Page 5 of Just a Little Crush

I cleared my throat as Raven plopped down onto the chair next to where I was sitting, the skirt of her champagne-colored dress settling over her legs. I tried to put the pieces of what she’d just said to me together, and failed. I didn’t have a fucking clue what she’d asked me.

“What was that?” I asked in a casual tone. “I was distracted and didn’t hear you.”

“Clearly,” she said with a little smirk on her lips, which made me wonder if she’d seen me ogling Stevie. “I said, tell me you’re having a good time at my party.”

“I’m having a good time at your party,” I parroted.

She rolled her eyes, not amused. “Andmeanit.

“Idomean it,” I said more genuinely, and finished off the bourbon in my glass.

Skepticism etched her pretty features and flickered in her green eyes. “You’d have a better time if you did something enjoyable for yourself for a change.”

I arched a brow. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, even though I had a fair idea of where this conversation was heading.

“It means you focus on everything else to the exclusion of your own life, like work and Owen. Me, even.”

I set my glass on the table beside me and smiled at her. “Those thingsaremy life.”

Her lips pursed, showing me that determined side to her personality. “And I’m here to tell you, from personal experience, it’s not enough.”

I arched a brow. “Oh, you’re an expert now?”

“Yeah, I am.” She nodded, crossing one leg over the other. “Remy showed me that there is much more to life than protecting your heart and emotions.”

Raven had had every reason to do both for most of her life, and I was genuinely thrilled she’d found someone who cherished her the way she deserved.

I exhaled a deep breath and gave her a reassuring smile. “My heart and emotions are both doing just fine, thank you very much for your concern.” Admittedly, though, both my heart and emotions had been through the wringer the past few years.

Another burst of laughter from Stevie, and my gaze instinctively drifted once again in that direction, watching as she now danced with our sister Cara, both of them bouncing on their feet with their hands waving in the air in time to the music. At some point Stevie had kicked her heels off, and as sexy as she’d looked with them on, I loved that she’d opted for comfort and didn’t give a damn about decorum.

“Why don’t you just ask her out already?”

I returned my attention to Raven, feigning confusion. “Who?” I asked.

Raven rolled her eyes, clearly not fooled. “Stevie, that’s who. You’ve both been skirting around your attraction to one another since I introduced the two of you well over a year ago.”

I shook my head. “Raven, the last thing I’m looking for is a relationship.”

She laughed. “Who said anything about a relationship? You’re both consenting adults, so why not just enjoy each other’s company and have a good time together? That’s whatdatingis.”

“Because my life is shit right now?” I reminded her.

“My life was shit when Remy barged into it, remember?” she countered.

I winced because it was hard to forget how Lance had terrorized Raven, though I was grateful that Remy had become her savior, even when she’d tried to resist his protection.

The look in her eyes softened. “Look, all I’m saying is, work and everything else aside, you need to do things that make you feel good and make you happy. There is nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t take away anything from Owen for you to enjoy someone else’s company. You haven’t dated anyone since filing for divorce and that was, what, two years ago?”

“Times flies,” I quipped sarcastically.

She narrowed her gaze at me. “Don’t be a jerk, Caleb.”

I sighed and rubbed my palm along my jawline. “I’m not trying to be.”

She reached out and touched my knee. “I just…want you to be happy.”

I took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Once this custody case over Owen is finalized, I’ll be the happiest man around.”

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