I shrugged, my eyes not leaving Ricky’s for a second. His lips thinned into a straight line and his nostrils flared, but all I did was smile. I knew I could best this guy at anything. All he had to do was say the word.
“Well, you never forget your first kiss, right?” Ricky said as he pulled Callie tighter.
A low growl escaped my lips as I took an involuntary step forward on shaky legs. “Well, you never forget your first ass beating either, and I’d be happy to oblige.”
Callie’s eyes widened before she slipped out from under Ricky’s arm and stepped into my space. Her little hand landed on the center of my chest, and just that small touch stopped me in my tracks and slowed the trembling.
“Let’s take a walk.”
My eyes were still trained on Ricky, who did not look pleased to be standing alone now. “I’ll leave as soon as Mickey Mouse does.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. “It’s Ricky Rouse.”
“I don’t care.”
He growled softly and took a step toward us as Callie pushed me backward. “Think about your mom, Wyatt.”
Just like that, the wind left my sails and I deflated like a hot air balloon. I glanced at Mom to find a look of disappointment with a small sliver of fear in her eyes and shame filled my body. When I looked back at Ricky, he had a smug smile on his face and the rage was back.
“Yeah, Wyatt. Why don’t you take care of your human mommy while me and Callie get caught up?”
Fury raced through my veins and the convulsions were back as I tried to nudge Callie aside to get to Ricky. But she was unmovable. With one hand still on my chest, she turned back to Ricky. “It’s time for you to go.”
He scoffed. “You think I can’t handle some half-breed? Please. He probably can’t even shift without the full moon.”
A million comebacks danced around my mouth, but before I could spit one of them out, Callie beat me to it.
“Ricky, you inbred imbecile. Turn around and walk away before I let Wyatt make you walk away.”
His face reddened with anger before he spat on the ground in front of us and spun around. “Human lover,” he mumbled before stalking out of the nursery.
The rage dissipated slowly along with the trembles as I watched the place he’d disappeared from. When it seemed he was gone for good, I took a deep breath, remembering for the first time that Callie still had her hand on my chest. I looked at it and then at her just as she peered up at me.
“That was–”
“Wyatt Carter, I don’t know what the hell just got into you back there but that was ridiculous. You can’t just pick a fight with a random wolf out in public like that. What would have happened if one of you shifted? What would have happened if someone saw that? And what about your mom? Who would have protected her if you fought with Ricky?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but she cut me off again.
“You were being an idiot, and I don’t even want to look at you right now.” She turned to my mom and grasped her arm. “Come on, Nora. Let’s go look at those hibiscus you wanted to see.”
Without another word, both women walked away from me, arm in arm. It would have been a nice sight if they weren’t both pissed off at me. I blew out a deep breath and found an empty bench to sit on. Clearly, I needed to get my head out of my ass, or I wouldn’t even get to keep Callie as a friend.
Chapter 19
Callie
“Can you just let me out at the lodge?” was the first thing I’d said to Wyatt since the incident with Ricky.
I was still so mad I wanted to yell at him some more, but that would require talking to him and I didn’t want to do that.
“Okay,” he said softly.
It tugged a little at my heartstrings, but not hard enough for me to do anything about it. He’d been dead wrong today and there was no two ways about it. Now he needed to suffer whatever consequences came from his actions, and one of those was a ticked off Callie.
“Actually, would you mind taking me home first?” Nora said. “I’m feeling a little tired and I’d like to get a nap in.”
My petty issues forgotten, I spun in my seat to look at Wyatt’s mom.
“Are you feelin’ okay, Ma?” he asked as the tires crunched over the gravel drive leading to pack lands.
“I’m okay. Just a little tired. I haven’t done this much in one day in a long time.”
My stomach clenched with worry as my eyes scanned her for anything obviously wrong. “Are you sure, Nora?”
She smiled warmly at me and the world felt a little safer for a moment. “Yes, dear. I’m sure. I just need a quick cat nap and I’ll be right as rain.”
I turned back around in my seat and slouched down as we approached the pack houses. I really didn’t need any of my packmates seeing me with Wyatt because all they’d do was talk. Pack relationships were extra difficult because there was always a large magnifying glass over the couple, allowing everyone within a three-mile radius to pick apart every little thing about them.
Even though I wasn’t in a relationship, they wouldn’t care. Just seeing me with a wolf I wasn’t related to would be enough to get the rumor mills going. And worse, if my family got wind of this, I’d never hear the end of it.
We drove in silence until we made it to the Carters’ house and Nora broke it. “Thank you so much for going plant shopping with me today, Callie. I think I’ve got a good amount of stuff to get started, but I might want to head back to that nursery of yours sometime. I hope you’ll go with me again.”
The ice around my heart melted a little at Nora’s words. Honestly, the time I’d spent with her had been amazing. It was like I’d gotten a little piece of my own mom back. “Of course, Nora. You just let me know when and I’ll be there.” We’ll just leave your son at home, I added silently.
