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“So Caleb, where did you say you worked?”
“I didn’t actually, but I’m a broker at First Financial.”
“Oh yeah? How long have you been there?”
“About eight years,” he replies confidently. “A year after I graduated college.”
“Where’d your wife work?”
“Mason!” Sophie yells, her eyes narrowing at me in disapproval.
“It’s okay,” Caleb reassures her, placing his hand on her knee, and it takes all the control I have in the fucking world not to rip his hand off her. “I don’t mind talking about her.”
“She was an elementary teacher at St. Mary’s. Taught second grade for four years.”
“How long were you guys married?” Liam asks. I give him a mental high five for coming to my side.
“Seven years this fall.”
“I think that’s enough,” Sophie says between tight lips.
Once we’re finished with dessert, Sophie says she’s going to make a pot of coffee, and of course, Caleb follows her like a damn puppy. I’m more than ready to get this night over with, but I’m not leaving him alone with her.
They return with a tray of coffee, and when I realize she forgot her creamer, I head to the fridge and grab it. She’s sitting on the couch with Caleb to her right, so I lean over on her left and pour the creamer into her cup. Sophie looks up at me with a grateful smile and thanks me. I rest my hand on her shoulder and throw her a wink.
As soon as I sit down next to her, Caleb turns until their knees are touching and talks about Dacia and another member of their circle, knowing damn well I can’t contribute. This guy is really pissing me off.
“So, Sophie hasn’t told me much about you two,” Caleb directs at Liam and me. “What do you do for a living?” he asks, and the condescending tone about how she hasn’t mentioned us is crystal clear in his voice.
“Mason works in forensics, or something.” She looks at me and scrunches her nose with an apologetic expression. “What’s the technical term?”
“I’m on my way to becoming a forensics investigator. Finished my internships and working at the DA’s office until the position opens this fall,” I clarify, and the way Caleb’s spine straightens has me grinning.
“Wow. That’s quite the accomplishment. What do you do at the DA’s office?” he asks.
“Mostly bitch work,” I say, keeping it as vague as possible. “My dad’s the DA.”
Caleb swallows.
“And Liam’s a bounty hunter.” Sophie waves her hands toward him.
“Fugitive recovery agent,” he corrects like always, which has us all laughing. “I travel a lot and get to put people back in jail. It’s the best job ever.” He flashes a shit-eating smirk.
“He thinks it’s permission to do whatever he wants.” Sophie cackles. “Yet I’ve never seen you lose your temper since I’ve known you.”
“Because I know how to contain myself. Good restrain and willpower,” Liam responds. “Until the situation calls for something else.”
Sophie snorts. “Liam thinks smacking guys around on the job—”
“Only if they throw the first punch,” he interrupts. “Or they resist.”
“Neither of you been married?” Caleb abruptly changes the subject, and I want him out of my damn house.
“No,” Sophie answers with a laugh before either of us can. “The only woman I’ve ever heard of being in this house is their mysterious third roommate who I’ve never met.”
Liam nudges me with a smirk. “You gonna tell her?”
I shrug. “Didn’t know it was a huge secret.”
“Tell me what?”
“Who it was,” Liam answers.
“Were one of you sleeping with her?” Sophie asks, narrowing her eyes.
Neither of us responds.
“Or both of you?” Her attention goes from me to Liam and back to me. “Never mind, I don’t want to know.” She looks away, then finishes her coffee.
Moments later, Sophie tells Caleb that she’s exhausted from cleaning and cooking all day and ushers him to the door. I hear her thank him and peek into the entryway when he leans in and hugs her, then kisses her cheek before walking away. I release a breath when she shuts the door and that dickwad is finally gone.
I quickly sit back on the couch with the remote before she stalks back and stands in front of the TV with both hands on her hips.
“What?” I play dumb.
She scoffs, then rolls her eyes. Grabbing the coffee mugs from the table, she stomps to the kitchen, and I quickly follow behind her.
“You going to tell me what your problem is or risk breaking all the new china?” I flash her a smug grin, knowing she picked out our dishes and would never throw them. Leaning against the island, I watch as she moves around the kitchen with a scowl.
“Could you two have been more rude to my guest?” she finally snaps.
“Rude? How?” I ask, my voice growing louder.
“I didn’t do anything!” Liam says in defense, walking in and grabbing a beer from the fridge. “I was on my best behavior.” He tosses a snarky grin at me. “Mason’s the one who thinks he’s a serial killer.”
