She tightened her hold on my hand and smiled. “Okay. Come in, Caleb.”

As soon as I entered, I froze.

Damon was sprawled on the couch, a big bowl of popcorn on his lap as he watched a hockey game on TV. He looked over when he heard us come in.

What the hell was he doing here?

Chapter Twenty-three

Caleb

I instinctively pulled Red close, possessively plastering her to my side.

“Hi, Damon,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

My gaze whipped from his face to hers. She was smiling. I gritted my teeth.

“Oh, hey, Angel Face.”

Angel Face? Who the hell does he think he is? Who the hell gave him permission to call her that?

“My DVD player broke,” he explained. “I’m just watching reruns. I miss hockey.”

No one asked you.

But I wisely kept my mouth shut. I knew Red would just get annoyed.

What the hell could I do? I was possessive when it came to Red. I wasn’t going to hide that.

When Damon’s eyes turned to me, he nodded. I was sorely tempted not to return the nod, but I was raised to be polite. And I remembered Red telling me that Damon was the one who had texted her that I was at the club where he was working that night. For that, I nodded back.

Still.

I narrowed my eyes and studied him. I guessed some girls would think he’s handsome. With that tame-me, I’m-a-drifter look about him. But Red wasn’t some girl. She wouldn’t even consider Damon handsome…would she?

And what was up with that guitar he carted around with him? He was probably using it as a chick magnet. Like a dirty old man carting around a cute dog so girls would flock around him.

So what if he played guitar?

So what if I had no musical talent whatsoever? If I decided to play something, it would be video games. Not a pansy-ass guitar.

Wait. Did Red like it?

Maybe I should start learning…

I realized I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I’d missed some of their conversation.

“That sounds good,” Red was saying. “Let me know what other jobs you can get for me. I’m free this summer.”

What? She would accept a job from him but not from me?

How the hell did that make sense?

I was starting to feel frustrated on top of my jealousy. I was starting to feel aggressive. I didn’t care for it.

“I have a gig tonight and tomorrow, and on Sunday, I’m serving drinks at a swank party. And standing around looking good,” he added, winking. “I can probably get you in if you’re available.”

“Oh. Not this weekend. I have a shift at the shop tomorrow, and I have a special day on Sunday. By the way, where’s Kar?”