Page 116 of We Can't Be Friends

Not that it’ll be that hard to pretend with Callum. I never have to pretend with him.

“I’m Chloe, his girlfriend,” I say brightly.

“Right.”

We unfold ourselves from each other and I miss his body being against mine.

She blows out air and a disappointing shake of her head. “I told you that you needed to get serious about a relationship. Playing house with her isn’t going to do you any good.”

“We aren’t playing house.”

“Then why is she living with you? In your bed? You’re better than that, Callum. Better than her.”

Wait. . . what? Better than her?

She doesn’t even know me.

Audrey’s body tenses, face pulled, but she holds her tongue.

“Her apartment flooded. What would you want me to do, put her out on the street?” Cal about gives himself whiplash, staring at me, then his mother frustratingly. Her words cut against our fragile hearts.

His mother snaps at me. She is tempting my overwhelming need to protect Callum. I almost snap back at her before I remember that isn’t who he needs me to be right now.

Breathe, Chloe.

“Give my son and I a moment, would you?”

Before throwing the covers off us, I slip my hand into Cal’s. I squeeze it once. Then again.

I leave the room with a heated spotlight on me. Audrey follows Tucker and I into my bedroom, closing the door, her back flush with it.

“So that’s Sienna Sullivan.” She tries to give me a placating smile. “I didn’t realize it was my parents when I opened the door. Ordered breakfast and they were there. I’m sorry,Chloe—”

“I’m not mad at you.” Tucker jumps up next to Audrey on the bed. She tries to apologize again and I swat it off. Audrey and Callum’s autopilot behavior around their mom has my inner need to protect them scratching at my surface. “Are they popping in or?”

“They want to go to brunch. Their flight back to London is tonight.”

I open my mouth to comment, but close it. Who knows how long they’ve been here and the pick the last day to come see him. I shake off the thought and open the door to my walk-in closet. “May I suggest you wear—”

Turning, I stop Audrey right there. “I’m going to be myself around her.”

“Good.” Audrey’s mouth curls with amusement.

She keeps me company while I finish getting ready.

Downstairs, I find Cal on a kitchen bar stool beside a spitting image of him, only thirty years older. Holy DILF.

Ifthatis what Cal will look like when he’s in his fifties, I won’t only be lucky, but blessed.

Since when do you think about a future with him?

They are sipping tea and sharing a newspaper, passing different pages to each other. Both in glasses. Tucker is under the island, head resting in Mr. Sullivan’s lap.

His dad spots me first, setting everything down and giving me his full attention. Unlike his mom, I instantly like his dad.

“Dad, this is Chloe.” Callum swallows and I nod, silently reassuring him that we’ve got this. “My girlfriend.”

I stick my hand out and he takes it, tugging me into him for a hug. “Pleased to meet you,” he says, releasing me from his embrace. “I’ve heard wonderful things about you.”

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