m the geeky, outcast of the family. I’m not handsome and charming like Carter. I don’t joke around like Caden. I’ll never be as strong as Cason, nor as heroic as Clark. I have nothing to give Bethany, or nothing to offer her, like my older brothers. Don’t get me wrong, I love each and every one of them, but growing up, I was left out, because of the age difference. Clark and I are the closest, because there’s only a five-year age gap, but it’s hard to talk to him, when he’s on deployment. And honestly, since he got back from his recent one, he’s been different.

  My phone beings to ring, and as I reach into my pocket and see who it is, I silently thank my mom for the distraction. “Hey, Mama.”

  “Hey, sweet boy,” she says, and I can hear the excitement in her voice. She’s let me know a time or two that she’s ready for me to come home. “Are you almost packed?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” I answer, as my eyes take one more glance around my small dorm. “All I got left is to take a few more boxes to FedEx, and then I’m headin’ to the airport.” Mailing my things home seemed to be the easiest way, since I don’t have enough items for a moving truck.

  “Oh, good. I’m so ready to have all my boys home. It’s been too long, since I got to see all of you at once, except during the holidays of course.” Smirking, I understand what she means. It’s been harder than I thought not being home all the time, but my family has always been supportive of me, and my choice to move away for college. “Now,” Mama starts, interrupting my thoughts. “Tell me the flight details again. I’m going to call Cason, so he can let Caden know, when to pick you up.” Giving her the details once again, I let her go, trying not to worry about being in a confided vehicle alone, with my loving, but yet annoying, brother Caden.

  He means well, honestly he does, but three hours with him might drive me insane. Reminding myself that I’m ready to move back home, I finish up packing, and say goodbye to the life I’ve had for the past six years.

  Grabbing my bag, I exit the security check, making my way towards my gate. The airport is busy and packed with so many people, that it takes me a good fifteen minutes just to figure out where to go. I’m not surprised at the crowd of people, because the airport is in Atlanta, Georgia after all.

  Finally, I find out where my gate will be and decide to go find somewhere to wait, until time to board. Since I have a couple of hours to kill, I readjust my carry-on bag, making my way towards a small sports bar nearby. No one pays me any mind, as I walk through, trying to find somewhere to sit. I accidently bump into a man, getting up to leave, and as I glance up to quickly apologize, that’s when I freeze.

  I don’t hear a word the guy says.

  I don’t see where he goes.

  All I see is her.

  Either fate really loves me today, or my luck has finally kicked in. Staring at her, like some fucking creep, everything else around me fades away, as I take her in. Bethany sits alone, but to me, she’s the only one in the room that stands out. Her blonde locks have thick strands of teal tied back, with a loose bun on the top of her head, but it still makes me want to run my hands through it. Her attire is casual, as if she planned to be comfortable while traveling. She’s still a sight to see, even with her laid-back persona. Seeing her literally a few feet away, makes my heart pound away, and I will myself to move. To talk to her. To take advantage of this rare moment that fate has literally dropped in my hands.

  But all I can do is remember the first time I saw her.

  The first time I knew that I was a goner.

  She doesn’t even know it, but she’s had my heart, since the second my eyes took her in.

  Thanksgiving with my family is always full of laughter. This one, however, is bittersweet. Knowing I’ll be leaving in a few months for MIT, makes me not want to go, but Mama tells me all the time, I have to do what’s best for me.

  I’m going to miss this, though.

  I’m going to miss my family and seeing them all the time.

  I smile, seeing Dad and Caden sitting together on the couch, watching the football game. Cason isn’t far behind his twin, but stands off to the side, as he watches everyone else. Clark is in the kitchen with Mama, and as soon as Carter makes an appearance, we can sit down and eat. My stomach grumbles, as I will him to hurry up. Hearing the doorbell ring, I sit up straighter in my seat at the family table, knowing it’s Carter.

