WebNovels

Chapter 12 - Shared Rides, Subtle Spark

The morning after last night's quiet honesty still lingered in my mind, like the faint smell of rain on the streets.

Somehow, the world felt smaller and louder at the same time.

Normal routines taking on new weight.

And now, fate,

Or Callisto, decided to make the day even more complicated.

There's one thing I hate more than traffic, it's fate having a sense of humor.

My car decided to die on me tonight, right when I was supposed to meet everyone at our usual Friday spot.

Ember. Rooftop bar, too much neon, and the best fries in the city.

I was still glaring at my dead engine when a familiar black sedan slowed beside me.

The window rolled down, and there he was, Callisto Maxim.

Calm, crisp, unbothered, like he didn't just roll straight out of a luxury car commercial.

"Car trouble?" he asked.

"No," I said, deadpan. "Just thought I'd bond with my hood tonight."

He ignored that completely. "Get in."

"I'll call a cab."

"You'll wait twenty minutes for one." He unlocked the passenger door.

"We're heading to the same place anyway."

I hesitated. "If we show up together, they'll start asking questions."

He glanced at his watch. "Then don't make it obvious."

Right. Because pretending not to secretly live with my fake husband was totally simple.

Still, I got in.

The drive was quiet, not awkward, but that kind of silence that hums between people who know each other's rhythms a little too well.

Streetlights flashed over his face, slicing the calm into moments I couldn't stop noticing.

When we stopped at a red light, I caught my reflection in the window.

My hair messy, lips pressed tight, trying too hard not to care that he'd come for me without hesitation.

When we reached Ember, I texted the group chat.

Alex: On my way.

Luca: You better not be ditching us again, Sy.

Tessa: Bring dessert or forgiveness.

Bianca: Remind Callisto to actually have fun. Don't leave me alone with him. He's too quiet.

Rafe: He's not the problem. Luca's singing is.

Dane: He's right. Please hurry.

I sighed. "They're all there."

"Good," Callisto said. "Then we won't draw attention."

I gave him a side-eye. "You seriously underestimate how dramatic our friends are."

He smirked. "Then let's get it over with, love."

I glared. "Yes, but don't start with that."

He didn't reply, just that subtle twitch at the corner of his mouth that meant he'd already won.

Inside Ember, chaos ruled.

Luca's booming laughter. Bianca arguing with Rafe. Tessa waving her drink like a wand. Dane sitting in his corner, quiet but seeing everything.

Luca spotted us first. "Well, well, look who came in together!"

Tessa gasped like she'd seen a scandal. "Wait?! Did you two arrive together?"

"My car died," I said quickly.

"He gave me a lift."

Luca grinned. "Oh? Corporate chauffeur service?"

"Shut up," I muttered, but I was already smiling.

Callisto's voice was smooth as glass. "It was on the way."

Rafe whistled. "Sure. Just a coincidence."

Bianca tilted her head. "You two seem less hostile than usual."

"We're evolving," I said.

"Miracles happen," Callisto added, perfectly deadpan.

Luca raised his glass. "Then cheers to that!"

Callisto sat beside me, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Dane's eyes flicked between us but stayed silent.

And just like that, the attention moved on.

To stories, teasing, clinking glasses.

I relaxed. Almost.

Because the longer I sat there, the more impossible it was not to notice him.

He ordered my usual drink without asking.

He handed me napkins when I spilled water.

He shifted my glass away from the edge of the table without looking.

All these small, practiced gestures. Things you only do when you've spent too many mornings in the same kitchen.

Then came the shelves incident.

"So, Alex," Luca said, leaning forward. "How's the new place? Still a disaster zone?"

"It's fine," I said. "Still unpacking."

"She's adjusting," Callisto added. "We got the new shelves installed yesterday."

We.

Tessa blinked. "Wait, we?"

He didn't catch it at first. "The contractor was late, so I…"

He stopped, realizing too late, and sipped his drink like nothing happened.

I jumped in. "He just helped me contact one of his guys from maintenance."

Rafe grinned. "Ah, so Maxim Industries is offering home repair services now?"

"Only for hopeless cases," Callisto said smoothly.

I glared. "Excuse me?"

He met my eyes, smirking.

"You heard me."

Luca practically fell out of his chair laughing. "Oh, this is gold. You two should hang out more often."

"Hard pass," I muttered, though even I heard how weak it sounded.

Later, Tessa clapped her hands.

"Okay! Everyone shares the most shocking thing that happened this week!"

Luca whined about losing a deal.

Rafe bragged about accidentally modeling for a tourist ad.

Bianca ranted about deadlines.

Then Tessa turned to me.

"Your turn, Alex."

I opened my mouth, but Callisto spoke first. "She almost burned her hand trying to fix the coffee machine."

I turned to him, stunned. "That was…how did you…"

"You told me yesterday," he said simply.

Right. Over breakfast. In our kitchen.

Tessa's eyes widened. "Wait, you two talk outside the group chat?"

"It was a client thing," I said quickly. "Work-related."

Luca grinned. "Ah, coffee and contracts. My favorite love language."

"Luca," I warned.

He held up his hands, laughing.

"Fine, fine. Just saying, you two are scarily in sync for people who used to argue like enemies in court."

"People change," Callisto said quietly.

Something about the way he said it.

Soft, private that made me look up.

For a second, the noise around us blurred, and it was just his gaze holding mine.

Steady. Searching.

Dane noticed. Of course he did.

His eyes flicked between us, thoughtful, quiet. Not suspicious yet, just observant.

When the night finally wound down, Bianca caught me near the exit.

"Hey," she said softly.

"You and Callisto seem… different tonight."

I laughed it off. "Different how?"

"I don't know." She shrugged.

"Less tense. Like you stopped pretending to hate each other."

I forced a smile. "Guess miracles do happen."

She smiled back, not convinced.

Outside, the city air was cool, streetlights reflecting off wet pavement. Callisto was waiting by the car, hands in his pockets like he'd been there for hours.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Bianca thinks we're suddenly best friends."

He started the engine, calm as ever.

"You handled it well, love."

"I handled 'you' well," I shot back.

"You almost blew our cover."

"I was just carried away," he said, while smirking.

The drive back was quieter this time.

But not cold. Just… steady.

Familiar.

Like we'd fallen into a rhythm neither of us meant to create.

When we parked, I unbuckled, still half caught between irritation and something warmer. "Next time, maybe try not to sound like we share a life."

He turned his head, eyes catching mine.

"Maybe stop making it sound like that would be terrible."

He got out, leaving me in silence, the sound of his door shutting far too loud.

And for the first time, I didn't know if my heart was racing because of the act.

Or because I was starting to forget it was one.

More Chapters