Page 72 of Caleb
“Caleb, I really need to go,” Red says, sounding nervous. I don’t blame her. She walked into a very uncomfortable situation for everyone involved. But mostly me. “I couldn’t find you guys. Aaron just texted me, and he’s ready to leave too. I didn’t mean to intrude.”
I nod.
“Ah—revoir,” I tell Noelle. “Prends soin.” I don’t know why I attempted to speak French. Noelle seems confused, but I’m nervous too, and I guess I wanted to make our interaction seem more casual? I only made it worse because Red’s chuckling under her breath. I know I suck at speaking French. She reminds me every single day.
Red says a bubbly goodbye to Noelle and walks away.
I capture Noelle for a quick hug. “I’m—”
“Aller,” she says in my ear, pressing a kiss on my cheek. She pulls away. “Prends soin.”
I grab Noelle’s hands and kiss the back of them. “Goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Caleb.”
I drop her hands and drag mine across my forehead, rushing after Red, who’s already back inside, past the main gate’s security checkpoint. I don’t know how the hell this happened. She must’ve made last-minute plans because there was nothing on the calendar for tonight.
Once inside, I see Aaron’s got the engine running. “Miss Murphy, I’m sorry about the schedule confusion,” he says apologetically, opening the door for her. She’s wearing a short leather skirt showcasing her lean legs and a black long-sleeve blouse tucked into it. She looks so grown up. And hot as fuck.
“No, please, it’s my fault,” Red says as I jump in the passenger seat. To say I’m agitated and mortified is an understatement. “I forgot to tell you about my dinner plans.”
Yes, you did!
And now look at what happened. She had to see me kissing Noelle after years of efficiently hiding it from her. At the worst possible moment. Right when we’re about to say our final goodbyes. And I can’t tell her how I feel, even if I don’t know it myself. But I know I didn’t want her to think …things. To think Noelle’s the one I’ll be thinking about when I leave. Not whenshe’sthe one occupying my mind lately.
“Though I guess not everyone was disappointed to originally have the night off,” Red teases. “So, you’re into blondes, huh?”
I’m into you.
Adjusting myself in my seat, I dodge one of Aaron’s deadly glares.
“I’m so sorry, Red. I didn’t mean for you to see that,” I say. And now I’ve called her Red in front of Aaron. What the hell is wrong with me? It’s like I’ve been hit by an avalanche of fuck ups. “I—I don’t know what to say.”
Aaron grips the steering wheel like he might pulverize it, and I’m probably next in his pulverization schedule, but I know he’s got every right to be furious. I’m an idiot.
“Don’t worry. I’m just messing with you.”
I know she is, but it’s only making things worse for me with Aaron.
“Besides, Noelle’s really pretty,” she tosses in, her words a tad less effervescent like she’s stopped kidding around and wants me to rethink my actions. And I am.
“Mmm,” that’s all I’m able to offer as a reply. But what am I supposed to say? All I want to do is hurl myself out the window into the upcoming traffic.
But wait, is she … jealous? I can’t help but feel that she might be for the entire duration of the silent ride to the restaurant.
Aaron pulls along the curb, and before he puts the car in park, I’m already darting out and getting the door for her.
I follow her inside as is customary and escort her to her table. Sophie and Cecile are already there.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” she says casually, greeting them with double-cheek kisses.
“Good evening, ladies.” I can’t help but frown as I help her into her seat. I’m part of the reason why we’re late. She was looking for me. Texting and calling me while I was out there kissing Noelle.
When I excuse myself, I’m already reaching inside my coat pocket to fetch my cigarettes. Welcoming the cold, I light one up the moment I set foot outside.
“Red?” Aaron scoffs, watching me take a long drag of my cigarette. A thick cloud of smoke hovers above us. It’s a mixture of cigarette smoke and my breath condensing away in the chill of the night. “Since when have you been calling her that?”
“I don’t know.” I’m too busy watching Red gossiping with her friends, thinking she’s probably telling them what she saw earlier. Or maybe she doesn’t care.
