“Enticing you, what else?” I said sweetly.
“Aw, Blue, there’s no need for that. You just have to be—”
“Is Blue your middle name?”
My head snapped up, and I found Caleb standing next to us.
Crap. I was so engrossed in War, I didn’t even notice him approaching. My face flamed like live coals, and War’s smirk had me biting off an embarrassed groan.
When he remained silent, and with Caleb looking between us—dammit, War wasn’t going rescue me from this. It was one thing to regale my friends, but tell this man, who was War’s father, the truth?
No crappin’ way.
“No, it isn’t.” I was going to leave it at that, honestly, but at the grin spreading wider on my turncoat boyfriend’s face, I couldn’t resist needling him. “I told him blue was such a dull, morose color. He should have had red eyes, you know, since he’s a demon on ice, causing chaos and chasing after a tiny bit of vulcanized rubber like a madman.”
Caleb blinked.
War burst out laughing.
Yeah, I’d amused him.
“Caleb?” A woman stopped a short distance from us, the same one he’d been speaking to earlier.
The moment he turned to her, I hissed at War, “You’re sooo not getting laid for that.”
He pressed his mouth to my ear. “And I say I will the moment we get back.”
But that faint smile on his lips caused my lower belly to tense in anticipation.
“Eli?” Caleb pivoted to us. “I have to go. If you change your mind, I’d love to have you both come to lunch. Charlotte, it was a pleasure to meet you.”
“For me, too,” I said. “Goodbye, Caleb.”
He nodded and walked away, a little droop to his shoulders. Frowning, I glanced back at War, untying the laces on his skates. “Are you going to Caleb’s?”
With his head lowered, I couldn’t see much of his expression, but his stiff jaw said a lot. He put on his sneakers, packed away his gear, and zipped his sports bag.
“He misses you, War,” I said softly, but when he continued in the silent mode, I let it go, wishing he wouldn’t close up, that he would talk to me. Or at least visit Caleb and make right whatever was causing this distance between them.
* * *
A half hour later, War drove us through a neighborhood with plenty of trees and older type homes with smaller yards, a few that needed the lawn cut.
Was he going to see Caleb after all?
I didn’t ask, happy that he’d changed his mind.
Moments later, he parked in a driveway behind a Lexus, and under a giant oak tree shedding leaves on the asphalt by a small, single-story home. The building had a well-cared-for exterior painted a light gray with faded black roof tiles. A trimmed hedgerow fringed the neat lawn, giving it a smidgen of privacy.
The front door flew open, and Caleb stood there. The surprise on his lean face turned into a grateful smile. War exited the truck and rounded the hood to the passenger side as I opened the door.
Unreadable blue eyes met mine briefly before he helped me down. “War—”
“Later.” He locked the truck and ushered me to the small front porch where his foster father waited.
“Just in time,” Caleb said, his happiness evident. “Come.” He waved us into the living room where a huge flatscreen TV took up space on the opposite wall and currently had on a nature documentary. A comfy, navy three-seater couch and two armchairs faced the television.
“Sit, make yourselves comfortable.” He pointed to the couch. I instantly dropped on the seat. “I won’t be long.” He smiled and left the room.
