Page 40 of I Hate You More

“Yes, boy. I see you. Yes, I’ve missed you. I would’ve brought you with me, but you know you get carsick.”

Spencer watched as his dog and his brother enjoyed a reunion fit for a separation of a year instead of a few hours. Caesar licked every inch of skin he could reach before jumping up and tackling Caleb to the ground. There, the pair wrestled and laughed and generally acted the way man and his best friend were supposed to.

“He likes you better than he likes me,” Spencer said as Caleb pulled off one of his socks, balled it up, and tossed it like a chew toy.

For the first time in his life, the words didn’t cause him a pang. After the things Ruby had said to him—the things she’ddoneto him—he wasn’t sure they could.

“Everyone likes me better than you” came Caleb’s easy reply. “But you don’t have to look so sour about it. I’ll be out of your hair sooner than we thought. I’m up for early release next week.”

“Wait.” Spencer almost dropped the book in his hand. “What?”

“You don’t have to look so surprised. I’ve been a good boy, remember? I’ve attended all my meetings and followed all the rules. You made sure of that.”

Spencer’s first feeling was one of unadulterated delight on his brother’s behalf. He knew how much being tied to this house chafed him, how hard this whole thing was on an extrovert who thrived on other people’s attention.

His second feeling was of deep foreboding. No matter how much more charitable Spencer might be feeling toward him, Caleb wasn’t ready to be foisted back on the world yet. Nothing about him had changed—he’d shown no regret over his actions, altered nothing about his habits. Other than this training gig, he had no plans for long-term work, and Spencer didn’t see that changing anytime soon. Throwing him back out in the world without any rehabilitation would only result in the same outcome as before.

And the worst part was, Caleb knew it. It was Dog Training 101. Until you addressed the underlying cause of the behaviors, they would always remain.

“Just think—a few more days, and then freedom will be mine. I can practically taste it. The first thing I’m going to do is ask Ruby out. Somewhere with drinking and music and very little clothing.”

“I don’t think that’s the sort of thing she’ll enjoy,” Spencer said doubtfully.

Caleb laughed. “What you mean is, it’s not the sort of thingyou’denjoy. I hate to break it to you, but you’re not an eighty-year-old recluse—and neither, I might add, is Ruby. A woman like that wants to be taken out and treated like a queen.”

Spencer shook his head. That wasn’t the Ruby he was coming to know—the one who spent every minute of her free time training a dog that wasn’t her own and for no reason he could tell other than her determination to prove him wrong. The one who was strong without being showy, sweet without being shy.

“You’d be better off taking her to a dog park for extra training,” he said. “Or treating Wheezy to a fancy grooming session somewhere. The only thing she wants is for that animal to win the West Coast Canine Classic.”

Caleb’s laugh was both loud and long enough to bring the heat rushing to Spencer’s ears. “And this is why you’re still lonely and single at the ripe old age of thirty,” he said with a shake of his head. “Women don’t want to be taken to the dog park, Spencer. They crave romance and passion. They want excitement.”

The dog parkwasexciting. One look at Caesar’s face anytime they pulled up was all the proof Spencer needed of that.

“You’re single, too,” he pointed out. “And why are you so sure she’s going to say yes, anyway? Maybe she prefers men who are more…serious-minded.”

It was a dangerous thing to do—to show his hand like this, to admit that Caleb wasn’t the only one attracted to Ruby—but it was too late to back down now. He held his breath as he waited for his brother’s inevitable reaction—the laughter and mockery, the assurance that of the two of them, Spencer was the less likely to win her regard.

Caleb didn’t disappoint. “Well, I’ll be,” he said, grinning like the Cheshire cat. “Youlikeher.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You think she’s hot.”

“This isn’t about appearances.”

“You want to kiss her.”

“I didn’t say that either.”

“With tongue.”

“Now you’re just being juvenile.”

Caleb threw himself onto the couch, his hands behind his head as he settled in and got comfortable. Not by even a fraction of an inch did his smile recede. “Out with it. When did these feelings develop, and what have you done so far to woo her?” He nodded at the book in Spencer’s hand. “I’m assuming your newfound love of romance novels has something to do with it? Trust you to go aboutreadinginstead of doing something.”

Spencer could only blink across the room.

“I can probably convince her that another few training sessions every week are necessary, but we’ll need to make sure she can schedule for a time when you’re home.” Caleb tapped his front teeth with his forefinger. “And as soon as I get this stupid monitor off my ankle, I can come up with some kind of excuse to leave you alone together. Fuck, I’ll be glad to see the last of this thing.”