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little crooked, but it didn’t take away from his otherwise charming smile. If anything it gave it more personality.
    Our server approached our table with a tray of food. She placed everything on the table and tucked the empty tray under her arm.
    “If there is anything else I can get for you, just holler,” she chimed before skipping away. Literally.
    I was worn ragged with all the dancing, and my brain and body were not cooperating. I should have been diving into the food, but I was close to sleep. Even the conversation had eluded me.
    “Callie? Are you okay, sweetie?” Ady asked nervously, reaching over to pat my hand.
    Cayden glanced down at me and gave me a tiny squeeze. I shook my head slightly and blinked my eyes. It felt like a hypnotist had snapped their fingers, finally waking me from my hypnosis.
    “Just tired,” I said and gave Ady a small smile. Then I dug into my Cardiac Attack.
    We were all pretty tired, so we shoveled food into our mouths without saying much. Emery, being the gentleman, paid the bill, and Cayden left the tip. I took it up to our energetic server, ready to crash for the night. When I turned around, Cayden and Emery were immersed in conversation while Ady watched me curiously. I motioned to her that I was going outside, and she responded with a nod. We were great at reading each other’s mime routine.
    The cold air rushed at my body when I stepped outside. I took a deep breath, and the smell of rain danced in my nostrils—it had never smelled so liberating. I could feel the tension on my mind weaken a fraction. I wondered if Tall, Dark, and Sexy at the club had somehow drugged my drink, just waiting for me to stumble toward the bar for another one. My drink had been unattended for who knows how long when I was facing away from the bar when we first arrived. Regardless, it felt unbelievably good to be able to have some of my own thoughts back.
    An arm snaked around my shoulders. “Hi, Cayden,” I said, relaxing into his body.
    “Hey babe. You okay?”
    I nodded. “Just needed air.”
    My friends exited the diner, and the four of us walked to the truck. Ady and Emery climbed in.
    Cayden removed his arm and held my hand. “I’m intrigued by you, Callie. I’d really like see you again, if that’s okay with you?”
    I didn’t really know this man, but I had to admit he also intrigued me. What was it about him? “I’d like that,” I said.
    “Great.” A smile spread across his face. “Can I have your number?”
    I opened the back door and fished around the seat pocket until I found a pen. I stepped closer to Cayden, took his hand, and wrote my number on his palm. “Don’t make me wait three days, or you’re out of a date,” I teased, starting to feel normal again.
    His grin widened. “Don’t you worry; I won’t even wash this hand. Call you tomorrow?”
    “Sure, that’d be great.” I gave him a tight hug and kissed his cheek. My lips began to tingle and it escalated into tiny, heated pinpricks. Shocked, I pulled away, my fingers pressed against my lips. I jumped into the back seat and gave him a small wave.
    As we drove away, the events from the night unraveled like a spool of thread. It unnerved me to think Cayden had some kind of love-sick-crazy-girl spell on me. Or maybe he was a hypnotist and that was how he was able to mesmerize me as fast as he had. How was I going to approach him when or if he called me? With a woof, woof probably. I’d have to deal with it when the time came.
    The drive home was not a quiet one. My best friends felt it was appropriate to tease me about our night. I loved them for always looking out for me and, okay, for their constant joking. I knew they only did it because they loved me too.
    “What was that about?” Ady asked, concern in her tone.
    “What? He’s cute. I really like him.”
    “He’s nice. A bit sarcastic, though. And he’s definitely not twenty-five.” She chuckled.
    “He probably just looks young for his age,” I