37. Callie
Chapter 37
Callie
“So, you’re sure about this?” Will asks as he pours me a cup of the lemon ginger tea that he made for us first thing this morning.
My heart swells in my chest as he hands me my mug before he grabs another for himself. His sisters stopped by before their drive back to Rowley. Before they could even step in the door, Will informed them he wasn’t sharing me this morning.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” I say, taking a small sip. My eyes shut briefly as I feel the burn all the way down. “Mmm, I know you’re just a delivery boy, but I think you need a promotion. This has got to be one of the best cups of tea I’ve ever had.”
Will chuckles. “I think you just like to inflate my ego.”
“I like to inflate something.” I dance my eyebrows at my innuendo, and he just laughs.
Will takes a small sip of his tea before setting the mug down and making his way around my island to the back of my stool to wrap his arms around me.
I lean back and let my head rest on his shoulder. “I don’t want to keep this a secret anymore and I’m okay with the consequences, but I can’t make that same decision for you. I know the no-trade is important to you for your family and losing that is the best-case scenario, Will. You could get traded to another team or even sent back to assignment if Olsson wants.”
Will sighs and kisses my temple. “Callie, at the start I told you I didn’t know where this could go, but not anymore. I can picture it. I can picture us in every scenario you could possibly think of.”
Will takes my mug out of my hand and spins me around so I face him. He cups my face so gently. “There’s nothing more important to me than having you in my life. We’ll get through this week of games and on our day off we’ll both go in and talk to Olsson. We’ll make it work no matter what.”
My heart swells in my chest. “Okay.”
The smile on Will’s face and the relief in his eyes at my admission threatens to bring tears to my eyes. I meant what I said last night—I’ve never had anyone like Will. I know Adam loves me and he’s done a lot for me, but Will’s made me his priority, even when we were “just friends.”
I go to pull him closer as he leans in and kisses me slowly, passionately.
It’s a kiss that I never want to end, but unfortunately for us we both have to be at the stadium in a couple hours.
“Hey, I have to take a shower. Wanna join me?”
“What kind of question is that?” Will kisses my forehead. “I’ll get it started. Drink some more of your tea.”
I smile as I watch him make his way back to my bathroom. When I turn back around, I reach for my mug as soon as my phone starts to vibrate on the counter. When I register that the name on my screen reads Mom, I freeze. I know Adam told me to block both of them and after my run in with Nic, I did find the strength to block our dad.
Picking up my phone my first instinct is to ignore it, but as I hear the water turn on, I remember that Will’s here. I remember the love Will shows me. I have no need for their affection or approval, and if I’m going to cut them off, I’m going to let them know why.
“Hello?” I answer.
“Calliope, finally.” My mother sighs. We’re off to a great start. “Your father tried calling you, but it went to voicemail. It’s really quite irresponsible of you to not answer your father. I tried for years to teach you manners, but I thought human decency was a given.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, regretting this immediately. “Mom, I don’t want to talk to dad. I only answered so I could explain that.”
“Explain? Really, Calliope, you exhaust me. You always wanted to talk as a kid, I just—can’t. Here’s your father.”
“No, Mom, I don’t?—”
“Calliope,” my dad cuts me off with his usual self-righteous tone. Even my name sounds like an insult coming from him. “I tried calling you, but I take it your brother had you block my calls as well.”
I sigh. “Can you blame me?”
But that wasn’t the right thing to say because yes, he can most definitely blame me.
“How I got the two most ungrateful kids, I’ll never understand. You treat me as if I’m?—”
“Dad,” I try to cut in, but I’m not the only one who can exhaust my mother with their excessive talking. He plows through with insults and disappointments, and the next thing I know my hand is being pulled back from my ear.
I jump at the surprise and yank my arm back, but Will’s already figured out who I’m talking to.
“Let me have the phone, Callie,” Will demands. The soft demeanor he had just a few moments ago is gone. Right now, he looks down right pissed.
I put my phone on mute while my dad’s tantrum continues. “No, Will. I need to handle this.”
Will cups my face again and the moment he looks in my eyes his features soften. “Callie, baby, we talked about this. The push and pull is something I love but just let me handle this.”
The look of pure love and concern in his eyes almost has me folding but this is something I have to do.
“No, Will. I need this.”
Will’s eyes shut for a moment as he takes a deep breath, the harshness I saw a moment ago comes back as he looks at my phone. “Speaker phone. Non-negotiable.”
I nod, clicking it on as my dad is starting to realize he’s being ignored.
“Calliope, are you even listening? Of course you’re not. You couldn’t?—”
“Dad,” I snap, cutting him off. “You must have had Mom call for a reason, so what is it?”
The line goes silent for a second and I swear I can hear the thuds of his shoes landing on his desk. That was my dad’s favorite move when he felt he was about to make the final blow. I can picture him clear as day in my head—laid back in his obnoxious leather chair and his feet crossed on his grand mahogany desk.
“I’ve talked with your grandfather, and in light of your recent actions we have decided to pull your inheritance and officially write you out of the family will. Adam has been written out already, I see no future for him, but this is your final chance. Come back home and we can just write this whole year off as you ‘finding yourself.’”
And at that I burst out laughing. It might be an odd response, but that? That’s what he thinks his checkmate is?
“Calliope!” my father shouts, and I imagine sits straight up now. “Stop laughing this instance. I’m not kidding. You will be stripped of your family name.”
Another laugh bubbles out of me. “I’m sorry, I just—phew, you thought that was going to win me over? Make me come back home like a scared little girl?”
The line goes silent for a moment and I almost want to start counting to five to see if the explosion happens, but I don’t wait.
