“It’s so good to see you, Gemma,” Blue eyes the color of her son’s glisten with happiness. “It’s been too long.”
“It’s good to see you too, Mrs. Ward.”
She gives a little wave. “Oh, call us Colleen and Roger,” she says.
I smile and she waves her hand toward the door. “Can you guys come in for a coffee, get caught up?”
“I actually can’t,” I say, and crinkle up my nose because I’d love to spend more time here. “I’m on my way to the Cape for a family reunion.”
“How lovely, another time then.”
“That’d be great.”
Callan gives his mother a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll check in with you guys tonight. If you have any trouble, just call.”
“Don’t worry about us, we’re fine. You two go on and have some fun.”
I open my mouth about to tell her it’s just me going to the Cape, but Kaitlyn comes running back onto the deck to drag her grandmother inside.
We head back to the car, and I take in Callan’s profile again as he backs from the driveway. “What street are you on?” he asks.
“Major, just two streets over from the school.”
I hum along to the song as he negotiates the busy Saturday afternoon traffic, and when he pulls up in front of my townhouse, I reach for the handle. “Thanks so much, Callan.” I hesitate for a second. “When I get back from the weekend, we can discuss Kaitlyn’s lessons.”
He nods. “Or we can discuss them on the weekend.”
“What?”
He taps the steering wheel. “We can discuss them over the weekend because I’m coming to the family gathering with you.”
My head rears back and I bump it on the window. “Ow,” I rub my head, sure I’ve heard him wrong. Yeah, I might have thought about it, but I wouldn’t go so far as to ask him. That’s crossing the friendship line. Then again, we kind of did that already last night in bed.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“Yeah, just a bump, and I think I heard you wrong. You said you were coming with me?”
He scrubs his face, and he nods. “Yup, I am.”
“You can’t just…come.”
“Why not. I’m on my days off, and I already packed a bag. Hurry on in and get your stuff so we can get going. We don’t want to keep everyone waiting.”
“Callan, I need to change my clothes, get packed—”
He turns to me and takes my hand. “If you’re going to be long, I’ll come in and help. But if you think I’m going to let you do this weekend alone, when your douche-bag ex is going to be there, to intimidate you, or whatever else he might have planned to win you back, then you don’t know me at all.”
My heart turns over in my chest, as tears pound behind my eyes. I honestly can’t believe he’s suggesting this. I wouldn’t in a million years ask, even though having him by my side would certainly send a message, and…I also really like hanging out with him.
I glance down and twist my shirt in my hands. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not asking. Now go get your stuff.”
I take a deep breath. Am I really going to let him get involved in my troubles? Although, judging by the stubborn set of his jaw, I’m not sure I have a choice.
I open my mouth and close it again, and a moan crawls out of his throat. “Are we about to have our first argument as a couple?”
I grin at that, a warm but weird sensation taking up residence in my stomach as I consider that. “No, we’re not. I’ll get my stuff.” I reach for the door and turn back to him. “Thanks, Callan.”
“You bet.”
7
Callan
The closer we get to her parents’ house, the more agitated Gemma becomes. I reach across the seat and take her hand. “You okay?”
She nods. “I’m actually looking forward to seeing my folks and my sisters. Do you remember Amanda and Nicole?”
“I remember Amanda the most. She was the funny one. Always carrying on and cracking jokes.”
“Funny one? The annoying one, you mean.” She rolls her eyes. “She always liked to embarrass me. Still does. She’ll probably do the same to you.”
“Oh yeah.”
She purses her lips. “Although, she never really tormented Brad.”
“Maybe it’s just a big sister thing.”
She shrugs. “I guess.”
“Did she like Brad?”
“To be honest, she never really said one way or the other.” She frowns, and glances down. “Come to think of it, they never really interacted very much when we’re all together.”
“Maybe he couldn’t pull the wool over her eyes.”
“It’s possible. She’s never said anything to me. Well, that’s not exactly true. After we broke up, she told me…” Her words fall off and she bites her bottom lip.
“What?”
“She told me...” She cups her face.
“What?” I ask and laugh.
“She told me to hook up with some random hot guy and fuck Brad right out of my mind.”
I laugh at that. “I’m glad you took her advice.”
She laughs with me. “You’re not random, Callan.”
“But you’re saying I’m hot though, right?”
“My God, are you twelve?” she asks, but she’s laughing so hard tears are in her eyes. The tension in my shoulders ebb away. I like that I can distract her like this.
“Maybe your sister only teases people she likes,” I say.
“Yeah, maybe. I guess we hope she embarrasses you then.”
“Well that’s something to look forward to I guess.”
“Both my sisters became teachers, too.”
“Like your mom.”
“You remember?”
I nod. “Do you spend much time with them?”
“Not as much as I’d like. We were all pretty close growing up, though.”
“Only child here.”
“Did you want siblings?”
“Yeah, I actually did.” I’m sure Kaitlyn would love to have siblings, but that’s just not in the cards for us. I stare at the road; cars pass in a blur. Am I depriving my daughter of a fulfilled