Wyatt hopped out of the Jeep to escort his mom in the house, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I sat there for a minute, waiting for him, before I got out and started heading back to the lodge. It was close enough that I didn’t need a ride from him, and frankly, I didn’t want to be anywhere near Wyatt right then.
The confrontation between him and Ricky had knocked me off my game and I was having trouble finding my equilibrium again.
I’d never had anyone fight over me before. Not once in thirty years had someone felt strongly enough to do something like that. If I was being honest, it was a bit flattering, but only that little piece of me was flattered–the rest was annoyed.
I’d also never been out in public and in between two wolves so close to fighting. That part had been scary enough to push the flattery to the back burner. I didn’t even want to think about how bad things would have been if they’d shifted there in the middle of the nursery.
“Callie! Wait up!”
I turned to find Wyatt running to catch up with me, and I scanned the nearby houses to make sure no one heard or saw him.
“What do you want?” I asked when he got close.
He winced slightly and ran a hand over his short blond hair. “I thought I was giving you a ride back.”
I glanced up the road to where you could see the lodge and back at him. “I’m perfectly capable of walking.”
“Okay,” he said slowly. “I also wanted to thank you for coming with us today. You made my mom really happy.”
I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at the corners of my lips. “I’m glad. She deserves it.”
He blew out a deep breath. “I know she does.” We were quiet for a while, both of us avoiding eye contact as the awkwardness intensified. “Listen, Callie, I’m sorry about today.”
“Are you really?”
“Yeah, I am.”
“Because if you were really sorry, you’d regret what you did, and I have a feeling, if the same circumstances arose, you’d do it again.”
He looked away, reaching one of his big hands up to scratch the back of his neck. “I don’t want to lie to you–”
“Then don’t,” I cut in.
> He sighed again and met my eyes, rendering me basically useless. Their caramel-colored depths were warm and apologetic, and so comforting, I could stare at them all day. But it was nothing compared to the way he made me feel when he looked at me like that. Like nothing else mattered but the two of us. Like nothing was more important than me. Like I was the sun and he only lived to orbit around me.
But that was absurd.
I shook my head and looked away. I didn’t need his soft eyes convoluting my brain right then.
“The truth is, if I saw that guy all over you again, I’d do exactly what I did today.”
Thankfully, the words coming out of his mouth broke the spell of his captivating eyes.
“Why, Wyatt?”
“I didn’t like him.”
“You don’t know him.”
“And you do?”
“I know him better than you do!” My voice was getting louder, which would eventually attract attention, but I was past caring at that moment.
“And is he a good guy, Callie? Is he who you want?”
“No, you pain in my rear, I don’t!”
“Then why did you let him touch you like that?”
My head fell back on my shoulders and I stared at the canopy of branches above me as I tried to control the urge to throttle him. “All he did was put his arm around my shoulders. And I was just about to remove it myself before you came barreling over like an angry bull.”
“I still didn’t like it.”
“You don’t have a say!” I yelled much louder than I’d intended. I glanced around again to make sure no one was outside their houses before I continued. “You don’t have a say,” I repeated for good measure.
Wyatt pressed his lips into a thin line and looked away. It seemed like he wanted to say something, but he remained quiet. Finally, I’d had enough and spoke up again. “You wanted to be friends, Wyatt. That was your idea.”
He ran a rough hand down his face and stared at the gravel beneath our feet. “I know that.”
“Then what are you doing?”
He looked back up, fire in his brown eyes, and I forgot what we were arguing about for a moment. “I don’t know, Callie.”
I looked away and shook my head to clear it of the Wyatt-induced cobwebs. When I looked back, he was facing away from me, staring into the forest like it held the answers for him. “I don’t know either, Wyatt, but when you figure it out, let me know.”
With that, I turned around and headed back toward the lodge. I half-expected him to chase after me, or even just call my name, but he did neither. I wasn’t sure if I was upset or relieved by that, so I pushed the whole situation aside.
I didn’t know what was going on with Wyatt, and it looked like not even Wyatt knew what was going on with Wyatt. Which was another reason I should have stayed uninvolved. I knew he’d be a complication. I knew nothing with him would be simple or easy and I’d gone against my better judgement.
But if I was being honest with myself, I hadn’t been happy about the friends arrangement either. After we’d kissed, everything changed for me. I didn’t want to run from him anymore. I didn’t want to push him away anymore.
For once in my life, I was willing to do whatever it took to see where things could go with a man.
But Wyatt had other plans.
Which was part of the reason I was stomping up the stairs to my bedroom instead of having dinner with my pack in the kitchen.
I was sick of the back and forth, the runaround, the confusion, the miscommunication. I thought being Wyatt’s friend was better than being nothing to him, but now I was rethinking that too. Maybe I’d been right to begin with. Maybe I was better off alone.
***
“Are you coming down for lunch?” Evey asked as we walked down the hall toward the stairs.
We’d finally had the much-needed conversation with my brother about everything going on with the murders. He and Beatrice had divulged what they knew to Evey, Del, and me like they should have months ago.
Thankfully for them, they’d had the decency to look ashamed of the huge secret they’d kept from us.