“I’m not coming back. You can take my name, my inheritance—write me out of your will, that's fine.” I turn to face Will with a smile on my face. “I’ve got my own, I’m not worried.”
“Cal—” my father starts but I hang up before I can hear that awful name again.
Will laughs, picking me up from my stool and walking me back to the running shower. “Damn, it sure is a good thing I got a promotion today. I would have never been able to provide for you as a delivery boy.”
“I make one joke!”
For the rest of the morning, I’m on a high. Will and I have a plan. I’ve put my past and my family completely behind me. I feel good.
Almost too good…that should have been my first warning sign. The moment I walk through the entrance at the stadium, Shannon’s there. I asked Olsson on the flight back home if I could come in half an hour earlier to the stadium so I could get pictures of the guys walking in. It appears that plan got back to Shannon.
“Callie, we’re on a very serious schedule today. I need you to be close throughout the day because it’s all hands on deck for Opening Day.”
My high immediately gets knocked down a few pegs. “Okay, Shannon. I’m scheduled to do walk-in pictures for the next hour and a half. I have a pretty full day as well. I don’t mind helping you when I have free time, but I’m going to stick to my schedule that Olsson and I agreed on before every game.”
“Callie, your schedule isn’t really that set in stone. You can get your silly little pictures anytime.” Shannon turns on her heels not even waiting for my response. She just expects me to follow her.
Deep breath, Callie. No drama, right? But damn it, I have to do my job too.
“Shannon,” I call before she gets too far. She clicks her heels as she turns back to me. “Hi. So, listen, I don’t want this to come off rude because I love this job, and because of that I’m going to do it right. Now I can still be a team player and help you when I have breaks, but right now I’m going to go set up to get pictures of the guys coming in and then I will check in.”
Shannon stares at me with this deadpan look on her face. “Fine. If that’s what you need to do, then so be it.”
She clicks on her heels again and my high takes a nosedive. I can’t dwell because I’ve wanted to get these pictures all month. I know Shannon will force her two cents in on mine and Will’s relationship, and at this point I’ve lost all hope on her showing any support. I’m just hoping the work I’ve done so far can speak for itself.
After dropping off some of my stuff in my small office, I go to get set up out front to get the pictures I’ve been wanting for a while now. I shouldn’t let Shannon get to me. I’ve had a pretty empowering morning. I’ve officially closed the door on Calliope and now I feel like I can be Callie. Well, almost. I just have to get through this week because I honestly don’t feel much like me without Will.
Unsurprisingly, Adam is the first player to show up. When he spots me sitting on the concrete taking pictures he laughs. “What are you doing? It’s like forty degrees out here.”
“Shh, I’m not here. I want pictures of you guys in your element for Opening Day.” I click a few more pictures and Adam shakes his head.
“Hey, you’re the one who got me this job. I’ll endure the cold for the shot.” I laugh.
Adam stops next to me and pats my head lightly. “I’m really proud of you, Cals. I’m happy you’re happy here.”
“Thank you.” Peering up, I can feel myself getting misty already. “For everything.”
Adam shrugs. “Eh, it wasn’t just me.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “Who?—”
“Your next player’s here, Cals,” Adam cuts me off. “Get back to work.”
I turn to see Mateo walking in, so I pick my camera back up. I can’t help but turn back to my brother for one more question. “Who are—” is all I can get out before Adam walks into the stadium.
Damn it. I sigh and try to shake off the funk of this weird day. I get my shots of Mateo and laugh when he strikes a pose. A lot of them strike poses honestly. I’m pretty sure every man on this team is just one big goofball.
Nearing the end of arrival time, I have three players left and lucky me, my personal favorite walks up next.
I pick up my camera as I see Will walking up. I take a quick glance around to make sure no one’s in ear shot before doing a cat-call whistle. “Damn! Excuse me, sir, what are you doing after the game tonight?”
I snap my pictures just as Will starts to laugh. Ugh, I’m going to get these framed.
“You, Blaze.” When Will reaches me, he hands me the to-go cup in his hand. “Here, to warm you up.”
“Ah, you angel man, you.” I take the cup and want to cry happy tears as it warms my frozen fingers. “What’s this one?”
“Black tea with tangerine, I think. It was the special at Spilled Tea today,” Will says. “Have you gotten everyone yet?”
“Nope, Tripp and Beck are my lone stragglers.” Reaching for my phone to check the time, I unfortunately find a text from Shannon telling me that the moment I’m finished I’m needed for pictures at the concession stands. “I’m pretty sure Shannon’s going to kill me today.”
“What’s she doing now?” Will asks as I pull out my schedule to make sure I’m not forgetting something.
“She says I’m supposed to come take pictures of the concession stands or something, but I’m supposed to have fifteen minutes in between this and warm-ups to set up my camera for wide shots.” I groan and toss my phone back in my bag. “This is because I told her this morning that I needed to focus on doing my job first then I would help her after. She’s probably about to run my ass all day for useless shit, like concession photos. What the hell does that mean? They aren’t even open right now, Will.”
Will starts with a chuckle but when I give him the side eye he shuts right up. “I’m sorry, you’re right, not funny. Want me to scare her with an accidentally close pitch at warm-ups?”
I let that image play out in my head for a moment and now it’s my turn to laugh. “As tempting as that sounds, I think that might push our ‘we won’t let our relationship affect our work’ argument. I can snap her silly little pictures if it means we can make this work.”
Will smiles down at me. “Yeah, yeah, but if my hand slips, just know it was intentional.”
“Will!” I smack his leg. “Go inside.”
“Yeah, I got to go warm up my arm.” Will starts to stretch as he walks toward the entrance. “Would hate for a pitch to go a little sideways.”