After a solid hour, she insisted we end the call, knowing that I have plans with Savannah. In fact, she threatened to fly here and castrate me if I didn’t hang up. And then she laughed for five minutes about how sad my girlfriend would be about that since I was stupid enough to tell her about the ovulation calendar.
She also thinks I brought that incident on myself with the baby talk and has teased me relentlessly, telling me I should be happy Savannah is open to having a baby with my old ass. She was still giggling when I ended the call.
She may have been laughing at my expense, but it was good to hear that sound. I imagine the rest of her night will be pretty awful.
After all that, I’m not in the headspace for a Calliope column. My skin is itchy, and if not for my promise to spend Christmas with Savannah, I wouldn’t have even come tonight. I’d probably be on a redeye heading to Vegas, actually. But like Cora has told me more than once, my presence wouldn’t have been helpful. Actually, seeing me tends to make it worse for Mom.
Which I get, since I’m the reason my dad is dead.
Fuck, my head really isn’t in the right space.
The second I see Daniel, head back and laughing, I regret coming. I’m not sure I can fake it tonight.
“Hey, you’re here.”
At the sound of her voice, my shoulders relax and my heart thumps against my sternum. Those three words are all it takes to lift my mood.
“Hi, baby girl.” I pull Savannah into my chest. I’ve barely gotten a look at her, and I couldn’t describe what she’s wearing if asked, but with her in my arms, my entire being settles.
Pulling back, she presses her hands to my cheeks. “You okay?”
With a sigh, I lean into her touch and force a smile. “Just an off night. But I’m good now.”
Those green eyes of hers dance over my face. I’ve never wanted to be seen more than I do in this moment.
“You know,” she says, “I’m kind of tired. Would you mind if we didn’t stick around too long?”
A mixture of relief and a little guilt swirls in my chest. “You sure? I just got here. I’m good to hang for a bit.”
She fakes a yawn. The move is so fucking adorable, her gesture so sweet, that I actually feel the moment I fall for her. I thought I knew what she meant to me when I didn’t totally freak out over the baby stuff, but it goes deeper than that. No one has ever seen me the way she does. No one has ever been so naturally attuned to me. Hell, noone has ever even tried. Even if they had, it would have been in vain. I realize now that no one but her could have touched this part of me.
“Yeah, I’m sorry for being a downer, but honestly I’d love to just snuggle with you. I think I’ve over-peopled. Maybe we can watch a rom-com and laugh for a bit before bed?” Her brows lift and she offers me a smile.
“Yeah, baby girl, we can do that.” My answer comes out scratchy, heat building behind my eyes. That’s exactly what I need. She’s exactly what I need.
We leave the Langfields’ house without much fanfare. Normally, I’m one of the last to leave, which Gavin is quick to point out when I stop to wish him a Merry Christmas and say goodbye.
“She seems good for you,” he says, eyeing her as she slips into her coat in the foyer.
I laugh. “Because she’s as young as your wife was when you two got together.”
He chuckles. “Some of us just have to wait for our soulmates to grow up.”
A bark of a laugh escapes me. “Sick, man.”
When his wife walks by and gives him a little wave, he sobers up quickly. “A happy man. And you deserve to be too. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas.” With one last pat to his shoulder, I take off toward the woman who really does make me happy.
She lets me take her hand, and then I guide her out into the frigid night.
“Good news,” she tells me as we walk to my car.
Under the moonlight, she glimmers, making it impossible to look away.
I stumble over my own feet but catch myself before going down. “What’s that, baby girl?”
She bites back a laugh and shakes her head. “The Donovans got the Barbie house put together. They don’t need our help.”
