Forty-Three
forty-three
HAVEN’T MET YOU YET - MICHAEL BUBLé
CALLIE - AUGUST 20, 2014
T he warm scent of coffee and baked goods greets me as I step into Brooked & Brewed , our usual meeting spot. The café is buzzing with its usual morning crowd—commuters clutching their travel mugs like lifelines, a group of older women knitting aggressively in the corner, and a college student passed out over his laptop, drooling onto the keyboard.
A guy near the window flips through a well-worn copy of Twilight , looking deeply invested. Next to him, the shop’s small bookshelf overflows with donated books, some classics, some more questionable choices. A tattered copy of Vampire Academy rests on top of the pile, the spine nearly broken from being read so many times. Brooke once argued that book donation systems like this were “basically the library, but with more coffee and less judgment.” I think she just liked having access to smutty romance novels while she drank her caramel macchiatos.
Taylor is already at our favorite corner table, scrolling through her phone with the deeply concentrated expression of someone who is either rage-reading an email or deciding whether or not to throw her phone into traffic. Meanwhile, Brooke is at the counter, practically holding court with the barista. Her laughter carries across the café, loud and unapologetic, earning a few startled looks. A man near the pastry case actually jumps, clutching his muffin like it just personally betrayed him.
I shake my head, smirking as I approach the table. “Hey, you two,” I say, shrugging off my coat and sliding into the seat next to Taylor.
She barely looks up from her phone, but the smirk on her face is immediate. “Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to show up. I was starting to think Owen locked you in a basement somewhere.”
I snort. “Honestly? I wouldn’t even be mad about that if it meant I actually got to see him. Sounds kinky.”
“Ohh, what’s kinky?” Brooke’s voice cuts in as she appears beside us, expertly balancing a tray of three coffees and an assortment of pastries. She sets everything down with a flourish, eyes sparkling with mischief.
I grab my coffee and take a slow, appreciative sip before giving her a knowing look. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” I tease, earning an exaggerated gasp from Brooke.
Taylor rolls her eyes, but she’s fighting a grin. “You two are the worst.”
Brooke grins, plopping down in her seat. “Please. If I’m going to be the worst, I at least want the official title. Like, Duchess of Distraction or something.”
I snort. “More like the Duchess of Destruction.”
Brooke gasps, clutching her chest. “That’s rich coming from you Chaos Callie. Besides, I love that. So regal. So fitting,” she jabs playfully before turning back to my sister. “Taylor, what do you think?”
Taylor shakes her head, reaching for her coffee. “I think you both need supervision.”
Brooke beams. “That’s what makes us fun.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “You two are ridiculous.” I lean back in my seat, stirring my coffee absently. “Honestly, I’d love to be around more for this kind of nonsense, but Owen’s been busy with work. I feel like I barely see him.”
Taylor snorts, shaking her head. “At least you’ve got something good going on. Meanwhile, I’m over here trying to figure out whether I should move on or just accept that relationships are a scam.”
I blink at her, frowning. “Wait—move on? I thought you and Nick were done. You told me a couple months ago that you felt like you were forcing it. I assumed that door was closed.”
Taylor exhales, stirring her coffee like it personally offended her. “I thought it was, but it’s not always that simple. We were seeing each other again last year, and it felt like we were trying to force something that just wasn’t working. But now that I’m actually stepping away from it, I don’t know if it’s for good or just… another off phase.”
I exchange a quick glance with Brooke before leaning in. “Taylor, I love you, but I feel like I can’t keep up. One minute, you’re telling me you’re done with him, and now you’re not sure? I don’t want to see you stuck in something that just makes you miserable.”
Taylor sighs, rubbing her temple. “I know. I don’t want that either.”
Brooke tilts her head, considering. “That’s tricky. You don’t want to be the person who jumps into something new just because you’re frustrated with the old.”
I nod but add gently, “You also don’t want to stay in something just because it’s familiar.”
Taylor hesitates before shrugging. “I mean… maybe? I did meet someone. It’s way too soon to tell if it’s even a thing, though.”
Brooke gasps dramatically, clutching her chest like she’s been personally betrayed. “Excuse me? You met someone and didn’t tell us?”
I raise an eyebrow. “Yeah, what the hell, Taylor? This is major news.”
Taylor waves a hand dismissively. “It’s really not. We’ve only gone out a couple of times, and I don’t even know if I’m ready for something new.”
I exhale, torn between relief and concern. “Honestly? I’m glad you met someone else. I just—” I hesitate, glancing at her. “I worry about you. You’ve been stuck in this loop with Nick for so long, and I want you to be happy. Really happy. And I don’t want you to settle just because it’s comfortable.”
Taylor offers me a small smile. “I know, Cal. And I appreciate that.”
