Texting Box Set: The Complete Series

by Teagan Hunter

  “Wait! Wait! Where’s the new key?” I manage through a giggle. My mother has obviously gone insane.

  “We slid one inside the fire pit out back.”

  “And Magnus?”

  “He’s locked in our bedroom, so be sure to let him out soon. He probably has to potty by now.”

  “I’ll make sure to let him out ASAP,” I assure her.

  “And, Zoe, for the love of all things holy, please stay away from the kitchen. I do not want to get a phone call from the fire department again.” Caleb falls into a fit of laughter. “See, I can tell he knows just what I’m talking about.”

  “Oh, I do,” he tells her.

  I swat at him. “Both of you stop! Go enjoy your night away. Love you guys!”

  “Love you too. Great meeting you, Caleb! Enjoy the beach.”

  I disconnect the call and peek over at Caleb. “Well, those are my parents.”

  “They seem fun.”

  “Oh, they’re something.” I grab my bag that’s been lying by my feet and haul it up onto my shoulder.

  I walk over to the fire pit and laugh when I see the key sitting in plain sight, not at all hidden from potential burglars.

  “They could have at least thrown a few logs in there or something,” I comment.

  I push the key into the lock and twist. I’m met by the sound of Magnus going crazy inside my parents’ bedroom.

  “Want me to go grab him?” Caleb asks.

  “Sure. It’s just straight down the hallway. I’ll hold on to Mittens for safety.”

  Caleb hands over his cage and I let him out, wrapping him tightly in my arms as Caleb navigates his way to the bedroom.

  About ten seconds later, my parents’ sixty-pound boxer comes barreling out of the bedroom, jumping and licking at me. Mittens lets out a loud hiss and tries to scurry up my body farther, hoping to escape him.

  “His leash is hanging right there.” I point to the wall beside the back door. “Just run him out while I get Wolverine over here settled down.”

  “On it.”

  Caleb manages to get the leash on Magnus and out the door they go. I grab the cat bed and hustle Mittens back to the bedroom we’ll be sharing, only letting him loose when the door is closed. He immediately curls into himself, staring at the door with wide eyes and perked-up ears.

  “Just watch, you two will be best buds by the time this is over.”

  I leave the door cracked and walk back into the living room, where Caleb’s just taking the leash off Magnus. The moment he’s free, he darts down the hallway, and I can hear him and Mittens getting acquainted with one another.

  “That’s going to be fun,” Caleb says as he hangs the leash back up.

  “Oh loads. I was hoping my parents would be here to at least introduce them, but that’s up to us now. He’s better behaved when they’re around.”

  I take a seat on the luxurious couch my mom bought last year and glance around the room.

  The walls are a different color, specifically the accent wall behind the television stand. It used to be a pale blue but is now a darker gray, which fits nicely with the gray flooring they put in a few years ago. My mom has also swapped out her usual blue accent pieces for pale yellow ones, making the whole room brighter.

  Caleb takes a seat next to me. “This is a beautiful home.”

  “Isn’t it? It’s perfect for the two of them too. I love coming to visit. They make it feel so homey.”

  “I’m sure anywhere your parents are feels homey.”

  “Is that the case for you too?”

  “No. No it’s not.

  His focus is anywhere but on me, but I hear the sadness laced in his words.

  I don’t know if I want to kiss him, hug him, or cry.

  “My parents like you, you know. My mom texted me earlier with the stamp of approval.”

  Caleb lets out a relieved sigh. “Good. I was worried they’d hate me for moving in with their daughter and then, you know, not keeping things very roommate-like.”

  “Nah. They’re pretty easygoing.”

  “They seem great.”

  We’re sitting out back on the patio, stuffed from the Chinese food we ordered and curled up together in the chaise lounge, sharing a beer while a fire roars in the fire pit.

  My dad’s hung twinkle lights around the perimeter since I was here last, and they cast a romantic glow around us.

