18. Peyton #3
He glares at me. “Stop, I can’t get turned on right now. I’m wearing hard pants.”
I wink at him and watch as he leaves the room to get the pies. When I swivel my head around, his entire family is smiling at me—even Clover—like I’m holding a giant check worth one million dollars.
The happy silence is interrupted only by my phone alarm going off.
“Oops,” I say sheepishly. “Sorry for the interruption. Meds time.” I reach into my purse and retrieve my travel pill case, popping out today’s nighttime dose and reaching for my glass of water to wash them down, trying to ignore the ten sets of eyes watching my every move.
“Are you feeling okay?” Mrs. Galvin asks kindly.
“That’s sweet of you to ask, but I’m totally fine.” I give my case a little shake. “It’s my daily anti-seizure pills. Nothing to worry about, I just have to take them on time and all. No big deal.”
When I look around the table, everyone’s smiles are gone. They’ve been replaced with various shades of concern, ranging from Carter’s quizzical brow to Caitlyn’s deep frown. Even Lila is giving me an “I thought I knew you” face.
I glance at my case, double checking that it’s still my meds and not hard drugs. Are they concerned about my medicine around Cal? Do they think I’m unstable?
“The meds are really safe. I have epilepsy, but it’s been a really long time since I’ve had a seizure. I know seizures can sound scary, but everything is completely controlled with medicine. It’s all good over here. Promise.”
I try to give a reassuring grin, but it doesn’t work.
Carter looks even paler, and Mrs. Galvin starts fidgeting with her napkin.
I want to ask what’s happening, but I keep my mouth shut, scared I’ll make things worse.
I’m nearly positive Callum’s open about the medication he takes with his family…
In fact, I’ve seen him take a dose in front of Carter. Why is everyone being weird?
I quickly shove my case back in my purse and think about my response, but before I can come up with anything, Callum walks into the room with the pies. If he can tell the air has shifted, he doesn’t show it, giving me a peck on my head.
When Callum sets the pies down on the table, he gives a little bow, then flourishes the pie servers before putting one next to each pie.
Carter shakes his head, chuckling at Callum’s grand presentation. “Should we slow clap?”
Callum scratches his forehead with his middle finger, and everyone laughs. Dessert proceeds as though no one had a strange reaction minutes ago.
As slices of pie turn into last bites, Callum leans toward me and whispers in my ear. “Which ‘goodbye’ are we deploying tonight, Pey?”
“None of them. I’ve decided to move in.” That awkward minute aside, the Galvins have tugged on my heart in a permanent way. It’s one thing to like a boyfriend. It’s another thing to love his family.
He seems so genuinely happy right now, the idea of bringing up his family’s weird reaction to my medicine floats away.
I’m not going to ruin this moment for either of us, and I’m probably overthinking it anyway.
Plus, if his family is worried about me because of him, like he can’t handle being around someone with medication, I don’t think he should know.
The last thing I’d want, as someone who also deals with effects of the past, is for people to think I’m weak.
Callum nudges me. “As much as they’d love for you to move in, I’m not sure they have room for Big Plant.”
My nose scrunches. “Don’t remind me of the Circle of Life tree in my apartment, please. I blissfully forgot about it until now.”
“Do you want me to take it to my townhouse? We can have joint custody. It’d give you an excuse to visit.”
“I don’t need an excuse, Callum. Just an invitation.”
I lied before about the size of his smile, because this one somehow grows into the largest, brightest one yet. And it stays put while we help clean up the dishes and listen to Christopher play another song in the living room.
“Well,” Callum slaps his knees from his seat on the couch, “I think it’s time to head out for the night.”
Everyone stands and starts saying goodbye. Cal hugs his brothers and dad in the kitchen while I wait in the foyer. Mrs. Galvin swoops me up into an embrace near the front door.
Could I have this one day with the men in Callum’s family? A familial hug with Mr. Galvin, or Carter, or Christopher, without having a panic attack? Would it feel as nauseating as a touch from a stranger?
Almost instinctively, I know it wouldn’t be the same.
I’m just hesitant to take the risk after all the progress I’ve made with Callum.
But his family—even with the hiccup we had earlier—seems like the kind of people who wouldn’t judge if something went wrong on the first try.
Hopefully, if I ever punch one of them, it’s Carter—he could probably take the hit.
When we step onto the porch, the breeze hits me. Callum rubs my arms up and down, warming me up, before tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. “Hey, Pey?”
“Yeah?”
“You want to run into each other tomorrow?”