Now, with dinner on the horizon and the chance to see him again, there’s a part of me that’s more than a little anxious. My stomach drops, and my palms start to sweat. The thought of being in the same room as Callan, surrounded by everyone else, knowing he’s the only one who has even a hint of the truth about what happened with Dillon… It’s enough to make my heart race.
But I’m definitely looking forward to seeing Lucy. I didn’t get to catch up with her much last night, and she’s such a sweetheart. She’s got this quiet, bubbly energy that somehow makes you feel like everything’s going to be okay, even when the world’s a little messy. Right now, I think I could really use that feeling.
Right on cue, there’s a knock at the door. Knox heads over to answer it, and Lucy’s cheerful voice greets him with her usual enthusiasm before she breezes into the kitchen, arms loaded with grocery bags.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I brought some ingredients to whip up dessert,” Lucy announces. “I had a feeling we’d all end up here tonight.”
“You’re a saint,” Juliette declares, rushing to help Lucy unload the bags.
“Agreed, your desserts are legendary,” I add, stepping into the kitchen. “Jules, go sit and relax with your man. I can help Lucy.”
She nods, giving me an exaggerated look of relief. “For the best. I’m more of a liability than help in the kitchen.”
I can’t help but laugh as she shuffles off to the living room, where Knox is still fussing over the cat like he’s the one who’s hada rough day. Meanwhile, Lucy is already on top of everything with graceful movements, like she’s done this a thousand times before. I watch her for a second, appreciating the calm energy she exudes, and then our eyes meet. She flashes me an easy smile.
“What can I do to help?” I ask. I’m trying to sound like I’ve got my life together, but let’s be real, I’m just here to follow directions.
She eyes the ingredients, tying an apron around her waist. Where did she even get that?
“Would you mind measuring out the sugar and flour? Twenty-five grams of sugar and two-forty of the flour,” she asks, her voice calm as she sets up her own station.
“Uh…translate to American, please.”
She laughs. “Sorry. About two tablespoons of sugar, two cups of flour.”
“That I can manage,” I say, relieved that I’m not about to need a degree in chemistry. I sift through the drawers for the right measuring cups, finding them and getting everything set up for her. This small task is oddly comforting. Focused, simple.
I’m about to ask what else I can do when I hear the familiar rumble of a motorcycle outside. My stomach does a little flip, the sound instantly bringing Callan to mind. It’s strange how just a noise can do that, like he’s everywhere and nowhere all at once. I don’t know if it’s the excitement or just the fact that he’s…there, but my pulse quickens and the tension from earlier creeps back in.
“So, Bree. How have you been doing?” Lucy asks, her voice light, but I catch the subtle concern behind it.
“Good,” I reply, maybe a little too quickly.
“Good?” She raises an eyebrow. “You sure? Not that I’m trying to pry.”
My smile falters for a second, but I quickly mask it. “I’m fine, really. I’m guessing you talked to Callan?”
She nods. “Aye, I could tell he was worried about something, so I asked. He didn’t tell me specifics, just that you might like to talk to someone at some point.”
Her eyes drop down to my hand where I’m pulling at my shirt sleeve again, then back up to meet my gaze. “You don’t have to talk about it,” she says gently. “Just know I’m here, if you ever need to.”
I give her a small, grateful smile. “Thanks, Lucy. Maybe I’ll take you up on that someday.”
“Whenever you’re ready.” She gives my hand a gentle squeeze as the front door creaks open, signaling Callan’s arrival. She looks over toward the sound, her lips curling into a smile. “Ah, looks like the party’s arrived!”
His voice filters in from the hallway first. Deep, smooth, threaded with that familiar rumble of laughter that always lands low in my stomach. The flutter starts before I can stop it. A quiet little stutter in my chest that shouldn’t mean anything.
My heart kicks, bracing for the awkward tension I’ve been dreading since last night. But then I see him standing there with that easy grin and eyes that look at me like I matter.
And just like that, the knot in my stomach loosens.
Huh.
That’s…interesting.
“Hey, what did I miss?” he asks, glancing between Lucy and me with that trademark half smile of his. There’s this effortless confidence in the way he stands, like he’s completely at home in his own skin, and it makes him seem so damn…steady. And for some reason, that steadiness makes my pulse do a funny little dance.
“Oh, just girl talk,” Lucy teases, giving me a knowing look as she lets go of my hand.
