“What do you mean?”
“He’s going out on another date with you. What does it matter if you were the one who had to ask him about it? Maybe he was busy and meaning to get back to you?”
“Okay, but if he was too busy, that means he wasn’t even thinking about it. Me, on the other hand, I’ve been spending the last few days getting myself twisted up into knots about him.”
“That’s just how some guys are. They get sucked into work or their social lives or some dumb video game, and they forget about the rest of the world outside of that. Trust me, it’s better that way than him being one of those annoying dudes who won’t stop texting you.”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“You’re just new to this whole thing, Sierra. What he did was totally normal. He was probably thrilled to hear from you. And what did he say again when you messaged him?”
“That I didn’t need to worry about the details, and that he’d have the whole evening planned out.”
“That’s perfect. It means he actually cares about taking you out on a fun night. And I bet you anything you’re going to have fun.”
I knew Maggie was right, that I was getting myself all worried over nothing. But still, I couldn’t help but be nervous.
“You guys hooked up,” she went on. “So you know he likes you. And you’re going to see each other again, which means he likes you enough to not never talk to you. I mean, so far I think you have all the reasons in the world to get excited.”
“Unless you’re right about the other thing you said, about him lying about his work and life to impress me.”
“You can cross that bridge if you come to it. And even if that were the case, it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with him. Trust me, some of the best times I’ve had with guys were ones who didn’t exactly have their shit together. The best lover I ever had was this guy who lived on his uncle’s couch and hadn’t had a real job in three months, believe it or not.”
I laughed. “I don’t know if I want to go that far.”
“It’s fine! I mean, you’re still figuring things out yourself. Even if he is lying or something, you guys can, I don’t know, figure out life together. And you said he was hot, right?”
“To put it lightly. He might be the best-looking guy I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“Perfect. You and him couple up, and then you can start scoping around to see if he’s got a hot, unattached brother. Look out for your girl, you know?”
I laughed again.
“What’re you wearing?” Maggie asked.
I stepped over to the phone and turned on the camera, holding it in front of me.
“Hmm,” she said thoughtfully. “Nice, but if I were you, I’d consider something that maybe did a better job at showing off the goods.”
“Maggie!”
“What? You’ve got a rocking bod, girl. Flaunt it. Then again, he already knows what you’ve got going on under there.”
And I didn’t mind him finding out again. I knew I should’ve been thinking about playing it cool, but getting Caleb back into bed again…it was enough to make my heart beat faster at just the thought.
“I’m more concerned with us having fun tonight.”
“You will, don’t worry about it. But you look great.”
My phone buzzed in my hand. It was a text from Caleb, letting me know he was outside.
“Shoot, that’s him.”
“Well, no time to sexy yourself up. Go get on out there and have a good time! And you’d better let me know how it all goes.”
“I will. Don’t you worry about that.”
We said our goodbyes and I fired a quick response to Caleb, letting him know I was coming. After one last look in the mirror, I was off, grabbing my purse on the way out.
My heart raced as I took the elevator down to the lobby. When the doors opened, I spotted Caleb through the glass front of the building.
God, he looked so good. He was dressed in a gray V-neck shirt, the sleeves rolled up just enough to show off his thick forearms. Below he had on a pair of jeans along with some white sneakers, sunglasses on his face. He looked just as good as he had in his sharp clothes the other night.
After taking one more steeling breath, I strode through the lobby. He laid eyes on me when I stepped outside, that cocky grin spreading across his face.
“Sierra!” he said, stepping over to me and planting a kiss on my cheek. “So good to see you.”
The sensation of his lips on my skin was enough to make me want to take him by the hand, drag him right up to my apartment, and do with him what I’d been fantasizing about since our last night together.
Easy, girl. I told myself. Plenty of time for that. Don’t get ahead of yourself.
“Hey,” I said, trying to play it cool. “What’s up?”
He glanced up at the apartment building behind me. “Nice digs.”
“Nice digs until the end of the month. Then I’m out on my butt and off to god-knows-where.”
“Don’t worry about that. You’ll figure it out.”
I almost went into my anxieties, venting about how nervous I’d been about what I was going to do at the end of the month, how I was going to make ends meet. But I kept that to myself.
“You hungry?” he asked.
My stomach growled at his words.
“Sure am. What do you have in mind?”
He grinned. “A surprise. This place I love right around here. You ready?”
“So ready.”
Together we started off down the block, the two of us catching up on what we’d been up to over the last few days.
“How’s the job hunt?” Caleb asked.
“It’s kind of non-existent,” I said. “I don’t even know where to begin.”
“I hope you’re not worried too much about it. You’ll find something.”
“That’s what my friend Maggie’s been saying. But I don’t know.”
“You’re feeling overwhelmed, but that’s to be expected, right? Up until now you’ve had your whole life laid out for you—your parents have been planning everything, right down to where you live.”
