Stolen Course(36)

“One, ewwww! I did not need to know that about Brett.” I pause and lean in close. “But congrats to you, girl!” I laugh, and Jesse wrinkles her nose, completely mortified. “Two, oh, I’ll tell you this now. I don’t have to be drunk to talk vegetables.” I laugh at my new term. “Butternut squash.”

“Noooo!” they both breathe out at the same time.

“Yep! And not one of those just short and fat ones. I’m talking a genetically engineered, agriculture-experiment-gone-wrong butternut squash.”

“Shut. Up,” Kara says with a dazed look on her face, which has me laughing all over again. She is entirely too excited about this vegetable report. But even Jesse looks a little interested.

“I mean, really. It’s just wrong for a man that hot to have one that big.” I toss back a shot the second the waitress sets it down on the table. “Oh, and don’t get even get me started on his tattoos.”

“What!” Kara screams.

“Caleb has a tattoo?” Jesse asks.

“Oh yeah! Two full sleeves, a few on his chest, and his entire back is covered.”

“I’ve never seen that. I guess he always wears long-sleeve shirts. I can’t believe I’ve never noticed that before.” Jesse almost sounds a little hurt that she didn’t know this about Caleb

“I didn’t think it was possible for him to get any hotter. But now? You’re telling me he’s a tatted-up butternut squash. I think I need a cold shower…and a vibrator,” Kara says before she promptly chugs the rest of her drink.

We all burst into a fit of laughter and fall into an easy comfort with each other. Jesse might not be the normal type of girl I would hang out with, but she is sweet. Kara is another story altogether. I kind of want to steal her from Jesse and make her my new BFF. She is awesome! Back home, it’s usually just me and the guys, so this girl time feels really good—and long overdue.

Three shots and two drinks later, the topic of Caleb finally comes back up.

“So you’re really sleeping with Detective Hot Ass?” Kara asks.

“Hey, I thought that was Brett’s nickname,” Jesse slurs. Poor little thing is already pretty toasted. It’s obvious she isn’t a big drinker.

“Yeah, but he’s taken now. I need to move on.”

“Oh, Caleb’s taken too,” I tell her matter-of-factly.

“Really?” Jesse asks, shocked.

“Yep. How much did Brett tell you?”

“Not much. Just that he found you at Caleb’s this morning. And they got into one of their tough-guy staring competitions—my term, not his.”

I nod at her accuracy. That is pretty much exactly what happened.

“So here’s the deal…”

I spend the next fifteen minutes telling them all about my relationship with Caleb. Jesse is obviously in shock, while Kara continuously fans herself with a menu.

“Wow,” Jesse says when I finish. “So are you going to call him?”

“Yeah,” I groan, knowing that, even though I’m more stubborn than I care to admit, I won’t be able to stay away from Caleb for long. “So how pissed is Brett?”

“He’s pretty upset, but I think it’s because he’s worried. He loves you, Emma. You know Caleb’s never been with anyone since Manda.”

“Why does everyone feel the need to keep telling me that?” I ask in frustration. “Is it supposed to be a bad thing that he hasn’t been in a relationship in the five years since his fiancée died? I think it’s a compliment that he’s willing to give this a try with me.”

“Caleb is a really good guy. I love him a lot. But you have to know he hates Sarah to his core. I’m worried this is going to blow up and be bad for both of you. Caleb has already been hurt enough. And if he’s acting this way with you, it means he’s finally moving forward. I think it’s great. I just wish you two didn’t have so much between you. Caleb needs easy, Emma.”

“Shit. I know,” I say, resigned. “I just don’t think it will ever be easy for us. Not with how much he hates Sarah. But I definitely don’t think it’s impossible either. He and Brett have managed to stay friends and move past it for all these years.”

“No, he and Brett just avoided the Sarah topic altogether. Brett is really good with denial. The few times they did talk about her, it was always explosive.”

“Fantastic.” I slump down in the booth.

“I think Brett’s worried he’s just sleeping with you. Although I can almost guarantee you that is not what it is to Caleb.”