Page 62 of Pitcher Perfect

CALEB

“These are so good.”Ethan snagged another cheesecake bite.

“Even though I keep thinking about the durian because of that bullshit cheesecake description, I gotta admit, they’re delicious.” Ty grabbed two more.

Dom was already on his third. Good thing I’d brought over the full batch.

“What else are you going to make for the event?” Austin asked.

I listed the various bite-sized dishes I had planned. I needed things that wouldn’t be hard to prepare as a solo operation but also suitable for a networking event where people could carry around small plates and beer.

“If you need me to pitch in with some meatballs, I got you covered.” Ty winked at me.

“Again with the meatballs.” Dom looked like he was summoning all the patience in the universe.

“I saw the bowl of them you ate a little while ago. Don’t act all high and mighty.” Ty stole the cheesecake bite out of Dom’s hand and popped it into his own mouth.

I looked at Austin and saw him watching me with a pleased, happy smile. I’d been around the guys quite a few times already, but hanging out on their home turf was completely different than catching one or two of them in brief conversations at my truck or in their brewery. Sitting on the couch with them felt like I was part of the group, like I had passed some sort of test. They included me in every conversation, and I was as much a victim of the teasing as anyone else.

“Austin said you guys are thinking about a salmon dish for the competition?” Ethan asked.

“Yeah. Pistachio-crusted salmon with a ginger and cardamom yogurt sauce. I called a friend who owns his own fishing business to price check an order, and if we all agree on this being our dish, he said he’d cut me a deal. It would be fresh and local.”

“Perfect.” Dom looked pleased.

“When do we get to try it?” Tyler asked.

I looked at Austin. “We’d been talking about that. How about I cook some this week after the truck closes? I can bring it by the brewery on a day you’re all there.”

“I’ve got appointments most of Wednesday and Thursday, but I’ll be there the rest of the week,” Tyler said.

We agreed on a day, and I soaked up the guys’ excitement about trying the dish. Austin bragged about it, and the other guys seemed eager. The way he talked about my cooking felt so good.

Not long into the next episode, my stomach hurt from laughter. I loved hanging out with the guys.

“No way. Vietnam is the best episode ofParts Unknown. Bourdain looked so damn happy in that one,” Ethan said.

“But the Congo one was wild. All the shit that happened? That’s good TV right there,” Tyler insisted.

As the argument over the best episodes grew more heated, I whispered to Austin that I would be right back. I knew my destination and hoped what I was looking for would be in the same place as the other time I’d visited.

Moments later, I returned to the guys and thrust the pink dildo at Ethan and Ty. “My understanding is that heated arguments get solved with the talking dick. Who’s turn is it to speak?”

They all gawked at me and were silent long enough that I worried I’d overstepped. It seemed like a silly, funny thing to do—the kind of goofy stunt I’d always wanted to pull if I had a tight-knit friend group like that. But I wasn’t part of their group, not really.

Another beat.

They all began laughing so hard I thought I might need to call for medical intervention.

“Oh my god. Caleb, that was perfect.” Tyler’s shoulders shook.

Even Dom let out a loud, deep laugh.

When I looked at Austin, my breath hitched at his expression. He was all lit up like an Independence Day fireworks display. I dropped the dildo on his lap and sat back down to watch another episode.

My hand had gravitated toward Austin’s between us, not overtly holding hands or anything too PDA, but eventually, we hooked our pinkies together. It was perfect.

After a while, it was late enough that I needed to get home before my early morning at the truck. “I should head out,” I said as the episode ended. “Thanks for having me over.”

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