“They invited you over for dinner.”
The moment the words left my mouth, his shoulders dropped. Relief washed over his face so quickly it almost startled me. He blew out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. “That’s it?”
He gave a soft, almost disbelieving laugh. “Vani, I thought something terrible happened.”
I stared at him. “It is terrible.”
“Dinner isn’t terrible.”
“It is when you got married behind your parents’ backs,” I said quietly. “To someone they’ve never even met.”
That was when his expression shifted again. The relief faded, replaced by understanding. I didn’t look at him as I continued. “They don’t know you, and now you’re suddenly their son-in-law.”
The reality of it pressed down on me all over again. I sat down on the couch because my legs suddenly felt weak. Callahan followed without hesitation and sat beside me. Close enough that our shoulders nearly touched.
“It’s just dinner,” he said gently.
“It’s not just dinner,” I replied. “It’s the first time they’re meeting the man I secretly married.”
He didn’t argue with that.
Instead, he leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on his thighs before turning his head toward me.
“They’re going to look at me and wonder what I was thinking,” I admitted. “They’re going to think I lost my mind.”
His voice lowered. “Did you?”
I met his gaze immediately. “No.”
"Vani," he said softly, "I get why you're nervous, but everything will be okay."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I'm not. I'm optimistic. I can bring something," he offered after a moment. “Flowers or dessert. Something to ease any tension.”
“You’re being sweet,” I said quietly.
He shrugged lightly. “I’m trying.”
18- callahan
The third whiskey burned less than the first.
That was how I knew I was here far longer than I should have been.
Theo took a slow sip of his drink, eyes narrowing on me like I was a puzzle he was tired of trying to solve. The amber lights of the bar reflected in his glass, casting shadows over his face. He didn’t look impressed. He looked entertained.
Which was far worse.
“Most men run to bars after their wives kick them out.”
I stared into my drink. “She didn’t kick me out.”
He leaned back. “So you fled like a criminal.”
I exhaled, chest tight with a restless shame. He wasn’t wrong—my escape tasted bitter.
Vani officially moved into my house today. My house. We were busy arranging our first public event, so I had movers working from early in the morning to move her out of her apartment. I imagined her boxes were stacked neatly in the guest room this morning, and by afternoon, they were unpacked. I was anxious the whole day thinking about it, and I still wasn't sure why.
