Page 129 of I Wanna Text You Up

Huh.Interesting…

“And this last time you rushedhome?”

His eyes turn to fire in a flash. “My mom called me hysterical in the middle of the night, told me my grandma had fallen, so I rushed there.” He shakes his head, annoyed with himself. “I should have known it was a bullshit call—my mom doesn’t care what happens to mygrandma.”

“Bullshitcall?”

“Grams was just fine.” He grins. “Nothing can take that old broad down. She’s tough asnails.”

“Then what did your momwant?”

That fire turns to ice, and I can see him stiffen. “Money.”

“After all that, she called you formoney?”

“Of course she did. She didn’t think she did anythingwrong.”

“She didn’t think…” I let out an irritated growl. I can’t even with this information right now. “Why’d you end up stayinglonger?”

“Legal stuff. I’m now my grandmother’s sole beneficiary and her only emergency contact. Now I don’t have to deal with my mom or brotheranymore.”

I fold my arms over my chest. “And why couldn’t you have explained this to mebefore?”

He lets out a loud sigh and scrubs his hands over his face. “I’m embarrassed as all get out by my family. My mom would rather be loyal to a drug dealer than her own son. My brother would rather become a drug dealer than finish highschool.”

Caleb stares blankly right past me. Watching the tangled web of emotions running over his face is killing me right now. He looks so…desolate.

“I’ve tried. I’ve tried so fucking hard to make things better for them. Hell, I even offered to move them here and away from all that bullshit there, but they don’t want it. Theylikethe way they live. How am I supposed to explain that my family wants that over me? Over stability? It’s sad and painful and so fucking stupid.” He finally looks at me. “I didn’t mean to scare you, and in hindsight, maybe leaving a note like that wasn’t such a smartidea.”

“In hindsight?” My voice pitches on the last syllable. “Youthink?”

He shrugs sheepishly. “I’m sorry, Zoe. I’m reallysorry.”

“What about now, Caleb? What happensnow?”

He sits up straighter, his chest puffing out with determination. His eyesharden.

“I’m tired of being their bank, tired of them using me, and I am damn sick of missing out on time with you. I’m done straddling the line. I don’t want their toxicity in my life anymore. I wantyou.”

“Me?” It comes out asqueak.

Caleb pushes himself off the stool and prowls toward me. His walk is strong, sure,steady.

He cups my face in his hands, tilting my head so I can meet his gaze. He towers over me with seriouseyes.

“You, and this apartment. Breakfast and Beats. Mittens. Our grocery trips, the shitty schedules, and the texting. You. I wantyou.”

“Are yousure?”

“I’ve never been more certain of anything in mylife.”

“Goodanswer.”

He grins. “I know,huh?”

Caleb presses a quick kiss to my lips and I pull at his shirt, not letting himmove.

I make sure he’s looking into my eyes before I speak. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about, you got that? I’m hereforyou, not to pass judgmentonyou. We’re a team. Don’t you ever—and I meanever—leave me like that again.Understood?”

---