Page 47 of Between Regrets and Promises (Between Us Trilogy #2)

Sophie tells us to come sit at the table because she has appetizers and the main course will be ready in ten minutes.

Following them, I wait until we’re all in the dining room before I plan to offer to help her bring stuff in.

Before I can say anything, Caleb is at Sophie’s side, telling her he’ll assist her.

I sit across from Lennon, who pierces me with her hard gaze. Apparently, I’m more transparent than I thought I was. Sophie’s laughter from the kitchen echoes, and Caleb’s follows, driving the knife in my gut deeper.

Less than fifteen minutes later, we’re all sitting and eating Sophie’s delicious meal. I relax slightly when she takes the seat next to me, but Caleb is on her other side, and I have to lean forward to keep my eye on him.

Between Lennon and Maddie, the conversation flows.

Caleb opens up about his late wife, and when Liam glares at me, I know he thinks I’m overreacting.

But after the shit that went down with Weston, I’m always on high alert when it comes to Sophie and her safety.

Hell, if Liam wasn’t a longtime friend, I wouldn’t trust him around her either.

“Babe, I forgot the diaper bag in the truck,” Lennon tells Hunter.

“Gimme the keys and I’ll go grab it.” I stand before either of them can protest.

“Sure. Thanks,” Hunter says, reaching into his pocket and handing them over. “It’s in the back seat.”

I head outside without suspicion and can look at this guy’s car for any clues whether he’s an actual decent guy. Once I grab the bag from their truck, I walk to the street where he parked and laugh when I find a Ford Taurus. An old ass one too.

Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I quickly snap a pic of his license plates, then I peek into his windows. There are a couple of duffle bags in the back, a pair of shoes on the floor, and some empty takeout containers.

Is this guy living in his car?

Shaking my head, I head back inside and deliver Allie’s bag.

After we’re finished eating and the table is cleared, Lennon excuses herself and asks Sophie if she can use her bedroom.

All the girls follow. Apparently, it takes three of them to change a diaper, which leaves the guys together in the living room.

“Sorry to hear about your wife,” Hunter offers. “I lost my best friend last year. I know it’s not the same, but?—”

“Yeah, thanks.” Caleb scrubs his hands over his jeans and nods. “It was quite sudden.”

“Can I ask how?” Hunter says.

“Car accident. She was on her way to work in the morning, and I was already at my job. I didn’t find out until five hours later when they tracked me down.”

“Man, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“How about your friend?” Caleb asks.

“Motorcycle accident.”

The room goes silent.

Brandon dying changed everything.

“Okay, all clean…” Lennon returns.

“How far along are you?” Caleb asks Lennon when she takes a seat on the couch next to Hunter. “Sophie told me you’re expecting again.”

“I am!” she beams. “Only two months. We were shocked it happened so fast after Allie,” she admits. “But we couldn’t be happier.” She smiles up at Hunter who cups her face and presses his lips to hers.

“And now you know how she got pregnant so soon,” Maddie cracks. “They never have their hands off each other.”

“I think it’s sweet,” Sophie chimes in. “At least one of you men knows how to handle a Corrigan woman.” She smirks at Liam who, in return, rolls his eyes.

“Sorry, Soph. You’re not my type,” he retorts, making all of us laugh, considering we know who she’s really talking about. But hell, if that confirmation doesn’t send relief through me.

“Why’s that funny?” Caleb asks.

“Long story,” Hunter says. “That’s a story for over a round of beers.”

My whole body tenses. I hate that Hunter is being so nice to this asshole.

Sophie excuses herself to check on the dessert. A moment later, she shouts from the kitchen, and I fly off the couch to see if she needs help. She returns before I can and puts on a sad, pitiful face.

“My dessert burned. I forgot to turn the oven temp down after the casserole.” Her shoulders slump, and I feel bad, considering how much work she put into tonight.

“Oh, Soph. That’s okay,” Lennon says, waving her off.

“No, it’s not,” Sophie retorts. “I’ll grab something quick. Stay here, and I’ll be right back.”

Allie starts to fuss, and Lennon says it’s getting close to her feeding and bedtime so they’re going to go.

Sophie protests but understands the fussier Allie becomes.

It gives me hope that this night will come to an end, but as soon as Hunter, Lennon, and Maddie leave, Sophie announces she’s going to grab a pie from the store.

“I’ll come with you,” Caleb offers, and before I can come up with an excuse as to why that’s a horrible fucking idea, they’re both out the door.

“I hate that guy,” I grit between my teeth to Liam. He’s on his third beer and shakes his head at me. He thinks it’s because I’m jealous, but it’s much more than that. “I don’t have a good feeling about him. I think he’s living in his car.”

