I glanced down at my heels, glad that he was thoughtful enough to think of my feet. My heels were beautiful, yes—but they weren't meant to be worn for hours. Before I move to undo the strap, Callahan lowered himself down in front of me—one knee touching the pavement.
My breath hitched sharply.
For a split second, my mind betrayed me, spiraling somewhere it had absolutely no business going. My heart thundered in my chest as I stared down at him, stunned in an entirely new way.
"Callahan?" I whispered.
He looked up at me, calm and steady, as though he had no idea the chaos unfolding in my head. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, heat flooding my cheeks. Before I could fully recover, he reached out and took my arm in his.
"Come here," he murmured.
He guided me closer, easing me down until I was sitting on his raised thigh. "I've got you," he mumbled as he lifted my foot carefully, his fingers brushing my ankle as he slipped both heels off, replacing them with the gifted slides.
I sprang to my feet as soon as he was finished, turning away to hide how red my face must have been. Thankfully, my smooth brown skin hid most of my blush, so I wasn't too embarrassed.
"All better?" he asked.
I looked down at my feet, then back up at him.
"Yes," I said softly. "Thank you."
A small smile tugged at his lips, yet he remained silent. I could only watch as he placed my heels in the now-empty bag and placed it on the passenger seat. I couldn't help but stare at him in awe, having never had a date do something so nice for me.
I placed my hand in his as he led me down the street to the dessert shop he had noticed earlier. We didn't speak much on the way there or even when we got into the shop and chose what we wanted. I wasn't sure why he was quiet. I was stuck in a daze, filled with wonder at how well this date was going and how much I wanted to do it again.
I wasn't sure if he thought the same, but I knew one thing was for certain. I'd never allow such a sweet person like him to ever leave me. As far as I was concerned, Callahan was my future husband.
8- callahan
I knew I was being reckless the moment I let myself sit there and simply watch her.
There was no other word for it as I watched Evania eat her ice cream with reverence. Rum and raisin, judging by the way she closed her eyes with each bite, savoring as if the world might end if she didn’t appreciate it properly. A smear of white at the corner of her mouth made me want to reach across and wipe it away.
Reckless, because I knew what I was supposed to say to her. Reckless, because I hadn’t said it yet.
The dessert shop was warm and bright, smelling of sugar and comfort, as if nothing bad could ever happen inside. Soft, slow jazz played in the background. Outside, the city moved on, oblivious to my life quietly imploding over a bowl of ice cream.
I curled my fingers around my bowl, having finished my ice cream, and tried to summon the courage I used so easily in boardrooms. This shouldn’t have been harder than hostile takeovers or billion-dollar negotiations. But somehow it was.
Evania scooped another bite, humming softly as if the ice cream itself had pleased her. God help me, she looked happy. And that alone made my chest ache in a way no quarterly report ever had.
She glanced up at me, eyes bright. “You’re staring.”
“Am I?” I asked, forcing a smile.
“Yes,” she said, deadpan. “Like I might disappear if you blink.”
I huffed out a quiet laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. “Just… making sure you’re enjoying it.”
She tilted her head, suspicious. “Why wouldn’t I enjoy ice cream?”
I shrugged. “Some people don't.”
She gasped, offended, and set her spoon down dramatically. “Ice cream is a frozen treat gifted by God himself. Anyone who doesn’t like it simply lacks joy in life.”
I laughed then, really laughed, the sound surprising even me. “That’s a rather strong opinion for something as simple as ice cream.”
“It’s the correct one,” she said with a grin. “This one is excellent, by the way. You have good taste.”
