AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He’s warm, and he feels good sitting next to me. I’m going down fast like theTitanic. This ship is sinking. It was safer being mad at him. Forgiving him is the unsafe part.
All their eyes land on me for my response, and I squirm but can’t hide my grin. “You’re all dead to me,” I whisper.
SJ leans over, kisses the side of my head in comfort, and pulls me toward him into a hug. “All in good fun, Cal.” Letting me know they’re all just joking.
“What’s everyone’s plans tonight?” he asks casually, his arm still around my back, holding me as if this is completely normal. I look around, and a lot of people are watching us curiously. And when I look, they look away quickly.
“Just you know…catching up with everyone. Getting to know Callie,” Beth says.
Allie looks at her watch and says, “I’ll be right back. I have a set to do with the band. We’re singing the cover of ‘I Remember Everything’ by Zach Bryan.” She stands and heads up to the side of the stage to warm up.
“Still never learned guitar like your dad?” I ask him.
I want to get to know SJ and find out who he is now. Holding on to the anger from him is festering inside me, and it’s harming me more than anything. I’m grasping at straws here to change the subject and learn more about him.
He shakes his head. “Music gene skipped me, I guess.”
“What do you like to do, SJ?” I ask, my drink making me bolder with him.
His eyes brighten, and his face softens at me finally not being mad at him. “I like being with you.”
“What are you doing here?” I ask, twirling the straw in my drink.
“It’s a free country. I can come out for a beer with our friends, can’t I, Doc?” He pulls me in and kisses my cheek again. “I’ve been waiting to call you ‘Doc’ for years.”
I roll my eyes again and look away to hide my mouth turning up. I look over, and Beth, Mellie, and Paige are still eating this up. Beth looks like she wants to take notes.
“Beth says we’re going in a romance book,” I say dryly.
“Keep watching, it’s about to get good,” he says again with a wink.
My heart feels full in my chest. What is he talking about?What does that even mean?He’s persistent, I’ll give him that.
“Dance with me?” SJ asks, looking at me, and his gaze softens. He looks at me differently than anyone has ever looked at me, like I’m the only person who holds his attention and interest. Like I matter. He reaches over and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, and his thumb glides over my cheek as he does it.
“Will you go away if I do?” I interject. I’m trying to hold him at arm's length and failing hard. He’s making me accept him back in, and I feel like I’m on the edge of a cliff, and damn if I don’t just want to jump all in again with him.
“No.” He smirks and continues looking at me adoringly.
“Let’s go,” I say grudgingly.
He takes my hand in his, guiding me to the dance floor, never letting my hand go, his other hand lands on my waist, which feels so intimate and close. Butterflies are back in my tummy, and they’re out of control. His fingers clasp between mine, something he used to do back in high school.
“I love this song,” he whispers in my ear.
I’m feeling nervous and awkward, not sure where to touch him. Sensing my nervousness, he loops my arms around his neck, his hands pulling me tight, his hands wrap around my waist.
His flannel smells like fall, rosemary, cedar, musk, and black pepper smell. Unfamiliar yet still somehow familiar at the same time.
Being in his arms makes it hard to stay mad at him. I feel everything when I’m around him. Every touch feels amplified, and I’ve never wanted someone more than SJ.
“Are you ever going to forgive me?” He pulls me closer, kissing my cheek again, this time even closer to my mouth. Third time if anyone is counting. And I’m counting.
“I want to…but I don’t know how. I don’t know what we look like now that we have so much history,” I answer honestly.
“I’m not interested in the way we were, Callie. I want to be your forever,” he says, his eyes drinking mine in. “Let me in.”
My heart softens. I want that too, more than I realized. I just don’t know if I can trust again. “How about I try? Just…that’s all I have right now. I can try. But no promises? We’re different now,” I admit.
