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But he’d promised to stay in the friend zone. Besides, Pops must have awakened, because a door shut, and a gravelly voice came from the hallway. “Dagnammit, where are my slippers?”
Without flinching or moving, Steph called out, “Next to your bedside table.”
“Ah, found them!” Something banged. “Is that breakfast I smell?” Pops’s voice grew closer. “So glad Cal is here today to put me to rights.”
Steph smirked at Cal, and he chuckled.
“Well, have a nice day with Pops,” she said, moving past Cal. Her shoulder bumped his, and he turned to watch her greet Pops as he arrived at the end of the hallway.
“Going so soon?” Pops said. “Cal just got here.”
“Some of us have to work.” Steph kissed his cheek. “Have a good day, but you’d better behave.”
“You’re always so bossy,” Pops said. “Don’t you think she’s bossy, Cal?”
“Definitely.” He flashed a smile at Steph, and she returned it.
As soon as she left, Pops shuffled over to the table. “Now what do we have here?”
“Eat up, Pops,” Cal said. “We’ve got a full day ahead of us.”
“Oh?” Pops settled into a chair. “Did you clear it with Steph?”
“Nope.”
Pops chuckled. “Sounds perfect, then.”
Cal grinned and dug into the food. His stomach had been grumbling for at least an hour, and he didn’t know how Steph could ever skip breakfast. When his phone rang, he pulled it out of his pocket. He didn’t recognize the number, so he sent it to voice mail. If it had to do with one of his clients, it could wait a little while.
Once Pops declared he was as full as a water buffalo, Cal cleaned up breakfast. “What do you need to do to get ready? Shower?”
“I showered up last night,” Pops said. “I just need to get on my street clothes, then I’ll be ready.”
“Do you need help?”
“What do you think I am? An invalid?”
Cal opened his mouth to respond, but Pops waved him off. “I’ll take care of all that. You be ready when I am.”
“Great.” His phone rang again.
“Better answer that or it’ll be ringing all day.” Pops headed down the hallway.
Cal pulled out the phone and answered.
“Is this Cal Conner?” the man on the other end asked.
“Sure is, what can I help you with?”
“This is Ian Hudson.”
As in Brandy’s boyfriend. But why in the world was he calling? “Oh, hey.”
“I got your number from Brandy. So sorry to surprise you like this.”
“It’s fine. What’s up?” Cal walked to the kitchen window to look out at the backyard, where the newly painted fence gleamed in the rising sun.
“Well, here’s the thing,” Ian said. “You know that Everly and Austin are getting married in about a week?”