Brooke sighs dramatically, leaning back in her chair. “Fine. We’ll allow it—for now. But you will be providing updates.”
Taylor rolls her eyes but smirks. “Yeah, yeah.”
Brooke suddenly leans forward, her expression shifting from playful to mischievous. “Speaking of people who are stupidly attractive,” she says, tapping her fingers against her coffee cup, “have you two seen Vince lately?”
I watch Brooke as she says it, and I can’t help but think how different she’s been over the past year. Not in a bad way—just… lighter. More like herself again. After everything with Lexi’s dad, she’d spent years just surviving, never really looking at anyone, never letting herself have fun. But lately, she’s been laughing more, flirting more, finally stepping back into her own life. I love seeing her happy, but I also know she’s been burned before. I don’t want to see her hurt again.
Taylor groans immediately. “Brooke…”
“What?” Brooke asks, feigning innocence. “The man is a sexy hunk of man meat, and I’m only human.”
I nearly choke on my coffee. “Did you just say hunk of man meat?”
Brooke grins. “I sure did. And I stand by it.”
Taylor pinches the bridge of her nose. “You really cannot keep referring to people as ‘man meat.’”
Brooke shrugs. “It’s accurate. I mean, have you seen him? The tattoos, the muscles, that ‘I could build you a house with my bare hands’ energy—ridiculous.”
I smirk. “You do realize he’s Owen’s cousin, right?”
Brooke waves a hand. “Yeah, but don’t worry, Vince isn’t my target.”
Taylor perks up. “Okay, so who is?”
I tilt my head. “Oh god, it’s not Luke, is it? Please tell me it’s not Luke. As much as I would love for you to be my sister-in-law, I don’t think I’d be able to handle the two of you together.”
Brooke bursts into laughter so hard she nearly snorts. “Oh, absolutely not. That man is a walking red flag with an endearing smile. He’s like a golden retriever who thinks he’s a wolf.”
Taylor groans. “Why is that so accurate?”
Brooke leans forward, eyes glinting with mischief. “Because I know guys like him. The ones who act like they’re the ultimate bad boy but would absolutely cry if they got yelled at by an old lady in a grocery store.”
I shake my head, but I’m laughing now too. “I don’t even want to know how many of those guys you’ve encountered.”
Brooke shrugs. “Enough to spot the type from a mile away. Luke’s charming, I’ll give him that, but I’m not signing up for whatever brand of chaos he’s selling.”
Brooke takes a sip of her coffee, her grin turning even more wicked. “Although… his drunken proposal to fuck at your wedding was tempting with the tequila flowing through my veins.”
“He what?!” Taylor and I both say in unison, practically choking on our drinks.
Brooke beams, knowing she’s dropped an absolute bomb. “Oh yeah. He was all, ‘Brooke, we should just do it—two hot disasters colliding, we’d be unstoppable.’”
I stare at her, mouth slightly open. “And this is the first time I’m hearing about this?!”
Brooke shrugs. “What can I say? The moment wasn’t right.”
Taylor looks equal parts horrified and fascinated. “And what exactly did you say back?”
Brooke smirks. “I told him he couldn’t handle me.”
I press a hand to my forehead. “You might be the actual villain in Luke’s tragic backstory.”
“Probably,” Brooke agrees cheerfully.
Taylor sighs, rubbing her temples like she’s dealing with children. “Okay, so if it’s not Luke—who is it?”
Brooke’s smirk turns absolutely devious. “If this particular target doesn’t work out, do you think I could have both Vince and Luke? I mean, they aren’t related. Might be fun.”
I groan. “I can’t with you.”
Taylor just shakes her head. “I need you to focus, Brooke. Actual answer, please.”
Brooke dramatically sighs, leaning back in her chair like we’ve exhausted her. “Fine, fine.” She takes a slow, deliberate sip of coffee before tilting her head. “Are we talking about a guy or a woman?”
Taylor leans forward, practically vibrating with curiosity. “Tell us.”
Brooke shakes her head. “Not yet. You’ll find out soon enough.”
I squint at her. “You’re insufferable.”
Brooke winks. “And you love me for it.”
Taylor rolls her eyes but then gestures toward a nearby bookshelf, where Twilight and the rest of the books sit. “I feel like you belong in a book like that. You’d be the over-the-top supporting character who causes chaos but somehow always has the best love story in the end.”
Brooke gasps, pressing a hand to her chest. “First of all, thank you. Second of all, I would be the main character. But you’re right about the chaos.”
I laugh. “You’d be the character who shows up randomly halfway through the book and completely steals the show.”
Brooke grins, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “That’s the dream.”
The coffee in my cup has gone cold, but I barely notice. The easy, caffeine-fueled chaos of earlier has settled into something quieter now, a comfortable stillness between the three of us. The din of the café hums around us—murmured conversations, the hiss of the espresso machine, the occasional clink of a spoon against ceramic—but here at our little corner table, it feels like we’re in our own world.
