Page 91 of Honey Pot

“If you wanted to know, you should have offered to play,” I called out to him, my body leaning around Cael to make eye contact with Arlo. “He’s my ex.”

Arlo’s dark, judgemental eyes narrowed and he pushed to the edge of the booth. “Why’s the picture still up then?”

“That’s a question, King.” I rolled my eyes.

Dean missed his next shot.

I tried to shake off the adrenaline that rushed through me when I didn’t miss mine.

“Why were you stalking my social media?” I asked Cael, ignoring the heat that radiated off Arlo.

“Cause I’m a jealous idiot.” Cael shrugged and leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling. “I had to know.”

Cael watched me, his eyes burning blue and his jaw tight with unsaid upset.

“And you were keeping secrets again.”

He said again like we were back in my bedroom and he was pleading with me to tell him why I was crying.“I made you sad.”His voice broke in my head like it had done that day.

“It wasn’t your business, Cael.” I swallowed and turned away from him back to the table.

“Take a beat,” Ella whispered, forcing me to breathe before taking my next shot. I sank that too.

“All yours, I’m sick of the truth,” I said.

“What’s with the bracelet?” Ella pointed to his wrist.

Cael looked down at the fraying threads and smiled. “Clementine made it for me in the sixth grade out of string she stole from the corner store in town.” His eyes caught mine and sparkled under the pool table bulbs.

“Sixth grade?” Ella’s brows pinched together. “How is that thing still on?”

Cael shrugged. “Willpower…” He searched for the word. “Stubborn determination.”

I smiled at him as my chest filled up with warmth and I leaned over the table to shoot again. I missed my second shot, my hands were shaking with adrenaline as his silent affection poured over me.

Cael moved around the table, brushing up against me as he lined up his shot and missed.

“You’re distracted!” Dean groaned as his eyes counted the balls still left in play. “We’re going to lose.”

“We were never going to win, big guy.” Cael slipped back into his typical cotton candy demeanor. Fluffy and sweet.

I backed away from the table so Ella could sink the last four balls. One at a time they plunked into their respective corners and Arlo’s grin took on a new brightness. Beaming with pride, Ella straightened out and surveyed her work.

“Have you shown Mary the calendar?” Ella asked and Dean went beet red while Cael just started laughing. “She hasn’t seen it has she? You should use it in your piece, it’s a work of art.”

Zoey giggled from her side.

“Don’t worry boys, I burned every copy of that calendar she’s gotten her hands on,” Arlo said with confidence as he crossed his arms and stared at his fiancée.

“Hey Kelly,” Ella walked to the banister and yelled from over the loft, her head turning to Arlo with a sly smile. “You still have that copy?”

“What?” Arlo straightened out, his body growing tense. “Oh, Blondie…” He sighed. “You’re in so much trouble.”

“Yeah, yeah…” She waved him off as the hostess came up the stairs with a Harbor Hornets Fundraiser Calendar in her hands. “Remind me how much trouble I’m in later when we’re alone,” Ella hummed, kissing him but keeping the calendar out of the reach of his grabby hands.

She tossed it on the pool table, flipping it open to November.

Dean was squatted on first base in a pair of tight ball pants and no shirt, his skin glistening from sunscreen and sweat. Navy blue face paint smeared beneath his eyes complimented the green-blue color of his burning gaze. His hair wet and curled around his ears with a serious look on his face as he stared out past the camera.

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