He rested his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze."That's not what I'm saying, Callie.I'm saying, do you mind if I give him a quick call before we do whatever—" He pursed his lips."I'm free for the rest of the day, that's all I'm saying.I mean, if you need to get home and don't want to hang out, then I understand, but—"
She met his gaze, and goosebumps raced over her skin when he smiled."It's up to you, though."
"Then sure.Give Reaves a call first, and then we can figure out what we want to do, okay?"
~ ~ ~
Once they were out of the plane and Ollie had Callie's duffel bag slung over his shoulder, he pulled his phone from his pocket.
"This won't take long," he told her."I just want to check in with him."
"Take your time," she said easily."It's not like we're in any hurry."
He was hoping that by that, she meant she was happy to spend the rest of the afternoon with him.He deliberately hadn't tried to make any plans with her for what they would do once they got here.Now that they’d arrived, he was hoping that she wouldn't send him straight on home again.
He frowned at his phone, hoping that Reaves didn't need anything — but maybe he'd just forgotten that Ollie was here with Callie.
She smiled at him."It's not a problem, really.Just call him."She turned to look at the plane."I'll be over here, admiring this thing.Don't mind me."
He chuckled as he walked away and hit Reaves's number.
"Hey, sorry.I hate to disturb you — you're not still in the air, are you?"
"No, we just landed."He glanced over at Callie, but she was running her hand over the wing."What's up?Is everything all right?"
"Yeah — shit, sorry, I didn't mean to worry you.It's just..."Reaves paused."Damn, you're going to think I'm crazy."
Ollie chuckled."That's okay, I already do.Fire away.What's going on?"
"I'm wondering if you'd do me a huge favor."
Ollie glanced at Callie again, hoping this wasn't going to interfere with his own afternoon, but knowing that if Reaves needed him, he would do whatever it took.
"I just talked to Zia a little while ago," said Reaves.
That made Ollie smile."What, you couldn't wait any longer to check in and see how they were doing?"
Reaves let out a short laugh."No — I can see why you'd think that, but no.I told myself I'd give it at least a week before I called."
"So, what?"Ollie asked."Alara called you?That sounds hopeful."
"I wish," said Reaves."No, Zia called me."
"Maybe she called because Alara was driving," Ollie suggested, hating to hear his friend sound so...he didn't know what.
"No, it's not that.Let me explain," said Reaves."Zia called me because her mom's sleeping in the camper.She said she'd been making sparkly postcards for us all, and she didn't know the address for my dad's castle."
Ollie did his best not to laugh.Even a week ago, before Reaves had met Zia, there was no way he would have uttered the words "sparkly postcard" or referred to his dad's house as his castle.But then, he could hardly judge.He checked on Callie again.He understood how much someone unexpected could change things in the space of such a short time.
"So, what's the problem?"he asked.
"It kind of freaked me out that they're stopped by the side of the road somewhere, Alara's sleeping — and sleeping so hard that Zia was fine to get on the phone and call me."
Ollie pondered that.He didn't know much about six-year-olds, but it didn't seem all that strange to him.
Reaves let out a short laugh."Maybe I'm just overreacting, but — okay, you can give me all the shit you want to later.But Zia called me from the old phone I gave them, and I realized that I still have Friend Finder on it."
Ollie grinned but didn't comment.
