Chapter Twenty-Four
Caleb
Afterward, Indi comes back to my place so she can finally see where I live, and we can squeeze every possible second out of our time together before reality kicks back in. She has work the next morning, and I need to drive out to Oxfordshire for rehearsals, but right now everything feels… right.
For the first time in years, my life feels like it’s finally clicking into place.
My music career is starting to take off, and somehow it all circles back to Indi. She’s the reason I ever chased this dream seriously in the first place, so it only feels fitting that she’s here beside me while it all begins.
We spend the rest of the night tangled together in my bed, making love, talking, laughing, and filling in the six years we lost. I learn things about her that surprise me.
Despite being gorgeous, sweet, and impossible not to love, she’s actually lived a pretty sheltered life.
She doesn’t really have many friends either.
Apparently, there’s one girl from work named Kenzi.
Indi describes her as loud, outgoing, chaotic, and embarrassingly extroverted, which honestly makes me laugh because it sounds like the complete opposite of Indi’s quiet, guarded personality.
But she says they work well together, and apparently, Kenzi is the only person who knows everything…
About Indi’s past.
About me.
I can’t even lie, hearing that secretly makes me ridiculously happy.
The fact that she still talked about me after all this time, that she still thought about me the same way I thought about her…
fuck! It means more to me than it probably should.
And honestly, I’m grateful she had someone there for her while I couldn’t be.
I definitely want to meet Kenzi someday and personally thank her for helping Indi through everything.
But right now, I’m driving toward Oxfordshire with a stupid grin plastered across my face and so much love for Indi filling my chest it almost physically hurts.
Jesus Christ.
That sounded lame as fuck.
I don’t even care.
If that makes me some pathetic lovesick idiot, then so be it.
I’d scream it from rooftops if she’d let me.
But I understand why she wants us to be private for now, so I’ll keep my mouth shut.
I sing loudly along with the radio during the hour-and-a-half drive to Colt and Dee’s manor, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel while adrenaline and happiness buzz through my veins. I can’t wait to rehearse with the kids.
Well, no, they aren’t really kids anymore. Most of them are teenagers now, and Aston’s technically an adult, but because they’re seven or eight years younger than me, I’ll probably always think of them that way.
As I hit the remote for the front gates, I notice Chad’s car already parked in the driveway.
Of course, I’m the last one here.
Typical.
Chuckling to myself, I park the car and grab my cell from the console before quickly firing off a text.
Me: Miss you already. xoxo
The message sends, and I shake my head at how easy this whole relationship thing feels with Indi. It’s effortless and natural.
My cell buzzes almost instantly before I’ve even climbed out of the car.
Indi: I miss you too. I can’t wait to see you again. Have a good practice. I have to start work now, but I’ll message on my break. I love you. <3 xo
A ridiculous smile spreads across my face as I type back.
Me: Okay, have a good shift. Save lives and stuff. lol. Love you more. xo
Smirking at myself like a complete idiot, I shove my cell phone into my pocket and climb out of the car.
I can’t stop smiling.
It’s actually embarrassing.
Walking up to the front door, I knock once before Aston answers with Annie practically hanging off his arm, and I raise an eyebrow.
“So Colt’s okay with the public displays of affection now?” I ask dryly.
Aston’s eyes widen in immediate panic while Annie bursts out laughing.
“Dad’s… well, Dad,” she says with a grin. “He still hates it. But Mum gave him a very thorough lecture about letting us live our own lives together, so now he tolerates us.” She looks up at Aston smugly. “Right, babe?”
Aston glances at me like he’s fighting for his life. “Yeah,” he mutters carefully while giving Annie a placating smile.
I snort to myself.
Poor bastard.
He clearly wants Annie more than oxygen itself, but being affectionate with her around Colter Slade probably feels like willingly stepping into traffic. And now Annie knows she’s got Colt cornered about it, she’s absolutely going to milk the situation for all it’s worth.
“Good luck, mate,” I mutter, slapping Aston on the back as I walk inside.
We head down toward the music room, where everyone’s already gathered.
“Hey, Caleb!” Chad calls while pulling one earbud aside and waving a drumstick at me.
“Hey, dude.” He grins before shoving the earbud back into his ear and returning to whatever he’s listening to.
“Caleb, good, you’re finally here,” Colt says.
The second I reach him, I throw my arms around him in a tight hug without even thinking.
He laughs loudly while returning the man hug. “You’re in a suspiciously good mood,” he says. “What’s this for?”
