Page 9 of Unbroken Rules (Rules 3)

Yeah, of course you do. Dating Winter Kingston is at the top of your Christmas list, jackass.

“Didn’t even work, by the way. She didn’t stop harassing me. I get it though. We never kissed. She probably just thought you were a friend.”

Oh for fuck’s sake, how can she not see how into her he is? I bet my ass he thought that, when she came back from Florida, he’d get a go at it. Didn’t expect her to show up with me, that’s for sure.

“Thanks to you, Martha the cougar had to be banned from Walmart.” He chugs his beer.

Downing another shot, I watch Winter laugh. Her eyes travel to mine, and she flashes me one of her earth-shattering smiles. I can’t fucking stand this Caleb guy, but I get it. Who wouldn’t fall in love with her?

“Hey, Winter.” Caleb sits up straight. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

I fight the urge to bark Fuck no.

“Huh, sure.” She nods, a bit uneasy. I don’t flinch, my arm still tightly wrapped around her shoulder.

“Alone,” Caleb adds.

“Oh, okay.” She turns to me. “I’ll be right back.” She smacks a kiss to my cheek and wiggles out of my hold.

“What’s that about?” I follow them with my eyes until they’re out the front door.

“Don’t know.” Allie shrugs. “I’m sure they’re just catching up.”

I nod as an answer, but part of me wants to go out there and find out for myself. Something felt off at the airport. Winter seemed in disbelief to see him there. Why would she be that surprised that her so-called best friend would keep his promise to pick her up? It doesn’t quite add up.

“So… how’d you all meet?” I ask. Maybe I can find out what Caleb’s deal is. Allie tells me she and Winter met at school. She goes on about their epic friendship for a minute or so, and although I do like hearing about Winter’s life, I grow irritated at the absence of Caleb’s name in the conversation.

“And Caleb? How long have they known each other?” I finally get a word in.

“Oh, man. They go way back. They met before Winter and I did. They were neighbors.”

“They were pretty close, then?”

Allie plays with her now-empty shot glass, her gaze fleeing mine.

“Yeah, they were,” she says with her head hanging low.

“Were?”

“They kind of drifted apart a few months before she left.”

I frown. “Why? Did something happen?”

“No, not that I know of. They just… stopped talking. But people drift apart all the time, you know? I’m just glad they’re talking again.”

Everything about what she just said rubs me the wrong way. Did they get into a fight? Is that why Winter didn’t really know what to call him when she introduced us? I’m about to ask Allie another one of the handful of questions ravaging my mind when Winter turns the corner with Caleb.

“We’re back. Did you miss me?” She sends me a flirty look.

“Terribly.” I scoot over and open my arms for her. She snuggles up to me with a giggle. Caleb seems pissed. What happened back there?

No, what happened back then?

I have no idea.

But I sure as hell am going to find out.

“I told you. I’m not shrunk,” Winter slurs, tumbling out of the cab before I can even pay the driver. I practically have to throw a fifty at the poor fella and run out of the cab just so I can catch up to her before she falls and breaks a leg. I love this girl, but fuck, she can’t hold her liquor.