Page 26 of Just a Little Crush

“What do you already know?” I asked for the third time, more sternly now so she’d quit beating around the bush.

She exhaled a deep breath. “He called me earlier and explained what happened with Alyssa yesterday morning, and how you’re doing him a favor by being his pretend girlfriend for the next two months, until the custody case is over,” she said in a rush to get it all out in the open. Then, a small smile curved her lips. “But let’s be honest here…are things really fake between you two?”

“What do you mean?” I ask, not ready to admit to anything.

She arched a brow. “Clearly, you two hooked up Saturday night, in order for Alyssa to find you together the next morning. Which means you both finally gave in to the attraction you’ve been dancing around for the past year. There was nothing fake about that.”

“It was only supposed to be one night,” I said.

She laughed. “Caleb didn’t sound all that upset that yourone nightwas extended to two months.”

“It’s…a job,” I argued, trying not to read too much into her comment. “He’spaying meto be his girlfriend.”

“As he should, since he roped you into it,” she said, then grew serious. “He asked that tonight be your last shift until your arrangement ends, which isn’t an issue if that’s whatyouwant since I have other waitresses wanting to pick up extra shifts. But I told him that was a presumptuous request to make on his part and also not his choice, since you might need the money and want to work the night shift longer.”

“No,” I said, and sighed, appreciating the fact that Raven hadn’t automatically caved in to Caleb’s demands. “Your brother is paying me very…generously. And also putting me up in one of his apartments at The Cortland.”

Raven tapped her fingers on the desktop, her eyes gleaming with interest. “Well, that’s convenient.”

“Stop,” I told her, not wanting her to get fanciful ideas in her head about Caleb and me. “It’s not like that. He doesn’t like where I live and feels it’s safer for me, and Valerie, to be there for the time being.”

“He’s a really good guy, Stevie,” Raven said softly. “He’s also very…protective of those he cares about.”

Now it was Raven who was making assumptions, because while I did think that Caleb worried about where I’d lived,caringfor me was much too intimate of a statement and not something I was willing to interpret too deeply.

“I never said he wasn’t a good guy,” I said, focusing on that comment instead.

“I know…he just got screwed over by Alyssa, before the divorce, and now, again, with her using Owen to fuck with his emotions,” she said, upset on his behalf. “Thank you for helping him out.”

I tipped my head and gave her a half grin. “You do realize that I wouldn’t be in this predicament if he hadn’t volunteered me as his girlfriend, right?”

She gave me a saucy look. “And you do realize that you wouldn’t be in this predicament if the two of you finally hadn’t done the deed and gotten caught, right?” she shot right back at me. “But you did, and I say just…open yourself up to the possibilities.”

That was easier said than done, because the last thing I wanted to do was set myself up for potential heartache. Raven got lucky with Remy, but rich, successful men like Caleb didn’t normally gravitate toward women like me. When it came down to brass tacks, Caleb and I were complete opposites, and I didn’t fit into his sophisticated, cultured world. Giving in to our sexual attraction was one thing, but I wasn’t about to disillusion myself into believing that this current situation of ours was anything more than a business deal, as Caleb, himself, had stated.

I stood up, ready to change the topic. “I need to get ready to start my shift. And thank you for being so flexible about the next two months’ leave. I appreciate it.”

Raven smiled. “Of course.”

I left the office, clocked in, and headed to the bar area to start work. Customers were already streaming in, and while Mondays in general weren’t as busy as the weekends, The Back Door always had a steady stream of customers every day of the week.

The next few hours passed quickly, and by nine I placed an order for a club sandwich then took my meal into the back room for my break. After eating a few bites, I pulled out my cellphone to make sure there weren’t any messages from Valerie, and found one from Caleb instead, sent a few hours ago.

I’m picking you up after your shift tonight.

I pursed my lips, because his message was very matter-of-fact and direct, and he clearly expected me to agree because he’d said so. I wasn’t a damsel, and I didn’t need a white knight. I quickly replied with,Thank you, but no, I’ll take the subway. Just like I always have.

I went back to eating my sandwich, expecting an argument from Caleb, but by the time my break was over and there was no reply from him, I assumed I’d made my point.

I acknowledged that I probably aggravated the hell out of Caleb with my independent streak, but growing up I’d learned that relying on anyone but myself outside of Valerie usually led to disappointment. I understood that Caleb was trying to make my life easier because he could, but I didn’t want to get used to depending on him for anything more than what he’d already provided.

After living in New York City for three years, I knew how to watch out for myself. Was traveling on the subway at night unnerving at times? Absolutely. But I didn’t expect Caleb to upend his life and his own routine for me.

The bar closed at eleven, and after those long hours on my feet I was exhausted. I spent another half an hour on cleanup and closing duties before I clocked out. I gathered my things from my locker and shrugged into my jacket as I walked back out into the dining area to find Caleb talking to Remy.

Of course he was here.

Remy saw me first. “Hey, looks like your ride is here,” he said jovially.

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