Page 38 of It’s A Win for Me (Making The Catch #1)

AMELIA

I wander outside, tending to my maid of honor duties as I make my way toward the arch flower garden foyer to check for any more arriving guests when Marcus rushes up to me out of breath, clamping his hands down onto my shoulders.

“Um, hi.”

“Hi.” His eyes dart around frantically, like he’s searching for an escape route. Then, without any type of warning he twists me around, steering me back the way I came.

“What are you doing?” I ask, baffled.

“I just wanted to hang out with you over there.”

I halt. “Okay, what’s going on?” I turn around to face him as suspicion is creeping in and then I see him .

Jared is here, with Kim.

Marcus groans, kneading my shoulders chastely. “Was trying to save you from seeing him but I failed.”

That’s sweet.

Marcus continues to swiftly steer me through the tables, weaving through everyone until we reach Caleb.

“Code red,” Marcus spews out, stopping me abruptly behind Caleb like I’m a car.

Caleb’s at the table, focused on organizing the games on the iPad Maya handed him. The ones we’ll be playing as part of the wedding festivities later today. He pauses, locks the tablet and gets up. His eyes flick to Marcus then down to me. “Code red?”

If I know Marcus at all, he’s definitely rolling his eyes. “Code red as in jackass is behind us somewhere.”

Caleb’s muscles tense.

“I can handle myself, you know?” I scoff, even though I appreciate the heads-up.

“We know,” Marcus and Caleb say in unison.

Marcus spins me to face him, his voice perfectly dipped with sarcasm. “Have I ever told you how much I hate that jackass?”

“All the time.”

“Okay good. Just double checking.” He plasters on the fakest smile known to man before walking off.

“How you feeling?” Caleb asks, searching my face.

Honestly, I thought I’d feel doleful seeing Jared again. It’s the total opposite, actually.

A part of me will always be curious as to why he made his decision. He told me briefly back in LA but it didn’t make any sense.

I always knew you weren’t mine.

Like what the hell? All four years I was with him. I never swayed, never batted an eyelash at another man. It was only him. I kinda wish I knew what he meant by that.

“Honestly? I’m more than fine.”

“Good.” Caleb grins. “I want to be the only one on your mind baby,” he cups my face pressing his lips on mine.

My heart stumbles at the sound of Caleb’s voice calling me baby. Did he mean to say that? I lean in to kiss him again, chasing the warmth, but he pulls back.

Then I hear a familiar voice.

“Hey,” Jared’s voice cuts through from behind me.

Oh. That’s why. The fantasy bubble I created now cracks into tiny pieces. I swallow down the lump in my throat. It’s humiliating how fast I was ready to believe it was real, that for a second I believed he felt something for me too.

“Oh hi,” I mumble back to Jared.

Beside me, Caleb’s hand brushes my lower back ready to give his Oscar worthy performance as my boyfriend.

“It’s nice seeing you two again. You guys are seriously the cutest.” Kim beams, giving a small wave. “I’ve been dying to know how he asked you out? I hope I’m not too forward but I’m such a hopeless romantic.”

Caleb and I should’ve prepared flash cards because I have no idea how to answer this question. I don’t want to make it over the top…maybe I can tweak a scene from a movie and pray she doesn’t catch on.

“Actually… we used to go to Manhattan Beach all the time as kids.” Caleb says, breaking up my thoughts. My head snaps up at him.

That place holds a lot of memories for us. There were times I just couldn’t focus studying at the library or at home. I needed to get away, so we’d pack a picnic basket and stay out there all evening until the sun set.

“We used to go there all the time and one night, I don’t know, I just couldn’t stop staring,” he adds and my pulse races with every word. “Never could get her out of my head.”

His gaze drops to mine. “I knew she was the one I wanted to be with since then. I’d be an idiot to let her slip from my fingers any longer than I already have. I’d regret it for the rest of my life. I just never had the courage to ask her to be my girlfriend until recently.”

“Awww,” Kim coos and grips Jared’s arm. “Stop. That’s adorable. You two are so getting married next.”

Caleb’s eyes are still on mine, unwavering, and goosebumps dance across my skin despite the warm breeze outside. He seems so sincere, it almost feels true. And for a split second, I let myself bask in it.

“Yeah, he’s the best.” I say, my eyes softening.

“Take care of her. She deserves the world,” Jared says.

“You don’t have to tell me that.” Caleb tucks my hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my jaw. “I know.”

My breathing grows heavier before I sever our eye contact and look at Kim. I’m not letting myself get sucked into this fantasy any longer than necessary.

“Right.” Jared clears his throat. “You always did.”

