Cale

I shake my head. “Doesn’t matter, Riley,” I whisper. “Just act normal.” I rub my sweaty palms down the side of my black dress and take in a deep, calming breath. “He’s still the same sweet Cale that wants nothing more than to be friends. Just friends . . .”

I hear a noise in the hallway that causes me to look up and walk toward my bedroom door. My parents went out to dinner after I told them that I had plans, so I’ve been here alone for the last thirty minutes.

“Aspen,” I call out. “Is that you? I’m in my old bedroom.”

I hurry into the hallway and slam into a hard body, almost causing me to stumble backward, but Cale catches me with a grin. His arm tightens around my waist as his smile broadens. “You look hot, Rile.” He leans in and kisses me on the forehead, before pulling me straight up and back on my feet. “You ready to go?”

I tug on the end of my skirt, pulling it down, and then smile, as Cale looks me over with wide eyes, whistling softly. “I’ve missed you, Cale. You seriously have no idea.” I laugh as he grabs my arm and spins me around as if checking me out. It’s something he used to do to me when he would first see me for the day. I know he’s doing it now to make me feel comfortable and I love him for it. It reminds me of how strong our friendship was and why I adored him so much.

“Let’s go.” He nods his head and places his hand on the small of my back, guiding me through the house. “I have dinner in the oven.”

I step outside and watch him as he locks the door and closes it behind him. “Oh really?” I smile big at the thought of Cale cooking. I thought he was only kidding. “You’re really cooking us dinner?”

He wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me against him as we walk to his truck. “Hell yes I am. I owe you after all those times you cooked for me while we were hanging out at your house. At my house, I will always cook you dinner, especially if it keeps you coming back for more.” He winks and helps me into his truck.

He refuses to tell me what’s for dinner on the way over to his house, even though I made it a point to ask him every few minutes, just to see if he’d cave. I almost forgot just how strong Cale’s willpower is. He’s pretty set once he makes his mind up. He’s always been the strongest person that I know and I admire him for that, even though it sometimes has the power to annoy the shit out of me.

He jogs over and helps me out of his truck once we pull up to his house. “You’ll be spending a lot of time here, Rile, so I hope you like it just as much as I do.” I laugh and he raises a brow in question. “What? You don’t believe me?”

“What makes you think that I’ll like you as much as I used to?”

He pushes the door open and pushes up behind me, guiding my body with his into the house. His lips brush my ear. “I have a pretty good feeling,” he whispers. “You’ll like me even more . . .”

Walking around me, he throws his keys onto the kitchen island and walks over to the oven with a confidence that makes me melt. “Make yourself at home, because you’re spending the night. We’re having a movie night and I’ll take you home before eight in the morning to change for work.”

This time, I’m the one lifting my brows. “How do you know what time I work tomorrow, Cale?”

He opens the oven and pulls a pan out, setting it on the stove. “Because I asked on my way out. You didn’t think that I would be making all my future appointments without booking with you, did you? You’re the only woman that I’ll be getting a massage by from now on. I promise that.”

I swallow hard and try to keep my nerves from jumping all over the place. He has no idea what his words are doing to me. He may not be trying, but they’re definitely making me extremely hot.

I take a seat at the table when Cale refuses to let me help with anything, and within ten minutes the table is covered with food: baked chicken alfredo, breadsticks, salad, wine for myself, and beer for Cale.

Looking at all of the food makes my mouth water in anticipation. Cale cooked all of this knowing damn well that it’s my favorite meal. I’ll definitely owe him for this later and I’m positive he won’t forget to collect. It’s a good thing that I know practically all of his likes and dislikes. At least . . . I used to.

We don’t talk much until we’ve both eaten a good amount and we’re both on the verge of being stuffed. Cale must notice me slowing down, so he leans back in his chair and smiles up at me.

“So talk to me, Rile.” He takes a swig of his beer and looks at me, ready to listen.

I take another huge bite of noodles, before licking my lips and smiling up at him. “About what?” I breathe out, feeling like I’m about to pop from overeating. “About how damn delicious this food is? Holy crap, Cale. This is so good. I’m very impressed.”

He bites his bottom lip and leans in closer to me. “Told you I’d only put tasty things in your mouth.” He shakes his head with a slight smile as my face undoubtedly turns beet red. “But I want to know about you. What’s been going on? Where’s the boyfriend? Why are you at your parents’ house? That kind of stuff.”

I take a huge drink of my wine and reach for the bottle to refill it. “We broke up before I left. It’s a long story that I don’t feel like talking about right now. I’m only staying with my parents until I can find my own place. Aspen offered to let me stay there, but I don’t want to intrude on her and Slade.” I take another drink and pretend to be unaffected. “I’m sure that I’ll find a place soon and being back in Chicago will feel like home again. It will just take some time.”

He looks me in the eyes for what feels like an eternity before he speaks. “Come stay with me.”

I smile at his offer. “Thanks, but I don’t know about that, Cale. My parents don’t mind me staying there for a while. We haven’t seen each other in six years and I don’t want things to be awkward.”

I stand up and get ready to clean up my mess, but Cale stops me and tells me to leave it on the table. “I’m not worried about that mess right now. What I’m worried about is spending time with you and there’s no way in hell that things could ever be awkward between us. I don’t care if it’s been twenty years, we’re still Rile and Cale and I always have the time and room for that in my life.” He pulls me up from my chair and grabs my glass of wine. “Pick out a movie and I’ll be there in a few minutes.”