When he was ready, he grabbed his phone and wallet from the dresser."I wish you guys could tell me how to do this.I need to do it soon.The longer it drags on, the worse it's going to get."
The dogs ran downstairs ahead of him, their nails clicking on the wide, curving staircase.Ollie looked around as he went.How the hell was he going to explain this place to Callie?He knew what she'd been thinking when he took her to Reaves's apartment — that he was an asshole for keeping the dogs in such a small space.But when she saw the house, that was probably going to be even worse.
He had to tell her though.And soon.
When he reached the kitchen, he smiled when he saw a glass casserole dish on the counter covered in foil with a note stuck to the top.Rosa's handwriting.
I made breakfast casserole this morning for Luigi and the guys.
This one's for you and Reaves.But you won't get another
until you come see me to tell me how things went with Callie
when you explained your situation to her.
Xxx
He stared at the three kisses at the end of the note.When he'd gone to collect the dogs from her last night, she'd been disappointed in him when he told her that he hadn't come clean with Callie yet.He liked to think of himself as upfront and honest in all his dealings, and the guilt of deceiving Callie was weighing heavily on him.Rosa's disappointment only made it worse.
He was going to talk to Reaves this afternoon about what he should do.He'd told Callie that he'd call her today.He wanted to talk to her in person, but she'd said she didn't know what her plans were for the rest of the week.
He looked over at Peanut and Butter, who were sitting at attention, gazes fixed on the casserole dish on the counter."I'd give you the whole damn thing, guys, if you could tell me what to do."
Butter barked three times and Peanut lay down and covered her nose with her paws.
It made him laugh, but he had no clue what she meant."Thanks for the advice," he told them."I can't give you the whole thing because even though you tried, you didn't really help — and Reaves wouldn't be happy with me if I did anyway.But you'll get some treats later, okay?"
He no longer had their attention as they both took off toward the sliding doors that led out onto the terrace.
"Calm down, guys," he told them."It's Reaves."
The way they were barking and throwing themselves at the glass, looking like they wanted to get out there to tear the intruder to pieces — he could understand why people thought they were ferocious.But when he called, "Peanut, Butter, get back here and sit down," and they did, looking a little ashamed of themselves, he had to laugh.Maybe it was a good thing that only he and a few others knew that they were more like marshmallows than monsters.
He watched through the window as Reaves climbed out of his truck and made his way up the path toward the kitchen door.He waved when he spotted them, and Ollie beckoned for him to come in.
"Okay," he told the dogs, "you can go see him."
Reaves laughed when the dogs bounded over to him, greeting him with wagging tails and happy whines.He made a fuss over each of them before looking up."How did the rest of yesterday go?I hope you and Callie had a good time when I finally stopped harassing you about Alara and Zia."
"We did," Ollie said with a smile."We went back to her place."
Reaves's eyebrows shot up.
"Not like that!I mean she showed me her home.It's this really cool little cottage, and there's a shed out back where she does her pottery.It's kind of tucked away in the redwoods."He smiled, remembering the way the cottage and her workspace out back both felt like Callie, even though they seemed to represent different aspects of her personality.
"You liked her place?"Reaves looked a little surprised.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I?"
"I don't know.And sorry, I'm not trying to be an asshole.It's just that, like we talked about before you went to pick her up, I wasn't sure if she was going to be some kind of hippie, granola-type chick.I couldn't imagine what her place would be like.I tend to think of that whole coast area being a bit more, I don't know, earthy and damp."
Ollie had to laugh."Yeah, I can see what you mean.I kind of felt the same way, but it's not like that.It's just..."He looked around the kitchen as he searched for the right words.The contrast between this house and Callie's home hit him hard.He met his friend's gaze."I don't know where this came from.And you can laugh at me if you like."
He glanced back through the open doorway to the library.He rarely ever set foot in there, but his father's books still sat on the shelves.Looking at their pristine, uncracked spines, he knew that was where the image had popped into his mind from.
He pointed, and Reaves came closer to look."You see those big old leather-bound books in the glass cases?"
"Yeah."Reaves gave him a puzzled look.
