Meant To Be (The Callahans #4) - Monica Murphy Page 0,32

it, though it’s no use. My stomach is exposed, and besides, I wore the sweater just for him. “Thank you.”

“Bold move, considering how cold it is outside.”

“I was hoping you might warm me up.” I press my lips together at the slip. I shouldn’t say anything like that. Not yet. It’s too early in the conversation.

His eyes gleam. There’s no other sign of outward emotion. “I wouldn’t mind keeping you toasty, but we need to clear a few things up first.”

Of course. I knew he’d want to talk, which is perfect because I do too. There are things I need to tell him, but I’ll let him start. “Like what?”

“Like the fact that Jake knew way too much private information about my parents.” His expression becomes stone. Up goes that wall he so very carefully erects around his emotions. Around his heart. He gives it easily when he wants to. But he just as easily snatches it away.

“I know how he found out that information.” I don’t bother telling him what else Jake said. How it’s common knowledge that Eli’s parents’ relationship imploded and everyone knows about it.

“Really? What sort of lie did he come up with?”

I tell myself not to get irritated. Tonight isn’t about arguing. It’s about working past our differences, so we can move forward. “It was Cami who told him everything.”

Eli’s brows lower, and he frowns. He looks completely puzzled. “What the hell? How does she know anything?”

“She mentioned it to Jake at the beginning of the school year, like she was trading information with him to get on his good side. My brother’s an idiot for thinking that though, considering she was messing around with you when she was with him.” Eli starts to say something, but I hold up my hand, silencing him. “Anyway, she showed up at your house and your mom came outside in a drunken rage and called Cami one of your dad’s…whores.” I wince, hating that I had to bring it up.

Realization dawns. It’s written all over his ridiculously handsome face. “Oh. Yeah. I remember that.”

“Right. She told Jake. And he threw it in your face when he got his chance.” I lower my voice. Take a step closer to him. “It wasn’t me. I would never tell Jake private stuff about you or your family. That’s like giving him free ammunition.”

“Uh huh.” The doubt is still there. Has he lost complete faith in me? God, that hurts. Worse than I thought it could.

“It’s all Cami’s fault.” I make a face. That bitch comes up way too often in our relationship. I seriously hate her. And I have to deal with her on an almost daily basis since she’s the captain of our cheer team. Talk about torture.

“I don’t want to talk about her,” Eli says, slowly shaking his head. “I don’t want to talk about Jake either.”

I’m at a loss, since both of those people are the ones who caused all the trouble in our relationship in the first place.

“I missed you,” he says, his voice rough. Like it took a lot for him to admit that.

“Then why didn’t you talk to me this week?”

“Shit got—weird. My dad took my phone away Sunday night after we got into an argument. My mom bought me a new one the next day and I was just—kind of taken aback, that she would do something nice for me. Plus, I was busy all week. With school. Football. We won, by the way.” He hesitates for a moment before he continues. “I was trying to see what my life was like without you.”

“And how was it?” I ask, nervous to hear his answer.

“Fucking awful.” He dips his head, the tiniest smile curling his lips. I can’t help but smile in return. “I didn’t like it.”

“I don’t like my life without you in it either,” I say. “I was grounded all week. My parents were so mad at me for trying to sneak you into the house.”

He smiles, scratching his jaw. “You weren’t sneaking me into your house. You were sneaking me into the hot tub, so we could mess around.”

My smile grows. “True.”

“I never got to see what you were wearing under that robe,” he says.

“You want to know?” He nods. “Nothing,” I whisper, exaggerating only a little bit.

Eli slowly shakes his head. “Uh huh. Sorry I missed that.”

“Me too.”

His smile fades. “You still went to that dance.”

I’m automatically defensive. “I was the homecoming princess.”

“You’re my princess,” he says gruffly, going all alpha