Page 78 of Anti Player

TWENTY

Kaleb

I wake up with a smile on my face. I’m sorry for everything that the Noble family is going through, but I’m not sorry I got to spend half the night in her bed. Now I’m headed over to a bakery to buy all kinds of treats for her and Asher when they wake up. Luckily, those two like to sleep in on the weekend so I’m not in a big rush.

I call Wolfe as I’m walking down the street.

He answers after one ring. “Hey, bro, what’s up?” he asks.

“Doing good. Brett had to take an unexpected trip back home and Maddie and Asher stayed in the city. . .”

“Is everything all right?” Wolfe interrupts.

“Bit of a family crisis. That’s why I was thinking it would be good to distract Maddie today. Are you and Rebel up for a day at Coney Island?”

The line goes quiet.

“You want to go to Coney Island?” he sounds surprised. Not my usual cup of tea.

“I was thinking it would be fun for Asher, and I do like the beach. And since you have kids, you know, I thought they could hang with Asher,” I say, stumbling over my words a littlebecause I am very out of my element here, but I tell myself any good friend would do this.

“Let me ask Rebel,” he says. I hear him mumbling to her in the background. I plan on calling Connor and Liam next, since Asher befriended Syd, and Crew is just a little older than him. I can’t believe I’m organizing a family get-together, but I think Maddie needs to remain distracted so she doesn’t dwell on what is going on back home. There really isn’t anything she can do anyway. It will be up to her father if he’s going to get sober and really stick around.

“Sure, bro, Rebel thinks it’s a great idea. Should we meet in Times Square in an hour and take the train together?” he asks.

“That sounds like a plan. I’ll call Liam and Connor and invite them along too,” I say.

“Cool. See you soon,” he replies, and we end the call.

I call Liam and give him the same spiel. He and Sky are on board and Crew was cheering in the background. Then I call Connor. Buddy asks me if I hit my head and then I heard Ellie chiding him in the background. They are coming too so it will be a day for the gang on the beach.

I reach the bakery and buy some pastries then I take the box back to the apartment. The sun is shining, and the sky is clear. I inhale the fresh air and I just feel good. I get off the elevator and head over to Brett’s. I walk right in with my box of pastries. Maddie and Asher look like they just got up. Asher smiles when he sees me, but Maddie looks surprised.

“I brought you guys some pastries.” I pass Maddie the box. I want to lean in and kiss her, which isn’t right because this isn’t a relationship. We are friends and my goal is to make my friend happy today.

“Thanks, Kaleb.” She takes the box and peeks inside and then she looks at me wide-eyed.

“These look delicious,” she says.

“I got them from a little French patisserie not too far from here,” I explain. “I know how into French cooking you are.”

She reaches in for the pain au chocolat. Asher asks for one too and she passes him one.

“Hmm, this is to die for,” she says. “You have to try this.” She passes me the croissant she just took a bite from. This wouldn’t be happening if Brett were around, but Asher clearly doesn’t think anything of it. I reach forward and take a bite.

“That is good.” I lick my lips. She gets a small dollop of chocolate on the corner of her mouth, and I wipe it with my finger and then lick it off, hoping to get a small taste of her. I watch her breath hitch and I’m pleased to have an effect on her.

“You go sit at the table with that,” Maddie says to Asher since the chocolate is oozing out of it and he’s making a mess.

Asher goes off to the table.

“I have a fun day planned,” I say to her.

She opens her mouth to say something then closes it then opens it. “I should really stay in and check with Brett.”

“That’s why I made plans. You can’t just wait around for him to give you some news. He’s taking care of the situation and you and Asher deserve some fun.”

“What did you have in mind?” she asks.

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