Beyond Broken(44)

When it came to Maddie, he thought that it was only a matter of time until they did something they couldn't come back from. A part of him recognized the inevitability when it came to her. A part of him wanted to give in, but somehow he knew that if he did, nothing would ever be the same.

On his way back to the table, Caleb snuck another glance at her. He was proud when he didn't drop his tray full of pints when he saw the bastard push a lock of that glorious hair away from her neck. Fire lit his gut, making him burn with restlessness.

He wished he had kissed her today in the office.

He deposited the drinks with a little more force than necessary when he arrived back at the table. His friends had wisely stopped speculating over who his mystery employee was, but they all eyed him curiously. Caleb didn't even try to hide the fact that he was watching Maddie and Luke swiveled in his seat to follow his gaze.

"Ah," he said, smirking into his beer. "I'd never thought I'd see the day come when Caleb Montgomery was jealous over a woman."

"Shut the fuck up." 

Luke just laughed as the rest of the group craned their necks to see the woman in question.

"The one in the blue? Or the brunette in the dress?" Adam asked, pushing his glasses up his face for a better look, and Caleb shot him a dark look. Out of all of his friends, he figured Adam would be on his side. Adam simply shrugged.

"The brunette," Luke supplied helpfully.

"Aw, she's so pretty, Caleb" Olivia said, like it was all Caleb's doing for how pretty Maddie was. "Who's that with her though?

"Her hot date," Luke responded, throwing a smirk at him for good measure.

"Oh."

"Let's go over and say hi," Luke suggested.

"Luke," Kate said warningly, although she looked a little amused.

"Don't you fucking dare," Caleb said, feeling a mild panic rise up in his chest. Because Luke would do something like that.

And then, whether he was slightly drunk or just an obnoxious bastard, he turned in his seat and yelled, "Hey, Maddie!"

The world stopped for a brief moment. His loud voice carried over the music and Caleb watched as Maddie swung her head, her eyes landing on Luke, who was waving, even as Kate tried to shove his arm down. The woman must have the patience of a saint to be with Luke.

Caleb saw the moment recognition lit up her features and then her eyes scanned the table until they connected with his own.

And Caleb's heart stuttered all over again.





* * *





He was here. He was here.

Caleb Montgomery was here. In Hemlock Tavern. With his friends. When she was on a double date with Kyra.

For a moment, Maddie's mind didn't compute any of this when her eyes found Caleb's across the crowded bar. But there he was, looking at her with that dark gaze, nursing a pint of beer in his large hands.

And suddenly, Maddie knew it wasn't simply a coincidence that he was here. This was another one of his games. She'd told him-well, maybe not him directly, but she'd told Luke and Kate when they came to visit the garage while he'd been standing there-where she'd be tonight.

Instead of irritating her, the idea that he'd come for her made her flustered.

"Who is that?" Kyra asked, once she'd turned in her seat to see who'd called out her name.

For a moment, Maddie couldn't answer. And then, she managed, "Um, he's a friend of Caleb's."

"Is he here?" Kyra asked in a low voice.

Maddie nodded. She had the strangest guilty sensation when she remembered that her date sat right next to her, whom she'd been having a great time with. Paul was handsome, charming, and he made her laugh. No complications. No second-guessing herself. With him, it was easy.

So why couldn't she look away from the man sitting across the room?

"I should probably go say hi," she said, glancing at Paul, who had his arm around the back of her seat. "Do you guys mind?"

"Not at all," Paul said, smiling. He had a cute dimple in his left cheek. "As long as they don't steal you away."

"No chance of that," she promised, standing, smoothing out her dress with suddenly trembling palms. "I'll be right back."

As she walked towards their table, her eyes swept over Caleb's friends. Luke and Kate were there, so she didn't feel completely intimidated since she'd already met them, however briefly. She'd already made plans with Kate on Monday for coffee. But the rest of his friends, she studied.

She couldn't help but notice that all of them were beautiful. A gorgeous dark-haired man in a crisp button-down had his arm wrapped around a curvy brunette with wide, blue eyes. Across from them sat an equally gorgeous man with floppy hair and wire-rim glasses and a stunning blonde in a flowing turquoise dress.