“Ollie talked about you a lot this weekend,” Callum said.
“Oh?” My head lifted. “He did?”
“Yeah, man. I heard about the skateboarding trick for the ages that went epically wrong. And how you helped him out after.”
I stuck my hands in my back pockets. “Ollie kind of hated me before that. I earned a few points.”
“More than a few. He also mentioned Piper liking you, and I wondered what was up with that. How much he was exaggerating because he’s nine, and how much was accurate.”
“Uh, that’s what I wanted to talk with you about. Piper and I are dating.”
Callum was quiet, and his expression didn’t change.
“Grace found out today,” I added. “So I wanted to tell you. Wasn’t sure how you’d feel about it.”
“Does it matter how I feel about it?”
“It does. I want to be with Piper, and if she’s on the same page, nothing’s going to stop me. But I do care what you think, and if you need me to talk it through with you, I will.”
His face scrunched up. “Well, I don’t love it. It’s fucking weird, honestly.”
“Which part?”
“All of it!” Callum took off his Broncos cap and put it on again, backwards this time. “But let’s start with the fact that you haven’t been back in Silver Ridge more than a few months. Is this why you really came back? Because you secretly had designs on Piper?”
“No. Not remotely. She was still a kid the last time I saw her before…everything. I came back for you and Ashford and Grace. Ahundred percent. And forme. So I could have a life here. Earn a life here.”
“And this thing with Piper just happened?”
“Yes and no. I felt drawn to her right away. To who she is now. I tried to stay away from her, I swear to you I did, but in the end my heart wouldn’t let me.”
“Your heart.”
He huffed, shifting his weight with his hands on his hips. The porch creaked beneath him. I could tell he was building up to something.
“Piper doesn’t date. You know that, right? She’s committed to being single. So this is some kind of fling. Do you know what you’re risking if it doesn’t end well? Ashford hasn’t even forgiven you yet. Grace and I are just getting to know you. This could fuck upeverything.”
Okay, so Callum was being more difficult about this than Grace had been. As I’d known he might.
Part of me wanted to get defensive. But I couldn’t do that with my little brother. I could not allow this to put new barriers between us. And I couldn’t let go of Piper either.
“I understand you being skeptical. Completely. But wearedating. Piper agreed that I could tell you those very words tonight. She knows I’m serious about her, that I want to be in a relationship with her, and she’s nervous. I’m not denying that. But she’s at least open to it.”
Callum sat down against the railing again. Like that news had shocked him so much he couldn’t stay standing.
“She’s open to being in a relationship,” he said. “Withyou.”
I had to laugh at that. “Yes, with me. Can’t help who you fall for, can you?” I held up my hand. “Not that Piper feels that way about me yet. But I’m sure as hell falling for her.”
“Wow. I really hope, for all our sakes, that this works out.” Callum pushed out a breath. “Geez, listen to me. I sound like an asshole. You just want to be happy, and you deserve that. You and Piper both deserve that.”
A huge weight lifted. Sounded like he wasn’t completely against this.
I was just grateful to be back in Callum and Grace’s lives. And lucky they were both so forgiving, even if Callum tended to resist at first.
“You’re happy, right? With Zandra?” I asked.
His expression softened. “So happy. She’s my whole world.”
