8 Weeks (Time for Love 1)

“’Atta girl,” I replied, putting my hand up for a high five.

I stepped up to the register to put in my order, then shifted to the side to wait for Sasha to put in hers.

I glanced up when the door jangled, signaling someone’s entrance to the deli, and my heart fluttered when I saw it was Cal.

I took advantage of the fact that he hadn’t yet noticed me, and I looked him over slowly.

He had always been the hottest guy I’d ever seen.

He still was …

He was dressed for work, so he had stains of grease scattering his clothes, and his hands had streaks of gray … Like he’d tried to wash up, but hadn’t had time to get his hands totally free of grease. I’d always thought he’d looked hot when he was working. Some people may be turned off by the mess, but not me. I’d always loved knowing that Cal was a strong, capable man who could make something that was broken, whole again.

His hair was mussed, like he’d spent the better part of the day running his hands through it, and his face was dark with the shadow of a day-old beard.

As I watched him, my body became flushed and aware, as if it was attuned to the fact that my mate was in the vicinity.

“Shit,” Sasha said from behind me, causing me to jump. “You’re making me horny … You’re looking at Cal like he’s on the menu, and you’re starved.”

“Shut up,” I hissed at her, but she just chuckled and yelled out, “Hey, Cal!”

I shot her a look that I hoped conveyed that I wanted to chop her into bits, then turned and smiled as Cal walked over.

“Hey, Shel … Sasha,” Cal said when he got close enough for us to hear him. “I’m just picking up

lunch for TJ and me, how’s it going?”

He had a smile on his face, but his eyes looked troubled as they searched my face.

Things hadn’t ended well after Craig’s birthday, and I hadn’t contacted him yet to let him know whether I still wanted to go out Saturday or not. I’d been able to think of little else … but it seemed like our relationship is all I’ve thought about and I still had no idea what to do about it.

I loved Cal, and I probably always would, but I didn’t know if I could continue to be his wife … And I didn’t know if I could continue giving him hope.

“I’m gonna go to the bathroom,” Sasha said suddenly, walking off quickly to give Cal and me privacy, her heels tapping across the linoleum as she did.

“How’s it going?” I asked.

“How’ve you been?” Cal asked at the same time.

We both chuckled nervously, him looking toward the register, while I looked around the room, neither of us meeting each other’s eyes.

“I’m sorry about the other night,” I said softly, running my hand through my hair with a sigh.

“Hey, what’s that?” he asked, his hand coming up to touch the beginning of my tattoo.

I lifted my sleeve up to show him the word, then pulled it back down.

“Tattoo,” I responded.

“I like it,” Cal said, his eyes still on my arm.

“You do?” I asked, not sure I believed him.

He must have heard the disbelief in my voice, because he looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t know …” I said with a shrug. “I just didn’t think you would.”