Theo coughed quietly beside me, just loud enough for me to hear him mumble, "Birthday boy."
It felt like a switch flipped in my brain. It was his birthday, which meant he was probably the reason we were here.
"Oh," I forced a polite smile. "Happy birthday."
"Thank you." I nodded, tried to gently slide my hand out of his grasp, but he held on.
"Actually," he continued smoothly, "I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime."
Emily made a strangled noise. Theo turned his face away completely, shoulders shaking in silent laughter.
I stared at Lucas, still trying to pull my hand out of his. "You're asking me out?" I asked, disbelief thick in my voice.
"Yeah."
I had to admit his confidence was impressive. Unfortunately for him, it was misplaced as well. I was seconds away from refusing when a strong arm wrapped around my waist. The next moment, Callahan’s hand closed gently around my wrist, lifting my hand out of Lucas’ grasp with calm precision.
“You can’t,” Callahan said.
Lucas blinked in surprise. “Can’t what?”
Callahan released my wrist but didn’t step away. If anything, he moved closer to me, his presence solid and deliberate at my side.
“You can’t ask her out,” he repeated evenly.
Lucas raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his eyes. “And why not?”
“Because she’s already married.”
My pulse skipped.
“To me.”
The air between the three of us froze. I slowly looked between the two men, carefully schooling my expression into mild surprise, even though inside I was secretly enjoying every second of it. Watching my husband claim me so possessively should not have been as satisfying as it was.
Lucas eyed Callahan for a lot longer than I thought he would. It was beginning to feel a bit awkward how silent he was until he suddenly chuckled.
"Well," he said with a laugh, releasing a quiet breath as he rubbed the back of his neck, "that makes a lot more sense than her being single. You're a lucky man," he finished warmly.
Callahan didn’t respond, but I felt the subtle shift in his posture as some of the tension eased out of him.
Lucas turned back to him, still smiling. “You know, though… I’m a little offended.”
Callahan frowned slightly. “Why?”
“You kept her a secret.”
I couldn’t stop the small laugh that slipped out.
Callahan shot me a brief look before turning back to Lucas. “I didn’t keep her a secret.”
Lucas lifted a brow. "Really? Because I feel like I would remember you mentioning you had a wife," he teased.
Callahan hesitated. Lucas’ grin widened. “See?” he teased.
Despite the teasing tone, there wasn’t a hint of hostility in his voice. He seemed genuinely amused. Then he looked at me again, and his smile softened.
"Well," he said, his voice warm and sincere. "Congratulations. I'm happy for you both."
