Rival Dreams (Rival Love #3) Read Free Page B

She’s right. I should just tell her about the draft and not keep holding it back from her.
    “Caleb?”
    “I’m here. So, don’t come over, then?”
    “No. I can wait to see you on Friday. Besides, I’m going to put a green mask on my face and I know how much you don’t like that stuff.”
    “Sky, it makes you look like an alien. Why would I like it?”
    She laughs. I love her laugh. It’s not all pitchy and annoying, or deep and throaty. It’s kind of musical, just the right pitch. “I should have stayed. I want to hold you,” I say.
    “Me too. We could have cuddled and I could have painted you green, too.”
    “That was a onetime thing. I told you, never again.” I let her put her green goo shit on my face once, and she teases me about it every time she puts that crap on her face.
    She’ll even wave the jar in front of my face and ask, “Want some, baby?” It’s not funny, but she’s so cute the way she teases, it makes me laugh.
    Sky interrupts my thoughts. “So … what happened after the girl kissed you?”
    “Huh?”
    “The girl. You said she kissed you and gave you her number.”
    “Oh, right. So I pushed her away, wiped my mouth, of course, came to my room, threw her number in the garbage, and called you.”
    “I still think we should have made a collage out of the phone numbers and lined the bathroom walls with them.”
    I laugh. “Well, that idea is sounding more and more appealing.”
    “Caleb, are you okay, though? I mean … are we okay? Because ever since we decided to get a place together you’ve been a little … out of it.”
    “I know. I swear it’s not what you think. It’s just school shit. It has nothing to do with us moving in together. I want to do this. I do. Wake up to you every morning. Kiss you every night. Fight about laundry or whatever couples who live together fight about.” In fact, just thinking about having a place together—getting ready for class, cooking meals—all of it puts a smile on my face. I want her, and a life with her, so bad. But I also can’t just expect her to pack up and follow me. It’s not right.
    “I love you. No matter what,” she yawns. “I’m going to get off the phone, though. See you soon.”
    “I’ll call you tomorrow. I love you, babe. Sweet dreams.”
    “Mmm. My dreams are always sweet because they’re about you.”
    Yeah, I’m smiling now. How can I not be? Anyone can say this shit, but they don’t mean it like she does. “God, you’re amazing.”
    “Am I?”
    “Yeah, babe, you are.”
    “Well, I’m only amazing because of you. Good night.”
    “Night.” We hang up and I feel like the biggest damn fraud on the face of the earth. She thinks I’m so honest, and I feel like these past couple weeks, all I’ve been doing is lying to her. Making promises on a life I’m not sure we’ll have anymore. Not if I’m drafted and she remains here.
    I shoot a text to Lance.
     
    Caleb: Hey man. Wings? Tomorrow?
     
    It takes a couple minutes but Lance responds.
     
    Lance: Yeah. Cool. See you at Bdubs.
     
    Lance has been my best friend since first grade. He’s levelheaded and can talk sense into me in a way I can understand. The only other person who can really do that besides Lance is Skylar. I can’t talk to Sky yet, though. I need an opinion on what I should do first.
    My roommate Kyle comes back to the room with a twelve-pack in hand. “Your girl isn’t staying tonight?”
    “Nope.”
    He shrugs and walks over to the mini-fridge. “Want one?”
    “Sure.”
    I stretch toward the fridge and take the beer Kyle is holding out for me. I twist off the cap while he grabs a bottle for himself. He taps his beer to mine and we both take a drink.
    Kyle takes a seat in his computer chair and says, “You’re lucky man, to have a girl like her.”
    “I know.” And I do know. Just like I’m very aware of the fact I could lose her real soon.
    “Seriously, bro. If she’s got a twin that’s like her and single, you