  I don’t think anything of it, as he walks in, without anyone answering the door, and then makes his way towards Dad. However, my eyes widen, as the short, curvy, blonde walks in behind him. A flare of jealousy rushes through me unexpectedly, and I frown, wondering where that came from. It’s never uncommon for Carter to bring a girl over, even if it’s Thanksgiving. Pushing the jealousy aside, I take her in, as he introduces her to everyone.

  I wonder what her name is, and how come I’ve never seen her around before. Since we live in such a small town, everyone knows everyone. But her, I can’t place her face, and she isn’t someone I would ever forget. Trying to play it cool, I ignore the sound of my heart, beating rapidly, as they near. She smiles and shakes hands with Clark, and of course, Mama hugs her, like she’s already apart of the family. Jealousy rears its ugly head again, because it should be me, showing her off to everyone.

  Not Carter.

  Pushing down the insane emotion, I stand, as she walks over to me. “Hi. I’m Bethany.”

  Taking her hand in mine, a fire rushes through me. Our gazes lock, only for a second, but that’s all it takes for me. “Caleb,” I barely manage to croak out. She smiles at me, and just like that, she turns away from me, giving all her attention to everyone else around us.

  For the rest of the evening, all I can do is watch her and enjoy her company from afar. It’s clear her and Carter have already formed a bond, and a friendship that I wasn’t aware of. But then again, how can I still be envious of him, when I’m leaving soon for another state?

  I want her for my own, but realistically, she wouldn’t want me.

  Not yet, at least.

  “Caleb? Caleb Harlow?” Hearing someone call my name again, I pull myself out of the past and glance up. “It’s Caleb, right?” She asks, and I wonder how long she’s been talking to me.

  Swallowing hard, I push my glasses up on my nose and give her a nod. “Small world, huh?”

  “No kiddin’. Here,” she says, pulling out a chair. “Have a seat.” Apparently, while my mind was reliving the past, I unknowingly walked closer to her. Trying to hide my embarrassment, I duck my head, and then do as I’m told. “So,” she begins. “What brings you to this lovely airport?”

  “I’m on my way home. What about you?”

  “I’m on my way to a tattoo convention in Virginia. You just graduated from MIT, right?” With my nod, she adds, “Impressive. What was your major?”

  “Computer Science and Engineering. So, you’re a tattoo artist?” She nods, reaching down to pull something out of her bag. Once she places the sketch pad down on the bar, I ask, “You’re goin’ to show me some of your work?” She smirks, but doesn’t utter a word, as she opens the pad. I never thought she’d be so open with her work, as most tattoo artists like to keep what they’re working on private. But Bethany surprises me, not only with how talented she is, but with the way she seems proud to show off her work. Carefully using my finger, I trace one of her drawings. “This is exquisite work. I’ve never seen anyone draw like this before.”

  “Thank you. Here,” she says, a
s she flips the page. “This one is better.”

  I’m not so sure about that. All the drawings she shows me are beyond stunning. It’s clear she draws with such passion. “Thank you for showin’ me. I feel like I haven’t seen anything this beautiful, since I went off to MIT.”

  “Caden was right about you.” Frowning, I wonder why she’s smiling. After she takes a long drink of her beer, she explains, “He always said you were the geek of the family. Now, I get it.”

  My face flushes with embarrassment. Of course, Caden would say that and embarrass me without being here. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

  “No, you don’t get it,” she says with a serious tone, laying a hand on my arm. My eyes follow her movement, and I will myself to stay calm. It’s only her hand. “I’m a nerd, too.”

  With her confession, I jerk my gaze up to meet her amber eyes. “No shit.”

  Bethany lets out a laugh, and I swear it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard. “Yes shit. I bet the next round that I can go head to head with anything you have. You name the game, and I’m down.”

  Is she for real? I knew she was smart, but holy hell, could she be just as smart as I am, too? “Are you sure you want to go up against me?” A lot of the girls I met at MIT, or even outside of campus, were either intimidated by my brain, or just plain freaked out about it.

