Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
“Oh, don’t worry,” I assure while heading back to my room to grab the packet of cigarettes I haven’t reached for since I was forced to give up drinking. “It will be well lit before and after I’ve seconded it to hell along with our grandfather.”
CHAPTER 37
JESS
My eyes lift from the silver napkin-ring holder when Octavia asks, “What happened between you and Caleb last weekend?”
I try to hold back my groan. I miserably fail. “Nothing. That’s the point.” Caleb attended Movie Marathon last night like he has multiple times the past three-plus months, but he was a little standoffish. Not solely with me. Jack as well. I thought inviting Jack would lighten the mood, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. “I’m really beginning to wonder if he truly does only see me as a friend.”
It dawns on me that I said my last sentence out loud when Octavia mutters, “Jess…”
Hating the sympathy in her tone, I shoo off her worry as if it means nothing. “No, it’s fine. Truly. I’d rather face the truth than continue like we have the past few months.” I stop to make sure I didn’t expose too much before blurting out the true cause of my worry. “It hurts not knowing if you’re good enough.”
Caleb said he could see nothing but me when he looked at me Saturday night, but last night, he hardly glanced my way. It makes me doubt his reason for fleeing and has me once again wondering if he will ever get past his fears.
“You’re more than good enough. It’s just Caleb. He has…” It is obvious that Caleb’s family is in the dark as much as me when Octavia slowly breathes out the words, “Commitment issues.” The honesty in her voice is genuine when she adds, “But I’ve never seen him with anyone like he is with you. There’s spark and connection. He’s just scared.”
“Of what, exactly?” I’m seeking answers from the wrong person, and I swore I’d never push Caleb to tell me anything he didn’t want to share, but I’m drowning, and right now, Octavia has access to the only lifejacket.
As a ‘V’ forms in the middle of her brows, Octavia shrugs. “I don’t know. But if anyone can find out, Jess, it is you. You just can’t give up on him.”
I almost confess that I’ve been hanging on for years, but before I can, the waiter returns to our table. The quiver in his jaw is obvious when he places a napkin on the table between Octavia and me and announces, “It’s from the gentleman across the room.” He coughs before conspicuously nudging his head to a man in his late twenties sitting three tables across from us. “He would like to pay for your meal.” He locks his eyes with Octavia’s, the envy in them growing when he advises, “Both of your meals.”
It dawned on me that the comments Octavia makes about Caleb all the time are more a reflection of her own stinginess when she suggested we go halves on a club sandwich. I agreed purely because I have far better things to spend thirty-eight dollars on.
“Okay,” Octavia mumbles, lost as to why the waiter won’t stop staring.
Her confusion clears when he asks, “So, is there anything else you’d like to order?”
I stare at her as if she has two heads when she answers him with a head shake. “What about your cake?”
Jack suggested we dine here after learning Octavia is obsessed with a chocolate mousse cake not many restaurants serve on this side of the country.
I thought it was the reason for our one-mile pre-lunch hike.
Strands of blonde hair fall into Octavia’s face when she shakes her head for the second time, “And please tell the gentleman that we appreciate his offer, but we’re fine paying for our own lunch.”
“Okay.”
The waiter is shocked. However, I am not. Octavia didn’t decline the man’s invitation because she doesn’t want to work off the excess calories. She simply doesn’t want to give him the wrong idea, which exposes what I suspected last night.
She fell quickly.
Almost as fast as me.
The only difference is Jack is right there with her. He is just as snowed under.
Regretfully, Caleb isn’t there for me just yet.
Before the waiter can ruin my chance of forcing Caleb’s jealous side to fix my floundering ego, I bark out, “You can leave that.” I yank the napkin out of his hand and tuck it into my purse before locking my eyes with Octavia’s. “You never know when you might need a peacock in a suit.” I store the number in a section of my purse that’s easily visible before locking my eyes with Octavia’s. “Surely, he’d have to ruffle a few more feathers than the barflies I tried to rile Caleb with last time.”
Octavia’s grin while she hollers, “Atta girl!” has me hopeful I’m not making a huge mistake.