I cleared my throat. “Where’s Harry?” I referred to Callie’s brother.
“Sleeping.”
Right.
Because it was like ten o’clock at night and I was severely intruding.
Guilt filled me. And discomfort.
“Can I get you a drink?” Callie’s mum offered for the hundredth time.
“No thanks, Mrs. Ironside.”
“Lewis, please call me Sloane,” she pleaded for the hundredth time too.
The sound of a car pulling up outside made my heart leap into my throat. At least I knew with Michael’s stepmum in the car, there would be no good-night kiss. Although that didn’t mean there hadn’t been kisses at the cinema.
My hands clenched at my sides. Feeling someone’s eyes on me, I turned and saw Mr. Ironside lookingat my fists.
I unclenched them.
He looked me in the eye, but his expression didn’t give away his thoughts. The man was a big affectionate giant with Callie and Sloane. I’d seen it. With everyone else, he was slightly scary and a lot intimidating.
My palms turned clammy at the sound of Callie letting herself into the house. She walked into the sitting room, lips parted as if about to speak, and then froze at the sight of me.
I drank her in.
Jealousy burned in my chest.
Her long blond hair was styled in waves, she wore a bit of makeup, and her legs went on forever in the long-sleeved mini dress she wore with ankle boots. She was so bloody gorgeous, it made everything inside me ache.
But it was more than those big blue eyes or the full lips I’d fantasized about kissing a million times … it was her. Callie. The person who knew me inside out and not only accepted everything that was me but liked it all. She’d made it clear that she was never going anywhere.
Until I’d hurt her.
I stood abruptly.
Her eyes flared. “What are you doing here?”
Her mum winced at the high-pitched question. “Why don’t you two talk outside so you don’t wake your brother?”
Callie glowered at me. “You’re unbelievable.”
I gave her an apologetic look, which only seemed to make her angrier, but she gestured for me to follow her into the kitchen and out of the sliding doors.
As soon as she’d closed them behind her, she crossed her arms defensively over her chest. “What the hell are you doing here, Lewis?”
Before I’d been nervous as anything, but now with her in front of me, I felt nothing but determination. “I made amistake. Months ago, when you told me you wanted us to date, and then last weekend.”
Hurt flashed across her face. “What? You accidentally tripped into her mouth?”
I blanched. “Callie … it was stupid. I’d had too much beer, and I … I regretted it immediately. She’s not the one I want to kiss.”
“So, someone else asks me out, and all of a sudden, you have a change of heart?”
“No. I realized today that I could lose you for real. And the only reason I said no to dating was because I didn’t want to lose you. I didn’t want something to happen, for us to break up and I’d lose you for good. I can’t lose you, Callie. You’re the most important person in my life. I …” I let out a shuddering breath. “I love you.”
Her expression slackened. “What?”
