Caleb + Kate Read Online Free Page A

He closes the tailgate and rips a bite off the bar as he laughs. “ Señor Kalani, boys do not want papa’s clothes.”
    â€œThank you, Luis,” I say. Beads of sweat run down my back, and I want to take off my Monrovi Inn polo shirt, but shirtless workers aren’t allowed on the grounds. There are rules surrounding everything here—in my job and now my school.
    â€œI see your point,” Dad says.
    I pull the truck keys from my pocket. We need to fix the fence on the far northern end of the property beyond the golf course.
    â€œLuis, we better get going before my boss sees me wasting time talking about a stupid school dance.” I open the driver’s door while Luis trudges to the passenger side with a frown on his face. He lost at arm wrestling this morning, so I get to drive all day.
    â€œYour boss might fire you for not going to the prom,” Dad says as if considering whether to enforce this. “I think you should check it out. I’m going to talk to Duncan about your clothing.”
    I pause and then close the squeaky truck door. As head concierge of the Monrovi Inn, Duncan is the go-to man. From what I hear, he’s always good for extra event tickets—sometimes for free—and he has quite a lost-and-found collection. His house is like a museum.
    My thoughts return to Kate. We shouldn’t be friends. Distance is best.
    I turn over the engine of the truck. “I doubt I’ll go, Dad. But I’ll see you at lunch.”
    Dad waves good-bye and heads back toward his office in the maintenance building. I catch a look of determination in his expression. Not a good sign.
    KATE
    I am shuffling around my bedroom, still trying to wake up, when someone raps on my door and pops her head in. Without my contacts, it takes a moment to recognize Monica’s face beneath a mess of pink and brown.
    â€œWhat are those?”
    Monica carries her dress into my room and hangs it on the garment hook by my closet. I realize her hair is in sponge curlers, like something from our grandmothers’ days.
    â€œMy mom swears I’ll have curls all night if I keep these in my hair for an hour longer. I actually slept in them. Tried to sleep would be more accurate.”
    â€œI didn’t know they made those anymore,” I say, reaching up to squeeze a pink foam roll.
    Monica shoos my hand away. “Don’t touch now. You should have seen people looking at me when I drove over. I’ve been to the best hairstylists and bought all the gadgets but now”—she sputters—“I’m going old school.”
    I laugh—an unusual sound for me this soon after waking up. Monica never fails to surprise me. We’ve been friends since fifth grade, even though she’s among the most stuck-up people I’ve ever met. Yet she’s quirky and adventurous and fun—things you wouldn’t expect. And she’s been my most loyal girlfriend ever, even last year. Monica might be rude and conceited at times, but I can trust her with any secret and she’s always got my back.
    â€œBy the way, your phone is off,” Monica says.
    I look around and don’t see my phone anywhere in my room. “I forgot to turn it back on last night. I was avoiding someone.” Monica opens my closet door and disappears inside. “Well, there are other people who need to reach you, like me. We’re going to be late if we don’t get moving.”
    I find my phone at the bottom of my purse and turn it on. There are twenty text messages; several from Monica and Ted, the person I was trying to avoid, one from Oliver, and a few about tonight’s prom.
    I groan. “Ted sent me eight texts last night! You’d think he’d get it when I didn’t answer the first one. Or the second.”
    Monica pokes her head out of the closet. “Ted’s persistent. And he always gets what he wants.”
    â€œHe had his chance.” I start making