Page 21 of Say I Do

“I somehow got her to agree to marry me,” Caleb responds.

“You're full of it.” I elbow him in the side playfully. “He didn’t really ask. It was kind of an order.”

“That does sound a bit more like Caleb,” Ben says, taking my hand next.

“I know a good thing when I see it.” Caleb kisses the top of my head. “Shall we get a drink? I've reserved a table for us."

“That sounds perfect," Martha agrees. Caleb gets them drinks before we head to the table.

All my worries about fitting in fade away as we fall into effortless conversation with the Greens. Both of them are so easy to speak to. I end up speaking to Martha more, and the conversation ends on the after-school youth program when I tell her a little about my upbringing.

“You know—” Martha glances over toward Caleb and her husband, who are in their own conversation, before she continues. “It makes sense that Caleb fell for a girl like you.”

“What do you mean?” I find myself leaning in closer, wanting to hear this. It’s the first time I’ve really gotten to speak to anyone that knows Caleb. I can’t help but be curious.

“Well, you know,” she shrugs one shoulder, “he has a reputation for being a coldhearted asshole, to put it bluntly. A sweet girl like you must have melted the ice in his veins.”

“What?” I ask, confused. There is no way she is speaking of the same man I know. “Caleb is a sweetheart.” Martha’s brows lift. Now she seems to be the confused and shocked one.

"I suppose you haven't seen the other side of him. Honestly, I came here to tell him to take his money and shove it up his ass.I wanted to do it in person to see his reaction. If I could even get one.”

I sit there stunned with my mind racing. All these little things clicking together. Even though I don’t want to believe it, there were clues. It explains why his employees and other people that have dealt with him in the past were always giving us strange looks. How the heck had I not put it together before?

“I don’t know that side of him,” I admit, wondering what else I don’t know.

“Well, I won’t be telling him to shove it up his ass now that I’ve met you. In fact, I’m going to take the offer. He can’t shut down the programs while you are by his side. Actually, I believe that they will flourish more now that you're involved and can bring a personal experience to the table. It’s clear you have a hold over him. That you have him doing things that are out of character.”

Thankfully, a server stops by to inquire if we'd like more drinks, saving me from having to respond to Martha. At least not without getting my thoughts together.

Honestly, I’m at a loss for words at the moment. I can’t shut down the thoughts and now doubts that have taken residence in my head. The primary one being do I really even know this man I’ve fallen in love with and agreed to marry? I push that thought out immediately. Caleb has been nothing but good to me. He has shown me more kindness and love in the short amount of time that I’ve known him than I have experienced in my entire life.

“I’m going to use the bathroom,” I tell everyone. I need a few moments to get myself together. Caleb stands, pulling my chair out.

“I’ll come with you,” he offers.

“It’s fine, stay. You two have plenty to discuss.”

“We do.” Martha smiles.

I can tell Caleb doesn’t want me to go alone, but he reluctantly relents. I make my way across the ballroom, having no clue where the bathroom is. As I wander around, I spot Lauren, Caleb’s assistant. We lock eyes, and she glares at me again. This time I won't avoid it. I walk over to her.

“Lauren, I really wanted to clear things up about the coffee incident.” She should really be apologizing to me, but at this point, I want to move on. She is a part of Caleb's life. Even with everything Martha said, I still adore him. He grew up in a cold world. Maybe I could melt the ice. I could give him that.

"You're so stupid." Lauren rolls her eyes at me. "Wow." She grabs my hand. "He really took this a little bit too far. I knew he wanted the Greens’ deal, but a fake engagement is overkill. It’s so overboard that it’s actually comical.”

"It's not fake." I jerk my hand back.

"Like I said, stupid." She shakes her head. "Don't you see? He's using you, and it's working. But I get it. You are a perfect fit for what the Greens would adore. Me, not so much."

"You're lying."

Lauren lets out a breath, her expression turning to one of sympathy. "I'm sorry. From one girl to another. It's just who Caleb is. Trust me, I've been there and learned myself." I don't want to believe her. "If I were you, I'd walk away. I should have done it months ago. Caleb doesn’t care about anyone but himself.”

“You think I should walk away?”

“You should run.”

And that’s exactly what I do.

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