Claiming Callie: Part two Read Online Free Page A

Dean that he ’ s unconvinced of the details behind their story. When Dean initially spoke with him about writing an a rticle, he had been careful not to tell Greg too much, only explaining that he and Callie had been secretly dating for a while now, and he wanted someone to clear up the misunderstanding from Jason ’ s article. Dean knew Greg valued truth in reporting, but r egardless of whether he bought the story or not, he would do Dean this one favor. Not only because of their friendship, but because the legal repercussions that could ’ ve been laid onto the paper were too great a risk. His handling of every aspect of the Pi tt News only looks good after graduation if he keeps his record free of any major glitches.
    “Callie,” Dean says, then glances to her. “This is Greg. He ’ s a buddy of mine, and obviously, the one writing up the article.”
    Callie nods and says, “It ’ s nice to meet you.”
    “Why don ’ t you take a seat,” Greg says, motioning to the couch behind them.
    Callie and Dean move across from him to the small love seat. Dean finds himself glancing around Buzz for signs of Maya and finds none.
    “Where is she?” Callie says under her breath.
    “ I don’ t know.”
    As if on cue, Greg says, “Our regular photographer couldn ’ t be here, so we had to find a last-minute replacement. She ’ s on her way now.”
    Callie raises her brows at Dean, her eyes shining with their shared secret. He can sense he r anticipation, the excitement of playing her part and helping him.
    “Anyway, we ’ ll get started. As promised, we won ’ t discuss anything in regards to, the uh…” He clears his throat. “The recent article, other than Dean ’ s statement of how devastated you were when it ran, not only for yourself, but for him. So, why don ’ t you guys start by telling me how you met.”
    Callie smiles and jumps in before Dean even has a chance to speak. They had only briefly discussed this prior to today and said they ’ d just build the story as they went. Now that they are sitting here in front of Greg, he isn ’ t sure if that was the smartest idea, but Callie seems to like the excitement of creating their fake romance. The energy vibrates off of her, when she starts.
    “ Well, he ’ s actually my best friend ’ s brother. My mother and his,” her voice hitches on the words, “were best friends their whole lives, so I ’ ve known him and his sister since we could crawl. His sister and I are the same age, and we grew up playing together. Dean ’ s always be en there as well, but more in the background. I never saw him as more than a friend until he came to school here.”
    The door to Buzz sounds and Dean glances behind him to see Maya. He hasn ’ t seen her since last semester, but she ’ s just as he remembers. Dres sed in in a heavy wool coat and jeans, her short black hair contrasts with her milky complexion and the red lipstick she wears. Slung over her shoulder is a bag he assumes carries her camera equipment. Their eyes lock for a moment and she pauses, just stop s walking and stares for a moment. She angles her head, surprise and then understanding—that he is a part of the couple she ’ s here to shoot—moving through her green eyes. The tiny stud in her nose glints under the light as she lightly shakes her head and t hen continues toward them. The set of her mouth tightens and her eyes leave his as she approaches.
    “Ah. Here she is,” Greg stands up. “ Our photographer. ”
    Beside him, Callie elbows Dean lightly in the side.
    “What?” he whispers.
    “It won ’ t look very good for our story if you keep gooning at the other woman,” she hisses.
    “What? I wasn ’ t—”
    Callie shushes him as Greg greets Maya. “If you want to get one or two candid shots while I ’ m talking to them, that ’ s great, and then you can take a couple posed shots when we ’ re finished. The article will be simple, so even though we just started, it ’ ll only