Chapter 12
Cal
By the time I made it to The Sterling Oak Club later that night, I already knew I was in a mood.
Not angry exactly, just tense in a way I couldn’t shake.
The private country club lounge overlooked the golf course through massive glass windows while muted sports commentary played overhead from the flat screens lining the walls.
Wealthy people discussed business as they sat smoking cigars in corners while waitresses floated around carrying expensive whiskey and overpriced steaks like it was nothing.
Normally, this place relaxed me. Tonight, it wasn’t doing much.
Aaron and Jalen were already seated near the bar watching the late game when I approached.
“There goes the miserable bastard now,” Aaron muttered while lifting his whiskey glass toward me.
I ignored him and slid into the booth beside them.
Jalen looked over immediately.
“You look stressed.”
“I’m not stressed.”
“Your face says otherwise,” Aaron added.
I grabbed the whiskey bottle sitting on the table and poured myself a shot before either of them could keep talking.
Then another.
Jalen raised an eyebrow.
“Damn.”
“What?”
Aaron laughed softly.
“Your head ain’t been in the game all week.”
I rolled my eyes, already irritated.
“Can y’all shut up and watch the game?”
Jalen leaned back casually against the booth, amusement written all over his face now.
“I wonder who got your mind all wrapped up like this.”
I immediately became defensive.
“Nobody has my mind wrapped up.”
“Mhm,” Aaron muttered into his drink.
I threw back another whiskey shot, because honestly, hearing them dance around the topic irritated me mostly because they weren’t wrong.
And I hated that. Usually, I was the easygoing one in every room.
Loud. Funny. Social. But lately, it felt like something underneath my skin stayed tense no matter what I did.
Jalen studied me quietly for a second before his expression softened slightly.
“You nervous about Friday?” he asked finally.
That actually made me pause because, strangely enough, Friday was the one thing currently bringing me peace. Sports made sense to me. Broadcasting made sense to me. Preparation. Performance. Execution. That part of my life had always been simple.
I ended up leaving them at the bar because, honestly?
They were making shit worse. The more whiskey I drank, the more obvious it became that Aaron and Jalen were actually enjoying seeing me like this.
And I got it. This was new for all of us.
We all went to college together. Played ball together.
Lived together at one point. Not once in all these years had they ever seen me hung up over a woman. Especially not like this.
I drove around Houston for what felt like hours trying to clear my head while music played low through the truck speakers.
Downtown lights blurred past me while my thoughts kept circling the same woman, no matter how hard I tried redirecting them somewhere else.
By the time I finally looked up fully, I realized exactly where I’d ended up—Nia’s building.
I sighed immediately while rubbing my jaw.
“What are you doing, Caleb?” I muttered to myself.
Her porch light glowed softly outside the entrance, but I didn’t see her truck sitting outside. Could’ve been parked in the garage, though. I wasn’t trying to creep. At least, that’s what I told myself. I just wanted to talk to her. That’s all.
But the later it got, the more ridiculous this entire situation started feeling. I finally shook my head and threw the truck in reverse, ready to leave, when headlights suddenly turned into the driveway. A blacked-out sedan rolled smoothly toward the entrance.
My stomach tightened instantly.
And somehow… I already knew.
The driver’s door opened first before a tall figure stepped out calmly and walked around the front of the car. Then he opened Nia’s door.
Lord have mercy.
She looked incredible. The dress clung to every curve on her body perfectly while her curls spilled wildly around her shoulders from the Houston humidity.
Even from across the street, I could see the glow sitting all over her face.
She looked happy. Relaxed. Soft in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time.
I couldn’t get a good look at the man because his back stayed toward me most of the time, but the way he moved around her irritated me immediately.
He was too confident. He walked her all the way to the front step while she laughed softly at something he said.
Then he kissed her. Not quick, either. Slow enough to make something ugly twist hard in my chest. My stomach actually ached watching it.
And the craziest part? I had absolutely no right to feel that way. Still… I sat there gripping the steering wheel harder than necessary while they stood underneath that porch light looking too good together.
Eventually, the guy kissed her hand one more time before heading back toward the car. I waited until the sedan finally pulled away completely. Then, before I could talk myself out of it… I climbed out of the truck and crossed the street.
Nia had just started unlocking the front door when she looked up and froze slightly, seeing me walking toward her.
“What the hell are you doing here, Cal?”
I shoved my hands into my pockets, trying to act calmer than I actually felt.
“How was your date?”
She blinked at me.
“Again… what are you doing here?”
Then her eyes narrowed slightly.
“Have you been drinking?”
I shrugged casually.
“A little.”
“Caleb.”
“Nia, I’m fine.”
“You know better than to drink and drive, especially right now,” she said, stepping fully toward me. “Friday is huge for your career.”
I brushed her concern off quickly because hearing her worried about me only made my chest feel tighter.
“You never wore a dress like that with me,” I muttered instead.
Her entire face changed immediately before she burst out laughing softly.
“Cal, you've never taken me on a rooftop covered in candles with a private four-course dinner from Chef Marcel Laurent, either.”
I rolled my eyes immediately.
Whatever.
“I don’t trust him.”
Her eyebrows shot up.
“You don’t even know him.”
“Neither do you.”
“Cal,” she laughed again, clearly confused now. “What is going on with you?”
“Nothing.”
But even I heard how unconvincing that sounded.
Nia studied my face quietly for a second underneath the porch light while the warm breeze moved softly through her curls. Then, finally, my shoulders dropped slightly.
“I missed you,” I admitted quietly. “That’s all.”
Something softened briefly in her expression at that.
“You missed me?”
I nodded once slowly.
Nia sighed before stepping aside and holding the door open.
“Caleb, come inside and drink some water before you do or say anything stupid.”