Chapter Twenty-Eight
CALLIE
When I awoke, I was curled on my side in the center of Emmett’s ridiculously comfortable bed. He had offered to drive me back to my apartment, but after feeling so vulnerable and emotionally wrung out, I had wanted to be here—wrapped up in all things him.
How had I gotten so lucky as to rebound from a five-and-a-half-year relationship right into Emmett Price? He was almost too kind, too supportive, too loving.
But I was soaking it up today. I needed it.
Hushed voices filtered through the half-open bedroom door. I instantly recognized Emmett’s voice, but it took me a moment to place his father’s. I held my breath, trying to hear over the thumping of my heart.
“So, I take it my old eyes didn’t deceive me? You’re together?”
“Yes.”
“And it’s serious?”
“Yes.”
It really was that simple for Emmett. He was unwavering in his belief that not only was this thing between us right, but it held no bearing on our professional relationship. I understood what it meant to have strong convictions, but I’d never known anyone to have them for me.
“Good.”
“Good?”
“Yes, good.”
“You’re not mad?”
“No, son. I’m not mad. I told you months ago that you were in love with her. Seems like it just took you two a little time to catch up.”
Emmett laughed, and I finally let out the breath I’d been holding.
“We’ll get the paperwork started when everyone is back in the office, then?”
“It’s already done, Dad. I just didn’t want to pressure her before it was time.”
Pressure me? Into what?
“Good, good.”
“That’s your favorite fucking word today, isn’t it?” Emmett grumbled.
I slapped a hand over my mouth to stifle my giggle. Seconds later, I heard footsteps, and then the bedroom door opened fully.
“Well, hello, Miss Winters. Care to join us?” Emmett teased.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I just woke up.”
“It’s fine, Cal. Come on.” He offered me his outstretched hand as I sat up and swung my legs over the side of his bed. Hands still linked, we walked down the short hallway to where the CEO of Price Industries was seated in my boss’s living room.
Oh, God. This is so awkward.
I smiled at him hesitantly. “Hi, Mr. Price. I’m so sorry about earlier at the picnic.”
Emmett squeezed my hand as he led me to the sofa across from his father.
“It’s just Thomas here, Callie—just a dad here to see his son and his girlfriend. Would you two care to fill me in on what I walked in on with Gene earlier?”
My muscles locked up, and Emmett sighed.
“I’m not sure how much more I can put up with, Dad.”
He recapped our exchange with Gene while his father listened, leaning in with his forearms braced on his knees. He didn’t hide his emotions; hurt and pain flickered across his features as he heard the nasty words his best friend had wielded against his son.
It was clear how much of his father Emmett had in him. They were both good men.
“I owe you both an apology. I’ve let this go on long enough.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Emmett asked.
Thomas stood without answering. We both followed suit.
“Callie, dear, I hope I’ll be seeing more of you.” His wink was so like Emmett’s that it was like peering thirty years into the future.
Not a bad future, Cal. Not bad at all.
“I hope so, too.” Emmett dropped a kiss on my head before walking his father to the door. When he returned, I was snuggled on the couch, wrapped in the new blanket he’d bought just for me.
He flopped down next to me. Now that we were alone, I drank him in. He looked drained, rumpled, and sexy as hell in his comfy clothes—he must have changed while I was asleep.
Twisting on the couch, he laid down and placed his head in my lap. He stared up at me for more than a minute. I was to the point of squirming from the intense eye contact when he finally spoke.
“A house in the suburbs. Maybe Powell or New Albany or Westerville. Two kids. A boy and a girl. And a dog.”
“What are you talking about?”
“In ten years. I want a house in the suburbs with two kids and a dog.”
In that instant, the last of my reservations slipped away. “Powell, then. The zoo is in Powell, and the kids will love the zoo.”
Emmett’s boyish grin made my heart swell. I recalled our conversation on the plane—how sad he had looked thinking that this dream of his wouldn’t come true.
Well, if he was adamant about making my dreams come true, I could do the same for him. I raked my fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. He closed his eyes and let out a contented sigh.
We stayed like that for a while before I remembered something else. “Pressure me into what?” I asked as my hand in his hair stilled.
He cracked one eye open, rolling it back as if he could look at the top of his own head. I caught his drift, resuming my ministrations. Both eyes closed again, and the hint of a smile played on his lips.
He wasn’t going to answer me.
“Emmett!”
His low laugh made his body vibrate against my leg. I dug my nails into his scalp.
“Ouch! Stop it!” He smacked at my hand. Before I could process what was happening, he sat up on the couch and lifted me into his lap.
“That, Miss Winters, is a work conversation. One we will have on Tuesday in the office.”
“Just tell me now.”
“Uh-uh.” He silenced my protests with his lips on mine. “Right now, I am going to take you to bed and show you just how much I love you. How much I plan to keep loving you—ten, twenty, fifty years in the future.”
“Fifty years, huh? Think you’ll still be able to get it up by then? You’ll be pretty old.”
He slapped me on the ass, and I giggled. Then he stood, taking me with him. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist as he walked us toward his bedroom.
“Pretty sure I’ll never have an issue getting it up for you.”
“Never say never, Em.”
He growled against my neck and bit sharply at my pulse point.
“Emmett!”
“You asked for it, baby.” He tossed me onto his bed and made love to me for the rest of the night.