Page 46 of Loved By Two
Fuck, how am I meant to make it through dinner when I feel like I can barely breathe, let alone eat? Jessica places her hand on my thigh to still it. I didn’t even realise I was bouncing my leg.
She gives me an odd look, but it’s thankfully cut off when our waiter enters to pour us each a glass of champagne and water.
We all place our orders, and once the waiter exits, I raise my glass.
“To us,” I say, clinking their glasses before taking a sip, unable to ignore the shaking of my hand. Fuck, my nerves are shot.
“To us,” they reply before taking a sip.
Noah lowers his glass, his gaze fixed on mine.
“What’s going on Caleb? Not going to lie, you’re low-key freaking me out.”
I glance at Jessica, who nods in agreement, and I undo the top button of my shirt, my collar suddenly feeling too tight.
“Nothing. Excuse me, I just need to use the toilet.” Before either of them has a chance to reply, I’m out of the booth, running for the door like my arse is on fire.
“Smooth, Caleb, really fucking smooth,” I mutter to myself and hope like hell Noah doesn’t follow me.
Without thinking, I bypass the toilets, heading for the exit, push outside, and inhale a deep breath.
I pull out my phone, bring up my recent call list, and dial.
It rings twice before there’s an answer.
“Caleb?”
I let out a deep sigh. “Octavia, fuck.”
She lets out a short laugh. “Caleb, are you freaking out?” It’s a rhetorical question because, of course, I fucking am.
“Maybe this wasn’t a good idea,” I reply instead.
Octavia laughs again, but it does nothing to ease my nerves. “Caleb, with a love like that, you don’t need to be nervous. It’s not like they’ll say no.”
I swallow, suddenly feeling very sick.
“Caleb? Where are you?”
My gaze flicks to the sign above the door. “Standing outside the restaurant. I needed some air. Said I had to use the bathroom.”
“Caleb, it’s natural to be nervous, okay? “
I squeeze my eyes closed and turn away from the entrance.
“Fuck, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve already been gone too long. I wouldn’t be surprised if Noah comes looking for me. He knows somethings up,”
“And you’d be right.”
I spin around and come face to face with Noah, and he looks pissed.
“Shit, O, I’ve got to go.”
Chapter Nineteen
NOAH
“Shit indeed,” I say with a raised brow, taking in the guilty as hell look on his face. “What the fuck is going on, Caleb?”
