“I have one friend here, and you dislike her. I have to start building my circle of friends. I’m sorry you don’t like her, but I do. If you gave her a chance, you would like her too.” This over-protectiveness is thoughtful, but at the same time, irritating.
“You know I love you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t give a shit how people saw you or what you were doing. Don’t be mad at me because I love you.” He pouts with a small grin.
“You know you worry too much, right?” I lean in to kiss his pouty bottom lip. “And I love you too.”
7
Lenaand I are busy in the kitchen while Caleb sits at the table talking with us about the plans for my birthday weekend.
“Bree, Paige and Preston will be coming in town tomorrow.” I inform Caleb.
“That dick is going to be in town this weekend? The one that couldn’t keep his fuckin’ hands off you?” Caleb exclaims.
“He’s not a dick. He’s my friend, and he is like a big brother to me. And yes, he’s going to be in town, and I don’t want any drama,” I calmly explain.
“And let me guess, he’s staying here?” he says as his forearms begin to tighten.
“Nope, he has a cousin in town that he’s crashing with, but if he needs to stay here, he is welcome.”
“He is welcome in my bed any day,” Lena breaks into our conversation laughing, “He’s hot so I may insist he needs to stay here!”
I roll my eyes, laughing the instant crush she developed after seeing his picture. I walk over to Caleb, straddling his lap and giving him a quick kiss, then whispering in his ear, I plead, “Please don’t get mad at me for anything this weekend. I want to have a good time with my friends for my birthday.”
“Fine, but those guys better know that you have a boyfriend. I’m not kidding, Sophia. I don’t want their horny-ass hands rubbing all over you.”
“They know I have a boyfriend. No drama or fights, please,” I beg.
“Fine.” He gives me a chaste kiss.
Caleb’s phonepinging wakes me. I can hear him typing messages, and I try to ignore him because I’m not ready to get up.
“Will you be terribly disappointed if I don’t go out with y’all tonight?” He turns over to look at me with a somber half smile.
I wonder why he won’t join us but am secretly relieved at not having to worry about drama with him and Preston tonight. Is it wrong for me to feel this way?
“Yes, but if you can’t make it, I understand,” I say, not wanting him to be angry if I give the wrong response. “What’s going on that you can’t make it?”
“Someone from the bar wants me to cover their shift tonight. They’ve covered me, so I should do this for them,” he explains.
“That’s fine, anyway we are not celebrating tonight. We’re just going to watch Preston’s cousin’s band play. Tomorrow is my day.”
* * *
The day has been filledwith gossip and laughs. Briana and Paige welcome Lena into our circle with open arms. We are getting dressed for the evening with music blaring around us. Preston called to let us know he was at his cousin’s and would swing by to pick us up. There’s a knock at the front door as we are running around the apartment trying to figure out what to wear. I open it, assuming it’s Preston, but am surprised to see Caleb. The smile on his face quickly fades.
“This is the way you answer the door?” His eyes scan me from head to toe. I’m in boy shorts and a tank. He looks past me into the apartment to catch Paige walking out of Lena’s room in bra and panties. She turns around and dashes back into Lena’s room when she sees Caleb.
“We’re still getting dressed, and I was the most decent, as you can see.”
“You call that decent? Who did you think was at the door?” His body stiffens.
“Preston. He’s seen us like this before, so I didn’t think anything of it. When we go to the beach and stay at his parents’ beach house, we’re all there getting dressed. I didn’t think it was a big deal.” I’m rambling.
Lena walks into the living room wearing only a towel wrapped around her and exclaims, “Hey, did your plans change? Are you coming with us after all?”
“No, just wanted to see Sophia before y’all left.” He gives her a once over and returns his attention back to me. “Please put on clothes before he gets here. It will make me feel a whole lot better.”
“Fine but give me a kiss and get going, or I’ll never be ready.” I smile up at him, wrapping my arms around his neck.