Page 25 of Catch Me If You Can

But it’s no use.

My shorts are tight.Too tight.

Shit.

11

caleb

"So, what's the game plan?" Nathaniel asks, sipping on his orange juice.

To say this is beyond weird would be an understatement. I’m almost certain he’s hated me for the past four years for “stealing” his girl, and yet here we are, sitting at a patio restaurant over breakfast, plotting ways to ambush said girl…together?

I lower my sunglasses to the bridge of my nose and sneer at him.

"If you think I'm about to tell you how to find my girl, you'd be wildly mistaken."

"Yourgirl?" Nathaniel laughs. "That's a very funny statement."

"Am I wrong?" I ask, casually sipping my espresso. "If we're looking at this logistically, it was only a week ago she was still calling me her boyfriend. So, if she’s anyone’s girl—I'm pretty sure she’s mine." I wink.

His jaw clenches. He shifts his gaze to the walkway, avoiding mine. The streets are packed. Vendors, dancers, drag queens,and rainbow flags paint the street in celebration. Everywhere you look, there’s something new to see. It’s vibrant and alive.

Honestly, I’m sort of kicking myself in the ass for never coming to this event till now. It’s pretty cool.

"Whatever. You're such a dick," he mutters.

I snicker. He’s so easy to rile up. The way his cheeks flush when he wants to hit me, it’s kind of endearing.

"Maybe if we put our heads together, we’ll get there faster." I shrug.

“Is that supposed to be some sort of innuendo?” He swallows deeply.

“Innuendo? Nathaniel, what ever could you mean–” I try my hardest to bite back my laugh since that’s exactly why I said it.

“Nevermind, forget it.” He shakes his head, popping a grape into his mouth from his nearly empty plate.

“All I know is that if we work as a team, we’ll find her way easier.”

He shoots me a look. "That’s whatI’vebeen saying.” He groans, sitting back in his chair. “You’re impossible."

"Okay, okay. I’ll lay off." I raise my hands in mock surrender. I’m done teasing…for now. "Let’s check her Insta story again. She probably updated it since this morning."

He pulls out his phone and scrolls.

"Still nothing. It’s early."

I sigh. This plan is kind of half-assed. But weirdly… I’m glad I’m not alone in it. Makes for an interesting adventure.

"For the record," he says quietly, "Sarah and I have been seeing each other too. For the past four years."

I nearly choke. "No shit! You’re fucking with me."

He smirks. "Dead serious. I saw her… two weekends ago. We went to a poetry bar in the city."

"Finleys?That was you?"

"Yup."

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