If possible, Luke's grin widened.
Something unspoken was going down between the two men. Brian and Peter wisely stayed out of it. In fact, they had both returned to work, leaving just the four of them. An uncomfortable silence stretched out, making Maddie nervous. So, she did the only thing she could and thrust out the cookie plate still in her hands. "Cookie? I made them last night."
"I like you," Luke declared, snatching one up immediately, like he'd been waiting for her to offer. "I like her, Caleb," he said, smiling, shoving the whole thing in his mouth.
Maddie shifted on her feet and Kate took pity on her. "So, you're working with Caleb, Maddie?"
"Um," she said, casting a brief look at the man in question, only to find him still glowering at Luke. "Yes, I suppose so. I'm helping him with some bookkeeping."
"I see. Is that what you do? As a career, I mean."
"Oh, no. I'm-I'm still a student actually."
"Oh! What's your major?"
Maddie figured Kate assumed she was still in college and she smiled. "I'm in grad school actually. I'm getting my Masters in Museum Studies."
"That's impressive," Kate praised, a thoughtful, excited expression morphing her features. "I'll have to pick your brain sometime if you don't mind. A character in my novel is a curator and there's only so much research you can do online before you need the real thing."
"I'm not a curator quite yet, but I can try my best," Maddie promised.
"Great, we'll have to do coffee sometime."
"Maddie needs to start working," Caleb cut in quickly before the two women could launch into a discussion about what Kate's novel was about.
"Why, we just got here, Caleb," Luke said. Maddie got the distinct impression that he was baiting Caleb in some way.
"Uninvited," Caleb said.
Luke sighed. "Oh, how you wound me, honey buns. How long have we been friends again?"
"Too long," Caleb grumbled under his breath. "Now get out. I'll see you on Saturday night."
Luke pointed a finger, "You better be there. I reserved the table already." He turned his gaze on Maddie. "Why don't you come along with us? We're going to McTeague's on Polk. Kate can pick your brain then."
"I'll be down the street that night actually," she started. "At Hemlock Tavern. But thanks for asking. I'm sure you guys will have fun."
Kyra had called her on Sunday. Apparently, she'd met a guy in her building who had a cute friend and they were all going out on a double date that night. Maddie was a little nervous about it and she knew Kyra set something up to take her mind off Caleb. Especially after his humiliating rejection, which she'd told Kyra about, crying, once she got home that disastrous day.
"Hot date?" Luke asked, wriggling his eyebrows.
Maddie was all too aware that Caleb was standing right next to her. She laughed, a little uncomfortably. "Something like that."
Her answer only seemed to please Luke more. "Well then, I hope you have a good time. Maybe we'll run into you, who knows." He glanced at Caleb and grinned. "We'll let you two get back to work. See you Saturday."
Maddie exchanged numbers with Kate right before they left with the promise to do coffee sometime next week. Maddie watched them pull out of the parking lot, still clutching her cookie plate like it was some lifeline. Caleb remained quiet next to her. When she turned to him, he gave her a dark look, his lips pressed tight, eyes angry.
She almost wanted to throw her hands up in the air and yell, "What could I have possibly done now?" But she didn't. Instead, she didn't say anything, because she knew she hadn't done anything wrong and he was just in one of his moods. She turned to the office stairs, setting the cookies down for Brian and Peter on her way, and started the climb in her heels.
Once in the office, like always, she got to work and tried not to look at Caleb at all, but failed. By the time that she left, she realized that they'd only spoken a handful of words to one another. She told herself that it was probably for the best.
THIRTEEN
What the fuck is wrong with me? Caleb thought the next evening, all too aware that Maddie was studiously doing her best to completely ignore his presence and wondering why it bothered him so damn much. This was what he wanted. This was why he'd lashed out at her, to keep her at arm's length.
Caleb's uncle had always called him fickle, no matter how steadfast he tried to be. His rising restlessness only proved it.
And his fucking jealousy. Jesus. When Maddie told Luke she had a date the night before, he'd wanted to punch something. He hadn't been prepared for the unexpected burn deep in his gut. He felt like he was struggling against a force he knew would eventually consume him. He was beginning to wonder why he should deny the inevitable.