"Why did you scream at me for picking up that book?"
"Because I didn't want you touching it." I go back to dusting, making small circles over the wood in short, fast movements, while he stands there, watching me. "It's not your book, and you shouldn't touch things that aren't yours. It's bad manners. You should ask before touching people's stuff."
"Sorry. I didn't know. I'll ask next time, okay?"
I nod, and go over to dust the TV and the table it's sitting on.
Nash comes up behind me and I tense up, worried he's going to keep questioning me about why I acted that way. But instead he says, "Austin mentioned something about you making lunch, but we're just going to go out."
"No." I whip around to face him. "I already bought everything. I'm making spaghetti. You liked it, and I thought they would too."
"Isn't that a lot of work for lunch?"
"It's not a lot of work. I was just about to start the sauce."
"Callie, you really don't have to do this. We'll just go out."
"Please." I sound desperate, because I am. I like cooking for them. It gives me something to do. And I like having them around. Having his brothers here yesterday and today, I've felt like there's life around me again. I've felt like I have friends. Friends who don't know me as the Callie who lost her whole family. Those friends all abandoned me after it happened because no one knew what to say and nobody wanted to hang around a girl who's depressed all the time.
I know Nash's brothers aren't really my friends, but I can at least pretend they are for this weekend. I can pretend that Nash is my boyfriend and his brothers are my friends and we're all hanging out like normal people with normal lives.
"Okay," Nash says softly. "We'll have lunch here. Tell us when it's ready."
And then he walks out the door.
That's it. He's done with me. Whatever we started just ended. Between last night's crazy behavior and today's, he's not going to want to have anything to do with me. I don't blame him. He could have any girl, so why would he choose a crazy one?
At lunch, I serve everyone big piles of spaghetti on thick paper plates. We're eating outside on the folding table because the guys are too dirty and sweaty to eat inside.
"Freaking awesome meal, Callie," Bryce says, bunching up his napkin and dropping it on his plate.
"I told you she's a great cook," Nash says, slinging his arm along the back of my chair. "She made me chicken marsala that was better than you'd get at some fancy restaurant in Chicago."
"It wasn't that great," I say.
"It was better than great." He leans over and kisses my cheek, with his brothers watching.
They don't even react. I think they've all decided I'm dating Nash. But now I'm confused. Why did he kiss me? Did he decide he still wants to date me, knowing I'm crazy?
"I normally try to watch my carbs," Austin says, "but that was worth the splurge."
"We might have to come down here again just to eat," Jake kids.
"You can if you want," I say. "I'll make you guys dinner. I still feel like I owe you for doing all this work."
"It wasn't bad," Bryce says. "At least the weather cooperated."
It's been sunny and dry both days, and not too hot.
"And we had a fun night at the bar," Jake says, smiling.
"Did you even get her name?" Nash asks, annoyed with his brother.
"Of course I did. I'm not that big of an ass."
"Sleeping with a girl, then never talking to her again, makes you an ass," Nash points out.
"These girls are all willing partners. I tell her upfront I'm not looking for a relationship, and if she's not okay with that, then we don't continue."
"Sounds fair," I say.
"See?" He smiles at me. "Callie doesn't have a problem with it."
"Don't encourage him," Nash says. "He's gonna end up with a disease with all his random hookups."
"Nash, you worry too much." Jake checks his phone.
"So what was her name?" he asks.
"Katie something. I don't remember her last name."
"Another Katie, huh?" Nash drinks his pop. "The place must've been full of them last night."
"What do you mean?" Austin asks.
"Callie and I ran into this other girl named Katie at the bar last night. She's rich and spoiled. Her dad owns the country club."
Jake swipes his phone. "Yeah, that's her."
"Katie Kryer?" I bolt up in my chair. "You had sex with Katie Kryer?"
He nods. "Kryer. Yeah, that was her name."
Nash slams his hand on the table. "Why the hell would you sleep with her?"
"Because she's hot." Jake puts his phone away. "What's the problem? Am I missing something here?"
Nash sits back, folding his arms over his chest. "It's a long story, but basically I met Katie when I first got here and quickly learned she's a bitch who will do whatever it takes to get what she wants. She wanted to go out with me but I refused. Then last night, she came up and saw me with Callie and starting saying bad shit about her, with Callie sitting right there."
"Oh." Jake looks at me. "Sorry. I didn't know."
"It's not your fault," I say. "I'm guessing she didn't mention her boyfriend?"