Page 28 of Inseverable (Carolina Beach)

I can’t quite make out what he’s thinking, as he’s back to glowering at me. Either way he leans forward and shovels a forkful of eggs in his mouth. He pauses, slowing to chew in a way that makes me think he’s enjoying the taste.

I wait for him to take another two bites, and one from his toast before continuing. “Anyway, like I was saying. His moves were all spastic. Like he was having a seizure or something. So being a teacher and medically trained?”

“You’re a teacher?” He says the words in that slow, deep way of his that always somehow manages to cut me off.

“Yes, sir. Double majored at Princeton in Spanish and Early Childhood Education—I just love kids, don’t you?—In fact, I’m scheduled to take my boards in two weeks.”

“Youwent to Princeton.”

I nod and pour him more juice. “That’s right. I’m not all good looks and charm. I’m also what some might call a genius. Well, I don’t know about that seeing how I have to work real hard to get the grades I do?but enough about me. Now, getting back to ‘seizure boy’ as my friend Becca?You know my friend, Becca? Lovely girl?likes to call him. I’m like trying to shove him off me and call 9-1-1 and save his life. Kind of like how I did for you the other night, but then he starts grunting. And I realize oh, he’s not seizing. Even though he’s doing this?” I put my fork down, lift my hands up and make jerky motions so he understands. “It’s just his, well,moves, that he apparently thought were pretty awesome. Me, not so much. More like a horny jack rabbit with a?”

“Seizure disorder?” Callahan offers (rather testily, I might add).

I lift my fork and point it at him. “Exactly. Glad we’re on the same page, here. What’s wrong? Don’t you like the eggs?”

“The eggs are good,” he snaps. “In fact, they’re the best damn eggs I’ve had in a long time.”

I swallow and reach for my orange juice. “Then why are you looking at me like that?”

“Becauseyou’resitting here withmetalking about having sex withother men.”

“Would you prefer I talk about sex with other women?”

His jaw falls open like it did when I accidently shoved my finger up his nose. “You’ve had sex with women?”

“Oh, no. Not at all.” I polish off my juice. “But if I had, and that’s what I was talking about now, I bet you wouldn’t complain.” I smile sweetly. “Now, you go ahead and finish your eggs before they get cold.”

Once more, Callahan stares at me, stunned. At first, I’m not sure if he’s going to swear, or accuse me of being crazy,again. But then I see it, the edges of his mouth lifting slightly and those startling eyes weld onto mine.

I return his smile, but I don’t allow our stares to linger. I turn around, and face the ocean, well aware that this time, he’s looking at me and not away. It’s then I start to believe that I might stand a chance with Callahan. Goodness knows, I want to do a lot more than just make him smile.

Chapter Nine

Callahan

How the hell did this happen? I’m standing in front of a set of tall wood doors outside of Trinity’s house wearing my best pair of jeans, and the newest T-shirt I own. She invited me for supper after making enough sweet tea to last me a week. I glance at the bottle of wine in my hand, thinking it was a mistake. Mistake to buy it. Mistake to be here. And so were the flowers I bought. Thankfully, I had enough sense to leave them in the truck.

Too bad that sense was nowhere in sight when I agreed to supper.

The door swings open and one of her friends appear, the stocky one who’s built more for football than he is for lifeguard duty.

He leans forward, shaking my hand. “Hey, Callahan. How you doing?”

“I’m all right,” I answer slowly. It shouldn’t surprise me, he knows my name, but it’s still odd to hear it coming from his mouth.

“I’m Mason.” He looks down at the bottle I’m holding. “Now that’ll score you some major points.” He calls over his shoulder. “Trin, your man’s here!”

Her . . . man? The hell?

Another half-naked guy appears, the tall, lanky one who’s always flirting with the waitresses. He lifts the wine from my hand. “Hey,” he says, examining the bottle. “That's some classy shit there. Hey, Mace, 2014 was a good year, wasn’t it?”

“It was, Sean,” he says, rubbing his jaw like he’s trying not to laugh.

Sean throws open the door the rest of the way and calls out louder. “Trin, you coming? Callahan’s here.”

I step back, frowning. Both talk like they’ve been waiting on me to show up. When Trinity asked me over to thank me for breakfast (although she made it) I thought it would just be me and her. And when she told me she lived on Sugar Cane Road, I thought she lived in a house similar to mine?like the ones I’d passed on my way in?not a house big enough to have its own zip code.

Laughter erupts from the level below. I didn’t expect all these people?I expected?hell, not these young men looking back at me like they know something I don’t, that’s for damn sure.

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