Wrong Number

by R. L. Kenderson

  “You delete your account on that app, and you remove it from your phone. You find a good therapist for yourself and work things out in your head. Then, you come clean to your wife about everything. Your worries, your feelings of being trapped, and your cheating.”

  My brother opened his mouth. I stopped him with the rise of my hand.

  “I don’t care if there wasn’t sex. It was cheating, and Dana is going to be hurt.”

  My brother’s shoulders fell, and I knew he knew I was right.

  “Then, if Dana still wants to work on things, you two go to counseling together.”

  “That seems like a lot of work.”

  “No shit, Sherlock. Relationships are hard work. But you owe it to your wife.”

  Joel slowly nodded. “You’re right.”

  “Now, take out your phone and do the first part.”

  He sneered as he pulled out his phone. “You sure are bossy.”

  “Yeah, that’s what big brothers do.”

  I watched Joel pull up the app. “I should have known it was you,” he said, shooting me a look. “The name Callie should have given you away.”

  I frowned. “I never told you my name was—” I closed my eyes and shook my head. “Indy.” That little turd. I did have to smile at the thought though. Man, I love that woman.

  “She helped you?” he asked, alarmed.

  “Yes. We don’t keep secrets from each other.” Now. After the whole job debacle. But Joel didn’t need to know that.

  My brother deleted the app completely from his phone and waved it at me. “There. Are you happy now?”

  “Not yet. Come talk to me in a few months—after you’ve followed the rest of my advice.”

  My brother took a deep breath. “Fine.”

  “Joel?”

  “Yeah.”

  “No matter what, you’re still my little bro, and I kind of, sort of love you. I know this is going to be hard, so if you ever want to talk, call me, okay?”

  Joel smiled. “Kind of, sort of?”

  “Yeah.” That was all he was getting from me.

  “I kind of, sort of love you too, man. And thank you for helping me out and not telling Mom and Dad.”

  “The thought had crossed my mind, but I wanted to give you the chance to fix your own mistakes first.”

  “Thanks. And I will. I promise.”

  Epilogue

  Indy

  “To one year,” I said, clinking my glass against Cal’s.

  It had been one year since the night I texted Cal and asked him to come over, and we were at dinner, celebrating.

  “To one year,” he said with a smile.

  We each took a sip of our champagne and set our glasses down.

  “I hope the server gets here soon. I’m starving.”

  Cal laughed at me and picked up his phone.

  “Cal, you promised no work tonight.”

  Cal hadn’t bombed the interview he’d done all those months ago. He had gotten a second interview in person and ended up getting the job. Unfortunately, it was more demanding than his last position, and sometimes, he had to take calls and do work outside of business hours.

  “Sorry, honey, but this is really important.”

  My phone vibrated in my purse, and I figured if he was on his phone, I could be on mine too.

  I pulled it out and looked at my screen. It was a text from Cal.

  My eyes flew up to him, but he was still staring down at his own phone.

  Cal: I need you to come over. I want you to move in with me and be my wife.

  I gasped, and tears filled my eyes. I glanced up at him.

  He was staring at me with a box in his hand. He put it on the table and pushed it over to me.

  I looked back down.

  Me: Who is this?

  I lifted my eyes enough to see Cal smirk.

  Cal: The man of your dreams.

  Me: Sorry. The man of my dreams is sitting right across from me.

  I set my phone down and picked up the ring. It was a beautiful diamond solitaire that I had commented on in passing one day when we were shopping at the mall. He’d remembered.

  I started crying out of joy. I was going to be Cal’s wife.

  He took my hand in his. “Does this mean yes or no?”

  I laughed through my tears and nodded. “Yes.”

  He grinned at me. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  He picked up the box. “Now, let me put the ring on you.”

  I held up my pointer finger. “Just one second. This other guy also asked me to marry him tonight. I have to go tell him he has the wrong number.”

  Five Dates Only Sample

  Caleb

  Around eight thirty, the doorbell rang.

  “I’ll get it,” Melanie said. “That’ll be Sloan.”

  From the kitchen, I heard the screen door open and the two ladies talking.

  “Um … Neil?” Melanie said, her voice full of worry.

  My brother was still in the backyard.

  “Neil,” I yelled. “Melanie wants you.”

  “What does she want?” he yelled back.

  I sighed. “He wants to know what you want, Melanie.”

  “Tell him something happened to his car.”

  I didn’t even have to repeat the message. There was a loud clank outside, and my brother came rushing through the back door.

  “What’s wrong?” he demanded.

  “You should look outside,” Sloan said. “I noticed it as I was coming up the drive.”

  Now, my interest was piqued, as were my parents’. We all rushed outside, and when I saw Neil’s car covered in Silly String, I burst out laughing.

  Neil swung around. “You did this,” he accused.

  “The hell I did. I was inside the house or in the backyard with you the whole night.”

  My brother pursed his lips. He knew I was right.

  “But it doesn’t mean I don’t wish I had done it,” I said.

  “Asshole,” he muttered and turned back toward his car.