Ella and Annie immediately start giggling behind him.
“Just feeling grateful,” I admit honestly. “This whole music thing exists because of you and Indi. Without you guys, none of this would be happening.”
At the mention of her name, Colt pauses. “Indi, huh?” he says thoughtfully. “I haven’t heard from or seen her in years. I wonder how she’s doing.”
Instantly, I remember her request.
‘Don’t tell your family yet.’
So I force my expression neutral and lie straight through my teeth. “When I saw her at the hospital, she looked good.”
“You should catch up with her properly sometime,” Colt says casually. “You two were always close. Invite her to a concert. You never know, she might throw her shirt at you or something.”
Heat instantly rushes into my face as my brain flashes straight back to this morning when Indi absolutely did throw her shirt at me.
Granted, she was getting naked at the time.
“Yeah… maybe,” I mutter awkwardly. “She’s pretty busy these days. Whole different life now. I doubt she cares much about me anymore.”
Colt studies me strangely, clearly confused by my sudden dismissal of her.
“Okay then,” he says slowly. “Anyway, we need rehearsal before tomorrow night’s gig.”
Right as he says it, my phone starts ringing.
Glancing at the screen, I see Sasha’s name pop up.
Damn! I completely forgot to send her that thank-you text.
I nod toward Colt before stepping out into the hallway and answering the call, “Hey, Sasha.”
“Hey, Caleb. You sound way happier than last time we talked.”
I smile despite myself because, honestly, thanks to her advice, I am.
“I’m doing a lot better now. Seriously, thank you.
I took your advice and went to see Indi.
We sorted everything out, and we’re together now.
” I lean against the hallway wall. “I meant to text you and thank you, but things got a little distracting.”
Silence crackles down the line.
“Sasha?”
“Yeah, I’m here.” Her voice sounds quieter now. “So you and Indi are officially back together?”
“Yeah. But we’re keeping it private for now, so please don’t mention anything.”
“Okay.”
Something about her tone suddenly feels… off.
“I was wondering…” she says hesitantly, “… if maybe I could see you again sometime?”
I frown instantly.
Seriously?
“Uh… I don’t think that’s a good idea considering I’m back with Indi,” I reply carefully.
She exhales softly. “Yeah, I figured. Thought I’d ask anyway.”
Unease twists in my stomach, but before I can really think too deeply about it, Annie appears in the hallway.
“Cuz! Stop flirting on the phone and get your ass in here. We’ve got jammin’ to do.”
I laugh while Annie disappears back into the music room.
“Look, Sasha, I really appreciate what you did for me, but Indi and the band need my focus now. I’m sorry.”
Silence.
Then finally… “Okay. I get it. I’ll catch you around.”
The call disconnects.
I stare down at my cell for a second before running my hand through my hair.
Yeah…
Pretty sure I just dodged a massive fucking bullet there.
***
After rehearsals, I drive straight back to London so I can be home when Indi finishes her night shift. By the time I crawl into bed, I’m exhausted, but there’s no chance I’m actually going to sleep before she gets here.
She told me not to wait up.
Told me she’d be late.
But there’s no way in hell I’m falling asleep knowing she’ll be walking through that door eventually.
After a ridiculous amount of back-and-forth earlier, I finally convinced her to take a key to my place. She kept insisting it was ‘too soon’ for that kind of thing, while I argued that I wasn’t getting out of bed at four in the morning every time she came over.
Which, okay, maybe that was reverse psychology.
But it worked.
The second I mentioned not wanting to drag myself out of bed, half-naked, to answer the door, she snatched the key from my hand and informed me that, obviously, I shouldn’t have to do that, and that maybe having a key was practical after all.
Sometimes, gently manipulating Indi’s stubbornness is the only way to get her to see reason.
So now I’m lying here half asleep, listening to some terrible early morning television show playing quietly in the background, when I hear the front door creak open.
I glance toward the bedroom doorway and rub my face quickly, trying not to look as exhausted as I feel when she walks in.
A second later, she peeks her head around the door, and she appears completely drained. Dark circles sit beneath her eyes, her shoulders are slumped, and she looks so tired I immediately want to carry her straight to bed.
Sitting up, I pat the mattress beside me. “Hey, baby.”
She smiles weakly as she steps into the room and places her bag on the drawers. “Hey. You should be asleep.”
As she slips off her shoes, I push myself off the bed and walk over because she honestly looks like she might collapse standing up.
“You okay?”