Addicted to You(25)

I grabbed my chest and feigned disappointment. “But Landon, he dedicated a song to me!”

He laughed, just as the back door finally slid open. “This is why I love you.”

Colby, who was once again nailing the role of brooding male, glanced at us.

“Hey, I brought plenty. Help yourself.”

Colby leaned against the bar dividing the kitchen and the small nook we sat in. “I’m good. But thanks.”

I lifted another ketchup-saturated fry and dropped it into my mouth. Sure, most girls would try to eat in a manner slightly less barbaric, but most girls weren’t playing a game of will he/won’t he with Colby. And, quite frankly, this girl was sick of it. So he could stand there with his faint frown and sulking eyes, watching me cram five thousand calories into my sexually frustrated body. I mean, I had to find pleasure in something, right? And at this moment it was in the starchy, salty goodness of french fries.

But when I glanced at him, he wasn’t watching me devour twenty potatoes’ worth of fries; he was instead staring at the boxes of food between Landon and me. Maybe he was hungry. Except his expression looked more sad than anything else.

His gaze drifted to Landon, then slowly back to me. We made eye contact and the corner of his mouth tugged up in a tiny smile that somehow managed to look a lot like defeat. As if he’d discovered something he didn’t exactly like, yet had no choice but to accept.

I tilted my head in question and he tugged out a chair and settled at the table with us. “So tonight was a good turnout.”

Landon nodded. “Hell yeah. The band paid off.”

“Bet your boss is happy.”

“Considering the way things typically die down at the end of summer, I sure as hell hope so.” He leaned back, finally having devoured all his chicken.

“Did you put it together, like find the band and stuff, or just suggest it?”

“I suggested it, then threw out the name of a few bands I thought we might be able to snag. He asked me to put in a few calls and it sort of fell together.”

“That’s great, man. Good for you.”

“Thanks. I enjoyed it.” He leaned back in his chair, tilting it onto the back two legs. “I’d love to make this into something more. Like some kind of event coordinator or something.” As soon as the words left his mouth, he shrugged as if to dismiss it and let his chair settle back on all fours. “Not that I don’t love bartending.”

But Colby was quick to reassure him. “You’d be great at planning stuff like that. You know a lot of people, have a lot of connections. I think you should throw the idea out to your boss.”

And this was what I’d always loved about all three of the Callahan boys. They may give each other a hard time, even have a disagreement from time to time, but in the end they were always supportive. Unlike my brother, Luis, who I’d barely even spoken to over the last three years.

“Eh, it’s just an idea. Maybe I’ll get a few more successful nights under my belt first. Who’s to say it’ll work the next time?”

“Who’s to say it won’t? Not much to do in Port Lucia once the summer ends. The tourists and their money vanish as soon as the weather shifts. It’s like the whole town goes quiet. Bring a little life back into it.”

Landon nodded, his gaze drifting up as if lost in thought. Then he looked back at Colby. “I do have a few ideas, maybe I’ll see if I can get the green light at work.” He stood and shoved the take-out trash back in the brown bag. “I’m going to hop in the shower.” He turned to me. “Will you be here a while?”

“I guess until Taylor gets back. She’s my ride.”

“You’re always welcome to crash here,” Landon offered as he carried his trash into the kitchen.

I glanced at Colby, unable to help but wonder if his mind had also returned to my last sleepover.

“Thanks but I’ll probably head home when she gets back. Taylor hasn’t been drinking so I’m sure she’ll be fine to drive.”

“Okay, well, if y’all change your mind, there’s always room.”

“Thanks.”

He walked out of the kitchen, leaving Colby and me alone at the table. Just like we’d been the other night. But instead of dwelling on the fact that something was obviously about to go down in the kitchen earlier, or on his mumbled remark, followed by storming off, only to then do a complete turnaround and join us at the table…I decided to move past it, tonight at least.

“I love how you and Landon can talk. Like friends, not just brothers.”

“We are friends.” He crossed his arms and stared into the kitchen. “What do you think of Landon?”