Page 46 of Something Like Fate

“Are your parents supportive?”

He frowns and I immediately feel bad for asking. “Eh, they aren’t thrilled. But luckily my older brother is the one they put all the pressure on. He’s supposed to take over the lodge my family owns in cottage country—as the responsible one.”

“You’re not responsible?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Depends on who you ask. Let’s put it this way. While my brother is in grad school, I’m backpacking around Europe and living in random hostels.”

“I get feeling like you don’t live up to expectations.”

“Anyway, sorry for the tangent. You barely know me and I just dumped all that family stuff on you,” he says, a soft grin playing over his chiseled face.

“No. Thank you for sharing,” I say. If only I had even 10 percent of his passion for ... anything. I imagine my life with Caleb. How much bigger it would be, not just living in a boring city with my dad and pets.

“Well, I promised Teller I’d get you home by midnight,” he reminds me earnestly.

“Ah yes. My curfew,” I joke.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, what’s the deal with you and him?”

It’s not the first time someone’s inquired about us. People in high school used to think Teller and I were dating because we were together all the time. Even Bianca teases me about Teller being my boyfriend. “Me and Tel?”

“You two are just friends?”

“We’ve been best friends since tenth grade. Totally platonic,” I assure.

His brow pinches, skeptical. “Really? You haven’t even kissed or anything?”

“Oh god no!” I make a sour face as though he’s suggested I share a romantic kiss with my dad or something. “No kissing. Or anything else.”

“Interesting.”

“Why? Does it seem like there’s something between us?” I ask, face aflame and suddenly paranoid as an image of Teller’s abs rockets through my mind.

He shrugs. “Nah, I mean, he just seems ... suspicious of me. He was also grilling me about my intentions with you when we were touring the Vatican.”

I face-palm. I had no idea. “He’s just overprotective. I’m basically like his sister,” I explain, though he’s never referred to me that way.

“So you’ve never even talked about it?”

“No. We’ve always been with other people. And we’re just friends, anyway.” Even during that first summer we were both single, I was too busy trying to make him like me as a coworker and friend. Besides, he’s always just been ... Teller. “Actually, Teller and his long-time girlfriend broke up. That’s why I invited him on this trip. To help him get his mojo back.” Caleb gives me a look, and I can’t tell if he believes me or not. “Anyway, we should probably get back. We have a busy day tomorrow,” I remind him. Teller booked us a day trip to Viterbo, a medieval town outside Rome.

“Ah yes. The itinerary,” Caleb says. I get the sense he’s been less than thrilled about all the scheduled tours.

“I’m sorry if it’s been a bit much for you. I know you’re not huge on plans and stuff—”

“It’s not the way I like to travel. But can I tell you a secret?”

“Of course.”

“I’m putting up with the itinerary because I want to spend more time with you.”

A quick shiver surges through me. “Really?”

He watches expectantly. “I like you,” he says. “Is it too soon to say that? It’s probably too soon—”

If you only knew.“It’s not,” I murmur. “I feel the same way.”

“Your hair is ...” He tries to fix it, but I can already tell it’s too far gone. My bangs are all tangled from the wind.

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