Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
That night in his hotel room, Callum scrolled again through Brynn’s texts, then watched the parade video for the third time.
She’d called Connor’s unexpected arrival a godsend.
Callum rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to keep at bay the headache that threatened to form there. He’d had a busy afternoon and evening, calling it a day only when it had become too dark to do further assessments.
He’d gone out for a late dinner with key committee members. The talk had turned to the various events they’d each participated in, each waxing poetic about the thrills and glossing over the chills when something “almost” went wrong.
Callum hadn’t found as much pleasure in the discussion as he once had, likely because he was worried about Parker.
Not that he had any concerns about Brynn caring for his son. It was how Parker had looked when he’d left. So gloomy and sad.
He glanced at the clock. Still early enough that Parker and Brynn should be up.
The phone rang, but instead of Brynn accepting his request to FaceTime, it was Connor whose face showed up on the screen.
“Hey, bro.” Connor grinned .
“Where are Brynn and Parker?” Callum asked.
“Parker’s taking a shower. Brynn’s setting out his pj’s.”
“I didn’t realize you were coming this week. You never said.”
“Impulse.” Connor shrugged. “I had the time off, and I took it. Plus, you and I always loved these weeks leading up to the Fourth.”
“The parade looked like fun.”
“It was awesome.” Satisfaction filled Connor’s voice. “Parker and I had a blast decorating his bike. Brought back a lot of memories. I told him how we decked out our bikes over the years. The bubble machine and squirt guns were his favorites.”
“Thanks for doing that. I wish I could have been there.” Callum fought a spike of envy. “What did you do after the parade?”
“Got pizza at Bayside. Sat outside on the deck. We had a good table overlooking the water. Parker loved it.”
“I bet it was busy, after the parade and all.”
“Yeah, we had to wait awhile, but it was fun.” Connor dropped to sit on the sofa. “I can’t count the number of people who stopped by our table to say hello.”
Our table, Callum thought with a pang.
Callum kept his voice offhand. “Where are you staying while you’re in town?”
“When I heard Brynn was watching Parker, I offered to step in and watch him, but she said no.”
The tightness in Callum’s shoulders eased. As much as he didn’t want to inconvenience Brynn, he agreed with her decision. His brother might look like him, but he and Parker were virtually strangers.
“I’m crashing at home in my old room,” Connor told him. “Thankfully, Mom and Dad still hide the key in the same spot. But I’ll spend a lot of time with Parker. I want to get to know my nephew while I’m here.”
“I’m glad—” Callum began, then heard Parker’s excited voice .
“Is that Daddy? Are you talking to Daddy?”
Connor handed the phone over to his nephew.
“I miss you, Daddy.” Even if Connor hadn’t said anything, Parker’s damp hair would have told him exactly where the child had been.
“I miss you, too. Tell me about the parade.” Callum listened as Parker told him all about his day, with lots of references to Uncle Connor sprinkled in. “Since you’re not here, Uncle Connor is going to read your part.”
For a second, Callum didn’t follow, then he realized the boy was referring to the Nate the Great book. He cleared his throat. “That’s nice of him. You’ll have to catch me up on the story when I get home.”
“Parker,” Connor said in the background, “when you’re through talking with your dad, let’s finish this Jenga tower.”
“I gotta go.” Parker’s blue eyes were solemn when they met his. “Come home soon. Okay?”
“As soon as I can. Hey, Parker, before you hang up, could you give the phone to Brynn?”
“Brynn,” Parker called. “Daddy wants to talk to you.”
Her smiling face was the next thing he saw. “Hey, you,” he said.
“Hey, yourself.” Her gaze narrowed. “You look tired.”
“It’s been a long day.”
“Want to talk about it?”
He drank in the sight of her and the sound of her voice and felt himself steady. “Actually, I want to hear about your day. Don’t leave anything out. I want to hear it all.”
Needed to hear it all, Callum thought. Needed the connection, even if they were a thousand miles apart.
On Monday, his work in Tennessee done, Callum exchanged his airline ticket back to Milwaukee for one to Boston. The writing was on the wall. The end of his time in Good Hope was fast approaching.
This meant he needed to figure out what he would do with Parker once he was back in Boston.
Since Phillip was out of town until Wednesday, that had been the earliest he’d been able to schedule a meeting. Callum would have preferred to speak with him on Tuesday but planned to use the extra time to catch up with his team and research next steps.
The project he’d been dealing with from home was progressing well, but returning to the office would allow him to make more significant strides. He looked forward to the team meeting he’d scheduled for Tuesday.
He thought of the excitement on Brynn’s face when he’d told her he’d finished his assessment, then the disappointment she’d tried to hide when he’d mentioned the trip to Boston.
Callum had called her from his hotel room, expecting a leisurely conversation with her and Parker, only to find that Connor and Grandpa Steve had taken him fishing.
