Tonya snorts from her seat, having noticed the whole quiet exchange.
"Uh... here," Callum murmurs, pulling out a chair for me, and I smile, murmuring athank youas he slides into the one next to mine.
"So, we're finishing up our latest book today," Callum gently tells me, his voice a low rumble that settles warm in my stomach like a shot of whiskey. "We'll start something new next week. No pressure to talk unless you want to—you can just hang back and get the gist."
I like that he seems to sense my anxiety, that I'm a little nervous and overwhelmed, and doesn't want me to push myself past my limit. He gives me the space to exist however I need to.
Despite his towering frame, there's a genuinegentlenessin his movements and speech.
I nod, grateful to him, and try not to read too much into the way his knee brushes mine under the table—accidental, probably, definitely—and the pleasant heat that spreads through my chest at the contact.
I'm four days out from my heart getting ripped out and stomped on—my engagement and life imploding like a dying star—and I'm staring down months of surgery and chemotherapy. Any kind interaction would cause that warmth to grow.
Callum is kind to me, and I'm in a bit of a kindness drought right now.
That's the only reason.
Right?
Chapter Eight
Sophie
Tonya and Parker pick back up where they left off, going back and forth about the book Parker's holding. Only then do I get a good look at the cover and feel a twinge of delight.
I've already read it, last summer during a day trip to the beach.
Thankfully, that memory is very happy andvery Paul-free.
He had been locked up on a big project with his boss Joe, the City Manager, so I had decided to use my rare alone time for a beach day.
It was early June, and the weather was gorgeous, not too hot and not too windy. I can still feel the soft breeze and smell the boardwalk fries as I read. I felt so at peace.
Now, watching Parker and Tonya animatedly debate over the same book that left me with a brutal hangover for a solid week, I can't help but smile.
"The time apart wasessentialfor them!" Parker insists, waving the paperback in his hands. He speaks like a lawyer delivering his closing argument. "It gave Matthew time to figure himself out. That month allowed him to process whether he could actually be the man Riley needed—and if he was even ready for a real relationship."
"He folded and booked it afteronemisunderstanding!" Tonya fires back, jabbing her fresh coffee stirrer in his direction like it's a blade. "Matthew's confirmation bias ran wild the second he saw Riley hugging Jonah because of his ex. Instead of,oh, Idon't know, communicating like an adult, he bailed on her. I give them a year before she's filing for divorce."
My lips twitch at Tonya's sharp words. Parker lets out an indignant squawk in protest. I glance at Callum, who laughs into his coffee mug, shaking his head at the playful argument.
When he catches my eye and winks, my smile widens.
"I kinda agree with Tonya," Atticus adds, scratching at his beard in thought. "I think Matthew does love Riley, but he should've stayed and let her explain the situation with Jonah. That would've been a five-minute conversation—'he had feelings, I let him down gently, I love you, the end.'Instead, he just dipped and tanked the whole relationship before it even started. Not exactly a good omen for them."
"But his declaration of love scene was soromantic," Bailey sighs dreamily, pressing the book to her chest like it's a love letter. Her entire outfit is a celebration of pink—sweater dress, heart-shaped earrings, and glittery bubblegum nail polish. "He talked to Jonah and realized how wrong he was and was willing to dowhatever it takesto win Riley back! I think his thoughts showed true regret and remorse, and a determination to never do it again. His speech made me cry."
I smile despite myself. It's impossible not to—she's a walking lover girl rom-com protagonist.
Jane takes a deep breath, clears her throat, and looks a little hesitant as she chimes in in a whisper-soft voice, "I didn't really like how he made her listen to his apology," she says, adjusting her sleeves over her hands and fidgeting with the silver ring on her thumb. "He paid off the ride operator and trapped her on the rollercoaster with him. It felt... a little creepy."
"It's romantic,Janie-girl!" Bailey teases with a cotton candy sweet smile, and the nickname elicits a small but real smile out of Jane. Atticus nearly drops his mug at the sight.
My lips quirk up in amusement.Huh, interesting...
Bailey presses on, passion rising in her voice. "Matthew needed her to hear his apology. The rollercoaster was symbolic of their relationship!"
"I'll tell you what it meant," April mutters without looking up from the lightning-fast crochet hook zipping through her fingers. "It meant Matthew needs about eight more years of therapy before he's relationship-ready. Tonya's right, but I give it six months,tops."
