"I said I don't care. If she wants to go to The Oasis, let's go there," he said, his expression void of any emotion, though a flicker of anger flashed in his eyes. Jake and Tommy stared at Caleb, disbelief etched across their faces as they tried to comprehend why he was agreeing to such an absurd idea. Caleb, however, wasn't swayed by Jackie's taunts or her insinuations about his inability to afford such a place. Tommy shot a glare in Jackie's direction before turning to Caleb. "You don't have to do this, buddy. We're perfectly fine eating here," he said earnestly, his concern clear in his voice. Jake nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's no big deal." He then shot a pointed look at Jackie. "Those who don't want to eat here can go." Turning back to Tommy, he muttered under his breath, "You need to get a dog lead for your woman—oops, I mean bitch lead. She's too much. How do you put up with her?" Tommy ignored Jake's comment, though a slight frown creased his forehead. He loo
As they strolled towards The Oasis, Cassie's bubbly chatter filled the air, her voice like a persistent stream of excitement. Caleb glanced her way intermittently, offering only curt responses, his mind elsewhere. Despite Cassie's undeniable allure, Caleb's thoughts remained fixated on Sophia, his fiancée. Cassie, undeterred by Caleb's distant demeanor, continued her attempts to engage him. "Hey, Caleb, did you see that new movie that just came out- The Vikings?" she asked, her tone eager. Caleb managed a brief shake of his head, his thoughts drifting to Sophia. He wondered if Amanda had told Sophia about seeing him at the hotel with Emily. How would Sophia react? Would she be upset? Would she even care? Lost in his thoughts, Caleb barely registered Cassie's next question about their plans for the weekend. He knew he needed to address the situation with Sophia, to understand why she had visited his apartment at such an odd hour. Despite Cassie's persistence, Caleb's focus remai
"Unbelievable!" Tracy's hissed under her breath, as she watched Caleb and Cassie, her thoughts consumed by a toxic mix of disbelief, envy, and wounded pride. She had expected Caleb to be devastated by their breakup, believing herself to be of far greater value than he seemed to realize. Yet here he was, not a hint of sorrow in his demeanor, but rather moving on with his life as if she had never mattered. The realization irked her to no end. To Tracy, Caleb's apparent ease in finding happiness with another woman felt like a direct insult to her worth. She had expected him to mourn the loss of their relationship, to pine for her in her absence. But instead, he had swiftly moved on, leaving her to grapple with the sting of rejection and the unsettling notion that perhaps she hadn't meant as much to him as she had believed. As she continued to watch Caleb and Cassie, Tracy's resentment simmered beneath the surface, fueling her glare with a bitter mix of jealousy and wounded pri
Kenneth noticed Tracy's eyes blazing with anger as she prepared to confront Caleb. Without hesitation, he grabbed her hand, yanking her back into her chair. His grip tightened as he scanned the room, making sure no one was paying too much attention to them. Leaning in close, his voice low and urgent, he whispered fiercely, "What the hell were you about to do?" He could see the fury in her eyes, but he needed to keep her from causing a scene. Tracy yanked Kenneth's hand off her arm, sitting back down with a huff. Her eyes were still blazing with anger as she leaned in closer, her voice a fierce whisper. "What do you think I was doing? I was going to expose him as the thief," she hissed, her voice laced with venom and a touch of mania. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips curled into a malicious grin as she continued, "I wanted to catch him off guard, right here, in front of everyone. Can you imagine the look on his face when he's exposed? It'll be priceless...." looking back st cale
As Caleb's gaze flickered back and forth between Tracy and Kenneth, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of his stomach. Normally, Tracy and Kenneth would have already approached him, their voices raised in accusation and anger, ready to cause a scene as they often did. Yet, to Caleb's surprise, they remained seated at their table, engrossed in their own conversation. The absence of their usual dramatic outburst left Caleb feeling perplexed. He couldn't help but wonder what they were plotting, their hushed whispers and furtive glances fueling his suspicions. Were they biding their time, waiting for the opportune moment to strike? Or had they concocted a more insidious plan that didn't require a public confrontation? Despite his attempts to focus on his meal and the conversation at his own table, Caleb's mind couldn't help but dwell on Tracy and Kenneth's behavior. He couldn't shake the feeling that something sinister was brewing beneath the surface, and he
With a mischievous glint in her eye, Jackie scanned the menu, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she rattled off her orders. "Let's see... we'll start with the lobster bisque, followed by the filet mignon cooked medium-rare, and don't forget the truffle risotto as a side. Oh, and we simply must have the foie gras for an appetizer, darling." Each word was enunciated with exaggerated flair, as if she were performing in a play. Caleb, unfazed by her theatrics, simply sat back and watched, his expression unchanged. Jackie's lips curled into a sly smirk as she continued to order, fully aware that Caleb was footing the bill for their lunch. She relished in the thought of seeing him squirm under the weight of her extravagant requests. Tommy's grip on his fork tightened as he leaned over to Jackie, his tone laced with frustration. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper but seething with anger. Jake pursed his lips, his eyes narrowing as he exchan
Tommy and Jake exchanged puzzled glances, their eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Caleb's casual demeanor left them bewildered. Wasn't he concerned about how he was going to foot the bill? It wasn't just Jackie who seemed to have lost her mind; their buddy appeared to have lost his as well. Jackie's initial shock at Caleb's calm demeanor quickly turned to frustration, and then to a simmering anger. Her plan to rattle him by ordering an excessive amount of food was backfiring spectacularly. She had expected him to be visibly flustered, to squirm under the pressure of footing the bill for such an extravagant meal. Instead, he seemed completely unfazed, as if her antics were of no consequence to him. As she watched him casually peruse the menu, Jackie's mind raced with disbelief. How could he be so composed in the face of her deliberate attempt to provoke him? She had hoped to see him sweat, to witness a flicker of panic in his eyes, but there was none of that. Instead, he appeare
After a few moments of tense silence, Jake leaned forward, his curiosity getting the better of him. "What's going on with Cassie? Why is she acting so... what's the word? Nice!" Caleb looked up from his phone, his expression slightly amused. "She's just being friendly, Jake. Maybe she finally realized there's more to life than being a snob." Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Friendly? That doesn't sound like Cassie." "Yeah, I agree," Jake chimed in, nodding thoughtfully. "Cassie's being unusually friendly. It's like she's bending over backwards to please you, Caleb. It's kinda weird, don't you think?" Tommy furrowed his brow, voicing his concern. "It's strange, isn't it? One moment she's yelling at you in the bar, and now she's all clingy and friendly. Is there something we dont know?" Caleb sighed and set down his phone, his gaze shifting between his friends. With a slight smile, he realized he couldn't reveal the real reason behind Cassie's sudden friendliness. Instead, he chose his