My concerns eased somewhat, yet a trace of worry lingered.
Perhaps Caleb had a point.
The wedding festivities spanned a day and a night.
In the dimming light of the evening, Zoe and I were tasked with escorting the children home.
Having seen off the last one, we approached the entrance of the Roz District when Zoeâs phone rang.
Without overthinking, Zoe answered.
âHello? Whoâs this?â
A bartenderâs smooth voice responded, âZoe, itâs me, the guy who asked for your number recently.
Are you free for a date now?â
Zoe froze for a moment.
Seemingly overwhelmed by the alcohol sheâd consumed, she hesitated briefly before thrusting the phone at me.
âYou deal with this.
â
âWhat?â I was caught off guard, scrambling for a polite refusal.
To ensure Zoe could hear what he was saying, I switched the call to speaker.
âZoe, Iâd love to take you stargazing.
At midnight, the stars are breathtaking, much like you amidst the crowd.
â
âHa⦠I couldnât suppress a chuckle.
The man sounded young, his approach both romantic and sweet.
Before I could respond, Caleb abruptly took the phone from my grasp.
With a stoic expression, he bluntly told the caller to âf@ck off,â ending the call before the man could reply.
âZoe, please donât burden Debra,â Caleb said, handing the phone back to Zoe with a stern tone.
âNext time I bump into Harlan, I might just mention your new acquaintance.
â
Zoe responded with a cold snort and an eye roll before turning away.
Silence enveloped us, broken only by the whisper of the wind.
The cool breeze seemed to clear my head a bit from the alcoholâs effects.
âMy dear Debra.
â Caleb leaned in, mimicking the bartenderâs smooth voice.
âWould you grace me with your company to gaze at the stars?
The midnight skyâs beauty rivals yours, utterly mesmerizing.
â
I couldnât help but laugh, replying firmly, âNo.
â
âWhy not?â Caleb feigned a pout.
I replied playfully, âI have no interest in midnight star gazing and battling mosquitoes.
Would you Like to offer yourself as their feast instead?â
âActually, I agree with you.
â Caleb grinned, suddenly lifting me into his arms.