Caleb

Twelve

"I know you want me near, but your love is what I fear." ~ Someone That Loves by HONNE feat. Izzy Bizu

Picture above is just a little something that's gonna happen in the chapter :)

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Chapter Twelve

The dinner went surprisingly well. No scratch that, it felt normal. I wasn't tense as I expected to be when I sat down on the table.

Caleb sat directly in front of me while Heather was in front of Monica. When he sat down in front of me, Heather followed suit and grasped his arm scooting near his seat. As if she wasn't near already. The wine I kept drinking that night soothed me and made me comfortable having Caleb sitting across from me.

The endless chatter along the table didn't stop as they talked amongst themselves. Monica actually had a normal conversation with Heather, but I bet she was just making small talk since she and Marcus were talking to the couple across from us. Liam and I, we talked about a lot of things and since his aunt Franny was near us, she talked to us about a new store she's going to put up in the city.

"I always have a love for baking so I thought: why not put up a cupcake business right here? Nolan already has the restaurant, so I'll have the cupcake cafe." Franny got a pen from a waiter wrote her ideas down a napkin.

After dinner, I found myself talking to Jayden about his company and it turns out he was an alumna of the college Liam and the rest of us are in.

"So Ashley," he put his hands in his pockets as he stood beside me. "Liam took you to meet the family huh?"

I looked at him and he just a simple smile on his face. I wasn't sure if what he's asking is a trick question, but I answer him honestly. "I was surprised that he invited me as his date when we just started going out for a few weeks."

"That's Liam alright," Jayden shook his head. "Always the doer, not the thinker. It's good to see that you're his date. The girls before you, they weren't nice like you. I was starting to doubt his choice in women."

I shot him a polite smile that I could muster without grimacing. Knowing Liam's past from his uncle made me realize that I don't actually know much about him personally. In a deeper level.

After that, we headed upstairs where the adults and kids would socialize among themselves. There was another open bar and a bartender throwing bottles of alcohol in the air, catching them and putting them in a shaker to mix the drinks. The old men already got started with the free flow in bar and others were having quiet discussions with a glass of scotch in their hands.

Liam left my side after a while when we got up here. He had something to discuss with his father and colleagues and that he didn't want to leave me alone, but I told to go ahead.

"Are you sure?" He was in front of me, a look of uncertainty on his face. "I'll be back as soon as it's over."

"I'll be fine," I assured him. "Now go." I waved him off.

"Thanks," he kissed my cheek before he stepped back. "You're the best."

And now here I am, sitting on one of the stools in the open bar that provided me with a little peace to myself. I had a vodka cranberry in my hand and just listened to the music the DJ they probably rented, mix some fast music.