“What exactly do you want, Callan?” She tips her chin up, and her beautiful green eyes pin me in place. “I need you to spell it out for me.”
“I want you to be my girlfriend. Officially.”
“But you don’t do girlfriends.”
“That was before I met you.”
“If you’d said this last week, I’d have no hesitation, but a lot has happened since then.”
“I will earn back your trust. I’ll do whatever it takes so you believe me.”
“What about soccer?”
“What about it?”
She arches a brow. “Soccer is your number-one love. You don’t want anything distracting you, and I’ll be a distraction.”
I step closer, taking a risk and hooking my little finger around hers, silently fist pumping the air when she doesn’t push me away. “You’re not a distraction, and I have room in my heart for two great loves.” My heart is thumping like crazy in my chest because I’ve just put it all on the line, and I’m terrified she’ll reject me. Now I know what she must have felt last week, I hate myself all over again. I pray she gives me a chance to make it up to her. “I want this, Astrid. You. Us. I want it badly. You make me happy, and I think I made you happy too before I fucked everything up.”
Her fingers thread through mine, and she squeezes my hand briefly before letting me go. “I’ll think about it. That’s all I can promise.”
“Thank you.” It’s enough for now. “Let me take you home. I’m leaving anyway.” I have zero interest in being here without her.
She eyeballs me for a few seconds before nodding. “It makes sense.”
I head downstairs first, clearing a path through the crowd in the living room for her so she can find her purse. Gwen isn’t happy she’s going home with me, but Astrid bats away her concerns, telling her to stay with her boyfriend and have fun.
When I have her settled in the passenger seat of my truck, I hand her a bottle of water and two painkillers before I get behind the wheel and drive us home. Thankfully, the lights are out in both our houses when we arrive. I hurry out of the truck and dash around the bonnet to open her door and help her out.
“You don’t need to walk me home,” she says when I fall into step alongside her.
“I know, but I want to.”
She doesn’t say anything, and we don’t speak as I walk her across the road.
“Goodnight, beautiful,” I say after she opens her front door.
“Goodnight, Callan.” She stands in the doorway, looking a little hesitant. “Thanks for driving me home and for intervening tonight.” Her lip trembles. “Things might’ve been bad if you hadn’t shown up, and I’m grateful.”
“I’m sorry you had to experience that.”
“Me too,” she whispers, smiling sadly before she closes the door.
32
ASTRID
Aknock on my bedroom door drags me from slumber the next morning. I had a terrible night’s sleep. Another reason to never drink alcohol again. “Come in,” I holler, stretching my hand out to reach for my phone.
Mom slips into my room, and I remember now she took today off work because she worked overtime in the run-up to Halloween. “Callan is here. He has breakfast for you, but I didn’t want to let him stay without checking with you first.”
I hadn’t said anything to my parents about our breakup, and I don’t think Callan said anything to his either, but they aren’t blind, and they knew something was up this week. When Mom asked, I told her I didn’t want to talk about it.
My vision clears as I sit up against the headrest, and my eyes widen when I see the time on my cell. I fling the comforter off me. “Skit! It’s so late. What about the girls’ classes? You should’ve woken me!”
Mom grasps my arm. “Calm down, sweetie. Callan dropped the girls off at ballet. He said you were both out late and he wanted you to sleep in late so you aren’t too tired for work,which is very sweet of him.” Her eyes twinkle as she smiles. Mom adores Callan.
“He did?” I rub at my aching temples. Did I mention I amneverdrinking alcohol again? “Oh, good. And um, yeah, that was sweet of him.”
