I placed my hands in my jacket pockets and looked out into the street. It was quiet and peaceful. How I wished my life could be. "I didn't expect for this to happen. Besides, I could never live with you, Caleb," I replied. “You know this.”
He looked down into my eyes before taking a seat next to me on the wooden step. "This guy." He paused for a heart beating second. "Are you sleeping with him? I find it a little fucked up that you won't even spend more than a few hours at a time with me, but yet you moved in with a complete stranger," he huffed. “Tell me.”
I looked over at him with my nose scrunched in annoyance. He had no right to ask me that question. I didn't belong to him and I didn’t have to answer to him. "No, if you must know." I stood up and walked into the house with him following closely at my heels. "That's exactly why I can live here with him," I breathed. "He doesn't want from me what I can't give." I looked behind me, staring him straight in the eye. "You do.”
He sat down on the couch and placed his head in his hands. "I care about you, Avery. I understand that you don't want anything more, but I was hoping one day that you would eventually let me in."
If only he could've understood just how impossible that was. I couldn't, even if I wanted to. Truthfully, I didn't want to. He had already been trying for over ten months. I felt nothing.
I decided it was time for a change of subject before I changed my mind about hanging out with Caleb. "Hey lets go get some lunch," I stammered, trying to figure out if it were a good idea to take him to The Indy Go or not. "I'm starving."
He looked up a bit surprised with a small smile on his face. We usually never went out in public. It was one of my rules. It was just easier that way but this time things were different. I needed to get things off my mind and keep busy.
“Where do you want to go?” he asked, while standing up and fixing his black flannel shirt. He still didn’t look very happy.
I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed over my chest. I forgot to mention the fact that I no longer had to work at the club anymore. That should make him happy. "Oh yeah, I have a new job.” I grinned and walked toward the door. “Have you ever heard of The Indy Go?”
A small smile crept over his baby face. "The little diner by your old place," he said joyfully. "Yes. I’ve been there. You went and applied there?"
"My new landlord owns it," I said smoothly, hoping not to upset him more. "Let’s grab some food."
The look on his face was not what I expected. He looked almost angry, as if he wanted to choke someone. He shook his head and bit his bottom lip. "The guy that you live with," he questioned. "That's weird. He let you move in and gave you a job. Isn't he some kind of hero," he mumbled.
I silently followed Caleb outside and to his car. He slammed his door behind him and looked down at his phone while shifting the car into drive. “Looks like I have to make another quick pit stop. It will only take a few minutes.”
I nodded my head and turned to face the window. It didn’t really bother me, but he always seemed to have to make pit stops. A part of me wondered why, but at the same time, I didn’t want to know too much about him. It was my way of keeping a distance. “Sure,” I mumbled.
He parked his car into the driveway of a small white house with peeling paint and beaten up windows about five minutes away from Jace’s house. It looked just about as bad as my place on Remington had. I sat back and played with the seatbelt while Caleb quickly ran inside.
I looked up when Caleb suddenly appeared back in the car. “See, I told you that it would be quick.” He strapped on his seatbelt and looked over at me with a smile, looking happier than he had before entering the house. “Now let’s go and eat.”
I looked at him wide eyed. “Someone is suddenly in a good mood.”
He pulled his car into the parking lot of the diner, parking it in the closest parking space. “I’m just happy to be out with you. I was worried for the last two days.”
I pursed my lips and reached to take the seatbelt off, before following Caleb out of the car and into the diner. “Okay. Sure," I replied.
We took a seat in the far back of the diner waiting for Stacy to greet us. To my surprise, an older woman that looked to be in her mid-fifties, walked over with a huge grin on her sweet face. “Hi there, folks. My name is Maple and I will be your server.” She grinned from ear to ear while eyeing us up and down, brown eyes sparkling with joy. “What can I get you two love birds this morning?”
My stomach twisted at her words. I let out a high-pitched laugh as I waved my arms at her. “Oh no. No, he’s not my boyfriend.”
Caleb looked up at me with a look to kill as he groaned. “I’m not very hungry. I’ll just take some scrambled eggs and some milk.” He forcefully pushed his menu across the table with a forced smile. “Thanks.”
“I will take-“
“Avery, is that you?” A scratchy voice called from near the kitchen. Winston poked his graying head around the corner and smiled. He looked happy to see me. “Dear, I see that you have met the new waitress.”
Maple leaned over into the booth and rubbed the top of my head. It was a soft, motherly touch, that made me feel welcome. "You’re such a beautiful young woman." She smiled. "I've heard a lot about you."
I gave her a small smile and nodded my head. It had to of been from Winston and his big mouth. "I'm guessing from, Winston?" I asked.
Her face lit up and she nodded her head. "No. From Jace," she replied. She paused for a moment, looking over at Caleb with curious eyes, before quickly turning her gaze back to me. "What would you like to eat, dear? You always eat free here. That’s the boss's orders."
I shifted in my seat feeling a bit uncomfortable. Jace already provided me with everything that I had and now, free food at the diner. It was unnecessary kindness. I stared down at the table and took a deep breath. "I'll just take the breakfast steak and eggs please."
"Coming right up, dear." Her white curls bounced as she wiped her hands over the front of her yellow dress and then clapped them. "You heard that, Winston. Get to work." She smiled so big that I thought her face would rip. “It’s so good to finally meet you.”