“I don’t see them stopping,” Kaleb said, his face changing for a split second into anger. I knew the guys were frustrated with how everything had gone down. They said they were supposed to attack us, but they hadn’t. We were all in the dark, scared of what was to come. None of us knew what their true goal was anymore.
“How has the house hunting gone?” I asked, wanting to change the subject.
Kaleb groaned. “About as well as you’d expect.”
“Really? You haven’t found anything?”
“No, I’ve found plenty. There was the house on North Alcott that had water damage in the basement. Smelled like mold, and they were asking for thousands over what it’s worth. There was the huge house on Stanton that was out of my price range. There’s the half house with the noisy neighbors. Oh, the apartment near the police station with the very thin walls. I could hear the sirens inside.”
I smirked. “Are you being a little picky?”
Kaleb snorted. “Me? Picky? No.”
I looked back toward the party and felt him poke me in the side. I snatched his hand, and he chuckled, which made my insides go gooey.
“Don’t poke me,” I grumbled.
“You just called me picky,” he said as he leaned closer, a smirk pulling at his lips. “It wasn’t nice.”
“Because there are plenty of houses out there, and you are being picky. If I could buy my own home, I’d be bouncing with joy.” I tilted my head. I wondered if maybe he didn’t want to buy a house because he wasn’t sure if he was going to stay.
The truth came out that the guys came back home to take care of the pack and keep us safe, but that didn’t mean Kaleb wanted to stay after this entire situation was handled. Maybe he was dragging his feet because he wasn’t planning to stay after everything was said and done.
The thought made my stomach twist up slightly. I enjoyed having Kaleb around and getting to know him. In truth, I felt something more.
Kaleb made me laugh, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was seen. We had spent so much time together over the past few months, and I was so sure it wasn’t just because he was Jade’s brother and I was her best friend.
He remembered my favorite coffee when he came over and knew I would be here. He’d had lunch with Jade and me many times. We’d never spent one-on-one time together, but I felt there was a connection. I was sure of it.
“Nora,” Jade called my name, waving her hand to join her. I took one more glance at Kaleb before slipping away and joining the rest of the party.
Jade and Brandon always seemed to throw great parties with amazing food, and today was no different. I laughed hard at the jokes, and we told stories. I could see Kaleb looking at me every once in a while, feeling my stomach flip.
The kids ran around screaming with joy, and Brandon started a fire just before the sun set. I was curled up in a chair with a blanket wrapped around me. I had a cup of hot tea in my hands, and Nora sat next to me, matching my look. Brandon was sitting next to her with Kaleb next to him. The guys were talking about something I wasn’t listening to. Kaleb looked at me for what felt like the twentieth time.
I felt my heart skip a beat, and I blushed. He wasn’t just looking at me but rather smiling like he couldn’t help himself.
“I need to pee,” I announced, needing to step away. I pulled my blanket off and headed inside. I set my cup down in the kitchen and leaned against the counter for a moment. I felt my head spinning, questioning if I was making this all up in my head.
But my heart said otherwise. I knew deep down it wasn’t just him being nice. I’d seen Kaleb be nice to people, and this was different.
I heard the screen door open, and I turned as Kaleb stepped inside. He spotted me and smiled. “I had to slip away. Brandon is starting to tell some embarrassing stories.”
I swallowed, feeling the words bubbling up to the surface. I couldn’t keep wondering like this. It was going to drive me insane. “I like you,” I blurted, not even realizing how bad the words sounded.
Kaleb paused. “Okay?”
I rounded the counter, stopping at the corner. I swallowed, trying to build up the courage. “No, I mean I like you, Kaleb. As more than a friend. And I thought instead of us continuing to walk around this, we just discuss it like adults.”
Kaleb’s eyebrows went up. “Walk around what?”
I paused, watching his face shift just slightly. “Well, don’t you like me back?”
Kaleb frowned. “I don’t want to be harsh, but I like you as a friend, Nora. You’re my little sister’s best friend.”
I felt like someone had hit me in the gut. I felt my face grow hot with embarrassment. I swallowed, turning away and placing my hand onto the counter. But I didn’t believe him. I thought of all the extra looks, all the times when his hand grazed mine. I saw it in his eyes. I was the way he smiled at me. It was special.
“Are you sure?” I asked softly. “Because I don’t believe that’s true. If you’re worried about how people would react…”