  I close my eyes and rest against Caleb’s chest, soaking in the sound of the waves crashing against the nearby shore.

  “I love it out here.”

  Caleb kisses at my neck, his lips cold and wet from the beer. “Yeah, it’s not too bad.”

  I smile, because I know he’s referring to spending time with me just as much as he is our surroundings.

  “Your dad kind of got me thinking…what are you doing after graduation, Zohanna?”

  “You caught that, huh?”

  “Hell yes I did. You never told me that was your full name.”

  “It’s a little strange…”

  “Strange?” I feel his lips at my ear. “It’s sexy as hell.”

  I let out a shiver and can feel his laughter against me.

  “Now, after graduation,” he says.

  “I…” My lips go dry. This is the first time I’ve had anyone other than my parents ask me directly. Even with Delia, it was always just a we’ll see when I get there sort of answer. “I, um, I’ve actually applied for a few graphic artists positions, some freelance, some in New York—even one at a comic book publisher.”

  Caleb sits up behind me and I turn to look at him.

  “Yeah?” His eyes light up. “That’s amazing, Zoe.”

  “Thanks.” I duck my head, surprised by how much I love his enthusiasm and encouragement. “Now, is what you were talking to my dad about what you really want to do?”

  “It is. Well, now it is. With baseball gone, it’s kind of my only option.”

  “And will you be happy doing that?”

  He stares off into the distance, a look of longing on his face, and I know he’s thinking about the career he could have had. Finally, he peeks over at me again.

  “I will.”

  I regard him with searching eyes, trying to see if he’s lying.

  He’s not.

  “Good,” I tell him. “That’s good. And what about the…obligations you have here? Your mom and dad?”

  Caleb lets out a sad laugh. “My dad isn’t in the picture, Zoe.”

  “He’s not?”

  “No, it’s just me, my mom, and my brother. That’s the way it’s always been.”

  “That’s…” I take a shuddered breath. “Wow. I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “It’s just life.”

  “I never knew that about you. You realize you never tell me anything about your family or past, right? That’s the first time you’ve even talked about your brother before. I didn’t know you had one.”

  “Is it really?”

  I nod. “I think the only things you’ve told me are you’re a huge comic nerd because you could get them for cheap, you lived in a trailer park, and as I’ve just discovered tonight, you don’t know your father and you have a brother. That’s it.”

  He scratches the stubble covering his cheek. “Oh.”

  “Yeah. Oh.”

  We don’t say anything else and eventually I return to my position, resting against him again. We listen to the sounds of the sea, the noise nearly lulling me to sleep, then Caleb finally speaks.

  “I’m sorry, Zoe. I’m not trying to hide anything from you, it’s just not something I like talking about. I prefer to keep that life separate from my life here. I don’t want to blur the lines.”

  “That sounds nice in theory, Caleb, but your lines were crossed long ago. Being gone every Sunday, sometimes not coming back until the next day, rushing to take phone calls in the middle of the night…”

  “You’ve heard those?”

  “Sort of.”

  I heard the one w
hen we fell asleep on the couch that one night, and then there have been a few times I’ve noticed him responding to texts at ungodly hours of the night.

  “Shit. I’m sorry, Zoe.”

  “It’s fine. I just want you to know that if this thing is going to work between us as more than roommates, meaning our newly minted boyfriend-girlfriend status, you’re going to have to talk about it sometime.”

  He exhales a shaky breath. I can feel his heartbeat against my back, a sure sign he’s nervous to open up.

  “I suppose that’s fair, but not this week, okay? Let’s just enjoy this time together. Trust me, you don’t want to hear about it now.”

  I twist around until I can look him in the eyes. “But I will when we get back?”

  “When we get back. I promise.”

  18

  “Zoe.”

  A kiss to my cheek interrupts my peaceful sleep.

  “Zoe.”

  Another peck.

  “Zoeeeeee.” This time my name is whispered sweetly into my ear.

  I peek one eye open and look at the digital clock resting on the bedside table.

