Jesus, really?
“What is he, your gatekeeper?”I respond, annoyed.But then again, Liam was right, if this was my sister, I’d have been waiting at the door with a shotgun.“I just asked him about any good restaurants in the area.I live about thirty minutes away.”
Caylee glances down.
She didn’t know that.
“Listen, I’m sorry, I realize—”
Our meals arrive, and I just bought myself another few minutes.Fates are on my side tonight, but I know I have to come clean.
Except I can’t.
Caylee is not the first girl who’s accused me of not being monogamous, but she’s the first that I care about having to walk away from.
I watch her pour soy sauce on her sushi and glance up a few times.I move my teriyaki chicken around the plate.
“You were saying?”she prompts.
“It’s a family thing.”I bite down on the chicken and chew as if another forty odd seconds are going to help anything.“My mom, she...”I feel my heart beating faster, the disloyalty tightening around my lungs.“Sometimes I have to be there for my family.”
Caylee slides another piece of sushi into her mouth.
“There was no other woman.Ever.”I add.
“We all have to be there for our family, Jake.But at three in the morning?Repeatedly.Is she sick?”
My jaw starts to clench.
This is getting close to uncomfortable territory.
“I went about it all wrong.Dating hasn’t been a priority for me, and I think we both agree the sex was incredible.”
Diversion.
Nice one, Jake.
Caylee blushes, and I itch to reach across the table, drag her to her feet and take her home.
Why do we need to talk about this?I wasn’t cheating—I would never cheat on Caylee.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”I smirk, and when those blue eyes of hers meet mine a bolt of desire slams into me.
Jesus fuck.
“Yes, it’s a yes.”She fluffs about with her napkin.“But that’s no excuse for never taking me on a date.Why?Why didn’t you?”
“You never asked, I thought we both liked how things were going.”
“Jake, it wasn’t going anywhere.We were fuck buddies.”She frowns.
I reach for my drink, annoyed with the term.Does she have a new fuck buddy?I’ve never even asked if she’s seeing anyone else and am suddenly highly irritated.Because if she is, and I’ve just opened up more about my life than with anyone outside my family I’ll be pissed.
Maybe I shouldn’t have asked her out.
Maybe...fuck.
I should be mending my relationship with Cole.This is a huge opportunity with BHS, and in our line of work, the connection you have with your team members is important.