  Bethany rolls her eyes, and then says, “As long as you don’t ask me what the square root of pie is, then we’re good. Give me some credit, Caleb. I expect somethin’ a bit harder than that.”

  Smirking, I lean down and unzip my bag. As I pull out my tablet, I say, “Alright. You have yourself a deal.” Her smile makes my heart begin to pound wildly in my chest, as if I’ve just finished running for miles. As I stare at this amazing and beautiful woman beside me, I can’t help but think fate has finally stepped in. For once, I’m the lucky one, and I won’t dare miss the chance with her.

  Caleb: Who was the 18th president of the United States?

  Reading over the text Caleb just sent, I don’t even try to hold back my eye roll. “This is too easy.” Quickly typing out the answer, I hit send and set my phone back down. I have to say, the past two weeks have been interesting. Ever since Caleb and I had our run in at the airport, we’ve grown closer as friends. It’s weird, because he and I never got the chance to get to know one another before, but now, it’s like we’ve been friends forever. I’m sure Caleb missing his flight, just to prove me wrong about a question, had something to do with us hitting it off. I had no idea he was so intelligent, or so competitive about winning against me. It’s been refreshing when we chat or text, because I feel as if I can be myself, and not some fake princess, like most guys want. I try not to let myself think about how sexy it is that I can be the person I want to be around him. He’s really the perfect guy. He’s so nice, caring, and god, don’t even get me started on his brain.

  I have to remind myself a lot not to get attached to him. I will myself not to think of us as anything more than friends. Honestly, it would be easier if he was ugly, but he’s so handsome. His personality is everything I’ve ever wanted in a guy, plus those glasses. Shit. I have to stop doing this, but it’s so hard being around him, and not letting my feelings get in the way.

  My phone pings again with a new message, and I instantly check it.

  Caleb: You’re right. Way too easy. How about the square root of pie?

  Letting out a laugh, I start to type back, when I spot Theo out of the corner of my eye. “I hope you’re workin’ and not sextin’ on the clock, B.”

  Stashing my phone away, before I get into trouble, I shake my head. “Nope. Not me, T.”

  “Good. I’ve got some clients comin’ in soon. I’ll be in the back waitin’.”

  “Yeah, sure.” Theo walks towards the back, and I sigh, hating how even after my trip to Virginia two weeks ago, it still hasn’t changed Theo’s mind about giving me my own chair. “This is gettin’ ridiculous,” I say to myself. I’ve been working here for nearly three years, and Theo has yet to give me a chance to prove myself.

  Working at a tattoo shop, wasn’t my first dream job, but after my first year of college, I knew this is what I wanted to do. I’ve worked my ass off for Theo, doing everything and anything he wants. I even dropped everything, so I could attend that tattoo convention in Virginia, but I might as well just have stayed here. He knows I’m badass at what I do, but he refuses to give me the chance to show him how talented I am. “I’m sure he doesn’t want to lose his best secretary,” I mouth off to no one, as I get up and start moving things around.

  My phone pings loudly, and I don’t even glance to make sure Theo isn’t watching, before answering it.

  Caleb: Don’t answer the pie one. It wasn’t good.

  Shaking my head, I grin, knowing Caleb knew exactly what I would say to that question.

  Me: This is why we’re friends. You get me.

  Caleb: Great minds think alike and all.

  Me: Again, you would be correct. So, Princess Theater tonight after work?

  Biting my bottom lip, I wait impatiently for his response. The fear he’ll reject me, like Carter did, terrifies me, even if Caleb has never done anything to show he’s anything like his oldest brother.

  In fact, they are two completely different men.

  Even still, my heart races, thinking he’s going to blow me off. When his texts comes through, I let out a heavy sigh of relief.

  Caleb: Count me in. But you’re buying first round.