  6:30AM. What in the hell…

  “This better not be a booty call or I’m going to punch you right in the taint.”

  “It’s too early to be threatening people with taint punches, Zoe.”

  “That is highly debatable.” I roll over to find Caleb peering down at me, a goofy grin gracing his lips. “Why are you smiley and why are you waking me up so early? We’re supposed to be on vacation. People sleep in on vacation.”

  “Not when their adorable boyfriend wants to watch the sunrise on the beach.”

  I eye him, wary of his intentions. “You want to go to the beach?”

  “I want to go to the beach.”

  “Are you drunk?” I reach out and touch is forehead. “Do you have a fever?”

  “No and no. I want to see this beautiful sunrise everyone keeps going on and on about.”

  “You want to watch the sunrise?”

  “Are you just going to lie there repeating everything I say, or are you going to come with me?”

  “Coming!”

  “Oh, you will be later.”

  I groan and roll back over, facing away from him. “It’s too early for your innuendos, Caleb.”

  “If it’s not too early for taint punches, it’s not too early for innuendos. Fair is fair. Now, up.” He smacks my ass and flies off the bed, out of my reach. “We have a sunrise to catch.”

  “That was my ass, you ass!”

  “I know, baby.” He winks. “I was aiming for it.”

  He trots out of the room, mighty proud of himself, as I reluctantly climb out of the warm comfort of my bed.

  I search through the bag I didn’t bother unpacking last night, looking for something to wear. It’s early morning and the wind on the beach is going to be chilly, so it’s best I dress warm.

  We spent last night wrapped together until well after midnight, kissing and whispering in the dark. I’m thankful for the time we spent together, but less than six hours of sleep isn’t enough.

  He’s lucky I like him.

  I haphazardly pull on sweats and a hoodie then slide my feet into flip-flops, snagging my toiletries bag on the way out the door and across the hall.

  I pop into the bathroom and run a brush through my hair before tossing it up into a messy bun. Then I brush my teeth and wipe the sleep out of my eyes before meeting an impatient Caleb out in the hallway.

  “Ready?”

  “I suppose, though you owe me coffee and breakfast after this,” I tell him as I grab blankets from the linen closet he’s standing beside.

  “Is anything open this early?”

  “Oh yes. You think you’re the only one who wants to watch the sun rise?”

  I lead us outside and across the street.

  The road is quiet, most people still in bed at this hour as we walk about half a mile in silence until we reach the nearest beach access point.

  We amble our way down the well-worn pathway and Caleb reaches out, grabbing my hand as we walk onto the beach together.

  “It’s chilly out here.”

  “Yeah, I should have warned you,” I say. “Good thing I grabbed an extra blanket though. We can sit on one and wrap up in the other.”

  “You’re too good to me.”

  Caleb stares out at the ocean in awe as we approach the shoreline. His ball cap is resting backward on his head, eyes still a little puffy from sleep. He threw on a plain black t-shirt and jeans, and was smart enough to wear sandals so the sand doesn’t drown his shoes.

  I watch as he takes a whiff of the fresh sea air, his nostrils flaring and eyes falling shut.

  “Mmm, salt and fish,” he says on the exhalation.

  I pull at his arm, dragging him farther down the beach. “Oh, hush it. It’s not that bad.”

  “Nah, it’s not. I actually kind of like it.”

  “I see the ocean is already working its magic on you.”

  “Something like that,” he mutters, now looking over at me.

  “Stop being cheesy,” I say with a grin. “Pick a spot for us to sit. We don’t have much longer.”

  Caleb leads us to a spot several feet from the lapping waves before stopping and grabbing the blankets from my hands. He spreads out the smaller of the two and then sits, patting the space between his legs.

  “Come on, let’s be all romantic and shit.”

  “You can’t say things like ‘and shit’ and expect to still come off as romantic,” I chide as I cozy into the spot between his legs.

  “It got you down here, didn’t it?”

  “The promise of a warm blanket got me down here. Nice try though.”

