“What do you do?” he asked and then chuckled and groaned. “I can’t believe I never asked you last night. God, I’m an asshole.”
“No, you’re not,” I defended. “You did ask.”
“I did?” I nodded and swallowed hard. This was it. “But I kinda asked you what you did instead.”
“Why?” Curiosity filled his eyes instead of the apprehension or suspicion I had been sure would be there.
“My job’s a little… different than most.”
“Oh, you want me to guess?”
“I don’t think you could.” I tried not to let nerves get the better of me.
“Is that a challenge, baby?” I couldn’t help but laugh at how playful he was in the light of a new day. “Do I get twenty questions to figure it out?”
“Caleb—“
“You’re a content creator?”
“What? No.” I shook my head. “Why would you think that?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “You’re the age bracket for it, and you’re gorgeous. I bet the camera loves you.”
Shit, how many times had I heard that?
And why was it the first time it felt like a compliment?
“Do you travel for work?” he asked, and I swallowed.
“All over the world,” I answered honestly. “All over… really?” I nodded, and he stared at me for a long while. There was something in his eyes. I could see the way his wheels were turning. Perhaps there was something familiar about me.
“Rosie,” he whispered. “Are you an actress?”
“No.” I shook my head. “Give up?” I asked as my heart galloped inside my chest.
“It hasn’t been twenty questions yet.”
“Oh, well—“ His phone went off, and he groaned.
“Shit. That’s probably my sister. Let me get that, and we will get back to our talk.” He rolled out of bed and went to get the phone he’d left close to the clothes he’d laid out to dry for us.
“Hello,” he answered while smiling at me. God, he was handsome. But suddenly, I saw that smile fade away as he frowned. Deep lines of concern etched his brow. “Okay, but how is she? Okay. No, no, it was good you called me… Okay. Yeah, I’ll be there. I’ll call Carol on the way. Don’t worry. Just do what the trainers said, and I’ll see you at urgent care.” He ended the call, and a sense of impending doom settled in my stomach.
I had a feeling our time had officially come to an end.
“I’m so sorry, baby. That was Court. Cassie rolled her ankle during practice. The Pinehaven trainers want her to get an X-ray before the competition later.”
“Oh. Okay.” I rolled out of the bed, wrapping the old scratchy sheet around my body. “I should get going, too.”
“I’ll drop you off at home?—"
“You don’t have to.”
“I want to.”
“Sure.” He was a good guy. He’d want to do the right thing.
“Baby.” Caleb took my hand in his and slowly pulled me into his body. “If I didn’t have to make sure Cassie is okay, you have to know I wouldn’t be leaving.”
