ROSE
Falling back into an effortless slumber was easier with my face shoved into Caleb’s pillow. It smelled like him, and the darkness dragged me back under as a willing participant. With the comforter nestled closely to my chin and my legs curled up toward my chest, I allowed memories and emotions and feelings and shivers to dance all around my brain, tickling the parts of it that made me smile.
Until the bedroom door cracked open.
“Five more minutes,” I grumbled.
Caleb chuckled and my heart came alive. “I bring good tidings of caffeine and extra-crispy toast.”
I stuck my nose out and sniffed. “I smell peanut butter.”
“And jelly,” he said as something clattered, “just like you like it. Or, well used to like it. At least, in high school, you liked it.”
I peeked my head out over the bump of his pillow. “I see foil wrapping.”
He picked up the luscious breakfast and wiggled it between his fingers. “Brown sugar pop tarts.”
I threw the covers off me. “Gimme, gimme.”
He smiled brightly. “That’s what I thought. Here.”
I propped myself up and he set a tray filled with all of my favorite foods down onto my lap. A pop tart for my childish self, extra crispy toast with jam and peanut butter for my morning self, and fruit for the slightly health-conscious side of me that never fully reared its head, but enjoyed guilt-tripping me every chance it got. I reached for the coffee, though. The light brown, heavily sugared goodness that powered life through my veins on the daily.
I took a long pull from the oversized mug and groaned.
“Oh, yeah. This is amazing. Thank you so much.”
Caleb crawled into bed next to me, his legs clad in his jeans. “Not a problem.”
I paused. “Where’s yours?”
“You know I’ve never been a breakfast person.”
I balked. “Still? Man, it’s my favorite meal.”
He nudged me. “Always has been, always will be.”
I smiled as I took another sip of my coffee. “You don’t have a drink, though? Usually, you’re drowning yourself in caffeine.”
“Fangs makes it strong. I had my cup with him in the kitchen earlier.”
“Uh oh. Trouble in paradise?”
He barked with laughter. “Paradise. Right.”
“Oh, come on. You know I’m just messing with you.”
“I know.”
But the lingering uptick of his words told me that he wanted to talk, but didn’t know where to start. Caleb had always been easy to read, and it seemed that characteristic hadn’t changed one bit.
So, I cleared my throat and threw it out there.
“All right, about last night.”
Caleb’s face sank. “What about it?”
I delicately set the food tray off to the side before turning to face him. “Don’t you think we should talk about it?”