  Caleb wraps his arms around me as I settle into his embrace, his lips finding my neck in no time. He nuzzles against me and I sigh, resting back into him more.

  The sun begins its ascension over the horizon, setting the purple haze of the clouds on fire with orange and yellow rays of light. The sight is beautiful, and I’m reminded how no sunrise is ever like the last, the colors always playing off one another differently.

  I’ve sat on this very beach watching the sun come up so many times, but somehow, sitting here with Caleb for the first time, it feels different. The colors of the sky are a little brighter, the air crisper, the waves more bold and beautiful.

  It feels new and fresh, just like how we feel, and it was worth waking up for, that’s for certain.

  “This was a good idea,” I say aloud.

  “Just think, you hated me not fifteen minutes ago.”

  “Hate is a strong word. Let’s just say I wasn’t your biggest fan.”

  “And now?”

  “You’re okay, or at least you will be when you buy me breakfast.”

  He nuzzles my neck again, the contact sending a chill through me. “Thank you for coming out here with me. I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s breathtaking.”

  “Told you there was nothing like it. I’m glad you cajoled me out of bed to see it.”

  “Cajoled, huh?”

  “That’s fancy talk for coaxed.”

  He laughs, his mouth vibrating against my skin. “I know what cajoled means, Zoe.”

  “Hey, just checking. I know I don’t brain well when I haven’t had my coffee.”

  “Are you saying you want to get breakfast now?”

  I push off the ground in a rush and grab at the blanket he has wrapped around him. “I mean, if you’re offering…”

  He takes the hint and stands, shaking the sand off the other blanket as best he can then folding it.

  “Back to the house then?”

  “Oh no. We’re going to That Pancake Joint. It’s only about half a mile up the road.”

  “You sure you don’t want to go back and change first?”

  I glance down at what I’m wearing. “Why? You embarrassed to be seen with me?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Uh huh. S
o what you’re saying is I’m looking buttass ugly right now and need to go change.”

  “What? No!”

  “But you think I think I look that way?”

  He shakes his head back and forth, eyes wide. “I’m so confused right now, and a little scared of saying anything.”

  Laughing, I pat his shoulder as I walk by. “Shit, Caleb. I’m giving you shit. Come on, we don’t want to hit the breakfast rush.”

  “Rosco! My man!”

  I high-five the guy standing behind the counter at That Pancake Joint.

  “Zoe! How the hell ya been?”

  “Pretty good. Been busy as hell with school, but you know how that goes. You almost finished with your degree?”

  He smiles broadly. “I graduate at the end of the summer.”

  “Nice!”

  “When you bringing that pretty friend of yours back here? I miss her.”

  “And I told you last time, you old snake, she’s taken now.”

  “Watch it, kid. I’m not that old.” He nods toward Caleb. “Who’s the pretty boy? Your next victim?”

  “She kidnapped me, sir. I was wandering the beach, just trying to find my way home, and she stole me away, demanding I buy her breakfast.”

  Rosco grins. “Yeah, that sounds like her.”

  “Rosco, this my new boyfriend Caleb. Be nice to him.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” The guys shake hands. “Nice to meet you, and I’m really sorry you’re caught up with the likes of her.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate that.”

  “Asses,” I mutter. “Can we get a table for two, please?”

  “Like you have to ask,” Rosco says. “Go grab your table. I’ll be over in a minute.”

  I lead Caleb over to my favorite spot, a booth in the back that faces the ocean.

  “I take it you’ve been here a few times?” he asks as we slide into the bench seats.

  “Every time I visit, multiple times. It’s my second favorite place here.”

  “The first being the beach, right?”

  “Bingo bango.”

  “Is that how you met Rosco?”

  “Nah.” I grab the sugar holder and pull out three packets before pushing it back to its spot. “I met him on the beach. He was out there selling these horrid t-shirts that said, I got crabs in Outer Banks. On the back, From your mom. I had to buy the guy a slice of pie after that.”