I hesitate for a moment, then glance between Taylor and Brooke, my fingers tracing the rim of my mug. “There’s something that’s been on my mind,” I admit, my voice softer now. “I’ve been thinking about Katie.”
Taylor’s brows knit together. “Katie?” She pauses, realization settling in. “Oh. Adam’s ex?”
Brooke tilts her head. “She’s due soon, isn’t she?”
I nod. “I think so. I don’t know the exact date, but it has to be close.”
Taylor leans forward, resting her arms on the table. “Have you heard from her?”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “Not since she wrote that letter saying she and Adam had broken up.” I let out a slow breath. “That was months ago. It just feels… weird. Like, she’s about to have a baby, and there’s been nothing. No updates, no word at all.”
Brooke exhales, drumming her fingers against her coffee cup. “That is a long time. And with everything she was dealing with before…” She trails off, shaking her head.
“I know she doesn’t owe me anything,” I continue, my words a little unsteady now, “but it’s just—hard. My girls are going to have a sibling out there, and they might never even get to meet them. How do I explain that to them one day? That they have a brother or sister we know nothing about?”
Taylor’s expression softens. “That’s what’s really getting to you, isn’t it?”
I nod, swallowing against the tightness creeping up my throat. “Yeah. And I keep thinking… what if she’s doing this completely alone? I don’t know if she has anyone supporting her through this. I don’t know if she’s okay.” I exhale sharply, rubbing my hands together. “I hated being pregnant and feeling isolated, and I wasn’t alone. I had Owen. I had you guys. But what if she doesn’t have that? What if she’s struggling?”
Brooke leans back in her chair, crossing her arms. “I hate to say it, but some people just shut down when they’re going through something hard. Maybe she has people in her corner, but she doesn’t want to involve you in it.”
Taylor nods. “And if that’s the case, then what? Are you thinking about reaching out?”
I hesitate, pressing my lips together. “I don’t even know how I would get in touch with her. It’s not like we were ever close. I don’t have her number. I don’t even know if she’s still in the area.”
Taylor tilts her head thoughtfully. “She probably has mutual friends with me. I could ask around if you want me to.”
I glance up at her, torn. “I don’t know,” I admit. “I don’t even know what I’d say if I did get in contact with her. Realistically, whatever’s going on with her isn’t really my business.” I pause, running a hand through my hair. “But then I see the girls with Barrett, and I watch them laughing and playing together, and I can’t help but wonder. What if they got to meet their little sibling someday? What if that’s something they’d want?”
Brooke exhales. “Yeah, but it kind of is your business, in a roundabout way. You share kids with Adam, and this baby is going to be their sibling. It’s not like you’re some nosy stranger trying to dig up gossip.”
Taylor nods. “Exactly. If you want me to see what I can find out, just say the word.”
I let out a slow breath, the weight of it all pressing down on me. “I don’t know,” I say again. “I guess I just needed to say it out loud.”
Brooke reaches across the table, her fingers curling briefly around mine. “And we’re here to listen. Even if we don’t have the answers.”
Taylor gives me a small, knowing smile. “Especially when we don’t have the answers.”
I huff out a quiet laugh, though my chest still feels a little heavy. But it’s a weight I don’t have to carry alone.
I glance at the time on my phone and sigh, stretching my arms before reaching for my coat. “I should probably get going,” I say, gathering my things. “Owen’s finally home for more than five minutes, and I promised I wouldn’t be out too late.”
Brooke smirks, taking a final sip of her coffee. “Ah, yes, can’t keep the man waiting.”
Taylor rolls her eyes but smiles. “Tell him we said hi. And remind him that if he disappears into another work project for two weeks, we will be staging an intervention.”
I laugh, standing up and slinging my bag over my shoulder. “Noted. Thanks for letting me unload all my thoughts tonight. I needed that.”
Brooke bumps her shoulder against mine as she stands. “Anytime. I live for emotional chaos. It fuels me.”
Taylor snorts. “That and an alarming amount of caramel macchiatos.”
Brooke gasps dramatically. “How dare you call me out like that? This is slander.”
I roll my eyes, grinning. “And Brooke, I mean it—stay away from Luke.”
She places a hand over her heart like I’ve just wounded her. “What? Me? I would never—Besides, I told you I have my eye on someone else.”
Taylor arches a brow. “For now.”
Brooke sighs. “Fine. I will probably stay away from Luke.”
“Brooke.”
She grins. “No promises. He is a walking red flag, but damn if he’s not an aesthetically pleasing one.”
I groan, shaking my head as we step away from our little corner table, laughing our way toward the door. The weight in my chest feels just a little lighter—at least for now.