Playing for Keeps (Heartbreaker Bay #7)(81)

“How do you know?”

“Because that’s what people who are into each other do.”

She appeared to chew on that for a moment. “So what are the rules of this so-called relationship?”

She’d asked the question lightly, but her expression spelled worried . “Simple,” he said. “We stay in it for as long as it feels good.”

She stared at him for a long beat. “I really am sorry for tonight.”

“I know.”

“I should never have”—she closed her eyes—“I’m just really sorry. I—”

He leaned in and kissed her. “I know,” he repeated softly. “And thank you. But I’m not like your mom. You don’t have to say it again.” He started the car and got them on the road, feeling grateful and humbled to have the family he had and just a little heartbroken for Sadie that she didn’t feel the same level of support and unconditional love. “Where do you want to go?” he asked. “Your place?” He knew she liked to retreat and be alone when she needed to lick her wounds.

So she surprised him when she spoke. “No, yours.”

He smiled, and she rolled her eyes. “Don’t get too smug,” she said. “It’s all about your shower, not you.”

But he knew it was a little bit about him too.



A few days later, Sadie worked eight hours at the day spa and then three more at the Canvas Shop. By the time she stepped into the courtyard at the end of her day, it was eight thirty and she was dead on her feet and starving.

She’d half expected Caleb to show up between her two shifts as he’d been making a habit of doing, but he hadn’t. She looked at her phone for the tenth time. Still no messages.

He was always the one to make the move to contact her, to make plans to see her. She’d played a passive role, she realized, more than a little surprised at herself. Because she wasn’t passive.

So she went to him. She and Lollipop showed up at his building and took the elevator to the penthouse level where his office was. There was a guy behind the desk, young, early twenties. He wore a headset and was on the phone telling someone that Caleb wasn’t in today, but he could take a message.

“Sadie?”

Sadie turned and found one of Caleb’s sisters standing in the doorway of an office.

“Sienne,” his sister said in the way of introduction. “I’m the oldest.”

“Hi.” Sadie was working hard at not wondering how much Sienne had discovered about her during the vetting process. “I’m just looking for Caleb.”

“He’s not in today.”

Sadie had awoken that morning when Caleb’s alarm had gone off at, oh, dark thirty. He’d had them both panting and entangled in a pile of sweaty sheets before rising and heading off to the gym and the rest of his day. He’d been fine. Better than fine if his cocky, sated smile had anything to say. “Is he sick?”

“No.” Sienne hesitated. “His old sensei is.”

“Naoki?”

“You know him?” Sienne asked in surprise.

“Yes, Caleb’s taken me to meet him.”

Sienne chewed on the inside of her cheek as she studied Sadie for a beat. Then she pulled a phone from her pocket, hit a number, and waited for a connection. “I owe you twenty bucks.” She disconnected. “And I owe you an apology,” she said to Sadie.

“For what?”

“I didn’t think you’d be the one.”

“The one what?” Sadie asked warily.

“The one to convince Caleb he doesn’t have to be an island. Apparently, you’re his lobster.”

Sadie blinked and opened her mouth but ended up shutting it again because she didn’t have words. She was completely speechless.

“Damn,” a woman said, coming up behind Sienne. Another sister. “You need to stop scaring people by telling them stuff they haven’t yet admitted to themselves.” She took Sadie’s hand and squeezed it. “I’m Hannah. The nice one. Ignore my nosy-ass sister, okay? You’ll figure things out in your own time. And when you do, we’ll be here waiting for you with all the 411 you could ever want to know about our baby brother, including the time he blew up our one and only working toilet when he was teaching himself advanced chemistry and physics. At age eight.”

Sadie still couldn’t speak. Hell, she wasn’t sure she was breathing.

“Seriously?” a very, very pregnant woman asked, coming out of the elevator. “What’s wrong with you, scaring Caleb’s girlfriend to death?” She waved a hand in front of Sadie and Sadie felt herself blink. “Well, maybe only half to death,” she corrected. “She seems to be coming around. Hi, I’m Kayla. The perpetually pregnant one.”

“Hi. I’ve”—Sadie waved a hand toward the elevator—“gotta go.”

“Wait.” Sienne grimaced. “I’m sorry. Please tell me you’re not going to dump him now just because he comes with a scary family.”

That had Sadie relaxing enough to smile. “Trust me, you guys don’t even register on the scary scale.”

“So . . . you won’t dump him?” Hannah asked.

“I’m going to see if he needs anything, or if there’s anything I can do for him or Naoki.” She turned to the elevator and then glanced back. “Which one of you makes him that homemade mac and cheese when he’s had a rough day?”