CALLUM
“She’s really sweet.”
Sweet? Who? Alia?
My ears perk up, but I say nothing, humming nonchalantly even though my heart picks up pace. I’m out on a stroll with my family before they catch a flight home and I’d let my mind wander, thinking about Alia and her decision to become a coach—and what that could mean for us.
Us. Me and her.
I would’ve continued obsessing if Mom hadn’t made a statement out of the blue.
Green eyes, much like mine, sparkle as they stare me down. Mischief, curiosity, and excitement dance a parade across my mother’s face and I struggle to remain nonchalant. I reach over to adjust the collar of the puffer she’s wearing and smoothen it. There’s a chill in the air this morning, the kind that is refreshing and wakes you up.At 6:30 a.m. on a day off, this is something I appreciate more than I can express.
“We should pick up some speed,” I tell her, pointing down the path where my dad and Rory have us beat.
“You’d rather have this conversation with witnesses?” she hums.
“I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
My mother is not fooled. “She’s pretty,” she announces, slanting me a glance that dares me to contradict her.
“Who? I’m looking at the prettiest woman I know.” I tack on a wink, grinning when it makes Mom blush. She shakes her head, linking her arm with mine as we walk farther down the paved sidewalk. The scent of wet mud and freshly cut grass hits my nostrils as we pass a length of trimmed hedges beyond which sheets of bright green cover the damp ground. It’s early yet but, once the sun is high, this area will be filled with people lazing about, reading, playing games, and picnicking.
I may not have admitted this in the past, but I’ve missed having a partner to sit around and comfortably share a space with. Enjoy moments like lounging on a blanket and guessing the shape of the clouds passing above us. Feel the weight of her head on my chest and the summer wind blowing cool air over our bodies, lulling us into a cozy afternoon nap.
My brain plays games with me, creating a scene out of thin air. I see glossy black hair—the texture of silk—slipping through my fingers as I lazily tease it. Long limbs are stretched out along mine, her soft brown skin warm, the thump of her heart against my chest steady.
A yearning I’ve never experienced before twists within me, and I have to bite my tongue to return to the present. Holy shit, that felt so goddamn real for a second.
It’s impossible to ignore who the woman in that mirage is. After all, there is only one raven-haired, willowy, tawny temptress who’s monopolized my attention lately.
I spot Dad and Rory all the way down the block, right outside a street-food stall. Dad’s probably taking this chance, while Mom is preoccupied with me, to sneak in a hot chocolate without getting scolded about his sugar intake. Speaking of my mother, I chance a glance at her. Unsurprisingly, she’s observing me with narrowed eyes.
Heat gathers at the back of my neck. I hope she didn’t witness me losing myself to a daydream like a fucking sap.
“You can be glib and charming all you want, Callum, but I won’t be put off. My mom-dar has been pinging,” she warns, patting my bicep condescendingly. Rory and I used to tease her by asking if her ‘mom radar’ had been activated any time she caught us breaking the rules. Eventually, it turned into a family joke where mom-dar was synonymous with getting our secrets unraveled by our sweet and shockingly perceptive mother.
“Fine,” I sigh, twisting my ball cap backward. I shove my hands into my pocket while we maintain our leisurely pace. “What do you want to know?”
“How long have you been dating her?”
“We’re not dating. We’re friends. Besides, Alia’s my teammate’s little cousin.”
Mom tips her head toward me, smirking in a manner reminiscent of what I’ve seen in the mirror. “I didn’t mention her name, but good to know I’m right.”
I blink slowly, stunned. Fuck, that was a rookie mistake.
“Mom, not cool,” I whine, instantly reverting to the child I am whenever I’m around family.
She snorts, pleased with herself. “You’re just bitter you fell for an old trap. Now, tell me about this girl you like.”
“We’re friends.”
“So you said. Twice. You also happened to introduce this friend to your dad and I with the same enthusiasm you had when Sarah Wiebe agreed to be your middle school prom date.”
My lips tremble at her cheekiness, reminding me why I love her so much. Fuck, I’m not ready for my family to leave. “I regret saying I missed you.”
“Callum, I will yank on your ear if you sass me. I don’t care if you’re a grown man.”