Hailey scowled, staring at Gianna’s face. “I can see why you want her so bad, it fucking figures.”
“Just tell her,” I barked at Hailey impatiently.
Hailey rolled her eyes then told Gianna in a rush, “Fine! Nothing happened last night! We went clubbing and I got really drunk. Caleb let me crash on his bed and he slept on the couch.” She then looked at me with big eyes. “Happy?”
Gianna crossed her arms. “And I’m supposed to believe that?”
Everyone around us seemed disbelieving too. The only thing probably keeping Cece from jumping me was Dante’s arm around her waist. Jared glared at me from the other side of Gianna. Taye whispered something to him, likely to keep him from trying to hit me.
“As much as I’d love to tell you that Caleb and I fucked last night, it didn’t happen,” Hailey admitted crudely.
“But you guys have slept together before?” Gianna questioned her.
“Yes,” I cut in, trying to think of the best way to put this, “but it’s been two years and it wasn’t anything serious.”
Jared muttered something rude that I chose to pretend I didn’t hear.
“There, I told her, Caleb. Can you take me back to civilization now?” Hailey asked.
“I need to talk to Gianna first.” I glared at Jared. “In private.”
“Maybe I don’t want to talk to you, Caleb,” Gianna said stubbornly.
“I’m not leaving until you do.” I could be just as stubborn. I’d sleep in my car tonight if I had to.
She was silent for a long moment. “Ugh! Let’s get this over with so you can leave!” Gianna headed for the trees again.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“I also became close to nature, and am now able to appreciate
the beauty with which this world is endowed.”
-James Dean
GIANNA
I marched into the woods wishing I’d brought a flashlight with me. I kept walking for awhile and heard Caleb’s footsteps behind me. His boots made a crunching sound on the dry forest floor. Trying to walk confidently, I’d had a couple drinks and was feeling a good buzz.
“As much as I normally love the view from behind, we can stop anytime now, Gianna.”
I stopped but I didn’t turn around. “Say what you have to say, Caleb. I want to get back to my friends.”
“Will you at least face me while we have this conversation?” he asked irritably.
No, I thought to myself. If I looked at him, it’d be harder to think straight. My tipsy mind was already muddled without having to stare at his handsome face.
Unfortunately, not wanting to appear an idiot, I turned around and looked him straight in the eyes. We had almost no light because little of the campfire could be seen from openings between the trees. He took a step forward and I stood my ground. He didn’t say anything, just stood there with his hands in his pockets.
“Well?” I demanded impatiently and put my hands on my hips to let him know I wasn’t putting up with any of his bullshit.
“Why are you still mad, Gianna? Hailey told you nothing happened. What more do you need?”
I don’t know, I thought to myself. Some female warning system was going off in my head, telling me this was a critical moment in the relationship. “Caleb, this is my first time dealing with this type of situation.”
“Please explain to me, from your point of view, what the situation is,” he said slowly.
I threw my hands up in the air and let out an exasperated breath. “Caleb, I’ve never had to deal with a boyfriend hanging out with his ex. An ex who makes it clear she still wants him.”
“You hang out with Jared,” he pointed out sullenly.
“Jared isn’t my ex. He’s one of my best friends.”
“Hailey is one of my best friends,” he countered, stupidly in my opinion.
“Who you’ve fucked!” I hollered at him.
Even in the low light I saw his wince. “That was a long time ago and she isn’t my ex because we were never technically together.”
Guy logic could be so stupid. “That goes for all the girls you’ve screwed. Does that mean you should be able to hang out with all of them while you’re supposedly my boyfriend?”
“Hailey is the only girl I’ve messed around with that I’m friends with still,” he explained as if that would make it all better.
“Whatever, I’m not going to tell you who to hang out with. I refuse to ever be that kind of girlfriend. You do what you gotta do and I’ll do what I gotta do.”
“Is that a threat?” he growled.
“No, I’m just not going to try to change you. I’m not your mother or your therapist. You are who you are, Caleb.”