  Whoever had done it deserved a medal. Neil’s classic car was covered in bright neon colors. There was so much Silly String; there was no way he would be able to see out of the windshield.

  “Who would do such a thing?” my mother asked.

  I looked at my mom. She didn’t look as horrified as she’d tried to sound. I actually thought she might be trying not to laugh. My dad looked like he was biting the inside of his cheeks, too.

  I stepped closer to the car and noticed something on the hood. It wasn’t random Silly String. It was a drawing. “Why the hell would they draw a rocket on your car?” I asked.

  “Personally, I think it looks like a dick,” Sloan said, pushing her red hair off her shoulder. Her eyes widened when she noticed my parents standing there. “Sorry. I mean, wiener. Uh, no, I mean …” Her cheeks were now pink.

  “We know what you meant. It’s a penis,” I interrupted. I studied the thing. “It’s not a very good one though.”

  “Who cares if there’s a dick on my car?” my brother said. “What the hell am I supposed to do now?”

  “I don’t know.” I shrugged. “Clean it.”

  “Do you mind if I use your bathroom?” Sloan asked my parents.

  “I’ll show you where it is,” Melanie said.

  The two went inside, and I looked at the car again and had an idea. I patted the back of my jeans. Damn. My phone was inside.

  “Don’t do anything yet,” I told my brother. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Why?” he asked.

  No way was I telling him I needed a picture. “Just hold on.”

  I went into the house to search for my phone. It was by the back door, and as I picked it up, I heard Melanie and her friend.

  “The look on his face was priceless,” Sloan said.

  “I can’t believe it actually worked,” Melanie said. “I was so nervous at dinner.”

  “Did Neil notice?”
>
  “Nah, he was too busy staring at his phone.”

  “Thank God. He’d crucify us if he ever found out we were the ones who had done that to his car.”

  Holy shit. I couldn’t believe these two were behind the prank. It seemed Melanie really was sick of her boyfriend’s shit.

  “I’d better get back out there,” Melanie said.

  “Okay. I’ll be out in a second. I really do need to use the bathroom.”

  I waited for Melanie to go back outside before going there myself. I didn’t want her to know I’d been eavesdropping. I didn’t want her to worry that I would ever tell my brother it was her because he probably deserved it.

  I started for the front door when my phone buzzed. It was a text message.

  Ted: Dinner is at six tomorrow night. Mary is going to make her famous lasagna. Don’t forget to tell your girlfriend. I would hate for her to make other plans.

  I swallowed. It was supposed to sound friendly, but I knew Ted was testing me. I’d almost forgotten about the whole find-a-girlfriend thing.

  I heard the toilet flush and the sink running. And I remembered what Melanie had said about Sloan being my realtor. Maybe she could be more than that.

  The door opened, and the light turned off.

  Sloan walked out into the hall and stopped when she saw me. “How long have you been standing there?”

  “Long enough,” I told her.

  She lifted her chin, and her blue eyes narrowed. “How much did you hear?”

  “Let’s just say, I know what happened to Neil’s car,” I said.

  She stalked toward me. “Are you going to tell?”

  “That depends.”

  “On what?” she asked.

  I smiled. “What if I said that I’m in need of something as much as you are? I think we can cut a deal.”

  Desperate times called for desperate measures after all.

  Sloan

  I crossed my arms across my chest. “I’m not fucking you.”

  Caleb took a step back as his eyebrows flew up and his eyes widened in shock. “Uh, no. Nothing sexual.” He shook his head as if the idea was crazy.

  I dropped my arms. “Okay.” But did he have to look so revolted? I was a cute girl. Plenty of guys wanted to fuck me. “What do you want then?”

  “A girlfriend.”

  I looked Caleb up and down. This guy didn’t need help with getting a girlfriend. He was about six-two with tawny-colored hair and these big hazel eyes. I loved big eyes on men, but I would never share that with Caleb. He also had a very nice body. Muscular but not too much. Slim and trim was what I called his type. Basically, he was hot. The problem was, he probably knew it, which was why I’d stayed away from him. I’d had one too many things go wrong when it came to sexy guys.

  I snorted. “I didn’t think you had trouble with finding women.”

  “I don’t,” he said with a bite. “But it’s more complicated than that.”

  Oh. The plot thickens.

  “Do tell.”

  “No. Not until you agree.”

  I snorted. “You’re crazy.”

  The sound of Neil screaming cut through the air.

  Caleb and I ran to the screen door and looked outside. Neil stood with a broom in his hand and a pile of Silly String at his feet.

  “My car is ruined!” Neil yelled. “My paint.”

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Caleb look down at me.

  “I bet you didn’t know Silly String could ruin a paint job.”

  I’d read that in my research, but in every prank I’d seen on the internet, nothing had happened to the cars. I’d thought the Silly String had to sit on the paint a long time. A couple of hours wasn’t going to do it. That was why we’d used brake fluid.

  I continued looking out the door, neither confirming nor denying anything.

  Caleb narrowed his eyes. “I take that back. I bet you did know that Silly String could ruin a car.” He looked outside again. “But … I got here around five thirty. It hasn’t been there long enough to do any real damage, which means …”

  Oh jeez. The guy was good-looking and smart.

