14. Peyton #2
A slow smile spreads across Tessa’s face. “Got it. I am mentally crossing off Francesco’s on my imaginary list of places I never intended to go in the first place.” She adjusts the bangles on her wrist. “And it’s nice to meet you too, Callum. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“All painfully average things, I’m sure,” Callum jokes.
“You’re funny,” Tessa says, looking impressed.
Callum shrugs. “Peyton’s funnier.”
Her lips part. “Oh my God, you can stay.”
The freckles scattered across Callum’s cheeks crinkle at her declaration, and I gently rub my thumb against his. He squeezes my hand in return.
Tessa refastens the belt of her coat tighter around her waist. “So, I love it here. Everything is so quaint and picturesque. Grace already helped a duck family cross the road. The mom had six little babies. So many fucking adorable woodland creatures… Have you tried summoning them with a song?” She sniffs the air.
“The wind smells like apples and cloves. I feel like I could carry things in a basket and walk barefoot through the forest and no one would question it.”
“Different from New York, huh?” Callum asks.
Tessa snorts. “Eh, not really. We have street rats and the smell of hot garbage, but it’s still magical in its own way.” She gestures at the gazebo in the town square. “Anyway, I can see why you love Waterton.”
I take a moment to really appreciate my surroundings. A group of laughing kids carrying candy-dipped apples pass us, and when I take a deep breath in, the air really does smell like cider. Callum’s hand encompasses mine perfectly.
“I wouldn’t change being here for anything,” I tell her.
A gentle puff of air warms the top of my head before Callum presses his lips against my hair—a chaste peck. Like he’s pleased with me for expressing my love for Waterton out loud. I need to tell him more often. I do love it here, and I have no plans to leave.
Tessa stares at Callum and me with genuine approval. Are her eyes misty?
I spot Giovanni walking our way and give him a small wave. He rarely dresses American-casual, and today is no different. His button-down shirt peeks through the structured wool coat he’s wearing as he wraps his arms around Tessa’s waist from behind and gives her a kiss on the neck.
“There you are!” Tessa turns her head to kiss him on the cheek, brushing a light brown curl out of her husband’s eye.
Giovanni’s voice lowers, his Italian accent thicker than I remember. “Don’t ever talk about the strength test again, Tessa. I’m begging you. Not in front of your brother.”
She smirks. “How many tries did it take him?”
Giovanni winces. “Five. Please don’t bring it up.”
“I won’t, I won’t,” Tessa reassures him.
Giovanni breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” His eyes find me next. “Peyton, it’s great to see you. Haus of Lamont misses your designs.”
I snort. “Spare me the lies. I was one coquette bow away from getting terminated for my ‘boring’ style.”
“Working at Lamont might’ve been an absolute horror show, but at least it brought me the two of you,” Tessa says sweetly.
“Gracie, my arm’s sore!” Daniel’s voice cuts through the crowd noise. “I slept on it weirdly, and that was the only reason I didn’t get it on the first try.”
My gaze snags on him and his wife as they walk past the Paint-a-Pumpkin booth and head in our direction.
I feel a tug on my hand and look at Callum. His eyes are wide, and his face looks paler than normal. He leans down and whispers in my ear, “Don’t look, but that tall guy with the dark hair? That’s DT. He used to be a wide receiver on the New York Mustangs. Holy shit. What’s DT doing in Waterton?”
It takes my brain a few seconds too long before I realize he’s referring to Tessa’s brother, Daniel. And then another few seconds before I remember that I left out a not-so-tiny detail about Daniel’s past. I’m about to fill Callum in, but Daniel and Grace have already arrived.
Grace rolls her eyes. “Sure it was, Dan. Listen, I was only joking about you being a former athlete anyway. You’re obviously still very athletic.”
Daniel narrows his eyes at his wife. “That’s Danny to you. And everyone knows that ‘jokes’ always have seeds of truth to them.”
