“Then what was all that with her ex-husband?” Angie asks. She’s definitely as bad as Eric.
“I’m not sure,” I push my fingers through my hair. It’s good to have confirmation on who exactly Nathan is, though. I assumed they were married before with the tension between them, and I can’t help but wonder how long ago that happened. “One second she was telling me she couldn’t go on a date with me, and the next she was telling that guy I’m her boyfriend.”
“She probably freaked out,” Eric adds, and Angie nods her agreement.
“Most likely, but I’m sure I’ll see her again soon. She left her book.”
“She left it? Or, you grabbed it to ensure another meeting?” Angie grins.
“No, she left it.” I pick it up from under the counter. “But I’m going to put it in the office desk so nobody tries to give it back to her if I’m not here.”
“Good plan.” Eric grins and heads to the computer to clock out. “I’m going to head out of here and get some sleep.”
“You should go, too,” Angie says. “I’ll finish up with the rest of the crew.”
“Thanks.” I’m not sure leaving now would be any help. It’ll just give me time to think over every second of the interaction with Caroline.
5
Caroline
“Woah, where’s the fire?”Bryce sits up from where he’s lying on the couch. The TV is louder than we normally keep it, and I don’t know how he knew I came in. Hell, I don’t even know why he’s here. He should be out hanging with his friends while he’s home from school, not babysitting his little nephew. Though, I won’t say it doesn’t make me happy to see their relationship stay strong even though we don’t live with Mom anymore.
“I’m not sure what you mean.” I throw my purse on the couch and haul ass to my bedroom.
“That,” he yells from behind me. “Why are you in such a rush? You’re home. You know, where you’re supposed to relax.”
I do my best to slow my steps and attempt acting like I didn’t make a complete ass of myself at the bar. That was so unlike me. Not the rejection part. That was going to happen no matter what. Carlos may be hot as hell, and shockingly sweet beneath the hardened shell, but I don’t have time for a relationship. Football season starts soon, and David wants to be just like his uncle and play. How am I supposed to juggle work, David’s home and sports, and a relationship at the same time. It’s too much.
Shutting the door behind me, I lean against it. A few moments. That’s all I need to get my composure. To walk out of the room and act like everything is okay. One breath, two, three. Each one slows my heartrate down a fraction. I breathe in and out until my skin is no longer hot and I’m not about to fly off the rails.
One last exhale and I think I’m good. Moving to my dresser I grab the first pair of jammies my hand lands on. I can hear Bryce whisper yelling at the game he was watching when I came in. But I’m not sure where Mom is, and I know they’ll want to talk before they head home. Especially if Bryce tells her the state I was in when I got home.
The change of clothes is quick. I throw the clothes I had on, on the floor, not bothering to walk them to the hamper. That can be tomorrow morning’s problem. Tonight, I need to get my mom and brother out of my house without them asking too many questions. There’s not a snowball’s chance in hell it’ll happen, but wishful thinking.
I creep down the hallway. If David is asleep, I don’t want to wake him up. He’s got school tomorrow and being loud will disrupt his whole morning. He’s already not a morning person. Yet another reason why I shouldn’t date.
Both Mom and Bryce are sitting on the couch when I enter the living room. Mom scrolling on her phone, probably some social media site, and Bryce’s focus is one hundred percent on the TV. I think I’m undetected until the floor squeaks beneath my feet. “How was your night out, dear?”
She couldn’t just let me sneak past to the kitchen. “It was okay.”
“I feel like it was more than okay,” Bryce chimes in. I guess he isn’t as zoned out as I thought. “Or maybe it wasn’t, okay? Otherwise, why would you haul ass through here.”
“Language,” Mom slaps Bryce’s leg. As if she hasn’t said ten times worse. She’s the most kind and sweetest woman I know. I might be biased, but she has the mouth of a sailor sometimes. I won’t even go into how she acts when we’re stuck in traffic. She has road rage like no other. “Now, what had you freaking out?”
“Who said I was freaking out?”
Bryce snorts, and Mom shakes her head. “The fact that your voice squeaked tells me everything. Maybe we can help.”
“I don’t think my baby brother has the life experience to help me.”
“Hey!”
“Do not wake David up,” I grit through my teeth. “I’ll make you stay the night and you can deal with his mood in the morning.”
“Yeah,” my brother laughs. “Something definitely happened.”
“Ugh, fine. Yes, something happened, but I’m going to need wine to say it out loud.”