AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Peyton: Where is he?
Caleb: My place.
Peyton: We can be there in fifteen.
Walking over to where Bodhi was sitting, Caleb showed him the screen and Bodhi’s face softened after he was done reading the text. He looked up at Caleb, and unable to resist it, Caleb reached out and traced a finger along Bodhi’s jaw.
Bodhi shivered, and when Caleb palmed his cheek, he nuzzled against it for a long, slow, sweet moment. His lips curved around something Caleb thought were spoken words until he realized that Bodhi was kissing his palm, and his whole body went hot.
He was terrified to pull back, and more than grateful when Bodhi did it for him. “Thank you,” Bodhi said.
Caleb wanted to do more—say more. He wanted to drop to his knees and promise he’d always fix it when things went to hell. But that was foolish. It was so far over the top, he was suddenly terrified his heart was trying to rebound from being wrapped around an emotionless asshole for so damn long.
And Bodhi deserved better than that.
Clearing his tight throat, Caleb turned and walked back to the counter, quickly fixing another cup of tea. He found a couple of creamer pods to go with it since he was low on sugar and milk, but he had a little sleeve of dry toasts and some counter-softened butter which would be good on Bodhi’s stomach.
He walked everything over and stopped as he saw anxiety swimming on Bodhi’s face. “What’s wrong?” His fingers felt a little tight as he tapped aYon his chin.
Bodhi’s gaze moved to the hallway, then back to Caleb. “Will you check on him?”
Caleb nodded and pointed sternly to the tea and toast. “Eat something. After last night…”
“I know,” Bodhi said, his fluttery fingers interrupting Caleb as they tapped against his temple. “I know.”
Caleb waited until Bodhi pulled the tea closer to him before turning on his heel and walking back to the room. He poked his head around the corner and saw Ravi trying to sit, his eyes closed, face screwed up in pain. Caleb hurried in, clapping his hands together because he knew Ravi would be able to hear it.
Ravi’s head snapped over before bowing down, and Caleb caught a look of shame flickering across his face. Not having it, Caleb knelt in front of him and helped Ravi sit up all the way, gently shifting his legs until his feet were on the floor.
“Peyton’s coming over.”
Ravi’s brow furrowed and Caleb remembered that Ravi hadn’t been working at the café long enough to have met him.
“He helps with the baking sometimes. He’s hearing,” he added. “He’s going to take you to urgent care.”
Ravi quickly started to shake his head, but stopped and grimaced, pressing two fingers against his temple the way Caleb had seen Jori do when his vertigo was overwhelming. After a beat, he dropped his hands. “My grandparents.”
“No,” Caleb answered him with snappish fingers. “You and Bodhi are going to stay here. Peyton will go with you so he can help interpret and you can get pain medication. Your grandparents don’t know you’re here with me. They won’t find you.”
Ravi’s shoulders dropped a fraction. “You sure you don’t mind us staying?”
Caleb couldn’t help a small laugh. Clearly Ravi didn’t know where his brother had gone the night before—and what he’d done. That left him a little annoyed because Ravi’s utter and total disregard for Bodhi’s comfort and mental health was more than apparent, and goddamn but Bodhi deserved better.
“I’m sure. I won’t let them come near you, and you can deal with the hospital stuff after they leave town.”
“I don’t even know when that will be,” Ravi said, then winced again and touched his temple. “I think I have a concussion.”
Considering the state of his face, Caleb wouldn’t be surprised if that were true. He peered into his eyes, and they looked fine—apart from the left one being swollen nearly shut—so at the very least, it was probably mild.
“Can you tell me what happened?”
Ravi’s expression darkened. “Some guy picked a fight with me. He accused me of throwing up on his shoes, and I realized he was talking about Bodhi. Bodhi doesn’t throw up unless he’s really anxious or really scared.”
“He was both,” Caleb told him.
Ravi’s face fell. “You picked him up.” It was most definitely not a question.
Caleb gave him a single sharp nod. “I picked him up.”
