“Have you talked to him today?”
“We exchanged a couple of texts, but they were very casual. I think he’s avoiding it as much as I am.”
“Do you want to see him?”
“Yes, and no.”
Melanie’s eyes filled with compassion.
I shook my head. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
So what if Caleb and I avoided each other for a couple of days? It wouldn’t last forever. Eventually, we’d have to talk about it.
“Tell me what you did while I was gone.” I wanted to ask about Neil, but I knew she was sick of being babied.
Mel smiled shyly. “I kind of met someone.”
“What? That’s great.”
“Is it? I didn’t break up with Neil that long ago.”
“Mel, you deserve to find someone who makes you happy.”
“Thanks. But I think I’m going to take it slow.”
“Slow is a good thing.”
“Yeah, we’re probably not going to run off and get married.”
“Hardy-har-har,” I said and unrolled my silverware, so I could throw my napkin at my friend.
Melanie was laughing. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist.”
“What’s his name?”
“Justin.” She threw my napkin back at me. “But I do want to take it slow before I tell him about the little present Neil left me.”
Now, it was my turn to feel sympathetic. “Oh, hon, you don’t have to tell him right away. You had a bacterial infection. You took antibiotics. It’s gone now. You can’t pass it on to him.”
I hated Neil for making my friend feel self-conscious about herself. How he and Caleb were brothers was beyond me.
She looked unsure.
“You really don’t have to tell him ever. I think you should someday if you get serious. Not because he has to worry about catching anything, but because he should know what Neil did to you.” I smiled. “Maybe Justin will kick his ass for you.”
A snort-laugh escaped from Mel’s mouth. “That’s so romantic. I’ve never had a guy commit a felony for me before,” she said sarcastically.
“Sure you did. Caleb punched Neil for you.”
Melanie tilted her head. “Let’s be real. Caleb punched Neil for you.”
I couldn’t help but smile.
“Promise me something.”
“I’ll try,” I said because I had a feeling that I might not like it.
“If Caleb doesn’t reach out to you, you will to him. Because I know you like him, and he likes you.”
I nodded. “I promise. But not tonight. Today, I simply want to have dinner with my best friend.”
Mel smiled and raised her glass. “Cheers to that.”
Thirty-Three
Caleb
“What the fuck did you just say, dude?”
I sighed at my friend Blake’s question.
“He said he got married,” Lee said next to him.
Blake gave Lee a dirty look. “I heard him, you asshole. That was me expressing my immense displeasure at hearing those words.”
“Only you would say ‘what the fuck’ in one sentence and ‘immense displeasure’ in the next.”
“Boys, can we focus on my problem, please?”
I had called up two of my oldest friends to meet me tonight at a bar. I needed a drink and some perspective. I was afraid that I might be leaving with only one of those things.
Blake and Lee turned to me.
“You’re so selfish,” Blake said sarcastically.
“Yeah. Marriage has turned you into a needy pussy,” Lee added.
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know why I’m friends with either of you.”
“It’s because I give good head,” Blake said.
“Except you’ve never offered to do that for me, so that can’t be it,” I said dryly.
“Is that giving head to men or women?” Lee asked.
“Both.”
“You can’t be good at both.”
“The hell I can’t.”
“Bullshit. I don’t believe you.”
Blake smiled and raised his glass to his lips. “I could put you in touch with the couple I had a threesome with last night.”
I sighed and grabbed my wallet. I opened it up and counted a few bills.
“What are you doing?” Lee asked.
“Leaving money to cover my beer.” I didn’t feel like listening to my friends fight or hearing about another one of Blake’s threesomes.
I should have never called him. The guy only screwed couples, so he didn’t have to commit to anyone. I couldn’t imagine what kind of advice he was going to offer me.
“Come on, man. Don’t leave,” Lee said.
I raised an eyebrow.
“I promise to listen,” he said.
I looked at Blake, who said nothing.
Lee elbowed him in the ribs.
“Fine,” Blake said. “I will listen, too.”
I wasn’t sure if I believed either of them, but when Blake picked up my money and threw it at me, I relented.
“Start at the beginning,” Blake said. “How the hell did you even get engaged without us knowing this girl?”
If I was going to tell them everything, I needed another beer. I lifted my arm to signal the waitress before launching into my story.
When I finished, I had to give my two buddies credit. They’d listened to the whole thing, only interrupting me a few times to ask questions. I realized that was why I’d called the two of them. They could be reliable when I really needed them to be.
Blake whistled. “Why didn’t you tell us you might not get the store?”
I shrugged. “I didn’t want to admit it, I guess.”
“But you told Sloan.”
“Only because I had to. And, at the time, I barely knew her. She didn’t count.”
Neither of them noticed my use of the past tense.
“That’s bullshit that Ted is actually thinking of selling the store to someone else. You’ve worked your ass off for him for years. That store should be yours,” Blake said.
“Thanks, man.”
“So, you started this to show Ted you could settle down. Has he said any more about who he’s going to sell to?” Lee asked.
