Silence crashes over the table.
Isobel looks like she just bit into a lemon. Keira is visibly fighting laughter. Maggie watches me with renewed interest.
“A waitress?” Isobel repeats slowly. “My son met his future wife while she was serving him drinks?”
“Not exactly,” Callum cuts in. “Jane is joking. American humor.”
“No, no,” I insist with a wide smile. “It’s true! I spilled gin on his shirt. A very expensive shirt, actually. It was mortifying.”
Isobel turns a horrified look on Callum. “You never mentioned a gin incident.”
“I preferred to keep that to myself,” he says tightly.
“It was a defining moment for us,” I continue, unable to stop now. “Callum was so kind. Most men would’ve made a scene, but he just smiled and said he didn’t even like the shirt.”
“Callum? Kind about a ruined shirt?” Lachlan cuts in. “We’re definitely not talking about the same man.”
The look Callum shoots him could probably kill at ten paces.
“It was different,” I say, placing my hand over Callum’s in a soft, affectionate gesture. “I saw another side of him. It meant a lot.”
“Fascinating,” Maggie murmurs, her sharp gaze moving between us. “And what happened after this… gin incident?”
“We talked,” Callum says, regaining control. “Jane is a very interesting woman.”
“And he asked me to dinner to make up for my clumsiness,” I add. “A total gentleman.”
Jamison chooses that moment to clear our soup plates, giving Callum a chance to breathe—and shoot me a look that very clearly saysWhat are you doing?
“And when exactly did all this happen?” Isobel continues.
“About six months ago,” we say in unison.
At least we’re consistent on that part.
“Six months,” she repeats slowly. “And you never told me, Callum. Not a word about this woman.”
“As Jane said, I’m private about my personal life.”
“You announce you’re marrying a stranger a week ago and call that private?”
“I wanted to be sure before introducing her,” he says—but even I can hear how thin that sounds.
Sensing he’s about to combust, I jump in again.
“The truth is, things were complicated at first. Long distance, ups and downs. It’s only recently that we realized how… um… right we are for each other.”
The hesitation is small, but I know Callum notices.
“And what made you realize that, Jane?” Maggie asks, her eyes never leaving my face. “What convinced you my grandson is the man for you?”
I pause, setting down my fork, taking a sip of water. I didn’t prepare for this.
I could give her a cliché. Something straight out of a rom-com.
But somehow, I know that won’t be enough for her.
“I went through a difficult time recently,” I say quietly. “In Hollywood. The kind of situation where you learn very quickly who your real friends are—and who aren’t.”
