Better With You - Maddie Poppe and Caleb Hutchinson Series (Book 2)

Chapter 6

Maddie's POV

"Oh, uh, wow," I say softly after we pull away, "Caleb, we shouldn't have..."

"I'm sorry," he says, "You're right. You probably have someone else."

"No, actually, I don't. But, you are still married," I state.

"Yeah," he breathes out.

Then I remember that Catie and probably Gabby are at my apartment, "Hey, will you be okay if I leave just for now?"

He looks up at me, "Oh, sure. Again, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable if I did."

"No, you didn't," I say, maybe a little too fast, "it's just that, Catie is at my apartment. Gabby probably is, too."

"Oh, okay," he says.

"Text or call if you need anything, okay? I mean that. I'm really sorry about what Bella and Jace did. Please just remember that you are a wonderful guy who deserves the whole world."

He smiles, "Thanks, Maddie."

"Of course," I smile back.

I leave the hotel and walk fast back to my apartment. I unlock the door and come in to find Catie and Gabby sitting on the couch with their mouths full.

I laugh, "Hey."

"Hi," Gabby says, after she swallows, "Catie said you went to see Caleb?"

"Uhh, yeah. Yeah, I did," I answer.

"Wasn't that weird though? Was Bella there?" She asks.

"I saw him going into a hotel," Catie says.

"A hotel? Why is he staying in a hotel?" Gabby asks, curiously. Catie looks up at me with the same confused look on her face.

"Well, something happened between him and Bella," I go over and sit with them on the couch.

"Yeah, obviously," Gabby laughs.

I bite my lip, "Mhm."

"What happened?" Catie asks.

Should I tell them? Is it even my business to tell? It'll probably come out eventually anyways.

"Caleb found out that Bella had a DNA test taken," I answer after a moment.

Catie's jaw drops as Gabby sets her pepsi down on the table, "What?"

"Bella cheated on Caleb with Jace," I raise my eyebrows.

"But what did the DNA test say?" Catie asks.

"It's Caleb's," I look down at the floor.

"So you went to make sure he's okay? That's sweet," Gabby says, "You still love him."

"I do," I admit. Then I feel my eyes start watering, "I always have and I always will. But he's going to have a family with someone else."

"Aw, Maddie, don't cry," Catie says. I smile as she speaks again, "So what happened at Caleb's?"

I turn my head and look to the side, "Uh."

"Maddie?" Gabby says.

"We.. we kissed," I admit, "and I know it was wrong. But..."

"But?" Gabby says.

"I can't say that I didn't like it." I sigh.

Two Days Later

I walk down the hallway to Caleb's hotel room. I knock on the door and he answers almost immediately.

"Oh, Maddie," he smiles.

"Hi," I smile back and hold up the bag, "I brought food."

"Oh, thanks. Yeah, I haven't really been eating much."

"That's not good," I say, walking in, setting the bag on the coffee table.

"I guess not," he sighs.

He eats the burger I brought him and we just make small talk.

After a small silence, I speak again, "Caleb?"

"Mhm?"

"You can't stay here forever, you know. You need to go somewhere besides this hotel," I state.

"I can't go home. I can't even look at Bella the same," he sighs.

I stare at him for a moment while he stares at the floor, "Cade said you can stay at his place."

He looks up at me, "he did?"

"Yeah," I smile, "I told him. I'm sorry, it's just that he was worried and I told him that you were here."

"Don't be sorry," he smiles.

"I can't tell you what to do. But Caleb, it would be so good for you to get out of this place. Please think about it. Please?"

"Maddie, I have to do something."

"Okay?"

"You can wait for me to come back if you want, but it's fine if you don't. I won't be long," he says.

"Okay. I'll be here when you get back," I say.

Caleb's POV

Bella is the last person I want to see, but I think I have to do this. I walk into our house and see Bella out the couch, her mascara running.

She stands up when she sees me, "Caleb, I was so worried about you."

I put my hand up, "Don't. I'm not coming home."

"Then why are you here?"

"You hurt me in one of the worst ways you possibly could," I say, not answering her question.

"I'm sorry," she says softly.

"Out of all people, you slept with my best friend. My best friend since Kindergarten."

"It won't happen again," she cries.

"How do I know that? If you did it once, how do I know you won't do it again? I can't trust you anymore."