Just One Year(33)

We said nothing as Teagan entered the house. Then it was just us guys left on the frosty grass.

Archie shook his head. “Where is this coming from?” Cold air billowed from his mouth. “You have a thing for her or something? Because if you do, that’s really unfortunate for your girlfriend.”

I looked down at my feet. “I’m protective of her. I don’t have to have a thing for her to care about her and not want her to become just another one of your conquests.”

“You’ve had plenty of conquests yourself. That doesn’t mean I go around warning your new girl not to trust you. People change. They mature. They want different things than they might have wanted a couple of years ago.”

“You’re trying to convince me you don’t have your sights set on fucking Teagan while you’re here?”

“I genuinely like her. She’s as sweet and intelligent as she is attractive.”

That admission bothered me just as much as the thought of him trying to sleep with her.

“You’re leaving in three months, so why bother?”

“Well, I could ask the same of you about Veronica. How is that any different?”

I ran my hand through my hair. I’d walked right into that one and had no answer, because there was none. It was no different. I was passing the time with Veronica with no long-term future plan, whether I admitted that to her or not. But in my mind, Teagan was different. Veronica would get over me in no time, move on to someone else. But Teagan? She was vulnerable, special, and she deserved to be with someone who would stick around. Maybe Archie had matured in the past couple of years, but I couldn’t trust that he wasn’t going to hurt her.

Walking back toward the door, I muttered, “It’s been a long day. Let’s just end this.”

“Figures you don’t have any answer for me.”

I whipped my head around. “I don’t owe you any answers.”

“Nice. Real nice. Good discussion, Caleb.” He shook his head. “What the hell has got into you?”

I waited in the kitchen until Archie finally went upstairs to his room. I didn’t trust that he wouldn’t detour to the basement. But when I returned to my room, I couldn’t sleep for the life of me.

***

When I woke up in the morning, I checked my phone to find an email from Teagan. She’d written it just a few minutes earlier. It had been a while since she’d sent me an email. This probably wasn’t good.



From: Teagan Carroll

To: Caleb Yates

Subject: You’ve got some nerve.



Caleb,



The more I think about it, the more I can’t hold this in. I’m really confused as to why you’re acting the way you are. You have zero right to dictate who I can and cannot spend time with. If I wanted to hang out with Archie last night, that was my choice and not your place to intervene. Who do you think you are?



It wasn’t the first time she’d asked me that question. Right now, I was a jealous bastard.

I should’ve apologized, but instead I did the opposite.





CHAPTER THIRTEEN




* * *



TEAGAN




A few minutes after I sent Caleb the email, which I knew was his least-favorite means of communication, I checked my phone to find he’d responded.

That was fast.

My heart pounded as I clicked on his message.



From: Caleb Yates

To: Teagan Carroll

RE: You’ve got some nerve.



Dear Teagan,



Since you’re clearly mistaken about my intentions last night, I’ll happily re-write your message.



Dear Caleb,



The longer I think about it, the more I’ve come to realize your actions last night were for my own good. At first, I was confused as to why you acted the way you did. I thought perhaps you felt you had the right to dictate who I could and could not spend time with. But then I decided, if you were acting so belligerent toward your own friend, you must know something I don’t. You must be doing it to protect me. You must have a DAMN GOOD reason. Originally, I was going to ask, “Who do you think you are?” But I know who you are: a good friend, who’s only looking out for me.



My blood pressure rose. He’s back to this again?

I wanted so badly to write him back, but I didn’t have enough time to come up with the right response since I was already late for class. So instead I grabbed my backpack and headed out the door, obsessing the entire way to school.

***

Before our testy email exchange this morning, Caleb and I had had a study session scheduled for tonight. Given the Archie situation, I wasn’t sure now if our plans were still intact.

Neither Archie nor Caleb was at supper. Archie apparently had a business dinner with some colleagues, and Caleb had told Maura he’d picked up a shift at the restaurant.

Given that, I was shocked when he appeared at my bedroom door at 8PM sharp.

My heart beat faster. “I wasn’t expecting you tonight.”

He entered and sat down in his usual spot at the desk across from my bed. “Why not? We need to study.” His tone was a little pissy.

“Yeah, but given our falling out this morning, I just thought—”