The Best Woman

The Best Woman - Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Callie

Bentley and I manage to get Dayton into bed without incident – his stomach is made of steel – and I leave a large glass of water on the bedside table for when he wakes.

"I'll walk you home," Bentley says, scratching the back of his neck. We'd let the taxi go, knowing it would take a while to get Dayton settled. But I planned on calling another one.

"What? You live twenty minutes away from my house and just two minutes from here. It makes no sense for you to go that far out of your way."

He shrugs. "Get murdered then."

"I'll call a taxi."

"And wait thirty minutes for one to be available at this time? You could be home by the time it turns up. Also, genius, a cab driver could kill you."

Hold. Up. Does he want to walk me home? I'm torn between insisting I call a cab and wanting to find out if and why he wants this. Calm down, Callie, what could happen on this walk? He confesses his undying love for you, and you end up having sex in the woods. Not likely.

Curiosity wins, though.

"Okay," I reply. "That'll be good, thanks."

He gives me a sexy, victorious smirk that half makes me want to change my mind. "After you."

We walk out of his parents' place and into the night. I've been renting a newly built apartment in a nice little block for the last four months. Although it's super small, I love the freedom it gives me. My parents were happy for me because I chose a place that's close to them and has a secure, coded entrance.

They do worry a lot.

"Do you think you should call Sam?" I ask when the silence stretches into minutes. I feel bad about what happened. He should at least check that she's okay, right?

Bentley deserves someone that's his perfect match and Sam is clearly not it, but she's probably hurting, and that's not nice.

"Why?"

"What sort of question is that? To see if she's all right..."

"She's the one that ended it."

"Doesn't mean you shouldn't make sure she's doing okay. She's probably really upset."

"I doubt that."

"Well, I don't doubt it, and I'm female."

"Then you call her," he says a little too sharply.

I swing my arms around my back. Wow, someone is touchy.

"Sorry. Look, I know you mean well but me and Sam are done. I have no desire to speak to her again."

"Fair enough," I reply. I can't blame him, she is crazy, but I would probably text. Well, I wouldn't because I bet I'm the last person she wants to hear from. "How are the stag plans going? I assume you'll be the one making sure Dayton ends up naked and tied to a lamppost?"

"Of course. I take my duty very seriously. There will be many, many strippers and many, many things his fiancée will never know about."

I slap his arm with the back of my hand. "Don't you dare do anything that will make him hate you in the morning. Day wouldn't cheat on Lucy."

"I'm not making him do anything."

"But you're encouraging it."

"No, I'm not. I don't cheat either, but guys can watch strippers and get smashed without doing anything they shouldn't."