Page 64 of Until We Break

He grazed the side of my face. “I’m sorry tonight was…tonight.”

“I shouldn’t have come. Everything about it wasn’t right. I had that square peg, round hole feeling the whole time. I barged in and Carrie didn’t like it.”

His thumb brushed over my cheek as he moved in closer. “I don’t really care what Carrie likes. I’m leaving too.”

“But, the casserole? It’s famous. You can’t leave an uneaten famous casserole on your plate.”

He shook his head. “You’re lucky you didn’t try it yet.” He winked.

I couldn’t stop the giggle.

“I’ll head back in and tell her I’m getting you home. I’ll tell Lucas goodbye. Wait for me and we’ll catch the ferry together, okay?”

“You sure I’m not pulling you away? She really wants you to stay.”

Caleb eyed me. “Do not leave me here with her.”

I smiled. “Okay. I will keep you safe. Which in this case means I’m going to stand right here by my car until you’re out of the house.”

He leaned over, dragging his lips against mine. “My hero,” he teased before jogging back into the lion’s den.

THIRTY-THREE

Caleb

Idrove onto the ferry first. Margot parked directly behind me. As soon as the chalks were under my tires I stepped out and moved toward her car. I opened the driver’s side door.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

I offered her my hand and smiled. “Have you ever seen the island at night?”

Her palm slid against mine as she stepped out of the car. “I guess I haven’t.”

I steered her toward the front of the ferry. There was a large net stretched across the bow to keep anyone from driving off. We stopped a few feet from the net. I wrapped my arms around Margot’s waist as she looked out onto the water.

“Tonight was a shit show.”

She nodded. “It was. And I have a vintage tablecloth I can’t afford to have cleaned, to prove it.”

“I’ll handle it. That entire dinner was my fault. I shouldn’t have gone. Shouldn’t have asked you to go either. The whole thing is on me.”

Margot rotated to face me. “You know what I’m going to say don’t you? I can take care of the stupid cleaning bill no matter how many boats need to use the boat ramp tomorrow to make it happen. I don’t want you to take care of it for me.”

“I thought we settled all these debts in the hospital,” I teased.

She groaned. “I think I still owe you for my coffee.”

I dug my fingers into the small of her back, pressing her firmly against me. “You’ve definitely paid your coffee debt.” The wind whipped her hair as the ferry glided along the channel.

“Is that so?” she purred, tipping her lips toward me. If she wanted me to take them, she was doing a damn good job of luring me in.

I had watched her handle the train wreck tonight. She withstood Carrie’s rude antics. She was gentle and sweet with Lucas, despite how territorial his mother had been. I’d never met anyone like her. Was it wrong of me to be glad she had washed up on Marshoak because of that money pit?

“What about the check? Did you have any time before I got there to talk to Carrie about the check she gave you?”

“I gave it back.” It was the one thing that had gone right. “She has it. I told her there was no way I could accept it and I left it at her house. That’s over. No more dinners. No more money.”

Margot sighed. “I guess no more Lucas.”

---