Falling for the Wingman (The Kelly Brothers, Book 3) by Crista McHugh

Seven
     
    Caleb rolled over and immediately groaned. It was bad enough his sleep had been total shit last night, with the constant throbbing in his balls reminding him how he’d royally fucked up with Alex. Now the damned sun threatened to take the current throbbing in his head to a whole new level. Adding to his agony was an additional pounding from the door.
    “Yoo-hoo, Caleb, darlin’, time to wake up,” Miss Martha’s overly cheery voice called from the hallway.
    He cracked open one eye and spied the alarm clock on the nightstand. 10:39 a.m. No, it wasn’t time to get up. He wanted to sleep all goddamn day until he figured out what the hell he was going to do next.
    “I need to get your room ready for the next guest,” she continued. “Do I need to come in and drag you out of bed?”
    The doorknob jiggled, and his heart jumped into throat. He bolted to the door to keep the B&B owner from barging in and discovering how easy it would be for her pinch his bare ass. “I’m up.”
    Unfortunately, the contents of his stomach threatened to follow the same path as his still-racing heart. He covered his mouth and prayed he wouldn’t puke.
    “All righty,” Miss Martha sang in a voice that was way too chirpy for his ears. “Checkout time is eleven. I’ll fix a cup of coffee for you.”
    The fading sound of footsteps eased the tension from his muscles, and he sank to the cool hardwood floor, still leaning back against the door. It was Wednesday, the day he was supposed to get answers from Kourtney. Where had the week gone? And more important, did he still want those answers?
    He closed his eyes and tried to remember how Kourtney had felt in his arms, but all he could think about was Alex. The softness of her hair. The hint of vanilla on her skin. The fire in her kisses. What would have happened if those drunken words hadn’t slipped from his mouth? Would sex with her be everything he’d imagined? Or would it have been an awkward mistake that would forever haunt him?
    One thing was certain—he needed to clarify where he stood in regards to the two sisters, and right now, his mind was as clear as mud. He forced himself to his feet and stumbled to the shower, letting the warm water wash away the fog that surrounded his mind.
    By the time the clock read eleven, he was packed, dressed, and feeling a bit more coherent. The aroma from the steaming black coffee Miss Martha handed him when he came downstairs chased away the last remnants of sleep. “How much do I owe you for the room?” he asked before taking a sip.
    “Not a penny,” she said with a grin. “Alex and I worked out a deal for your room.”
    Crap. One more reminder of how Alex had gone above and beyond to help him out. “I enjoyed my stay and wish I didn’t have to leave.”
    “Oh, I do too.” She cast an appreciative glance at his backside. “But I have a feeling you’d have no problem finding a place to stay until the wedding, especially judging by the way you and Alex fogged up the windows of her truck last night.”
    He paused, the coffee cup hovering an inch above his mouth. Jesus, didn’t people in this town have anything better to do than spy on him and Alex? When Alex had told him they would have tongues wagging, she wasn’t kidding. He cleared his throat, not wanting to disclose how the action in the truck ended on a sour note. “We’ll see.”
    “Save a dance for me at the wedding.” She gave him a girlish wave and headed up the stairs.
    Caleb took his bag out to the oversized front porch and sat on the swing to finish his coffee before heading to the garage. He needed to figure out what he was doing before he faced either Leadbetter sister. He pulled out his phone to ask Adam for more advice, but his finger continued down his contact list to his mom’s number. Perhaps it was time to learn the hard truth.
    “Caleb, sweetie, I was wondering when you’d call.”
    He bit back a groan from the heavy guilt trip her words carried.