“He’s a widow who’s probably connected with Sophie on a different level.” He shrugs, but I don’t care what he thinks. My gut tells me this guy is bad news.

Once they return, Sophie serves us warm apple pie with New York vanilla ice cream. I’d say it was delicious if I wasn’t so annoyed with Caleb being here too.

“So Caleb, where did you say you worked?”

“I didn’t, but I’m a broker at First Financial.”

“How long have you been there?”

“About eight years,” he replies. “A year after I graduated college.”

“Where’d your wife work?”

“Mason!” Sophie shouts, her eyes narrowing in disapproval.

“It’s okay,” Caleb reassures her, placing his hand on her knee, and it takes all the control I have in the fucking world not to rip his hand off her. “I don’t mind talking about her. She was an elementary teacher at St. Mary’s. Taught second grade for four years.”

“How long were you guys married?” Liam asks.

I give him a mental high five for coming to my side.

“Seven years this fall.”

“I think that’s enough ,” Sophie says between tight lips.

Once we’re finished with dessert, Sophie says she’s going to make a pot of coffee, and of course, Caleb follows her like a damn puppy. I’m more than ready to get this night over with, but I’m not leaving him alone with her.

They return with a tray of coffee, and when I realize she forgot her creamer, I head to the fridge and grab it.

She’s sitting on the couch with Caleb to her right, so I lean over on her left and pour the creamer into her cup.

Sophie looks up with a grateful smile and thanks me.

I rest my hand on her shoulder and throw her a wink.

As soon as I sit next to her, Caleb turns until their knees are touching and talks about Dacia and another member of their circle, knowing damn well I can’t contribute. This guy is pissing me off.

“So, Sophie hasn’t told me much about you two,” Caleb directs at Liam and me. “What do you do for a living?” he asks, and the condescending tone about how she hasn’t mentioned us is crystal clear in his voice.

“Mason works in forensics, or something.” She looks and scrunches her nose with an apologetic expression. “What’s the technical term?”

“I’m on my way to becoming a forensics investigator. Finished my internships and working at the DA’s office until the position opens this fall,” I clarify, and the way Caleb’s spine straightens has me grinning.

“Wow. That’s quite the accomplishment. What do you do at the DA’s office?” he asks.

“Mostly bitch work,” I say, keeping it as vague as possible. “My dad’s the DA.”

Caleb swallows.

“And Liam’s a bounty hunter.” Sophie waves her hands toward him.

“Fugitive recovery agent,” he corrects like always, which has us all laughing. “I travel a lot and get to put people back in jail. It’s the best job ever.” He flashes a shit-eating smirk.

“He thinks it’s permission to do whatever he wants.” Sophie cackles. “Yet I’ve never seen you lose your temper since I’ve known you.”

“Because I know how to contain myself. Good restraint and willpower,” Liam responds. “Until the situation calls for something else.”

Sophie snorts. “Liam thinks smacking guys around on the job?—”

“Only if they throw the first punch,” he interrupts. “Or they resist.”

“Neither of you have been married?” Caleb abruptly changes the subject, and I want him out of my damn house.

“No,” Sophie answers with a laugh before either of us can. “The only woman I’ve ever heard of being in this house is their mysterious third roommate who I’ve never met.”

Liam nudges me with a smirk. “You gonna tell her?”

I shrug. “Didn’t know it was a huge secret.”

“Tell me what?”

“Who it was,” Liam answers.

“Were one of you sleeping with her?” Sophie asks.

Neither of us responds.

“Or both of you?” Her attention goes from me to Liam and then back to me. “Never mind, I don’t want to know.” She looks away, finishing her coffee.

Moments later, Sophie tells Caleb that she’s exhausted from cleaning and cooking all day and ushers him to the door.

When she thanks him, I peek into the entryway when he leans in and hugs her, then kisses her cheek before walking away.

I release a breath when she shuts the door and that dickwad is finally gone.

I quickly sit back on the couch with the remote before she stalks back and stands in front of the TV with both hands on her hips.

“What?” I play dumb.

She scoffs, then rolls her eyes. Grabbing the coffee mugs from the table, she stomps to the kitchen, and I quickly follow behind her.

“You gonna tell me what your problem is or risk breaking all the new china?” I flash her a smug grin, knowing she picked out our dishes and would never throw them. Leaning against the island, I watch as she moves around the kitchen with a scowl.

“Could you two have been ruder to my guest?” she finally snaps.

“Rude? How?” I ask, my voice growing louder.