  Walking into the Princess, I instantly spot Caleb by the bar. Mostly, because he’s waving at me, like a loon, and because he is looking really handsome tonight. Stopping the thought before it escalates, I remind myself not to go there. It’s hard not think about him, though. Caleb just has this vibe about him, other than his smarts, that calls to me. With his light brown hair, that’s a bit too long for him, and his dark brown eyes. It makes him very attractive to me.

  Let’s not even get started on his black rimmed glasses, either. Damn. Stop thinking about him.

  I’ve tried really hard not to let myself think of his looks, because what we have now is too new, and I would hate to lose him as friend. I don’t want to fuck this up, like I did with Carter, so I’m forcing myself to stay strictly in the friend zone, even if I am attracted to him.

  No feelings.

  No flirting.

  Just. Friends.

  It’s a lot harder than I originally thought.

  “Him & I” by G-Eazy and Halsey plays loudly, as I push my way through the crowd of college kids. Once I make it to the bar, I hold up a hand, singling the bartender. Turning towards Caleb, I smile and as I take off my light, leather jacket, I say, “Hey. Busy night, huh?”

  His face flushes, which I’ve come to adore, and he nods. “Yeah. It’s karaoke night, so everyone wants a chance to shine.”

  Letting out a laugh, his sarcasm doesn’t go unnoticed. “We should get up there and show em’ a thing or two.”

  The bartender chooses that moment to ask us what we’re drinking, and after we order, Caleb claims, “If you want me to sing, then you’ll have to buy the good stuff.”

  “Shots then?” I ask with surprise in my voice.

  He looks directly into my eyes, as he answers, “Why the hell not.”

  Ignoring the butterflies in my stomach, I nod, waving the bartender back over to us. It doesn’t take long for us to get a few shots, and I hold mine up, as Caleb does the same. “To gettin’ shitfaced.” I toast, as we clink glasses.

  “I’m goin’ to regret this,” he says, but downs his shot with me. He makes a horrible face, and I’m sure it mimics mine. “God, I forgot how much I hated Tequila.”

  “It does have a certain kick to it. Don’t worry, though. It’s good for you. I’ve heard it’ll put hair on your chest.”

  He smiles widely, and I tell myself I don’t like it, when he smiles. Nope. Not one single bit. “What about you then?” Taking a sip of my beer, I raise my eyebrows.
“Do you want hair on your chest? Hate to break it to you, Bet, but I don’t think you could pull off a hairy chest.”

  Unable to help myself, I laugh loudly. I also don’t say a word about him calling me Bet. Apparently, he’s given me my own nickname, and I find I don’t mind. “You’re right, but I’m still goin’ to drink Tequila, because it’s Tequila.”

  “I can’t argue with your logic,” he says, and then takes a drink of his beer. “If we’re goin’ to be singin’,” he starts, and then turns to gaze at me, as I drink more beer, trying to push away the intense attraction I feel with that look of his. “I think we need more drinks, and to form a game plan.”

  “Explain.”

  He smirks, a trait I’m sure he’s picked up from Caden, and then answers. “I mean, we need to decide on a song, and how we’re goin’ to nail it. We have to be the best ones up there tonight.”

  “Good point. I loathe singin’ in front of people, so I’m goin’ to need all the help I can get. I’ll order more shots, while you grab the song book.” With his firm nod, we head to finish our tasks.

  And that’s how I found myself drunk and singing obnoxiously loud, at the Princess Theater with Caleb Harlow.

  We might not have been the best singers tonight, but we were the last ones standing. After the bartender yelled last call, I confessed to Caleb I didn’t want to go home just yet. I wanted so badly to stay around him. He made the loneliness I felt constantly disappear, so I wasn’t ready for this content feeling to stop. Hanging out with Caleb tonight, made me realize how much I’ve missed having someone in my corner. I knew my mom was at the house with her new boyfriend, so I wasn’t in the mood to listen to them talk about how much they love each other already. It was a bit tricky to find a spot for us to go. He didn’t want to go home to his parents either, which was fine by me. I hadn’t really spoken to any of the Harlow clan after what I’d done.