Hooking Him (How to Catch an Alpha #3)(47)

My insides twist with unfamiliar jealousy. Calvin and I just started seeing each other, and I’m sure a man who’s as attractive as him dated a lot. He could still be dating now, since we haven’t discussed if we’re exclusive, which is something dumb to think about now, especially since we’ve had sex multiple times. I open the door and see it’s not a woman but a girl who looks about fifteen or sixteen.

“Anna?” She smiles as I hold on to the door to keep Bane inside.

“Yes.”

“I’m Sam, Herb’s daughter. Calvin called my mom. He said he’s been trying to get ahold of you, but you weren’t answering. He asked her to send me over to check on you.”

“Crap, my phone is on silent. Please, come in.” I rush to the bedroom and pull on a pair of sweats from my bag, then get my phone out of my purse. When I turn on the screen, I see I have over ten missed calls, three voice mails, and a few texts. I step back into the hall and see Sam getting down on the floor with Bane, who obviously knows her well. “I’m just going to call him back really quick.”

“Sure.” She smiles at me as Bane rests fully on her lap.

I dial his number and put my phone to my ear.

“I’ve been trying to get ahold of you,” he says as a greeting.

“I’m so sorry. I fell asleep on the couch, and my phone was on silent. Is everything okay?”

“Besides worrying about you? Yeah, everything’s fine. We’re finishing up now. The fire department just left, so I should be home within an hour or so.”

“You shouldn’t have been worrying about me. I’m okay,” I tell him as I walk down the hall toward the kitchen to check on dinner.

“Babe, your ex is in town. You’ve had nothing but drama since I met you. I’m not taking any chances.”

“It hasn’t been all drama,” I lie; it’s been complete drama since we met.

“Anna,” he says with a sigh.

“Anyway. I’m fine, and I’ll see you when you get home.”

“See you when I get home, and tell Sam I said thank you for coming to check on you, even though I’m sure she was happy to have a reason to drive, since she just got her license.”

I laugh, remembering the sense of freedom I felt when I first got my license. “I’ll tell her.”

“Later, baby.”

“Bye.” I hang up and walk back down the hallway, and Bane takes his attention off Sam and comes to me. “I’m so sorry you had to come over,” I say, rubbing the top of his head as she gets up off the ground.

“It’s cool.” She smiles, then tips her head to the side. “So you and Calvin are dating?”

“Yeah.” I can’t help the smile that tips up my lips.

“Awesome, that means I’ll see you again, since he’s around all the time,” she says, and then her phone rings and she pulls it out of her pocket, groaning and tipping her head back to the ceiling before putting it to her ear. “Hey, Mom. Yes, she’s here. She was asleep and her phone was on silent. I know . . . I know . . . yes, Mom, I know . . .” She groans once more. “I’ll be home soon . . . Mom, I’m not an idiot. I know not to pick up hitchhikers. Bye, Mom.” She hangs up and looks at me, and the giggle I’ve been trying to control escapes, and she laughs along with me. “My mom is crazy.”

“She loves you.”

“I know, but seriously, she’s crazy. Like, where the heck am I even going to see a hitchhiker in town?”

“You can never be too safe.”

“I guess,” she mutters, then looks at Bane. “Do you think Calvin would notice if I took him home with me?”

“Probably.” I smile as Bane goes to her like he knows what she’s said.

“Sorry, big guy, you gotta stay here.” She rubs the top of his head, then looks at me. “It was cool meeting you, Anna. I’m sure I’ll see you around.”

“I hope so,” I say, meaning it.

She turns for the door, opens it, and calls over her shoulder, “Later, Anna.”

“Get home safe, Sam, and please don’t pick up any hitchhikers!”

Her laughter fills the house as she leaves, and Bane whines at the door while pawing it. “Sorry, buddy. You’re stuck with me for now,” I tell him, and then I go back to the kitchen. “Do you need to go outside?” I ask, and he starts jumping around like he’s a tiny puppy instead of a huge dog.

I open the back door and step outside with him, wrapping my arms around my waist as I watch him run around before stopping in the middle of the yard and lifting his leg. When he’s done, he comes back to me, and I start to head back up the steps to the house, but he takes off again. “Bane, come on. Time to go in,” I say, and he runs back with a ball in his mouth, then drops it at my feet. “Oh, you want to play.” I pick up the yellow tennis ball and toss it in the air one time, and he woofs. “Sit,” I order, and he does. “Stay.” He watches my hand, and then, as soon as I bring my arm back to throw it, he springs to his feet. I let it go and watch him take off and then catch it as it bounces across the yard. He brings it back to me and drops it again, so I pick it back up and lose myself in the simple act of playing fetch.

“You made chili?”