Chapter Twenty-Seven #3
His chin dropped, and she tucked her fingers under it, making him look back up at her.
"I'm not saying no. I'm saying yes. Yes to you. Only to you. It could only have been you. That's what I'm saying. I never thought I wanted it — but I do, with you."
He grinned and leaned in to claim her mouth in a deep, searing kiss. When they finally came up for air, he ran his fingers down her cheek.
"I love you, Callie."
She nodded. "I love you too." She laughed. "Oh, but crap — you might want to change your mind."
He laughed. "That's hardly romantic. What's the problem?"
She laughed with him. "I'm serious, Ollie. I don't want kids. And that's not something I'm going to change my mind about."
She relaxed when he smiled.
"Thank God for that. I hadn't even realized we needed to discuss it. But I don't either."
"You don't? You're sure?"
He shook his head. "After my childhood, I know the damage a parent can do without even trying.
I'd never want to be responsible for screwing a kid's life up.
" He chuckled. "And besides, we could probably sign ourselves up to be Zia's godparents or guardians or whatever they’re called. She's enough kid for anyone."
Callie smiled. "Yeah. I think that'd work."
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Oh, shit. I forgot." He dug in his pocket. "I didn't want to thrust it at you in case you were going to say no. But you're not saying no, are you?"
She chuckled. "I'm saying yes, Ollie. I mean there’s no big hurry, but yes."
"Then there's this."
He held up a ring. A broad gold band set with a gorgeous green stone.
"I think it should fit," he said. "Becca helped me out with the size. But if you don't like it—"
"I love it," she told him as he slid it onto her finger. "It's the most beautiful ring I've ever seen, Ollie. It's gorgeous."
"I don't want to dwell on it, but I have to say it.
You can have any ring you want. You can have anything you want.
But I think I understand you well enough to know you'd want something like this.
It's sea glass from Gold Beach. Handmade, just for you.
Because that means more." He shrugged. "Just know that if you ever want a big-ass diamond, you can have one. "
She laughed out loud at that. "Okay. Point taken. Thank you. And now we can put that aside and come back to — I absolutely love this. And you're right. It's the meaning in it, not the money in it, that counts."
He pulled her to her feet. She was about to say something when a familiar scent caught her attention — sweet and unmistakable.
"Do you smell that?"
She turned, scanning the overgrown path. A little farther down, past a second stone bench, something purple peeked through a tangle of vines.
She tugged his hand. "Ollie. Look."
They walked closer, and the scent grew stronger. Behind the bench, half-hidden by years of neglect, a lilac bush was in full bloom.
"The lilacs," she breathed.
He stared at it, his eyes wide. "I was down here earlier. To hide the bouquet. I looked for them, but I didn't..."
"They were here all along," she said softly.
He stared at the bush for a long moment. This was where his parents had sat together. Where his dad had held his hand. He hadn't been able to see it. But now — with her beside him — he could.
"They were here all along," he echoed. "I just wasn't ready to find them."
She slipped her hand into his and squeezed.
~ ~ ~
Later that evening, Ollie sat on one of the loungers on the terrace, Callie curled against his side. The sun had set, and the crimson sky was softening to pink. The air was still warm, and the last golden light was fading from the hills.
Peanut lay across their feet. Butter was stretched out on the warm stones beside them, his chin resting on his paws.
"Big day," Callie murmured.
He smiled. "The best day."
She held up her hand, and the sea glass caught the last glow of the sun. "I still can't believe you did all that this morning. The bouquet. The ring. And I had no idea."
"Last secret I'll ever keep from you."
She laughed softly. "I'll allow it."
He pulled her a little closer and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. He thought about everything that had brought them here — the secrets they'd both been keeping, the walls they'd had to tear down, the broken pieces they'd put back together.
His dad. The lilacs. The wind chime order that had come from a sad old man in LA, who just wanted to be part of his son's life again.
And Callie. Who'd seen through all of it. Who'd made him better.
"You know what I keep thinking about?" he said.
"What?"
"That wind chime. The broken pieces."
She tilted her head up to look at him. "What about it?"
"That's what makes them special." He smiled. "My dad said that. And he was right."
She nestled back against his shoulder. "He was."
The dogs shifted at their feet. A bird called somewhere in the oaks. The vines stretched out toward the hills, and somewhere down by the pond, the lilacs were still blooming — just like they had been all along, waiting to be found.
They sat there together as the sky deepened to purple and the first stars came out — the four of them, quiet and content, with the future stretching out ahead of them;
I hope you enjoyed Ollie and Callie’s story.