  “You two did something on purpose to ruin the paint.”

  “You can stop thinking now,” I told him.

  Caleb burst out laughing.

  “What do you want?”

  “I already told you. I need you to play my girlfriend for a little while.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  “I’m no lawyer or police officer, but I’m pretty sure that’s vandalism right there.”

  “So?” I looked up at Caleb. “I’d rather get arrested than pretend to date you.”

  He put a hand on his chest. “Ouch,” he said mockingly.

  I looked back outside. Neil was furious, just the way we’d wanted him to be.

  “So, that’s it?” Caleb said. “You’d rather go to jail than go on a few dates with me.”

  “Yep. And I’m sure I’d only have to pay a fine. I highly doubt I’d go to jail.”

  I saw Caleb shrug.

  “Okay. Have it your way. But, remember, you’re taking your friend down with you.”

  My eyes darted to Mel. She was chewing on her lip, and I knew her well enough to know she felt guilty. And the thought of the police showing up and questioning her, possibly putting her in handcuffs, made my stomach twist. I couldn’t do that to her.

  “How many dates?” I asked. “And when?”

  “Ten. And the first date is tomorrow at my boss’s house.”

  I looked at him. “Ten? You’re out of your mind. I’ll give you two.”

  Caleb shook his head. “No way. Ted will want to see you with me more than twice, or he’ll know something’s up. Eight.”

  “Three.”

  “Seven.”

  “Four.”

  “Five. Or I open this door right now and tell Neil it was you.”

  I took a deep breath and exhaled. “Fine. Five dates, and then we never have to see each other again.”

  He held out his hand. “Five dates only.”

  I shook it. “Five dates only.”

  Read Five Dates Only

  Object of My Desire Sample

  The combined noise of two phone alarms with completely different songs woke us up at six fifteen the next morning.

  I quickly shut mine off, as did Harper.

  “That was a horrible noise,” I commented from my bed.

  “Yep, I’m up,” Harper said. “Although I’m wondering now why we stayed up late, watching movies.”

  “I’m wondering whose idea it was to schedule a seven a.m. breakfast on a Saturday.”

  Harper sat up. “No kidding. It’s my day to sleep in. What the hell, people?”

  I pushed my covers off me and sat up as well. “We could always skip it?”

  Harper’s eyes widened. “And miss free food?”

  “You’re right. I don’t think they have coffee though. We’ll have to go and get one before.”

  Harper stood. “I’d better get ready then.”

  “Are you showering before you go?” I called out to her.

  “No, I’m just going to get dressed and go. I’d rather shower after, so I can look pretty for the book signing.”

  “Thank God. I didn’t want to shower either.”

  I spent most days sitting in front of my computer or running errands. Most of the time, I didn’t even bother with makeup, doing my hair, or putting my contacts in. My outfit of choice was a T-shirt and yoga pants.

  So, when it came to book signings, I always liked to look a little more professional. But I really didn’t feel like doing all of that before seven in the morning if I didn’t have to. Besides, I didn’t have time.

  I brushed my hair and my teeth and put my hair up in a ponytail. I put on clean clothes, and, yes, I decided to go with yoga pants because I wanted to be comfortable.

  “We’d better go. I don’t want to be one of the last ones there and have to sit with people we don�
��t know.”

  “What’s wrong with that?” Harper asked.

  She could make friends with a wall.

  “Nothing, except that I hate imposing on people.” I grabbed my name tag and my key card.

  “But you’re an author. People want to meet you.”

  “I’m a non-famous author,” I reminded her.

  Harper grabbed her things and looped her arm with mine. “Then, let’s go make them want to meet you.”

  We went and got large lattes first before we headed to the area where we were supposed to meet for breakfast. There weren’t that many people around, but there also weren’t many tables.

  “See, it’s a good thing we came early.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Harper said with a smile.

  After the food was rolled out, we filled up our plates and brought them back to our table. I wasn’t a health food nut, but I did try to eat well most of the time to keep myself from gaining too much weight. But I was on vacation, and I was eating as much breakfast as I wanted.

  “Oh my God,” Harper said with a moan. “These are the best muffins.”

  “Crap. And I didn’t get one.”

  She broke off a huge piece. “Here, try some.”

  I opened my mouth, intending to take a bite, but she shoved the whole thing in my mouth. Both of us started laughing, and I had to turn my face toward the wall behind me. If I kept looking at Harper, I wouldn’t stop giggling, and I didn’t want the room to stare at my chipmunk cheeks.

  A close female voice said, “Do you mind if we take your other two chairs?”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Harper wave her arm at our empty chairs. “Go ahead. Those seats are free.”

  “Thank you,” a male voice said.

  I finally managed to chew half of the food in my mouth and swallow it. “You bitch,” I told Harper as I turned around.

  She laughed again, and I probably would have, too, except I was stopped dead when I saw who was about to take the seat across from me.

  It was Travis Zehler, and holy shit, but the few pictures I had seen online did nothing to prepare me for him in real life.