32. CALLUM
32
CALLUM
“What are you doing?”
Chloe’s hands cover her face, but where her cheeks bubble, I can tell she’s silently laughing.
I step into her space. “Henry?”
She opens her hands, hiding her face from my family as we walk to the table.
“I’m trying to remind myself that you are my boyfriend.” Then her eyes shoot to my dad.
Chloe called him Mr. Sullivan again, and he corrected her, asking her to call him Tripp. He’s young for a father of four. They had my eldest brother at twenty-one and me at twenty-nine.
“You’re ridiculous, Dais.”
“Yeah, because he’s ridiculously hot.”
I pinch her side, and she nudges me with her shoulder.
Audrey spins to face us. “Well, aren’t you two winning the cutest couple this year?”
“Did you know your dad is hot?” Chloe asks her.
“Ugh. Not you too. A friend of mine at school added his photo to a gallery wall of fit men in our dorm suite.” Audrey pretends to gag.
“That’s a genius idea.”
“What about my photo?”
Chloe makes a scale with her hands, pretending to weigh her options. “Pretty Boy or hot dad.”
Audrey pipes in, “Hot dad.” Then glances at me. “Sorry, Cal.” She’s not .
The three of us make it to the table and only four chairs are around it.
“The reservation is for four,” Mom confirms.
“We can ask to add a chair,” Dad says simply. He asks the host to bring us another chair. They let us know it’ll be a few minutes before they can get another chair.
From the way her brows try to furrow, I know Mom is trying not to let this annoy her.
Audrey and Dad sit. I pull out a chair—
“Oh, we should all wait till there is another chair. Chloe doesn’t need to hover, since there is no place for her.”
“What are you talking about?” She tilts her head. “I have a seat right here.” Her arm snakes around the back of my shoulders. My muscles flex under her hand as she lowers herself into my lap.
Across the table, Audrey’s hands press into her cheeks, a shit-eating grin trying not to take over her face. Dad is drinking from his water glass, ignoring us. Sienna’s eyes are fluttering with disbelief.
She scoffs.
I know Chloe isn’t trying to lay it on thick, but wow, if this isn’t going to be the weirdest brunch of my life.
We order. I love an eggs benedict. Dad orders the same and it feels like the first sip of warm cuppa. Audrey a salmon omelet with capers. Mom yogurt with fresh berries.
“I’ll do the same. Thanks.” She closes the menu, dropping it on the table all cheekily.
Chloe leans back into my shoulder. One hand on her waist, the other lazily tracing her tattoos.
The waiter returns with a chair while we are laughing at Audrey retelling a story about one of her classmates. It’s quite funny, everyone laughs, including Mom. Chloe’s whole body shifts with amusement, an airy and alluring appearance. It’s bewitching and intoxicating .
Dad switches chairs, giving Chloe the seat next to me. She attempts to move, but my hands find her waist stopping her.
“Give me a minute,” I say quietly against her ear. My voice grappled with anguish and fervor.
Chloe turns her head, covering her face with a hand to give us a semblance of privacy. “Huh?”
“Give me a minute before you get up or toss me that napkin.” She wiggles, reaching for the napkin. “Never mind.” I swallow. “Don’t. Move.”
“Should we go to the bathroom? Whisk off back to our place?” Chloe teases.
“Dais,” I whimper.
“Would sell this charade, would it not?”
“Let’s make this clear. Me fucking you isn’t going to be for a charade. It isn’t for show or anyone else. It will be for us and only us.”
That shuts her up.
Discreetly, Chloe shifts into the seat next to me while I simultaneously scoot further into the table. I pass her beverages to her and we resume conversing with my family.
Mom dabs her lips with a napkin. “Tell me. How did you two meet? Callum hasn’t shared much about your relationship .”
I freeze. Cheeks heating with the memory of Chloe.
“We—uh—”
“Mutual friends,” Chloe jumps in. “Emerson, who is dating Liam, is my best friend. We met through them.” How stupid am I? I about blurted to my family that she was naked and I was trying to take a leak. “Took him a few tries asking me out before I said yes.” Chloe places her hand on my cheek. “Couldn’t be happier, though.”
“I see.” Sienna takes another bite. “And your living arrangements.”
“He’s incredibly generous, isn’t he? Cal wouldn’t let me stay anywhere else while my apartment is getting fixed. ”
“And when will that be?”
“Mid-spring. I live in an older building in the West Loop.”
Lived. I want to correct Chloe, but I don’t.
They pepper her with questions—about her, about us. Chloe answers without skipping a beat.
She’s left handed. Her right hand keeps dipping beneath the table, playing with mine or resting on my knee which I know is for show. I should really check her CV, make sure she hasn’t done this before. I do the same, having a hard time keeping my attention off her. . .which isn’t for show. Yeah?
We finish eating. Dad pays. Chloe excuses herself to the bathroom.
When she returns, Dad calls her to walk with him. Maybe I should be nervous about what he’s going to say, but I’m not.
I hold the door open for my sister and mom.
“She’s interesting,” Mom says.
“She’s incredible,” I rebuttal.
“We’ll see—” Mom draws out her words, walking to catch up with Dad.
Audrey hangs back, looping her arm with mine as we walk back to my place.
“Do you think they’re convinced?” I ask in a hushed tone.
“Well Mom only frowned 60 percent of the time. . . so, I’d say yeah!”
“I need her convinced, Auds.”
“Mom or Chloe?”
“Huh?”
“Who are you trying to convince you are dating? Mom or Chloe.” She raises a brow. “I think you might want to date her for real.”
Do I?
Sure, she’s a fit girl. Naturally stunning. A sharp personality, cheeky mouth. But soft and kind. Gentle with an infectious laugh.
Anyone would be lucky to have her .
I don’t want anyone to have her. I want her. I need her.
But what if she doesn’t want me back? I couldn’t handle that.
Audrey stops me in the elevator before we get back to my flat. “Look. If you don’t think Mom is convinced, toss up a social media post. Go FBO or whatever the kids are doing these days.” She spins out in front of me. “But if it’s Chloe you are trying to convince, don’t do it for someone else. Do it because you want to.”
“Remind me why I ask for your advice.”
“Because I’m the best sister.” She sticks her tongue out at me.