We’d tried telling them the rest of the pack deserved to know what was going on too, if for no other reason than it would help them protect themselves, but all they’d said was they’d think about it.
“I just need to run to my room for something. I’ll meet you down there.”
“I heard Ms. Elsie made chicken and dumplins so you better hurry before the enforcers get to ‘em,” Del added.
I waved them ahead and left them walking down the stairs arm in arm before heading toward our wing of the lodge. My eyes were trained on my phone instead of my surroundings, so it wasn’t until I turned down our hall that I realized I wasn’t alone.
Wyatt was standing in front of my door, his hand up in a fist, ready to knock. I stood there for a moment, taking him in before making my presence known.
I hadn’t seen him in almost a week since that disaster of a shopping trip. He’d texted me a few times, but he’d had nothing to say that I hadn’t heard before, so I’d ignored him. Now, it seemed he was done being avoided.
The shock of seeing him wore off and anxiety took its place. If someone saw him there, outside my bedroom door, the repercussions would be catastrophic. I hustled down the hall, and when he looked up and spotted me, it almost stopped me dead in my tracks.
How had I already forgotten how still the world went when our eyes met? How right everything felt. How perfect each moment was as long as our gazes were locked.
I had to look away before I did something stupid.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper-yelled.
He held up a greasy bag and tray of drinks, a wide smile on his face. “I brought you lunch.”
I checked the hall behind me to make sure no one was around before opening my bedroom door and shoving him inside. “Get in before someone sees you!”
He stumbled into my room and turned to me with a frown. “What’s the matter?”
I glanced down the hall one more time before closing my door and turning to him. “Did anyone see you come up here?”
His face fell the smallest bit as his lips thinned into a straight line. “I don’t think so.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Good.” Pushing off the door, I took a few steps toward him. “What’s this about lunch? We don’t have plans.”
He pursed his lips and rolled his eyes. “If you were answering my texts, I would have asked you. But since you were ignoring me, I decided to just come and see you.”
My heart was still pounding in my chest and there was no way I could blame it all on the speed walk I’d taken down the hall.
I was alone with Wyatt Carter in my bedroom and I’d never been more nervous.
My eyes darted to the bed before meeting his again for only a second before I looked away. I did not need to get lost in his gaze. Not when there was this fire between us that never seemed to die.
Even with time.
Even with distance.
Even though I was still mad at him.
None of it mattered because I still wanted him. As stupid as that made me, it was the truth.
“Callie?”
I shook my head and looked at him again. “Yeah?”
“Will you have lunch with me?”
Denial was on the tip of my tongue, but the look on his face prevented me from saying no. It was so hopeful. So sweet. So unsure in that moment that I couldn’t say anything but yes. Even though I knew it was a bad idea.
“Okay, sure. Let me just text my sisters that I’m not coming down.”
His brilliant smile lit up the room and sent my heart into palpitations I knew couldn’t be healthy. I pulled out my phone and motioned toward the desk–the piece of furniture farthest from my bed.
“Why don’t you have a seat and I’ll be right over.”
He nodded once, the ridiculously attractive smile still on his face while I tapped out a quick message to
Evey. I turned off my phone after that, not willing to deal with any questions from them.
I stared at Wyatt’s back for a moment as he worked on unloading the lunch he’d brought. In that moment, I realized I’d missed him. The warnings were still there. The trepidation was still there. But the absolute truth was I liked being around him. It felt good to be around him. And right then, I didn’t feel like fighting it.
“What did you bring?” I asked as I crossed the room to sit on the spare chair.
He looked back up with the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen, and I swore my heart wouldn’t make it through this. “Bacon sandwiches.”
“You mean like a B.L.T?”
“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “This is a bacon sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and mayo.”
A laugh escaped before I could stop it. “What’s the difference?”
“In this sandwich, the bacon is the star. It’s not sharing the stage with the rabbit food or condiments. You get this because you’re in the mood to eat a butt-load of bacon.”
I laughed again as I accepted a foil-wrapped sandwich from him. “A butt-load of bacon, huh? That sounds interesting.”
He nodded as he unwrapped his and took a huge bite. “It’s not only interesting, it’s delicious,” he said around a mouthful of food.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” I said with another chuckle.
He shrugged and shot me a closed-mouth smile that still made my heart trip. With a nod at my sandwich, he said, “Go on. Try it.”
I did as he asked and took a large bite of my own. A groan spilled out of my mouth before I could stop it. “Mmm, I love bacon.”
“I know.”
I grabbed a napkin and wiped the mayo from my lips. “How do you know that?”
He shrugged and swallowed before answering. “You told me you couldn’t make it as a vegetarian when you were a kid because you liked bacon too much.”
My mouth fell open for a moment as I tried to work through the shock. “You remembered that?”
He frowned at me and took another big bite. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
He was still talking with food in his mouth, but I was too surprised to reprimand him again. I’d said that bacon comment in passing and had even forgotten I’d mentioned it myself. It amazed me that, not only had he remembered, but he’d bought me the most amount of bacon I’d ever had in one meal.
Chasing Callie (Southern Werewolf Sisters Book 1) Page 16
