I can be there in twenty. What u want?
A break!
I chuckled. His father worked him harder than any other associate.
I meant food wise.
Surprise me!
Just a heads up I have a favor to ask.
I hoped he’d help me with Scout. I couldn’t bring him home until he was healed at least enough to withstand one of Oliver’s bear hugs.
U got it. I have one as well. C u shortly.
I sent a little happy face his way then tucked my phone back in my pocket, curious what his favor entailed. I wondered if he and Julia had hung out again since Valentine’s Day.
When I walked into Haven, Caleb spotted me instantly.
“Hey, Cassie! How are you feeling?” he asked, stepping around the bar to wrap me in a hug. He pulled back, his brows scrunched. “You been crying? No way. Not in my place. Dry it up and show me that dazzling smile of yours.”
It worked. He had a way about him that could pull a smile from even the most pessimistic fool.
I rubbed the corner of my eye. “Sorry. I just saw Scout. He’s at the vet.”
A slight frown appeared on his face. “Yeah, I heard about that. Sorry. But I gotta say, that’s a damn good dog, protecting his pretty lady. Although I know Logan is more than happy to relieve him of that duty while he heals.”
My smile grew. “I’m starving, and I promised to bring your brother lunch. Tell me you have something special back there.”
“No grilled cheese today?” His brow shot up teasingly.
“Nah, I was thinking something different.”
“Come on. I got a new chef who’s been whipping up these unbelievable little sandwiches. Hilary can’t get enough of them.” He chuckled, passing through the swinging doors that led to the kitchen.
“Jacob, we need about eight of the deli delights,” he told the guy standing in front of the massive oven. “A variety.”
“You got it!” Jacob called back.
“Eight?” I questioned. That sounded like a lot. How small were they?
“I know Luke. He’ll have half of them gone before you get a single bite.” He looked back to Jacob. “Make that ten.”
I laughed, following Caleb to a room farther in the back, where he sat. I hopped up on a long counter littered with paperwork, next to a tall beer. Caleb took a swig.
“So how are you, really?” he asked.
I swung my feet in the air. “Besides finding out about Scout, I’m doing pretty good. Logan knows how to keep me distracted.”
“I’m sure.” He peeked up from the paperwork and snorted.
“So how are you and Hilary doing?” I asked, changing the subject, my blush fiery.
He jotted numbers down on one of the sheets in front of him. “She’s been on edge lately.” After writing a few more things down, he looked up at me. “Obviously she’s been worried about you.”
“Yeah, she stopped by Logan’s this morning.”
He chuckled, setting the top sheet aside and writing on the next. “She promised me she’d give you some space till today. I had a feeling she’d be there first thing this morning, since she disappeared while I was in the shower.”
“She wasn’t too happy I hadn’t called her. She’s like my sister,” I told him, which was true. And right then, she was mad at me like one.
“I know. She’s lucky to have you.”
I changed the subject as sadness began settling in. “So, did you hear Luke spent Valentine’s with Julia?”
“I did. She’s a good girl, he’d be lucky to land her.”
“Logan told me she was the reason you and him met.”
“That’s right. Logan knows I had no idea she was jailbait. The moment I realized, I stood there and took the hit. You know I never had a sister, but I can imagine if I did I’d be damn well protective of her. Logan was in the right, and next thing you know, we’re poker buddies.”
“Poker buddies?” I loved learning anything new about Logan I could.
“Yeah, Logan’s my wingman. Damn, he’d take the shirt off someone’s back; he’s ruthless. I’m good, don’t get me wrong, but Logan plays dirty when he has to. When he wants something—”
“He takes it,” I finished for him. Oh, how I knew that. “Yeah, I know. I’ll have to play him sometime. You taught me, remember? I was like twelve, and you were on the picnic tables at the park with Luke.”
He looked ahead, almost thoughtfully. “Ah, right, I forgot about that.”
“Hilary and I play sometimes. We suck, which means you weren’t a very good teacher.”
That broke through his musings. He shook his head once and looked over at me. “Hey now, I’ve been teaching Hilary a few tricks, so you best watch out for her.”
His love for her was spelled out clearly in his crooked smile. I wished it was enough for her to see that he’d support her—that she could trust him enough to tell him about the baby.
“So are you and Jax friends?” I asked, searching desperately for an in to read him better.
“We’re not enemies.” He released a clipped laugh. “Jax has some growing up left to do, but he’s a good kid.”
“Yeah,” I nodded, debating my words internally. “He reminds me of Logan when we first met: a bit of a whore.”
“Hey now, you don’t want Logan to know you thought so low of him.”
“Believe me, he knew.” I cracked a smile.
Caleb grinned. “Yeah, he did.” He took another swig of his beer and added, “For the record, I tried to steer him away from you—at least, until I saw he was genuine.”
“And when was that?” I was on pins and needles with curiosity.
“Shortly after you guys went to the farm. He said you were adorable.” Caleb shook his head in amusement. “Logan never tells me anyone is adorable—not even Oliver. But you…you were adorable to him. Not sexy, or a superficial prospect—”
I scrunched my nose in disapproval of his choice of words and held up my hand to interrupt. “I got it. Adorable. That’s me.”
I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Logan saw me, really saw me, for more than just sex even then. Maybe it was relief I felt warming me to my toes, but still…I wouldn’t mind if he found me sexy as well.
“Don’t worry. He still checked out your ass more often than not.”
I swatted his arm, another blush creeping over my cheeks as I swung my feet higher.
After a brief pause to build up courage, I took a stab. “Can I ask you a question?” My head was down, teeth gnawing at my lip.
“Of course.”
Here goes.
“You ever think about the future? I mean, you turned this place into something amazing, you make a killer drink.” I laughed, trying to relax my suddenly stiff shoulders. “You’re obviously talented. And let’s face it: You and Logan don’t really fit in around here.”
“You kicking us out of your town already?” He mocked a dramatic, stunned look.
I laughed more loudly, nervous hesitation in my next words. “No, I’m just curious what you want—in life and all.”
He set his pen down slowly and turned to face me with his full attention. “That’s a pretty deep question. Hilary send you down here?”