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“What’s up with that look on your face?” Shayla walked up and squeezed his cheeks. “You were in another world there.” She reached up and kissed him on the cheek.
“I was back in the good old days when we were kids. Just remembering how things used to be,” he explained.
“We did have great times, didn’t we?” Shayla asked, her expression turning dreamy.
“I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Caleb said, reaching out and squeezing her hand.
“By the way, I’m mad at you!” she said with a pout. “I’ve left five messages for you, Caleb. No one’s that busy,” Shayla scolded.
“I’m sorry, Shay. I’ve been putting in a lot of hours at the Blue Bayou. When I come home I just want to crash,” he apologized.
“Are you saying there’s no time for Addie?” Shayla asked in a coy voice.
“We’re just colleagues,” he said in a firm voice. He wanted to shut this conversation down before Shayla went haywire with it. He know quickly things could get out of hand in his family.
Shayla jabbed him in the side. “It didn’t seem that way the other night. You were acting like she was a very special someone in your life.”
Caleb rolled his eyes. “Gimme a break. Addie is sweet and all, but it would complicate both of our lives if we starting seeing each other outside of work.”
“That doesn’t sound like you’re opposed to the idea. You’re just wary of the fallout.” Shayla let out an indelicate snort. “It can’t be more complicated than dating Felicity.” Shayla wrinkled her nose. Shayla had thoroughly disliked Felicity. So had his mother, who normally loved everyone.
Caleb winced. “I thought the F word was off limits.”
Shayla giggled. “Sorry. I forgot it’s a sore subject. I won’t mention her name again.”
“Speaking of complicated,” Caleb drawled. “I saw the way you were looking at Rafferty.”
Shayla’s eyes widened. “W-what are you talking about?”
Caleb locked gazes with her. “It’s as plain as the nose on your face. You like him, Shay. In a romantic way. Looking back on things, I think you always have.”
She let out a shocked sound then raised her hand to cover her mouth. Caleb reached out and took her hand away. “Hey! Don’t freak out. I’m guessing I might be the only one who’s figured it out.”
Her eyes began to blink rapidly. Her jaw dropped. “Seriously? You don’t think Rafferty knows, do you? I’d die of embarrassment if he did.”
“He should be honored to be adored by the most amazing woman in Pelican Bay,” Caleb said. He watched as Shayla’s eyes trailed after Rafferty as he walked with Micah toward the outside dining area. Her eyes were full of yearning.
She turned her gaze back to Caleb and let out a sigh. Her expression was so for
lorn. “I love him, Caleb. I have for as long as I can remember. It’s the oldest cliché in the book. Falling in love with your big brother’s best friend.” She shrugged. “I guess I’m a big old cliché.”
“You’re not,” Caleb insisted. “Loving someone can’t be reduced to a cliché, Shay. Your feelings are your feelings. They’re valid.”
“Thanks for saying so,” she said with a smile twitching at her lips. “Sometimes it’s really hard to love him in secret. Micah wouldn’t be happy about my feelings for Rafferty. He’d get all judgy and preachy and weirded out by it.”
“I’m not going to disagree with you on that one. It would be hard for Micah to know your feelings for his best friend. But it must be really hard to hide how you feel. I guess it would all depend on whether or not you feel you have a shot with him. Do you?”
Shayla let out a harsh laugh. “Are you kidding me? He views me as the runt of the Donahue litter. I’m a baby sister in his eyes. He doesn’t view me as a woman in my own right.”
“I’m sorry, sis. I know that must hurt,” he said, placing his arm around her and pulling her close. “I’ve been there myself. Loving someone who didn’t feel the way I felt for her was a nightmare. It’s pretty brutal.”
Shayla blinked away the moisture in her eyes. “The saddest part is that I’ve gotten used to loving him in secret. All these years he’s been right here under my nose and I have to pretend that I just view him as my brother’s best friend. An honorary member of the Donahue clan.”
“Aww, Shayla. One of these days a man is going to come along who’ll sweep you off your feet.”
“Oh, Caleb. He already has,” she said in a soft voice before turning away from him and heading toward the table.
Caleb shook his head. If he could, he would wave a magic wand and make all of his sister’s love pains disappear. In reality, there was nothing he could do about the situation. Hopefully she would outgrow her feelings for Rafferty, who, in addition to being Micah’s best friend, was also tight with the entire Donahue family. He’d grown up two streets over from the Donahue clan and had spent as much time in their house as in his own. Rafferty was family. It was a tricky situation. Caleb couldn’t help but think it was all going to come to a head one day soon.
