Page 35 of Love at a 7-Eleven

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "But that wouldn't happen. Yours is the only heart I'm not willing to break." His voice was soft and quiet, and he spoke with calm certainty that made me know he was telling the truth.

I hugged him. I leaned into him, resting my face on his chest, and he put his arm around me and held me close. I knew it wasn't just about the tattoos. He had mentioned before that he wasn't sure how my parents would like the fact that his parents were hardly in the picture. He knew family was important to my parents. I knew those things had crossed his mind because he had mentioned it before. I wanted to reassure him, but I didn't know how to say it.

It was quiet in his brother's house, and I could hear his heart and his breathing. I became intensely aware of having Caleb next to me. I felt genuine love for him, and I knew my parents would also, once they got to know him. "My parents are going to love you. Lying to them was more about… not putting pressure on… whatever this is between us."

"I didn't think pressure was a bad thing." His voice was deep and his words made me smile.

"Yeah, no, I like pressure," I said. "I didn't know how you felt about it."

He held me close. "It's made this day so much better that you're here. I want nothing to change about this moment."

I was still resting my head on his chest. He had his hand on the side of my face, holding me there. His t-shirt was thin and threadbare, and I could feel the warmth of his body and his muscles. I was at peace now that I was next to him.

"Let's eat that food. I'm hungry," I said, changing the subject as I sat up.

"How'd you know I bought food?"

"I smell it," I said. I sniffed. "Is it chicken and waffles?"

"How did you know that?"

"I'm telling you, I smell it. I'm hungry. Thank you for getting food."

"You're welcome. That's amazing. You nailed it."

I smiled at him. "I’m good. Come on, let's eat."

We stood and made our way to Drake's kitchen where we put food on plates. I was so attracted to Caleb that I was checking him out the whole time he was in the kitchen washing his hands and making plates. I wanted to talk about Bailey and see what was going on and where they stood. I wanted to say that I had been doing research on video editing and that I thought I could help him in ways we never thought of. I wanted to beg him to never leave my side—to come back to Chicago with me. But I just stayed quiet.

"Your mom doesn't know where you are," he said as we sat at the bar with our food.

"Not technically, but she's got me on a tracking app."

I smiled at him, and he made a little smirk.

He was just beautiful.

"Do you want me to tell her the truth about who I'm with? I'll call her right now and tell her."

"It's the middle of the night in Chicago."

I shrugged. "She keeps the phone by her bed," I said. "She wouldn't mind a call. She's probably been up watching Life 360, anyway, making sure I got here."

"Only if you want to. Not for me."

"The only reason I didn't tell her the truth was because I had no details. I didn't know what you were thinking, and I didn't want to assume things."

His eyes snapped up to meet mine. "You can assume anything you want with me."

"I'm calling my mom," I said. "She'll be glad to hear from me."

I dug for my phone and called my mom, holding the phone to my ear.

"Hey baby," she said in a quiet tone. "Is everything all right."

"Yes. Sorry it's so late."

"No, I'm glad you called. Did you find Mark and your hotel?" she asked.

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