“How’s Jake?” Jocelyn asks Ava about her big brother.
Ava smiles. “Doing great. He’s coming to visit next weekend and Hannah is coming with him.”
“And when do you leave to go back to school?” Jocelyn asks her.
The smile disappears from Ava’s face. “Mid-August. Eli isn’t happy about it. Neither am I.”
I want to ask her why she goes to school at SDSU, but I keep my mouth shut. I know she loves it down there. Her parents encouraged her to go somewhere different. Not to get her away from Eli, but to get her to have different experiences. They did the same for their oldest, Autumn, and for Jake too. I’m sure Beck, the youngest Callahan, will end up going to college somewhere out of the area as well. It’s what the Callahan kids do.
Eli chooses that exact moment to walk into the living room, the smile on his face fading when he sees Ava’s somber expression. “Baby girl, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She shakes her head and rises to her feet, pasting on a phony smile. Eli goes to her without hesitation, wrapping her up in his arms and kissing her in front of all of us. And it’s not a simple kiss either. He takes it a little further, until she’s shoving him away and her cheeks are the faintest pink. “Don’t maul me in front of our friends, Eli.”
“You like it.” He squeezes her butt before letting her go, turning to scan the room, his gaze landing on Hayden. “Your man asked me to come get you. He needs your help.”
Hayden frowns. “Why didn’t he come get me himself?”
“He can’t leave the barbecue,” Eli says.
“Oh, right.” She leaps to her feet then she’s gone. Eli settles onto the couch next to me instead of going to sit with Ava, who’s suddenly involved in a quiet conversation with Jocelyn.
“Caleb was asking me where you were,” he says to me nonchalantly.
“Hmm.”
“That’s all I get? Hmm?”
I glance over at him to find he’s watching me intently. “Yes, Eli. That’s all you get.”
He shakes his head, making a dismissive noise. “You two think you’re sneaky, but you’re not. I may be gone a lot with Ava or whatever, but I know what’s going on.”
Wariness prickles my nape. “And what exactly do you think is going on?”
“You two are fucking on the low,” he says without hesitation.
I burst out laughing. “No, we are not.”
“Then you’re hooking up. Messing around. Whatever. Something is happening, G. Don’t deny it.” He points at me, his expression firm. I always thought Eli had such a baby face, but lately I’ve noticed he’s starting to look older. Even handsomer, if that’s possible. He’s filled out more too, becoming broader in the chest and shoulders. Maybe even a little taller? I don’t know.
They’re all looking more and more li
ke grown ass men and not a one of them could be considered hideous. They’re all sickeningly attractive.
“My boy isn’t interested in going out anymore. If he’s not working or at practice, he’s at home. In bed at a decent hour and everything. I can’t remember the last time he was with some random chick,” Eli says.
Caleb better not be with some random chick or I’ll hang him up by his balls. “You should be glad. Sounds like he’s growing up.”
“Oh, I’m definitely glad. We were worried about him for a while there when he was partying too much, but I’m thinking you have something to do with this new version of Caleb.” Eli points at me again. He likes to point. It’s rather rude, but I don’t call him out for it.
“I don’t think I have that much sway on Caleb’s behavior,” I say with a nervous laugh.
“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit.” Eli leans in close, his gaze serious as he studies me. “I think you have more influence on our boy than you realize.”
Eleven
Caleb
I just get home from practice, exhausted from being out in the hot ass sun for hours on end, when Gracie is on me the moment I enter the apartment.