Her eyebrows raise. “Oh, really? Interesting. Because that’s not what you said when you ‘joked’ I had poor judgment for dating a podcaster when we weren’t together.”
Daniel presses his lips together, on the verge of exploding with laughter.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Gracie girl.
I take your ex’s podcast extremely seriously.
I mean, he is the self-proclaimed ‘Keto King.’ Carbs are obviously no joking matter.
And they—God, those donuts look good. How many should we get? A dozen?”
Tessa and I snicker as Daniel studies the donut flavors sign in the distance. I glance at Callum, who’s standing there, eyes wide. Grace redirects her attention to me.
“Peyton! We’ve missed you. It’s so great to see you again!” She wraps me in a hug, and I squeeze her back.
Grace and Daniel attended most of our fashion shows over the years, usually taking us out for milkshakes after, but I haven’t seen them since I left New York.
“It’s amazing to see you, too.”
“Moore! It’s been a while. We haven’t seen you since the last show, right?” Daniel asks, standing next to Grace. Daniel has Grace tunnel-vision, so I’ve never had to worry about a rogue hug attempt from him.
“Hey, Daniel! Good to see you. Yeah, I think it was New York Fashion Week.”
“That was an unseasonably snowy February. Absolutely brutal weather,” he says.
Tessa nods, but something absolutely diabolical flickers in her eyes.
“I don’t know. The winter wasn’t that bad for me, but I’m used to tough conditions when I run marathons.
Daniel, on the other hand… I think his bones are just a bit more brittle.
You know, on account of him being a former athlete. ”
Giovanni releases a long sigh, muttering something in Italian, and Grace looks up to the heavens, clearly trying not to laugh. I watch every single one of these weirdos with an amused grin on my face.
“Oh, fuck all the way off, Tessie,” Daniel pouts, turning to his wife. “Gracie baby, she’s bullying me.”
Grace lovingly rubs his arm. “Why don’t you walk it off? Maybe you can get some donuts and cider for the group after we’re done catching up.”
“I’ll take a cinnamon-sugar,” Tessa says sweetly.
“None for you,” he mutters to his sister.
While Tessa and Daniel bicker in the background, Callum leans closer to whisper in my ear. “Hi. Just need a quick clarification before I officially meet DT, former wide receiver of the New York Mustangs. Do you casually know him? You said Tessa’s brother worked in the non-profit sector!”
“To be fair, he does work in the non-profit sector. He runs his own charity. And, truthfully, I often forget he’s famous, because that entire family is ridiculous. I mean, you saw them just now. Does he seem like a famous person to you?”
He shakes his head. “Jesus, Peyton. Next time give me some warning. I drafted that man seven years in a row. Fantasy Football DT and I have been through a lot.”
I grin. “Wow, do you want to ask for his autograph or something?”
“Kind of!”
Laughter spills out of me. “Then between the pumpkin painting and the apple bobbing, we’ll get you his signature.”
“We are not apple bobbing. Do you know how unsanitary that is?” Callum squints, his furrowed eyebrows telling a story all their own. “You have to dunk your face in the same bucket as everyone else. Water is a vehicle for disease transmission, Peyton.”
“But it sounds like so much fun.”
“Voluntary waterboarding sounds fun to you?”
“It’s not waterboarding!”
“There’s no scenario where you come up for air and your eyes aren’t red and teary.”
“Maybe I like my eyes red and teary. This one time, I had to round out the guest list at a funeral as a professional mourner. I cried all day. It’s still one of the most fun assignments I’ve ever had.”
He blinks at me. Then he turns around and tugs my hand closer until I’m in front of him. In this position, I’m blocked by him and his back is toward my friends. No one can see, though, they’re all distracted with Grace and Giovanni mediating Tessa and Daniel’s squabble anyway.
Callum tilts his head in question, I nod, and he leans down to press his lips chastely on mine. “You are hilarious.” He kisses me. “And so much fun.” Another kiss. “And I’m really fond of you.” Kiss.
My lips tilt up. “I’m really fond of you, too.”