Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 73794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
“Speaking of reputations, are you going to come over tonight?”
“Scotty going out with the guys?” I glanced around the half-empty cafeteria but didn’t spy Scotty, Cosmo, or the rest of their crew.
“Not sure.” Caleb flashed a devilish smile my way. “Come over anyway.”
“Sounds risky.” I grinned so wide my teeth hurt. “I’m in.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Caleb
“Please, come in.” I ushered Tony into our house with a comical amount of formality.
“For fuck’s sake, do come in, Tony, and stop my brother’s pacing.” Scotty had a long-suffering tone as he lay on the couch, looking for all the world like he might bunk down for the night right there.
“Sorry.” I shifted restlessly, my arms feeling too stiff and too loose. “Tony is here because—”
“Because this is the part of this dramedy where the handsome stranger comes courting.” Scotty sat up enough to give a dramatic flop backward, arm spread in a fake swoon. “Cosmo’s mom made us watch an episode of that period TV show with all the sneaking around and secret affairs.” His gaze swept between Tony and me. “You two really were the worst kept secret in this crazy town’s history.”
“Um. Yeah. About that…” I tugged my right earlobe, not sure how to label things for Scotty when I didn’t yet have that sort of clarity myself.
“If you’re uncomfortable with me being here, I can go,” Tony added with a smile worthy of a car salesman. Okay, maybe I wasn’t the only one nervous.
“Please, don’t make this weird.” Scotty hefted himself off the sofa with a mighty groan. “I’m gonna go watch a movie. In my room. With the new headphones Mom got me.”
“Thank you,” Tony chirped before I could figure out how to pick my jaw up off the floor.
“And I’ll take donuts for breakfast.” Scotty headed toward his room, turning back to add, “Coach.”
“Thought John had you reforming your diet,” I teased. “How are you gonna complete the next SEAL challenge he dreams up if you’re living on sugar and white flour again?”
Scotty’s mouth twisted into something close to a smile. “What John doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”
His eyes sparkled like there was a story there, and for the first time, I had hope that I might get to hear it. Our lines of communication felt more open after our earlier conversation.
“Maybe after donuts, we could get a few houseplants?” I suggested before Scotty could close his door.
“You don’t have to bribe me into liking your boyfriend, Caleb.” Laughing, Scotty kicked his door shut, but not before calling, “I want a banana tree.”
“So that went strangely…well?” Tony’s expression was as puzzled as I felt.
“Yeah.” I glanced at the couch. “Should we sit? We should sit, right?”
“Right.” He perched two cushions away from me.
“Are you nervous? Why are we nervous?” I babbled in an effort to fill the sudden quiet.
“Scotty called me your boyfriend.” Tony flexed and unflexed his hands. “And it hit me that I’ve never been a boyfriend before. I’ve got no clue what I’m doing other than that I want to be with you.”
“Winging it seems to have gotten you this far,” I pointed out. “And, apparently, you’re keeping me around at least until homecoming.”
“At least,” he growled, sliding over closer to me. “A lot longer than that if we’re taking votes. I want to be with you like you deserve. A real couple, walking down the street holding hands, going to school functions, all of that.”
“I want that too.” My voice came out all thick and fuzzy.
“You’ll tell me if I screw up? Or if I’ve already screwed up?” He bit his lower lip, adorably earnest for a dude who was also a deadly operator.
“You didn’t screw up.” I patted his thigh, scooting to close the remaining gap between us. “I wasn’t expecting the public coming out, but it was…appreciated.” My mouth twisted. “I’m not sure if that’s the right way to put it because I hope you didn’t only do it because of me—”
“Us,” he corrected.
“Us.” The word gave me a warm, tingly feeling in the bottom of my stomach. “But I’d be lying if I didn’t say the gesture was appreciated. It mattered. And probably to a lot of people other than me as well. You showed up for the kids tonight.”
“You matter,” he said firmly. “And it also meant something to me. I guess you could say I showed up for me too.”
“You did.” I kissed his scruffy cheek.
“And I told you not to give up on us. I want you to believe in me. In us.” He slumped so he could rest his head on my shoulder.
“I do.” Brushing his hair back, I kissed his forehead. “There’s no one I believe in more than you. But are you sure you want to turn your back on firefighting?”
“Yes.” He stretched so he could kiss my mouth. “And if I’m turning away from something I once wanted, it’s because I’m turning toward something new. A new door opened for me, and I decided to walk through it.”