“Not a peep. And I haven’t asked him.” I took a drink. “And, now, he’s disappointed in me.”
“What the fuck for?” Blake asked.
“Because Sloan and I got married.”
Lee held up a hand. “Wait. I thought he wanted you to get married.”
“He did. I think he was just disappointed that we’d gotten married without him and Mary there.”
“That doesn’t seem right to me,” Lee said.
I shrugged. “He did pay for the trip. And Mary cried when she found out. They weren’t all happy tears either. He’s not happy that I hurt Mary’s feelings.”
“Are you sure Ted and Mary aren’t your real parents?” Blake asked.
I laughed. “I know. Sometimes, I feel like I am closer to them. Or just as close.”
“That’s why you should get to buy the store.”
Nodding my agreement, I took a long drink.
“What are you going to do about your wife?” Lee asked.
“That word sounds so weird,” Blake said. “Caleb’s wife.”
“Imagine how I feel,” I said.
Blake leaned forward and smirked. “I know you said you did it because you were both drunk, but tell me you did it a little for the pussy, too. She must really know how to ride the dick.”
I leaned forward like I was ready to kiss and tell, but I turned my smile into a scowl. “You ever talk about Sloan that way again, I will chop off your balls and shove them up your ass, and then you’ll become the reigning champion of giving head because it’ll be the only way you’re able to have sex.”
Blake leaned back and burst into laughter. “You are in so much trouble.” He shook his head like he felt sorry for me.
�
��You’re an asshole.”
Blake opened his mouth, but Lee elbowed him again before he could say anything. “I think that Blake is trying to say that it’s obvious that you like this Sloan.”
“I do,” I admitted. “That’s why I don’t know what to do.”
“Because you don’t want to be married?” Lee asked.
I thought about it. “Because I don’t know if I want to be married,” I corrected.
“Do you have to decide today?”
“Yeah,” Blake said, “do you have to decide today? What’s going to happen if you wait?”
I had no idea.
“It sounds like Sloan isn’t beating down your door and calling you every five minutes for an answer.”
“That’s true,” I said.
“Then, why don’t you just wait and see how you feel after a few days? A week? You literally got back from Hawaii less than twenty-four hours ago,” Lee said.
I smiled. “Thanks, guys.” I appreciated their advice.
“You’re welcome,” Blake said. “Now, tell us what Sloan looks like. Is she hot?”
I sighed and shook my head. “Are you always thinking about sex?”
“Duh. That’s why I’m bi. I need the option of many, many sexual partners. Women or men alone are not enough.”
I looked at Lee. “Remind me again why we put up with him.”
Lee laughed, and Blake gave me the finger.
An hour later, I knocked on Sloan’s front door. It was getting late for a weeknight, and I didn’t want to wake her by ringing the doorbell. If she was already sleeping, I knew that meant I was supposed to go home.
When a couple of loud barks sounded from inside the house, I cursed myself. I was never getting a dog.
But, as the door opened and a big brown nose stuck out of the crack, I remembered that, since Sloan and I were married, I technically already did have one.
The door opened all the way, and there my wife—my wife!—stood on the other side of the threshold. She looked as uncertain and nervous as I felt. But she was also in her pajamas, and she looked adorable.
I had missed sleeping with her last night.
“Hey,” I said.
“Hey.”
“I know we need to talk and figure some things out, but tonight, I was hoping that we could put that aside for now.”
“Then, why are you here?” she asked.
“I was hoping I could sleep with you.”
She opened her mouth, and I put my hand up.
“And, by sleep, I mean, sleep. I slept like crap last night.” I didn’t want to say it was because she hadn’t been there, and I hoped she wouldn’t ask.
When she stuck out her hand to me, I sighed with relief. Every muscle in my body relaxed.
“Come on, Caleb. Let’s go to bed.”
Thirty-Four
Sloan
I led Caleb to my room and slowly removed his clothes. In Hawaii, he’d either slept naked or in his boxers.
I knew he’d meant it when he said that he was really there to sleep, but I couldn’t resist kissing his collarbone and his neck. I pushed off his shorts and was ready to kiss him lower, but he took my hand and brought me over to my bed.
We lay down, and he pulled me into his arms.
When my nose was firmly tucked under his chin, he whispered, “I missed you last night.”
“I missed you, too,” I whispered back.
The next morning, I woke up first and stared at Caleb while he slept. He was only thirty-one, but he looked even younger when he was sleeping.
I wondered if most people did because, in sleep, they were free of stress, work, and their never-ending to-do lists.
I looked down at the ring on his hand, and it occurred to me that this was the first morning of waking up next to my husband. Eek! That word still sounded funny in my head.
Technically, we’d woken up in the same bed after our wedding, but we’d both been hungover and rushing to get to the airport on time. Not to mention, we’d both been embarrassed, and we hadn’t wanted to face each other.
As much as we needed to talk about things, I was glad we hadn’t done it last night.