“He asks me every day when you’re coming home. He misses you so much.” After a moment’s hesitation, she added, “I miss you, too.”
Callum gripped the phone. “I miss you both. I wouldn’t be in Boston now if I didn’t think it was necessary.”
“Well, you know where to find us.” She cleared her throat. “Will you be able to call later and talk to Parker?”
“Absolutely. Did my parents get back yet?” Callum couldn’t believe his parents hadn’t returned immediately from Appleton. Instead, they’d taken a side trip to visit old friends of his mother in Milwaukee.
“Not yet, but don’t worry. Parker certainly isn’t lacking for attention. He was so excited about his fishing trip today.” Brynn chuckled. “Connor said they may go again once your dad gets back.”
Some of Callum’s favorite memories from his childhood were from fishing with his dad and Steve. Now, his son was having that experience without him.
Callum closed his eyes.
“I hope that was okay with you,” Brynn said hurriedly.
“Just fighting pangs of envy.”
“You’ll have plenty of time to make memories once you return.”
Would he? Callum thought of his meeting on Wednesday. Depending on the outcome, everything could change.
“Barring anything unforeseen, I should be back Friday. Or Saturday at the latest,” Callum said, then backpedaled. “But don’t give Parker any specifics. I don’t want to disappoint him if there’s a glitch.”
“What do you think is going on?” Zoe asked when she brought lunch to Brynn at the clinic on Wednesday. The allure of the lovely weather led them to claim the picnic table outside.
After taking a bite of the sandwich from the brown bag lunch Zoe had picked up at Muddy Boots, Brynn forced herself to swallow.
She didn’t fully understand why she’d vented to Zoe about Callum staying in Boston a few extra days. Maybe because the weight of Parker’s sadness had felt so heavy on her shoulders. “I’m sure he’s just trying to finish everything up, to get as much done as possible while he’s there. And then he’ll be back home with us.”
It was the same comforting words she’d given Parker, the ones she needed to believe were true. But deep down, when Callum had told her it would be a couple more days, a sharp ache had welled up in her chest. She’d smiled for Parker, but later, alone with her thoughts, she’d felt the tears threatening to spill.
Worry darkened Zoe’s blue eyes. “If that’s the case, why are you so sad?”
“I just miss him so much, Zoe.” Brynn’s voice trembled, her fingers tightening around the soda can like it was the only thing keeping her grounded. She took a long sip, hoping to drown the lump in her throat, but it didn’t help. Swiping hastily at her eyes, she let out a shaky breath. “I never thought it was possible to love someone this much. It’s like…it hurts.”
Zoe’s baby blues softened, the pain of her own heartbreak still flickering beneath the surface, but her compassion was unwavering. She reached across the table and wrapped her hand around Brynn’s fingers, squeezing gently.
“He’ll be home soon,” Zoe said quietly, her voice infused with a certainty that Brynn needed to hear.
Brynn clung to those words, feeling the warmth of Zoe’s reassurance seep into her like sunlight through a storm. It didn’t erase the ache, but it gave her something to hold on to, something to believe in.
“When Callum knocked on my door, I never imagined that my life would take this turn,” Brynn said, her voice soft with wonder. A vivid image bloomed in her mind, so clear it made her heart ache even more. “The three of us living in Good Hope, surrounded by family and friends, building a real home together.”
Zoe’s smile was warm and genuine. “Since I’m one of those friends, I’ve got to say I really like this picture.”
Brynn’s lips curved as she let her vision expand. “Parker would grow up wrapped in love from people who cared for him. Callum and I would maybe have a couple of kids together. I’d adjust my hours at the clinic to focus on our family. Life would feel…full, and happy, and right.” She sighed, the sound tinged with quiet joy. “It would be perfect. ”
Zoe tilted her head, her expression thoughtful. “And what about Callum?”
“What about him?”
“From everything you’ve told me, he loves what he’s doing now. Would living here fit into his perfect life?”
Brynn didn’t hesitate, her confidence buoyed by the conversations she and Callum had shared. “I think so. He mentioned that when he was at Outfitters, Anders hinted at wanting to expand to offer extreme sports options for tourists. Callum’s close with his uncle. Working together would be exciting for him. I can see it all so clearly.”
Her smile deepened, and her eyes softened with a dreamy glow. “He’d have the flexibility to pursue those passions and participate in events when he wanted. And I could rearrange my schedule so Parker and I could tag along, cheer him on. It would be like little family adventures—mini vacations—we’d all look forward to.”
Zoe nodded knowingly. “Give-and-take.”
“Exactly.” Brynn cradled the can, thinking back to how they’d collaborated so he could meet with Chris without worrying about picking up Parker. “That’s what it would be—working together, sharing the load and building something beautiful. A perfect life, piece by piece.”
Brynn’s heart swelled with the hope of it, so vivid it felt within reach.