Page 14 of Second Chance Fate

“No, I don’t.”

“Really?” Josh smirked. “Well, I think someone should tell your face that.”

Caleb shook his head, ignoring his friend. Ever since Josh had finally admitted his feelings for the girl he’d claimed was just a friend for years, he’d gone soft. He used to be whatever the Valentine’s Day equivalent of the Grinch is to Christmas. Now, he was walking around with rose-tinted love glasses.

“So,” Josh didn’t drop it. “Who is she?”

“I don’t know.” Caleb shrugged.

“Are you seriously going to make me get Nonna to come over and pry it out of you?” Josh threatened. “Or Viv?”

Both Josh’s grandmother and his new sister-in-law, Viv, were forces to be reckoned with. Word on the street was they’d actually masterminded getting Josh and Audrey together with secret code words and everything. Apparently, it was called Project Valentine. But even if Josh did call in the romance cavalry, they wouldn’t be able to make him say something he didn’t know.

“I’m serious, I don’t know her name. I’ve seen her around town a handful of times, but I’ve never even spoken to her. She was at church this morning. She came in ten minutes after it started and left before it was over.”

Josh clenched his teeth and hissed as he sucked in air between them. "That had to sting. You usually have them eating out of the palm of your hand,Hot Pastor.”

“Funny,” Caleb stated flatly.

Josh loved giving Caleb a hard time about both the stupid nickname and his sermons.

Josh nudged him with his elbow. “Seriously, though, what does she look like? Maybe I’ve seen her around.”

“Long blonde hair, blue eyes, about five foot four, petite. She looks like Katheryn Winnick.”

“Who?” Josh’s brow scrunched in confusion.

“The actress who played Lagertha in Vikings.”

“Oh, damn, she’s hot.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“Who’s hot?”

Audrey, Josh’s wife, asked as she joined.

“The actress who plays Lagertha on Vikings,” he responded as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him.

“Oh, yeah, she is,” Audrey agreed.

“Have you seen someone around town who looks like her?” Josh asked his wife.

Audrey tilted her head as she thought. “I don’t know… maybe…why should I have?”

“This one has a crush on her.” Josh lifted his chin towards Caleb.

Audrey’s face lit with excitement. “You do?!”

“No, I don’t.” Caleb was responding before Audrey even got the question out.

Audrey, who, unlike his best friend, was nice, didn’t give him a hard time about his mystery woman but did promise to keep an eye out before they left. Audrey owned the coffee shop Brewed Awakenings, and she opened at five in the morning, so Joshinsistedon getting her home to bed. Caleb had a feeling his friend had ulterior motives other than just her early morning.

Caleb made the rounds, taking time to speak to everyone, including Arthur, whorefusedto have “Happy Birthday” sung to him. To be totally honest, Caleb was surprised he’d even shown up to his own party. He didn’t want to rock the boat.

Once the cake was cut, Arthur decided he’d had enough of the celebration and called it a night, and Caleb figured he could head out as well. Before he left, he checked with Cindy, who workedat the retirement home, to make sure the cleanup wouldn’t land on her lap or on Junior, the maintenance man. She assured him they had a crew of people who had volunteered.

He turned to leave, but she stopped and handed him two pieces of cake. “Would you mind dropping these off to Taylor and Owen on your way? They were supposed to be here tonight, but I’m guessing Owen wasn’t feeling up to it.”

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