“So every time you do something for me, it’ll require payback?”
“Buddy, that’s life. You always work to balance the scales. You don’t wanna owe someone something, even if it’s only in your head that you owe ‘em and they don’t give a shit. It’ll fuck with you. So you give back to balance the scales.”
He knew he had her with the way her face changed, not that she nodded in understanding, instead she looked more irritated because he was right.
“That said,” he went on, “I’d buy this and install it for nothin’, you need to take care of your car and Kate doesn’t need to be scrapin’ ice off hers either. I thought you’d let me do that and know those scales stayed balanced, I wouldn’t have said shit. But you wouldn’t let me do that, I know because you asked how much the fuckin’ thing cost.”
She glared at him, even more irritated because he was again right.
Then she changed the subject and he knew she was trying to piss him off further too.
“If I’m not a booty call, what am I?”
He looked over her shoulder to see Keira skipping across the yard, swinging her bags, going to the front door of the house.
Then he looked at Vi and muttered, “Jesus, Vi.”
“No, I wanna know, what is it that we’ve got?”
“What it isn’t is a booty call.”
“You said that already.”
Cal glared at her and she took it, waiting, silently demanding an answer.
So he answered, “I enjoy you, you enjoy me, for as long as it’s good.”
“That’s it?” she asked, her face carefully controlled, her body tense, fighting to hide her reaction to his words and, in doing so, not succeeding in hiding the fact that he’d gotten under her skin too.
Shit.
He should have never fucking started this again.
He forced his voice to soft when he replied, “I thought we had an understanding, buddy.”
She held his eyes a moment then she stepped away, murmuring, “Yeah, we did.”
The side door opened and Kate called out, “Here’s your Coke, Joe.”
Cal looked from Vi to Kate and saw Kate also got her mother’s walk, cool, calm, unconsciously moving her hips, swaying her ass, in possession of her body in a way that no teenage girl should be. Dane probably saw her walking down the hall and knew he’d go for it.
Or he’d seen her smile.
First chance he got, he was having a conversation with Dane.
She made it to him and handed him the Coke.
“Thanks girl,” Cal muttered.
“You want a sandwich?” she asked. “We got turkey and roast beef.”
Vi’s kids were polite. Cal wasn’t surprised.
“I’m good.”
“You want one, just call,” she said, looked at her Mom, gave her a small smile and then she walked away.
“I’ve got shit to do,” Vi mumbled but Cal reached out a hand and grabbed her arm.
When she turned back to him he said, “We’re not done, buddy.”
She looked at him and replied, “I don’t think I’m comin’ over tonight, Joe. I got things to think about.”
He knew what she’d be thinking about, she’d be thinking about ending it. He also knew she should and, she didn’t, he knew he should but he wasn’t ready.
“Vi.”
Carefully, she pulled her arm from his hand and asked, “You gonna be in town awhile?”
“Yeah.”
“We’ll talk later,” she said quietly and moved away.
He let her. He let her because Colt was now with Feb and Myrtle across the street and he’d taken Jack from Feb. He had the baby held close to his front, both arms wrapped around the boy but his eyes were on Cal. So were Feb’s. Myrtle didn’t notice, she was busy gabbing.
Cal opened the Coke, took a drink and set it aside.
Then he went back to the ladder.
Fifteen minutes later, he was standing in front of the garage door testing the remotes when a dark blue Chevrolet Equinox pulled up to the curb and Mike Haines jumped down.
Cal watched him, his mouth getting tight, seeing Mike’s eyes on him as he walked up Vi’s drive and noting Mike’s mouth was set tight too.
“Cal,” Mike greeted.
“Mike.”
Vi came out the side door, her eyes jumping between them, uncomfortable and unprepared for this scene.
Mike turned to Vi, watched her walk up to them and said softly, “Hey, sweetheart.”
“Hi,” she replied and Cal felt his gut get tight.
“Got plans tonight?” Mike asked Vi and Cal watched Vi’s eyes remain glued to Mike.
“No, why?” she asked back.
“Thought we’d reschedule dinner for tonight,” Mike answered and Cal knew the asshole was making a point, doing this with him standing right, fucking, there.
“Um…”
“My place, six o’clock,” Mike said firmly, not waiting for her to reply. “You still got my address?”
“Yeah.”
“Good,” Mike said, again talking soft then he lifted a hand to her jaw. “You have troubles findin’ it, you give me a call, yeah?” She nodded, he leaned in and touched his mouth to hers.