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“Gee, thanks.”
“Can you dispute it?”
“Nope.”
“So, how the hell did you seal that deal? Not physically,” I said exasperatedly before we went down that road again. “I mean, how do you chip the ice enough with your dream girl to get her to see you as the ultimate god of sex?”
Caleb’s eyes widened enough that the light reflected from the fire pit seemed to dance in his pupils. “Well, huh, I don’t think that’s happened yet. Gives me something to strive for though.”
“Keep trying, Goldilocks.” Lu gave Caleb an enthusiastic thumbs up when he glanced over his shoulder in her direction.
“Damn bat ears.”
“It’s the pregnancy. Heightens all her senses, she claims.” He took a long drink and shook his head. “I gotta lay off the caffeine. It’s getting late, and we have early errands tomorrow. I’m going to be buzzing.”
“Oh, the wild life of a papa-in-training,” I teased.
“As for the ice… I didn’t break shit. I fell asleep in her bed after I mixed old rum with antibiotics and went home to the wrong apartment.”
“And that got you laid? Nice, dude.” I bumped my fist into his.
“You’re living on the edge, my man.” He pointed behind his head to where the rest of our friends were sitting.
I puffed up my chest and opened my soda. “I’m not scared.”
“Right. Anyway, I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“No.” He rubbed the slight scruff on his jaw. “Maybe it was fate, just like you said. Because God knows I don’t deserve her. I don’t have any clue how I got so lucky. I just try to be worthy of her every day.”
I slid a glance toward the now empty circle of chairs. Our friends were trooping down to the other end of the beach, probably to work off dinner. My dog brought up the end of the bunch, trailing after Preston and the bun crumbs he was using as a lure.
“Out of luck, pal. She missed your lovey-dovey speech.”
“Dammit.” Caleb sighed as his gaze followed mine to our friends. “Well, whatever, it’s all true. I worship the damn ground she walks on and I don’t hide it.”
“Hmm. What about playing hard to get?”
“If that backfires, you’re left playing with your own hand.”
“You do have a point.” I clapped him on the back and decided Ruby had been gone long enough.
If she thought no one cared if she just disappeared, she was wrong. I cared.
Far too much.
“I do?”
“Yeah. Look at all you have, man. You made out big time.” I gave him a quick one-armed hug. “She’s lucky to have you too. You’re a stand-up dude, and you’ll never leave her or your kid in the lurch.”
Not like mine had.
I wouldn’t do that either. Not that I had kids in mind for anytime soon or maybe ever. But if somehow it ever happened, I’d do what a real man did when he had children.
He took care of his responsibility.
Caleb nodded firmly. “No. I won’t.”
