Gavin chuckles. “Go ring your friend and come find me after. Deal?”
“Fine.” I look up at him and wait.
He gives me a look that says he understands what I’m doing. When he lowers his mouth, he skips my lips and presses a kiss to my jaw, his beard drawing shivers over my skin. “Phone first.”
“Ugh.” I take his face in both hands and kiss him soundly on the mouth.
He responds until butterflies are having a rave in the empty cavity of my stomach, then backs up.
“Okay. Meet you downstairs.” I slip around him and dart up to my room, closing the door behind me. When Bekah answers the phone, I hold my breath, heart still going wild from the kiss. “Are you still with Peter? I have a question for him.”
“I am. Are you okay? You sound out of breath.”
“Yes, just ran up the stairs. After I kissed Gavin.”
“Okay,what? More on that first, please.”
“Peter first, Gavin after?” I say.
“Be quick about it.”
“Hello?” Peter says.
My pulse races. Since recognizing how locked into this program I’ve felt, this is the first time I’ve had hope things could possibly change. I’m simultaneously nervous he’ll tell me it won’t work and eager to hear I have options. “Hi. I have a question for you. Does UCLA have a master’s out of the way program?”
“I’m not following.”
My heart sinks. Stanford has similar programs to my school, but we aren’t the same. I sit on my bed and rub my eyes. “My mom heard about it. It’s a thing where you can apply to get yourmaster’s after reaching a certain number of years in the doctoral program.”
“Oh, that. Yes. It’s called master’s on the way. It’s not official, and it’s frowned upon as a route to get a master’s from a university if you don’t intend to get the doctorate.”
“But I can? If I want to quit, it’s possible?”
“Yeah, you can. You need the dean to sign off on it and a few other requirements, but it’s nothing you’re incapable of.”
Everything suddenly feels brighter, and I don’t think it’s just because the sun has fully risen now.
“Listen, Callie, if working with Kayla is that difficult, we can shuffle?—”
“It’s not just that. I’m not sure what I’m going to do yet, but I appreciate the information.”
“Is it my turn now?” Bekah asks, her voice distant.
“Yeah, I think we’re done.” Peter laughs lightly. “Anything else, Callie?”
“That’s it,” I say, falling back on the bed and closing my eyes. I truly relax for the first time in I don’t know how long.
He must have passed the phone to Bekah, because the next thing I hear is, “Start at the beginning and tell me every single detail.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
GAVIN
It’sobvious from watching the Winter family that they are close knit, and going caroling with them is further proof. We start with Douglas, and the best bit is when he opens the door to a crowd of strangers who immediately begin to sing “Silent Night” and shift seamlessly into “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
His face doesn’t hide his shock. The man doesn’t know what to do with himself.
He’s gracious with the group crowding on his porch and lets them finish their songs, which I didn’t fully expect. That’s a pleasant surprise.
