Unfinished Ex (Calloway Brothers, #2)(50)

“Sorry. It’s just sometimes all the gossip can be overwhelming.”

Ava cocks her head. “Rumors aren’t necessarily true, but gossip usually is. So the story about you not cheating on Jaxon. Rumor or gossip?”

My eyebrows shoot up.

“Regan heard from Amber, who heard from Quinn, who said Tag told him you never cheated on his brother.”

I’m going to have words with Jaxon’s brother later. “I didn’t. But that makes me a liar.” I pick up a package of chicken, pretending to inspect it.

“Why’d you say it then?” Regan asks. “Surely you knew this town would brand a scarlet letter on your forehead.”

I shrug. “In hindsight, it was a mistake, but at the time, I didn’t see any other way.”

“So you did it to be a martyr?” Ava asks, hand to her chest.

I motion to Regan. “Perhaps you should look up the definition of a martyr in her bookstore, because that’s the last thing I am.” I pinch my brows. “God, that was so mean of me to say. I should quit talking.”

“We get it,” Regan says. “You’re tired of being talked about. And believe me, you’re talked about a lot. Like really a lot.”

Oh joy.

“And I for one think it was kind of a badass move putting your job above all else,” Regan continues. “Who says only men are allowed to do that?”

“I should have figured out a way to have the job and the man.”

“Well, you have them both now,” Ava says. “Rumor has it you’ve been spending a lot of time together.”

I flash a smile. “You mean gossip?”

Ava claps. “Oh, I love a good ending to a love story.”

I cough. “Wait, no. We’re spending time together, end of story.” My heart twists because it wants a lot more of this story to be written.

“Guess we’ll see,” Regan says with a grin. “Hey, what are you doing next Tuesday evening?”

Searching my mental calendar, I come up blank. “I try to stay to myself, so not much.”

“You know Maddie Foster from the flower shop?”

“Sure, Tag’s fiancée. Well, I don’t know her know her, but we’ve crossed paths.”

“The three of us meet for coffee behind the ice cream shop every Tuesday evening. Want to join us?”

Friends. What I wouldn’t give for them. Paige is great, but she’s got her own circle. I need more.

“Thank you, that would be amazing.”

“Seven o’clock,” Ava says. Then they walk away, elbows entwined.

I pull out my phone and start a text to Paige.



Me: You’ll never guess who invited me to hang—



Someone walks in front of me, and I stiffen. Calista Hilson. I pretend not to see her and finish my text.



—OMG, Calista is here.



Paige: Calista Hilson invited you to hang out?



Me: No, Regan and Ava did. Calista just walked up to the meat department at Truman’s.



Paige: I’m glad to see you finally showing yourself in public again. I was worried you never would after what went down at the reunion. We still having drinks Thursday?



Me: Absolutely. Hey, she’s staring at me but trying to make it seem like she’s not. I have to go.



Paige: I want details later.



Me: Always.



I look up and smile, trying to seem casual. “Hey, Calista.”

“Hi.”

Short. Sweet. To the point.

“How are you?”

“Fine. Good. Great.” She picks up a pack of steaks. “You?”

“Yeah, same.”

“Good. Well, bye.”

If that wasn’t the most awkward conversation I’ve ever had.

Fifteen minutes later, I’m dropping my bags on Jaxon’s front porch. I run my fingers along the spindles of the railing. One, two, three. I crouch down and pick up the rock below. Underneath is a slim tin can. In the can is the key.

I smile.

When I look up, a woman is standing on the sidewalk, two dogs on leashes at her side. Her eyebrows are raised.

“Uh, hi,” I say with the confidence of a novice burglar. “You must be Mr. Calloway’s dog walker.”

“Actually, I’m Heisman’s dog walker. Mr. Calloway can walk himself.”

I laugh nervously and hold up the key. “I was just”—I point to my bags—“coming over to make dinner.”

“Mr. Calloway didn’t leave you a key?” she asks suspiciously.

I don’t recognize this woman, and I have no idea if she knows my relationship to him. “He didn’t have to since I already knew where to find one.”

She appraises me. “Should we give him a call?” She pulls out her phone.

I step forward. “Oh, no. He’s expecting me. He’s still at football practice. I was…” Wow, I’m a bad liar. “Okay, yeah, he has no idea I’m here. I was going to surprise him with dinner. I’ll walk Heisman. I won’t tell him you didn’t, so you’ll still get paid. It’s no trouble.”

Her head cocks. “You’re that new weather lady on the news. I used to watch Makenna what’sher-name.”