Chapter Twenty-Seven
EMMETT
I threw open the doors, scanning the space before my eyes finally landed on her.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” I closed the distance between us in three long strides, pulling Callie into my arms as tears cascaded down her cheeks.
Her sobs echoed in my chest as my hand traced a soothing path up and down her spine.
“Cal, talk to me. What’s going on, baby?
I saw you talking to Dad earlier. Did he say something that upset you? Do I need to—”
Her sudden words cut through me like a knife. “What do you want from me?”
She pulled back from our embrace and looked at me. My heart clenched at the sight of her tear-streaked face. Up close, the green flecks in her eyes stood out even more prominently against her dark hair.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Like, where do you see us ten years from now?”
Her question caught me off guard. I blinked.
“I mean...I don’t know,” she said hastily. “Forget I said anything. Maybe it’s just hormones or something.”
“Don’t blame hormones for having feelings, Callie,” I scolded gently. “That’s just not fair to yourself. Plus, your last period ended a week ago; we’re not exactly in ‘Crazy Callie’ territory yet.”
A choked laugh escaped her lips. “What the hell does ‘Crazy Callie’ mean?”
“Fuck.” My hands stilled on her arms and I squeezed my eyes shut.
“I didn’t mean for that to come out. I’m just very confused about what’s happening right now.
You’re crying, and I hate it when you cry, and I want to fix it, but I don’t know how and ohmygod, I’m turning into you! I’m fucking rambling!”
She looked up at me and burst out laughing. She laughed and laughed until I couldn’t help but join her. We stood there laughing until I was crying right along with her.
When we finally gathered ourselves, she rested her forehead against my chest.
“Can you tell me what happened, please?”
When she said nothing, I took a deep breath, wrapping my arms securely around her waist. Her closeness grounded me, the familiar scent of her shampoo and the warmth of her body calming my racing thoughts.
“Your question about where we’ll be in ten years, it caught me off guard,” I said. “Not because I don’t think about our future, but because I guess I never really pictured the specifics. Just...being with you.”
I leaned back so I could look into those soulful green eyes. “Callie, you are my world. My partner, my best friend, my everything. Wherever this crazy life takes us, as long as I have you by my side, that’s all I need.”
Her eyes shone with unshed tears as I continued. “Did my dad say something to make you doubt that? Because he means well, but he can be a little old-fashioned. The future he sees for me probably looks quite a bit different from the one I would make for myself. For us.”
So quietly—nothing like the fierce woman I had come to love—she finally spoke. “He wants me to put the kids to bed while you’re stuck at the office. And make sure you eat right.”
Her eyes were trained on the floor. I wanted so badly to laugh at the absurdity of what she just said, but I knew what she needed right then was reassurance that we were on the same page.
“Baby, I need you to hear me.” My hands came up to cup her face, thumbs brushing across her flushed cheeks. “You will never be anyone’s bored trophy wife. You’re a force of nature—brilliant, ambitious, passionate. You challenge me and inspire me every single day.”
A watery smile crept over her face I leaned in to rest my forehead against hers. “You will not become your mother. I won’t allow it. I love you, Callie Winters. The only future I see is one with you by my side, building the life we’ve both dreamed of.”
She nodded solemnly. I felt the need to lighten the mood, to see her laugh. “Fuck, maybe we’ll get Dad to name you CEO and I can stay home with the kids!”
She shook her head at me, and a smile twitched at her beautiful lips. “You’re an idiot.”
“You love me.”
“Yeah, I do.”
Our eyes met. It was like one of the slow-motion moments in movies—the ones where time seems to stretch, the world around the characters fades into the background, and all that matters is the connection between two people.
“And what do we have here?”
We both jumped at the unexpected voice. Gene stood in the doorway, hands tucked in the pockets of his twill shorts and a smug smile on his face.
I put an arm around Callie’s shoulders and turned us both, facing the asshole head-on.
Callie’s face had paled and her spine was rigid, but something had to give.
We couldn’t keep sneaking around. The dishonesty was eating her apart.
It allowed for too much space for doubt to seep in, and it prevented me from loving her loudly and openly, the way she deserved.
“Did you need something, Gene?” I kept my voice even, not allowing him the satisfaction of seeing me lose my cool.
“Yes, Emmett. I need you to stop falling for every pretty little gold-digging tramp who bats her eyelashes at you. This one will be no different than the other, and I will not watch you drag your father down with another lawsuit.”
“That is enough!” My voice echoed off the walls of the pavilion.
I took a protective step in front of Callie, as if I could shield her from his vile words.
“You know absolutely nothing about my relationship with Callie, so you will refrain from passing any judgment. Perhaps if you’d spent as much time caring about your own marriage as you spend caring about my personal life, your wife wouldn’t have left you. ”
It was a low blow, but I was fed up with his bullshit.
His face turned a hideous shade of red and he nearly erupted. We were all saved from the blast when my father opened the door, eyes darting between the three of us. Silent tears streamed down Callie’s cheeks, and I’m sure my expression was murderous.
“What the hell is going on here?” Dad asked.
Gene glared at me before he turned, pushed past my father and exited the building. Dad looked briefly over his shoulder at his departing friend before turning back to me and Callie. “Emmett?”
I ignored him and pulled Callie into my arms. My poor girl could not catch a break today. “Come on, baby,” I murmured into her hair. “Let me take you home.” She nodded into my chest before I guided her to the doors.
When we reached my dad, I mumbled a goodbye, telling him I would call him later. He nodded and clasped my shoulder in a silent show of support.
But I would need more from him soon enough.