Page 73 of Not How I Saw That Going

My stomach tenses, remembering when we were young. Every time Caleb’s deadbeat dad came home, promising he’d change so they could be a family again, Caleb got so excited. It never lasted. Before long, Rick’s head got turned by another pretty young thing and he’d leave again, taking money, jewelry, and anything else he could fit in his Mustang. Every time he left, Caleb would fall behind in school for a few months and get in trouble. He eventually realized nothing he could do would bring his dad back for good.

“He’s in jail,” I say, more confident with my answer this time. Lyndi said she wouldn’t let him back into her life.

Caleb looks up and pops a stick of gum in his mouth. “What’d he do?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”

“Bro, what if he’s, like, a mob boss?”

I roll my eyes. “He’s not a mob boss.” I hope not, anyway.

“You should probably find out if you’re stepping on another man’s territory.”

I want to punch him for even saying that. Lyndi isn’t anyone’s territory. But I get what he means. Lyndi and Crew are in a tricky situation, and I need to tread carefully so they don’t end up in the crosshairs.

I might even need to have a chat with Sergeant Reynolds at the police department.

Roxy, one of our coworkers, approaches and Caleb straightens to his full height of five-ten. “Hey, Sunshine,” she beams at me.

I hate that she heard my sister call me that once.

“Your parents’ charity gala is in two weeks,” she says.

As if I don’t know. “Yeah?”

“Guess who the guests of honor are this year?” She grins. Roxy is never vague like this. Unless she’s waiting to make a point.

“Who?”

Her grin grows to infinite proportions. “Well, your mother just called with a wonderful proposition. She’s been looking into other community operations to donate to and decided the fire station would be the perfect recipient.”

My mother mentioned as much during dinner, so why does this feel like a two-edged sword headed my direction?

“You two…” Roxy points to me and Caleb, “along with all the other single guys, are going to be auctioned off.” She slaps my shoulder, enjoying this far too much. “For charity, of course.”

My teeth clench together so hard I fear my jaw might crack. For charity.Right. Or to get me away from Lyndi. Of course, Mother would do something like this. She will probably have Sophie in the audience, ready with wads of cash.

Caleb puffs out his chest. “I bet I’ll raise a pretty good price.”

Roxy looks over him like she always does, like he’s a child. “Twenty dollars won’t do much.”

“You wound me,” Caleb says, “but I know it’s because you love me.” He dishes out the charm that never wins Roxy over.

“I love Fat Daddy’s pizza and showing you up.” She flexes her arms, which are an impressive size, and walks away. Her rude comments don’t deter Caleb from watching her leave.

“She wants me.”

“I think her boyfriend would prove otherwise,” I say, turning back to the job. We don’t know much about the man she’s dating, except that he’s a Navy Seal and looks like he eats MMA fighters for breakfast.

Caleb grunts. “Don’t remind me.”

I look at the truck, focusing on the problems I can fix right now.

“That Claire is a sneaky woman,” Caleb says.

Don’t I know it.

“That doesn’t mean you can’t bring your own date. Plant your own bug in the audience.”