Caleb’s breathing changed, and I realized he was waking up. I looked away from his face, so he wouldn’t think I was a creeper.
“Hey,” he said, his voice rough from sleep.
I looked up. “Hey.”
“How long have you been awake?”
I lifted a shoulder. “Only a few minutes. Not long enough for Bear to insist I let him outside.”
Caleb chuckled and looked down at the huge ball of fur sleeping at the end of the bed. “Don’t tell Bear, but I kind of missed him, too.”
Bear lifted his head at the sound of his name.
“Go back to sleep,” Caleb told him.
Not one to take direction easily, Bear got up and walked toward our heads, stopping when he was close enough to lick Caleb’s face.
“I think he heard you,” I said. “And he wants you to know he missed you, too.”
Caleb laughed and pushed Bear away. “Not the mouth, man.”
Bear lay down and put his head on Caleb’s chest.
Caleb rubbed Bear’s head as awkwardness began to set in.
“I guess we should talk about it, huh?” I said.
“I suppose.”
“Let’s start at the beginning then. We did a thing. A kind of crazy thing.”
Caleb chuckled. “Kind of crazy? Full-on crazy.”
Hearing him say that made me a little sad even if he was right. “Okay, full-on crazy. Now, what do we do?”
“What do you want to do?” he asked.
“Oh, sure, throw the question back at me.”
He grinned. “What if I told you there was no right or wrong answer?”
I took a deep breath. “That helps.” I looked up into his eyes. “What if I told you I didn’t know what I wanted to do?”
He reached for my hand and brought it up to his mouth to kiss it. “I’d tell you I felt the same.”
I was relieved and still a little disappointed. The pressure was off to make things work, but it would have been nice to know that he really wanted to stay married to me.
This was why getting involved with someone was a bad idea. They made you feel all sorts of things.
Caleb squeezed my hand. “Hey, you.”
“What?”
“Where did you go?”
“Just thinking, I guess.”
“Can I tell you what I do know?” he asked.
“Of course.”
“I know that I like being with you, and I don’t want us to break up.” He tilted his head. “Can we even break up if we’re not officially dating?”
I smiled. “Good question.” I bit my lip. “What if we start officially dating and put the marriage thing on the back burner? Pretend like it hasn’t happened until we know more?” I pulled off the ring from my left hand and put it on my right.
Caleb did the same. “Except around Mary and Ted,” he reminded me.
“Right.”
I had to admit, I was getting sick of the ruse. Sure, it was easier now that Caleb and I had decided to officially date, but we’d had to go and add another complication. We could tell everyone we were dating, but Mary and Ted knew we were married. It was like we were leading double lives. And, now, if things didn’t work out, we couldn’t break up; we’d have to get a divorce.
I threw an arm over my eyes. “Why did we have to make things so complicated?”
“Bear, go,” Caleb said.
I felt the bed move as my dog jumped off, and Caleb turned toward me.
He pulled my arm away and looked down at me. “Let’s just take things one day at a time. We don’t have to decide anything today. And we don’t even have plans to see Ted and Mary anytime soon. Let’s just relax and enjoy each other.”
“You’re pretty wise,” I told him.
“I would like to say it’s all me, but I got some advice from my f
riends last night.”
I gasped mockingly. “You have friends?”
He rolled his eyes but smiled. “Yes, I have friends.”
“Do I get to meet them?” I held my breath, waiting to see how he’d answer. If he told me no, then I’d have to wonder if he was serious about being with me or if he was keeping me around for the stupid store.
“Yes,” he said hesitantly.
My hopes deflated, but I was determined to stay strong and act like it was no big deal. “I understand.”
He frowned. “No, you don’t. Get whatever negative thought you have going on in your head out.”
Now, I frowned. How does he know me so well?
“I’m not a hundred percent on board because my friends … are a little crass. You might change your mind about me.”
I grinned despite trying not to. “I can handle crass. I hang out with you, don’t I?”
“Full of jokes this morning, aren’t you?”
I shrugged. “I can’t help that I’m so funny.”
Caleb snorted and rolled away to sit up. “I said you were full of jokes. I did not say you were funny.”
“Hey.”
He laughed and turned back around to me. “You want to meet my friends. What about my parents?”
“I’ve already met your parents.”
He rolled his eyes again. “As my girlfriend. How would you like to meet them as my girlfriend?”
I smiled. “Okay. When?”
“Tonight.”
Thirty-Five
Caleb
“How long have the two of you been dating?” my mom asked.
Shit.
Sloan and I hadn’t even considered talking about this stuff before we came over tonight. The two of us and my mother were sitting in my parents’ backyard, having a beer, while we waited for my dad to get home, so we could have dinner.
“About a month,” Sloan said. “We started dating after the night I picked Melanie up from here.”
My mom’s eyes turned gloomy. “I was sad to hear about the two of them breaking up.”
“Yes, it was sad,” Sloan agreed.
I couldn’t help but snort behind my beer bottle. Sloan was anything but sad about the two of them calling it quits.
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