The siren got louder.
He sat beside her on the sofa, and the dog jumped into his lap and preened. Dumb dog. Cal really missed his own pupper back in Boston.
“No lunch with Harper? Or bad lunch with Harper?”
“Didn’t happen. It was obvious Selena wanted to talk about the franchise and I would be in the way.” Her voice sounded flat.
“So you know her? Selena Fabien?” Cal didn’t know her from Adam but he’d not been impressed. There was something slick and predatory about her.
She nodded, sniffed, raised both hands to cover her face. Shit. Instinctively, he nudged in closer and put an arm around her, loving that she sank into him without protest. Her shoulders heaved and she let out a throaty sob.
“Mia, what’s wrong?”
“I thought I had it all figured out, but now I’m not sure.”
“Sure about what?” Was this about the guy she wanted? Was she having second thoughts? And why did he like that idea so damn much?
She looked up, her big eyes blue and wet and filled with longing. “Sometimes I think I chose one direction because it would make it easier on everyone, you know?”
He understood. He could have—maybe should have—told people about Bethany. Instead he covered up for her so … what? She wouldn’t be hurt. But mostly it was because he didn’t want people talking about him and what a fool he’d been. Guys like Cal didn’t really land quality women like Bethany in the real world. When they broke up, Cal realized it was meant to work out that way.
“People do that. Put others above themselves, for good and not so good reasons. We think we’re doing it so other people won’t get hurt, but if you look a little deeper, you’ll find that you’re really doing it so you don’t get hurt. And by you, I mean the collective you. Meaning all of us.”
She nodded. “I think I understood that. It sounded really profound.”
“Generally, we think we have all the answers, but usually we ain’t got shit.”
That made her laugh. “I’m sorry I blew off practice. I didn’t think you’d want to do it anymore now that you’re in training camp.”
“Nope, I’m in.” All in. Fuck. He still had his arm around her and until she moved away, he had no intention of letting go.
“I was in the neighborhood and I—I really just wanted to piss you off. I figured if I’m annoyed about something, someone else should join me. Stealing your sandwich was a bonus.”
He laughed and swiped at a stray tear, tempted to taste it, tempted beyond reason to do more than taste a little salt water. To taste her. He’d never wanted to kiss anyone so badly.
And knowing that—knowing it was something he really, truly, absolutely wanted—was enough of a reason not to do it. Because if he wanted something this badly, when every brain signal was telling him, hell no, then he should listen and not do it.
Mia needed friend Cal, not horndog Cal.
“Is this about the guy you like?”
“No. That’s the one thing I’m absolutely sure of. The one area I know I can control so that every other area in my life will start to align. Or at least, that’s the plan.”
Disappointment had never felt so painful. “Well, whatever it is, you can tell me. Any time.”
“I—I can’t talk about it, but please know that I’m really grateful to you for being kind to me. You didn’t have to be after what I did with the dick post.” She bit her lip. “Guys still giving you shit about it?”
Kershaw had made that joke about not scaring away women at weddings. Harmless, of course. Sure there was the Tara incident, but Cal had history here with Bethany, so it had struck a little close to home. “They don’t mean anything by it.”
“You’re a really good guy, Cal. When I’m ready to spill my guts, you’ll be the first to hear it.”
A really good guy. That was him all right. The good guy who wanted to bone his best bud’s sister, a woman who sees him as nothing but a stepping stone to her main goal—both of them. Get the job. Get the man.
Cal Foreman wasn’t anyone’s goal. Maybe Tara’s, but that wasn’t even real. The woman barely knew his name, for Christ’s sake.
“Probably for the best if you keep the deep chat to yourself. Half the time I zone out when chicks talk.” He smiled, and was grateful when she thumped him. Not so grateful when