It was a little after eleven when Jamie and I got back home. As luck would have it Caleb was home. Maybe he was in bed and I could sneak her in without him noticing. Hmm guess not considering he was waiting in the living room.
“Where’ve you been?” he asked simply enough, he didn’t want to express the anger I was sensing from his temple.
Jamie grabbed my arm with a silent message to let her handle it; she after all was the better liar. “Evie was having a pretty bad night and we went back to the mall to pig out on ice cream. The time got away from us.” She put just the right amount of apology and sadness in her tone. “I’m sorry for not calling you dad, we’ll be better about it next time.” The kid was a genius.
Caleb nodded. “It’s fine, you head upstairs to bed and we can talk more tomorrow.” He watched as Jamie disappeared upstairs before turning to me.
Uh oh. “I should go.” I was so close to the door but alas didn’t make it in time.
Caleb cornered me. “The truth now.”
I gasped. “How dare you not believe your only daughter? She told you everything.”
His dark blue eyes searched my face. “A few things, she’s been mad at me for days and now she’s suddenly sweet. Also I can smell the liquor on you.”
“You are too smart for your own good.” So yeah I was probably a little drunk. “I didn’t let Jamie have one drop.” It was a good thing she could drive too, learning permits came in handy. “I gots to go.”
He chuckled, I wasn’t sure if it was at me or something else but whatever. “It would take a lot for you to get drunk. Where did you go?”
I shook my head side to side so fast I got a bit dizzy. “I can’t answer that.”
He bent, searching my eyes further. “Evangeline?”
“Why do you keep standing so close to me? It’s very intense and weird.”
“I don’t understand, why is it those things?”
I couldn’t stop staring at him. “Because it’s you….and you’re very pretty and yet still manly.”
He smiled and I could swear he wanted to laugh at me again. “You must be very drunk.”
“Why do you keep saying that? I’m fine, really am.”
“Are you fine enough to get home?”
I laughed and I didn’t know why. “Probably not but I’m sure I can figure it out.” I reached for the doorknob and found my hand was glowing. “Oops.”
“Come on.” Caleb grabbed my wrists to keep me from doing something stupid and led the way back to my house. “Where are your keys?”
I looked at him like he just asked for the winning numbers in the lotto because both answers were the same; I don’t know. “Um….uh…” I tried to think but that was harder than it sounded.
Caleb sighed, the alpha had very little patience for someone who offered his assistance. “What did you do with them after you got out of the car?”
“Um….” Why couldn’t I figure out such an easy mystery? He let go of my wrist and started to dig in the front pocket of my jeans. I gasped. “Why Mr. Nikolas are you getting frisky with me?”
“You’re too drunk for me to even try.” He found the keys and unlocked the door.
“Yeah and I’m all vampire bitten and contaminated blah, blah, blah.”
“Is that all that stands in our way? My dislike for vampires?” it sounded like there was more he wanted to say there.
I stared at him and felt dumber than I was comfortable with. “Huh? I’m really getting sick of these riddles. You are such a pain in the ass.”
“And why is that?”
“The list is very long, I mean hell it’d take awhile to tell you all the reasons you annoy me. You know what I really hate? The fact everyone thinks there is something between us. What would give them that idea? I mean yeah you’re gorgeous and we share that whole wolfy thing but that’s not enough to assume we hump each other like rabbits.”
Caleb’s dark blue eyes grew wide. “Who thinks that?” his tone was soft and inquisitive.
“Everyone, especially Michael.”
Realization dawned on his features. “And this is why you nearly drank the town dry.”
I started to feel sad again the longer I stared at him. “I don’t want to be forced to pick sides.” I whispered. “I don’t want to pick.”
“Between vampires and werewolves?”
“Between you and him.” I stared at him and saw he wasn’t sure what to say either. Welcome to the club, party of two. “Why is this happening?” I sniffed back tears and turned away from him. I began to realize when my buzz wore off I was going to have a lot of regrets. Hopefully I wouldn’t remember any of it.
“Evangeline?” he reached out and took my hand. “What are you saying to me?”
“I don’t know. Maybe I did drink too much and now nothing makes sense. I should go to bed.” I took a step forward but couldn’t go very far because he was still holding onto my hand. With a sigh, I turned around to ask him why he wouldn’t go and leave me alone. As I looked at him those words didn’t come out of my mouth. Instead the craziest thoughts and curiosities filled my mind.
I took that step back and planted my lips over his.
Chapter 16