“You’re right about that.”
“And now you’re free. The thing about freedom is it’s scary and thrilling at the same time. The good news is you can do whatever you want. But the bad news is—”
“That you can do whatever you want.”
“Bingo. But like anything else, you need to get used to it. Soon, once it dawns on you that you can do whatever you want, no one telling you what to do, you’ll wonder how you lived any other way.”
I loved talking with him. There was such an easy confidence to him, this vibe where you felt like everything was going to be okay.
Before too long we stopped in front of a nondescript storefront.
“We’re here.”
I was confused. “We’re where? Is this where you were taking me?”
He gestured to the door. “What do you see?”
“Um, a door.”
“That’s right. Do you see any signs, any flashing lights, any sign that there’s anything behind it?”
“Not a thing.”
“Exactly. That’s what all of the best restaurants have in common—you have to be in the know to even hear that they exist.”
He stepped up to the door and opened it. Right away the scent of delicious food rushed out to greet me—I couldn’t tell exactly, but it smelled like spiced meat.
I entered past him, and sure enough, behind the door was a quaint, cute little restaurant. It was lit low, reds and purples dominating the décor. Only a handful of tables were there, a few patrons eating happily. The walls were decorated with Asian posters and letters, but I couldn’t tell exactly what they were.
“What is this?”
“Korean barbecue. Ever had it before?”
“Never in my life.”
“Then you’re in for a treat. Come on.”
The hostess, a cute girl in a black coc
ktail dress, approached us and greeted Caleb by first name. Then she led us over to a table and handed us menus.
“Now,” he said, “I’ve had everything on this menu at least once, so I can steer you in the right direction if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Otherwise, you’ve got freedom.”
I liked that. “I’ll pick. First step into getting used to making my own decisions.”
He smiled. “I like that attitude.”
We took some time looking over the menus, Caleb ordering us a pair of Korean beers. When it came time to order, I selected the sampler platter, all different kinds of meat and veggies to choose from.
“I love this place,” I said. “How did you find out about it?”
“My brother comes here a lot, told me I had to check it out.”
“Your brother,” I said. “You guys are close, right?”
A thoughtful expression crossed his face, one that seemed mixed with worry.
“It’s…complicated.”
“Complicated how?” I checked myself right away, realizing that I might’ve been intruding on something that wasn’t my business. “Sorry—we don’t need to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
“No, you’re fine. Just that I saw him for the first time in a long while today.”
As silly as it might’ve sounded, I thought back to what Maggie had said, about keeping my ears open in the event Caleb had a good-looking, single brother.
“Where was he?” I asked.
“He was away overseas. Some business stuff. But he’s back now.”
“And are you not happy to see him or something?”
“No, I’m happy as hell. I love my little brother, it’s just that he’s always been kind of reckless when it comes to business. He’s independent, like me, but loves to take risks. Sometimes they pay off, sometimes they don’t.”
“And you want to look out for him, make sure he stays on the right path.”
Caleb nodded. “That’s exactly it. But he’s his own man, you know? Can’t make his decisions for him.” He sipped his beer. “You have brothers and sisters?”
I shook my head. “Nope, only child. But I always wished I did.”
“They mean the world to you—no one gets you like siblings do. But it’s hard to stand by and watch them struggle.”
“Must be what my parents are going through.”
He nodded. “Exactly. But I learned, like they’re going to have to, that you have to let people lead their own lives. It’s hard, but there’s nothing else you can do.”
He glanced away, and even in that fraction of a second, that brief change of expression on his face, I could tell that he cared deeply for his younger brother.
Caleb shook his head, coming back to the conversation. “Anyway, he’s a smart kid. I believe in him. Just like I believe in you.”
I didn’t know what to say. His words warmed me, imparted some of that comfort and confidence that he couldn’t help but project. Then he reached over and took my hand, squeezing it firmly.
I was crazy about him. It was only our second date, but there was something between us that I couldn’t ignore.
Before the moment could go on any longer, the waitress returned with our food. The aroma, the look of it all, was indescribable.
Caleb walked me through the food, letting me know what everything was, and together, we ate like royalty. The barbecue vanished bit by bit, the two of us washing it all down with cold beer.
“How you doing over there?” he asked when we were done.
“Good. But someone’s going to have to roll me out of here.”
His eyes flashed with excitement. “Speaking of rolling, I hope you’re not ready to call it a night.”
“You’ve got something else in mind?”
He smiled. “Sure do. Let’s finish up and get moving.”
The waitress brought the bill, and Caleb left one of his usual generous tips. Then we were off.
When we stepped outside the evening had come, the air cool and fresh. We started off down the block, Caleb taking my hand as we walked.
I loved having my hand in his. I tried to keep Maggie’s words in mind about not letting myself get too carried away with it all, but I couldn’t help but feel there was something magical going on.
