My chest squeezed.
The apology was worth a lot to me.
"Our relationship started with the deal, but Callum never called it in. Because we're mated, he can't anymore." I gestured to my arm, knowing the fated mates thing needed to stay a secret. "I appreciate the apology, and I'm willing to try to mend things, but it's never going to be like it was between us."
She nodded. "I know. We've changed too much. Thank you for being here, though."
I nodded, and slipped back down the hallway Jonah had just walked down.
Callum was still sitting where I'd left him on the couch.He stood as we approached, and I slid my hand into his.Jonah was waiting next to him.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"The cafe. We have a dinner to attend, remember? Liv's planning on it."
We had met there after every other challenge, so I should've expected it.
"Congratulations are in order," Callum drawled to Jonah, as we walked to the parking lot. "Welcome to the Cabinet. You won't be able to leave Gwen's side much after this, I assume."
"Nope." Jonah dragged a hand through his hair, suddenly looking exhausted.
"Is Liv going to be able to act normal for the dinner?"I asked Callum silently."Or is she going to tell him?"
"According to her text, she wants to keep it a secret for now, to give him time to work through his feelings for your sister. Apparently, he already messaged her to make sure she understood that their friendship wasn't going to change."
"Wow."
"Yeah. If he falls back in love with Gwen, I'll get involved."
"I never realized how much of a meddler you'd be, Callum."We reached the car, and he let me into the passenger seat while Jonah sat down in the back.
"I'd say meddling is the natural progression after a successful stalking."
I smiled.
Jonah sat quietly in the back seat, staring out the window, and Callum turned the music up the way he would've if Liv was in the car.
Liv already hadloud music playing in the cafe when we got there, as if it were a nightclub instead. She and Dare were dancing, though he didn't look thrilled, and there was a drink in her hand that definitely hadn't come from the kitchen.
Dare held a cup of coffee that definitelyhadcome from the kitchen.
Jonah joined them, and Liv offered him her drink. He drained the whole cup, and she grinned when he handed it back.
"She should just tell him,"I murmured to Callum.
"I don't necessarily think it's a bad idea to let things play out for a bit before she claims him. He and Gwen may realize they're not compatible anymore."
Maybe.
There was a chance, at least.
Though I knew Jonah well enough to be sure he would've rather had a serious conversation about the future at the moment, Liv dragged him onto the makeshift dance floor she and Darius had set up by pulling my shop's tables and chairs out of the way.
Merrily was there too, for once, her arms tight around her middle as she sat scrunched in a ball in a weird-lookingcamping chair. I assumed it caused her sensitive skin a little less discomfort than a normal seat.
She managed a small smile when she saw us, so I figured she must've been feeling better than usual. Or Liv had told her what was going on, so she'd sucked up her discomfort to be there.
Probably the latter.