Amir’s mother calls out to Jared, her voice excited. “Get your butt over here, nephew!” Kim and Jared both excuse themselves from us as they walk over.

“I don’t know what you saw in him,” Caleb says as his fingers trail up and down my sides.

“You don’t see it?”

“No. He has the looks I guess, but so do I,” he jokes.

“Who said you had the looks?”

“Your body did last night,” he murmurs low, kissing the top of my forehead. The faint scent of his cologne wraps around me as he brushes past.

Blood flushes to my cheeks.

Maya begins banging the microphone with her palm to see if it’s working, it blares with a screeching sound. “Sorry guys, Testing. Testing.”

She finally speaks into it, beckoning everyone over to find their seats. “Time to play The Couples Quiz! We need someone to ask each pair a set of questions to test their compatibility!” She adds excitedly, standing on the flat wooden platform to oversee everyone.

I sink into my seat next to Caleb, my attention locking on her.

Across the yard, my parents are seated with Caleb’s parents chatting about who knows what. Thomas is smiling wide though, I wish he’d stay that way when talking to his son.

“I’ll ask!” Caleb’s Aunt Barbara walks up to Maya as her dark brown bob and floral dress sway to grab the microphone.

Dear lord.

“Perfect.” Maya hands her a flashcard.

Marcus brings out two wooden stools placing them down beside each other, then sets a dry erase marker and board on top.

“Okay each pair will come up and Barbara will ask a question while the couple writes down their answers for each other,” she instructs, talking with her hands. “Whoever has the most points will win…um…nothing but at least you had fun,” she quickly smiles.

Sounds easy enough.

Stepping off the stage, Maya walks past all the participating pairs, handing out a sheet filled with the questions.

Maya leans down whispering in my ear, “You and Caleb better win.”

“I thought this wasn’t a competition?”

“It’s not, but you better get more than him,” she whisper-yells, shooting a glare at Jared.

“Will do my best.” I grin, taking the pen from her.

The first couple to play by force are Marcus and Maya. Tia wanted them to participate in the game instead of being the coordinators, even though they’re definitely going to lose.

“If they could have dinner with any fictional character, who would it be?” Barbara asks.

They start writing, and Maya’s face betrays her because she has zero confidence in what he just wrote down.

“Flip!” she calls out.

They flip their boards and I stifle a laugh.

“Jessica Rabbit.” he jabs a finger at her board. “Best answer you could’ve given.”

Maya on the other hand snaps, looking at Marcus’s board. “Sebastian? As in the fucking crab?”

Marcus grins, erasing his board.

Barbara lets out another small laugh. “Language!”

“Shit.” Maya slaps a hand over her mouth. “I’m so sorry.”

Everyone chuckles.

“What’s each other’s favorite hobby?” Barbara continues.

They both jot something down quickly.

“Flip!”

Marcus turns his head, leaning down to read her board. “Oh, you got jokes, huh?”

Getting ghosted by every woman he talks to.

Maya starts erasing her board, crossing her legs. “I mean, it’s something that happens often, so I assumed you were doing it on purpose, no?”

“Or maybe you’re jealous you’re not the one I’m flirting with.” Marcus teases, then flips his board over.

Getting on my nerves.

Maya rolls her eyes. “Original.”

As the questions went on the worse the board answers became. They ended up scoring a 5/10 on compatibility. Those points were given as a courtesy.

Maya and Marcus find their seats bickering like an old married couple as Barbara calls the next pair. “Caleb and Amelia, you’re up next!”

Caleb rises from his seat, holding his hand out for me and I take it as we walk across the grass and sit on the wooden stools.

My eyes scan the venue, but Jared’s intense stare makes me uneasy. Why is he looking at me so hard?

She asks the first question. “Who’s the better cook?”

I write down my answer with this almost dried-up marker, then hold the board against my chest, waiting for Barbara.

“Flip!” she says.

Both of our boards reveal his name.

I burst out laughing. “I’m gonna learn! Frozen pizza is getting boring.”

Caleb smiles, gripping the edge of my stool, sliding me across the wooden platform next to him with ease, kissing my temple. “I’ll cook for you, don’t worry about it.”

My stomach twists in knots, god he’s really good at this.

Barbara chuckles, asking the next question. “If your partner could eat one snack forever, what would it be?”

He lets out a throaty laugh already writing down his answer before she even properly finishes the question.

I take a second shaking the marker to get some more ink, writing down mine.

“Alright, flip those boards!” she twirls her finger, gesturing to us.

Caleb flips his first.

Nougat cocoa + Leche flan

I grin, leaning in as I murmur quietly. “I think you know me too well at this point, is there anything you don’t know?”

“No.” He meets my eyes. “I remember every single detail regarding you.”