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“Probably. But from when you started until now? Hundred percent improvement.”
Lisa and Jessie agreed and were suitably impressed along with me. And Callie looked so proud of her, I couldn’t help the warm feeling that had built up. She was great with Elsie, and an excellent teacher. Patient, thorough, encouraging.
It was only making it harder not to kiss her again.
They were done earlier than expected. Jessie thought Elsie needed at least a little break before her regular weekly class, so they came upstairs for an early lunch.
Callie pulled sandwich fixings out of the fridge. I couldn’t help but notice how at home she looked in my kitchen. She knew where everything was, and seemed so comfortable around my family that she acted more like a hostess serving lunch than a guest.
I liked that. I liked it way too much.
When they left, I really needed to get out of there for a while. “I’m going to go run some errands, grab a few groceries. Need anything while I’m out?”
“Can I come with you?” she asked, eating the last strawberry out of the carton, her lips pinker after a bite of the fruit.
“I can pick up whatever you need.”
“I’d really like to come, get to shop a little myself for a change.” Her bright blue eyes widened hopefully.
I guess I could have told her that I needed to be the hell away from her for a while. I could have said no. But I’d also said I’d try to understand how she didn’t want to be cooped up all the time.
“Okay, but—”
“Give me just a few minutes!” She bounded upstairs to change.
Instead of getting away from her for a while, she was going to be with me all afternoon in the enclosed space of my car. No getting away from her perfume there.
I tried to focus on the things I needed to buy on the running list I kept in my head. Then she came downstairs in a crop-top and tight jeans that showed off her amazing, heart-shaped ass and breezed by me on the way to the car, smelling like fruit, flowers, and sex. At least, that’s how my nose interpreted it.
I grabbed some paper and a pen from the junk drawer to write down what I needed. Because my mind was going to go fucking blank every time she got too close.
17
CALLIE
After we got back home,Blake did his best to avoid me. Again.
Every time I got close to him, he had something to do in his office, or he needed to do some yard work. I could have sworn he pretended to get a text he needed to retreat to his office to deal with.
All the time I was trying to find a way to bring last night up again, I was also trying to find a way to bring up Mackenzie’s upcoming wedding.
I was going to go. No matter what Blake or my father or anybody had to say about it. But I wanted him to agree without too much of a fight, so I was waiting for the right time.
Blake sat on his porch swing, a bottle in hand. A light rain had started, but it was coming straight down, leaving the porch dry. I went outside and sat next to him.
“Beer?” he asked, gesturing at the six-pack of bottles that sat at his feet. Three were missing.
I took one and drank the whole damn thing before I found the courage to say, “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
“Callie, I shouldn’t have kissed you. I—”
“I disagree, but it’s not about that.”
“Oh. Okay.” He took another swig and shifted a little on the bench. I suspect he was preparing to get up and magically have something else urgent to do anywhere but near me.
“My best friend’s wedding is coming up. I’m her maid of honor. And even if I wasn’t, it’s not something I’d ever consider skipping.”
He scoffed. “You’re here so that the people threatening you don’t know where you are. Going to a wedding where they’d expect you defeats the purpose of hiding.”