“Where to next?” I asked.
“See all those neon lights at the corner?”
At the far end of the block were purple and yellow lights. As we drew closer, I could make out the sign.
“We’re going bowling?”
“Yep. Ever done it before?”
“Never once in my life. My family’s more the horseback-activities type.”
“Then you’re in for another treat. Come on.”
We reached the bowling alley, the sound of pins crashing filling the air the moment Caleb opened the door. He walked me through the process, helping me pick out my shoes and my ball, and getting us set up at a lane.
“You good at this?” I asked.
He grinned. “I kinda am. Your family might’ve been on horses, but my brother and I passed the time with stuff like this. Don’t worry, though. I’ll go easy on you.”
I threw my first ball and, of course, it veered off into the gutter. My face turned red, and Caleb good-naturedly laughed.
“Nice first attempt.”
“Nothing nice about it.”
“You’ll get better. Let me show you.”
He stepped behind me, putting his hands on my hips and guiding me through throwing the perfect strike. The next ball I tossed actually managed to knock over a couple of pins.
“There you go,” he said. “At this rate you’ll be throwing strikes in no time.”
I laughed. “We’ll see about that.”
I loved was how simple it all was. Nothing but good, cheap food, bowling, and some refreshing beers. It was the kind of life that I’d never experienced before, and Caleb was the perfect guide.
Caleb won, of course. I suspected he was going too easy on me, and I called him out on it, wanting to see how good he really was. After that, he threw strike after strike. We had fun, and by the time we left the place, I was ready for even more.
“Drinks are on me,” he said. “You ready?”
“So ready.”
Chapter 12
Caleb
“Now, you did remember that the goal was to have the balls hit the pins, right?” She was a first-timer, but I couldn’t help but bust her chops a little.
“I know, I know. But those balls are surprisingly heavy. Not all of us are as buff as you, bud.”
I flexed a muscle. “Oh, these?” I grinned. “They’re just for show.”
I was only messing around, but I still liked the way she checked me out, her eyes going wide for a brief moment as she ogled me.
We were seated at the same dive I’d been at with Billy earlier in the day. I hadn’t heard from him, and it was starting to make me nervous.
“So, you and your brother…”
“How did you know I was thinking about him?”
“Because you got the same look in your eyes that you did when you mentioned him before. I like it. I can tell you really care about him.”
“I do, even if he is a little crazy. With our parents gone, we’re all we have.”
“No parents? Wait, so what you said to my mom and dad was true?”
I took a deep breath, my hands on my drink. “That’s right. Car accident. One day they were there, the next my brother and I were talking to some cop who showed up to let us know what had happened.”
She took my hand and squeezed it softly. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks. But it was a long time ago. Anyway, both of my parents weren’t close with their families. Both sets of grandparents had long passed, and what aunts and uncles there were left weren’t exactly in a position to be caring for kids.”
That was my nice way of saying they were all mostly drunks and drug addicts and petty criminals. Guess the last part ran in the family.
> “So, me and Billy got put into the foster system. Hard to get adopted when you’re as old as we were, so we ended up getting shuffled from family to family. When I turned eighteen and it was clear no one was going to be stepping up to the plate, I took what little cash I had and got a cheap apartment. Billy had dropped out of school by that time— against my wishes.”
“And you stayed in school?”
“I did. Finished high school and went to college.”
I stopped myself there, realizing I was getting far too close to the truth for my comfort. That was about as much of my past as I wanted to reveal. After that I’d either have to tell the truth—that by that point I’d started my life as a conman—or keep on lying.
“Then you got your business degree from there, right?”
Well, looked like not lying wasn’t on the agenda. “That’s right. Billy’s been doing his own thing, and I’ve been doing mine. We work together every now and then. He has an eye for business, but he tends to be a little riskier than I’m usually fine with.”
“It’s so amazing that you managed to make a success of yourself after going through all that.”
“It wasn’t easy. At the very least, though, I can say that I’ve charted my own course. No one’s been around to tell me what to do, for better or for worse.”
“Sometimes I feel like that. My parents plotted my life out for me, sure, but they’re both so busy with their lives that sometimes it’s like they’re not even there.”
“But they are still there.”
She bit her lip, as if regretting what she’d said. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to downplay what you’ve gone through.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. You’re lucky to have parents who love you. They may not show it in a way that you’re crazy about, but if they didn’t care, they wouldn’t bother trying to get your life sorted out for you.”
She glanced away, her fingertip tracing the rim of her glass. “I know you’re right. But sometimes I wonder if they only care about appearances, like that having a successful daughter only matters because it makes them look good to all their rich friends.”
“I doubt that’s the case. Every parent wants their kid to be safe and successful. That’s their way of showing it.”
Breaker - A Fake Boyfriend Romance (Criminal Passions Book 3) Page 8
