I had promised myself I would be better for them. That I would actually be there and do my best to try to become a man who deserved them. That man would be there for the kid’s firstaway game with his new team. He would don the team colors and go with bells on, ready to help with whatever the kids and coaches needed.
Determination surged through me as I nodded. “Yeah. I’ll come.”
Gage gave me a satisfied grin and went back to stacking pads. “Good. You’re making the right decision, man. You’ll see, Brody is going to adore you for this.”
I didn’t need him to adore me. All I needed was for him to be okay with me marrying his mom, and if that meant putting in the work, then I was happy to do it. Plus, a weekend away with Maisie felt like the perfect way to talk about everything we needed to talk about before we went down to the courthouse next week.
The restless energy that had been driving me nuts ever since my dad had issued that ultimatum had finally started subsiding now that she and I were so close to sealing the deal. The prospect of this trip was already helping me feel even more settled.
There was a weird sense of almost peace lingering over me when I finally left the rink. I’d never really felt anything like it before, but it was good. I was strangely calm.
Back at my apartment, I went straight to my bedroom and started packing. I tossed a carry-on suitcase on the bed and filled it with jeans, shirts, a hoodie, and some socks. I was halfway through deciding whether to bring condoms when my phone buzzed on the nightstand.
Maisie’s name lit up the screen and my heart practically seized. I snatched it up, grinning before I’d even said hello, but the sound of her voice made the smile slide right off.
“Callum?” Her tone was tight and raw around the edges. “Are you, uh, are you busy right now?”
“Not for you.” I sat down hard on the edge of the bed, condoms and packing all but forgotten as an unfamiliar, cool kind of panic slid through me. “What’s wrong?”
Her voice wavered just enough to make my chest tighten. “I’m supposed to drive Brody and a couple of the other boys to Chico tomorrow, but mycheck enginelight just started flashing. Do you know anything about cars?”
I leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling like maybe the answer was written up there. “I can change a tire and maybe refill the fluid for the windshield wipers, but beyond that, you’re asking the wrong guy. Just find yourself a strong, handy man who can fix your car on the spot.”
A shaky laugh slipped out of her. “So, just to be sure, that’s not you, then?”
“Definitely not me,” I admitted, smiling even though she couldn’t see it. “But hey, don’t worry about it. I’ll pick you and Brody up in the morning.”
There was a pause. “Why? We’re supposed to leave tomorrow for the game and?—”
“Exactly,” I cut in. “Be ready at seven sharp. I’ll handle it.”
“Callum…” she started, suspicion edging her tone.
“Don’t worry about it,” I repeated, a little firmer this time and definitely enjoying the slight twist of smug satisfaction in my chest. Before she could argue, I added, “Seriously, Maisie, don’t worry, okay? I’ve got this. Get some sleep and I’ll see you bright and early in the morning.”
I didn’t tell her explicitly that I’d be joining them for the weekend, but she’d see tomorrow. Tomorrow, she’d learn that the Callum Westwood from the college, the self-indulgent player who drank like it was an Olympic sport and was too caught up in his teammates and the game to care about anything else, really was working on growing up.
CHAPTER 18
MAISIE
Istared at the sleek Mercedes sprinter van with the blacked-out windows idling in my driveway, convinced I must’ve woken up in the wrong dimension. That thing looked like it belonged to a professional sports team, not like it should’ve been anywhere near me or my life.
It wasn’t just the van, either. There was also Callum, tall, broad, and maddeningly composed as he loaded Brody’s hockey bag into the back like it weighed nothing. He kept sneaking glances at me, a cat-like smirk on his lips. I had to actively work at stopping myself from rolling my eyes, but deep inside?God, this feels good. All of it. Him showing up. Looking at me like that. Loading up Brody’s stuff.
Yesterday, when he’d told me not to worry about my car, I’d very nearly laughed.Don’t worry?
I had no idea how to do that. Worrying had been at least half of my existence ever since I’d moved to San Francisco last year. Worrying, planning, juggling, and making sure Brody had what he needed while I figured out how to stand on my own two feet.
I didn’t rely on anyone. I hadn’t since we’d moved away from my parents, but even before that, I’d tried to handle as much as I could by myself.
The closest I came was the occasional night when Jace watched Brody so I could attend parent-teacher conferences at school or go on a quick date, but someone showing up for me? Handling things on my behalf or sorting something out when I was struggling?
That wasn’t my life. Or at least, it hadn’t been until this morning.
I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes at Callum when he glanced at me again. “So you just show up at seven in the morning with?—”
The growl of another engine coming up the drive cut me off. A tow truck pulled in, already backing up to hook my SUV up to it. The driver didn’t even hesitate before he was hopping out, sending Callum an easy wave and getting to work like this had been on the calendar for weeks.
