Anticipations (Evie Cortez Book 2)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

My whole shift I was preoccupied thinking about Michael’s visit. He would never tell me why he needed a spy on Caleb after I declined the job offer and for him to ask it had to be serious. It took a lot for anything to be serious for Michael; it always had something to do with family business or family threats. And family meant the vampire race.

After our break up I constantly reminded Michael he had no say in my life. That fact went both ways and no matter how curious and worried I was I couldn’t question him. I prayed whatever it was no one I cared about ended up hurt.

My shift ended just before sunset. I was relieved to finally be home and in my comfortable bed. No matter how stressful the day was or how active my mind was with questions, when I laid down it all faded away and I slept. 

I woke a few hours later just before noon and noticed my answering machine was beeping. Jamie called while I had been at work asking me to come over when I woke up. She sounded down, much like she had when I asked her about Ray. He was her first serious boyfriend and heartbreak. I couldn’t tell her it’d get better or promise some fairytale when five years later I was still hung up on my first love. I could be there though, to listen and be her friend.

After I dressed in my day attire—jeans and an old t-shirt ripped at the waist—I walked over to the Nikolas household. His car wasn’t in the driveway but Caleb was home, he opened the door. I didn’t want to see him. “Is Jamie around?”

“She’s upstairs. Come in, we need to talk.” Caleb was a serious intense man himself except he scared me where as Michael didn’t. Whatever he wanted to talk about wasn’t going to be good for me, his tone hinted as much. Caleb walked over to the mantel. “I found this in Jamie’s room.” He picked up a 9mm revolver.

Jamie came running down the stairs. “My father likes to invade privacy. Well you know that.” She crossed her arms tight and frowned. Her father found a gun in her room but she was the one mad. Humans were strange at times.

I should’ve stayed in bed late. “After what happened three months ago Jamie wanted a way to protect herself. I go to the shooting range all the time and I asked her if she wanted to come along. She’s not like the rest of us Caleb; if she finds trouble she can’t outrun it.”

“You should’ve asked my permission first, she’s a minor.” Caleb was good at hiding his feelings and if I hadn’t gotten to know him somewhat those three months ago I wouldn’t notice the anger piercing his midnight blue eyes. What I wasn’t sure was of was if he was angry at me and the situation or something else entirely.

“Dad, leave her alone. This is your problem, you think I’m some little kid that doesn’t know about life. I asked for Evie’s help and she gave it. You should try that.” Jamie turned on her heel and ran back up the stairs.

I looked at her father. “What does she mean?” I started to think about Michael again and question what the hell was happening in town.

“Nothing. She’s taken to eavesdropping lately and she thinks you’re some sort of super woman.” He ran a frustrated hand over his hair. “She always complains about how I do things but lately it’s different.” He looked to me for answers.

It would come out eventually and it also gave Caleb a piece of mind. “She broke up with Ray and that’s hard for a girl her age. She’s a teenager and like you said a lot has happened lately. Give her time to cool off and try to talk about it. I have to go.” I left, walking very briskly out of the house and down the street. I realized over the last few months I wanted to avoid Caleb because I wasn’t comfortable with how much I opened up to him. When I was terrified and all alone he had been there, it was one big mistake I couldn’t forget when he was standing in front of me.