Chapter 21
Mitch
The truck cab smells like grass, sweat, and bologna.
It’s a hundred degrees out already and it’s barely ten. Luke and I started a little earlier than normal to try and get one of the hottest days of the year over with faster.
Any spare minute I get, I’m scrolling through apartment listings. There aren’t many, but there are a few possibilities. Enough to make me think maybe we could make something work. We can’t leave town. My job’s here—hers too—and we’ll need steady money more than ever.
But the whole thing feels wrong. Getting a place because we’re having a baby? It’s skipping steps, or like we read all the pages of the instruction manual out of order.
And marriage…God. Marriage keeps jumping into my head whether I want it to or not. I love Callie. That’s not the problem. The problem is wondering if love is enough when you’re eighteen and terrified and everything is happening faster than you can think.
But I want my kid to grow up with both their parents in the same house. I want them to see commitment. Stability. A family built on something solid—not fear or shame or an accident we pretend was part of the plan.
I keep praying about it, but the truth is, I already know what the right thing to do is.
Luke twists off a new Gatorade cap and looks over at me. “So? How’d it go yesterday?”
I drag a hand through my hair, reeling my thoughts back in. “The appointment?”
“Yeah.”
I exhale. “Good. Said she’s due in March.”
Luke nods slowly, like he’s trying to let that sink in too. “You see it?”
“Yeah.” My throat tightens. “Heard the heartbeat.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah,” I say again, quieter this time. “It’s wild. Like, I didn’t even know what I was looking at, but then the doctor pointed it out and stuff, and—” I stop, swallowing the lump forming in my throat. “It was real. You know?”
He nods, screwing the orange cap back on. “Yeah, I’m sure.”
“She cried,” I add softly. “Not bad, just…overwhelmed. She was scared about her parents finding out through the insurance, so she told them last night.”
He whistles low. “Dang. How’d that go?”
“Better than I expected. Nobody yelled or threatened to kill me. Her dad was calm. Her mom cried, but not the kind of crying that makes you feel worse. More like… assuring, like it’s gonna be okay.”
“That’s good, man.”
“Yeah…” I mumble, because all I can think about now is my parents. I’d bet every dime in my name it’s not going to go near that same way.
“When you telling yours?”
I shake my head. “Huh.” I sigh. “Sometime this weekend, maybe.”
“Well, good luck.” He laughs.
“Yeah. I’ve played it through my head so many times. The ending’s always the same no matter how many different ways I go about it.”
“And how’s that?”
“Mom starts yelling and Dad tells me I need to get my shit figured out.”
“So let them have their temper tantrums, and when they’re ready to be adults about it and offer some genuine advice or whatever…they will.”
“Yeah right,” I mumble. Because that won’t happen and I don’t want to talk about it anymore.
Luke crumbles up his wrapper and tosses it in the back of the truck. “I think if we can get to South Street by two, we’ll be in good shape.”
“Yup,” I agree and gulp down the rest of my Gatorade.
Luke starts driving to the next job, and I’m in my head. This time next year I’m gonna be a dad. A dad. That’s insane.
* * *
Rudy’s diner is packed, vibrating with voices, the jukebox blaring something from the early 2000s, forks clinking against plates.
The five of us cram into the booth: Luke and me on one side, Maddie, Callie, and Macy on the other.
Brad’s at Academy, which is weird. He brings an energy to the group I can’t quite explain.
Callie shows the girls the ultrasound secretly, half under the table, so no one sees. They whisper how small and cute it already is. She puts it away quickly when the waitress starts heading toward us.
She drops a basket of fries in the center of the table. “Need anything else?”
“No, ma’am,” Callie says sweetly.
Maddie reaches for a fry at the same time Luke does. Their fingers brush. She jerks back like she touched a hot stove.
Luke mutters, “Okay…”
Macy, Callie and I share a look that says Buckle up. I’m wondering what happened from the time Luke and I got off work to now. He didn’t say anything about them fighting, but knowing them, they can start one in the blink of an eye.
“So!” Callie says brightly. “How was everyone’s day?”
“Fine,” Maddie snaps.
“Great,” Luke fires back.
“Hot,” I add.
“Cool. Awesome. Good talk,” Callie says.
Five seconds of chewing pass.
Then Maddie casually says, “I got my schedule today, along with a ton of other information regarding housing and stuff.”
Callie perks up. “That’s amazing!”
“It is,” Maddie says, glaring at Luke. “I’ll get to move in early. Meet my sisters. Rush. Go to events with people who actually show up.”
Luke’s head snaps toward her. “Are you kidding me right now?”
“Nope,” she says, popping a fry in her mouth.
Macy’s eyes widen with a look of Abort, Abort! while Callie just sips her water.
Maddie folds her arms. “Why do you think I want to go to college, Luke? Give me your honest answer.”
“I don’t know,” Luke says, shrugging. “Get roofied by guys named Bryce? Have foam parties and wet T-shirt contests?”
Maddie’s jaw drops. “Luke!”
Callie and I both look at each other, eyes wide. Macy’s tense, like she’d do anything not to be here. She hates fighting and tension.
“Okay,” I say. “Guys. Guys. Eating? Remember eating?” I lift up a handful of fries.
“That’s what you think of me?” Maddie asks.
“I mean—” Luke starts, but I try to shove a fry in his mouth. He shoos it away.
“You’re a jerk!” Maddie stands, her chair scraping the floor. “I am so tired of having to prove myself to you.”
Luke says nothing, but the silence is loud.
She storms toward the door, bell clanging violently as it swings open.
Luke swears under his breath, digs into his pocket, throws a couple bills on the table, and gets up to go after her.
The diner feels too quiet after that. I look around. Not a ton of people looking, thankfully. Macy’s got her head in her hands like she can’t believe she was a part of this.
Callie exhales slowly. “Well, that was fun.”
“That was bad,” Macy says.
“Eh. They’ll be sucking face in an hour,” I say, throwing another few fries in my mouth and leaning back in my seat.
“I don’t care. Someone just…change the subject,” Macy says.
Callie and I laugh, grateful for the out, and right on cue, the waitress swings by to refill our drinks.
“How’s Josie?” Macy asks Callie. “Is her wedding planning done, or…?”
“I think so,” Callie says. “Only a few weeks left—she better have most of it nailed down by now.”
Macy hesitates. “Did you tell her yet?”
Callie sighs and looks at me. “No. Mitch wants to tell your parents first.”
Macy snorts and looks at me. “You sure about that?”
I think about it for a second. Not telling Josie and Tanner wasn’t something I felt strongly about, it had just been a suggestion. So I look back at Callie.
“Wanna see if they’re home?”
Her eyes widen. “Really?”
I nod. “Yeah. She’s your sister. My sister knows.” I gesture toward Macy. “Obviously.”
Callie pulls out her phone, and the uneasiness I’ve been carrying about telling my parents sometime this weekend tightens in my chest.
Now we’re adding to the list.
* * *
Josie’s apartment is tucked into a quiet row just off the main road, all identical fronts and warm porch lights. Tanner’s here too. Great. My stomach twists a little harder the closer to the door we get.
Tanner opens the door. The place smells like pizza and candles.
The living room’s dim, TV paused and glowing.
Josie’s curled up on the couch in leggings and an oversized sweatshirt, her short blonde hair pulled half up into a messy bun.
There’s a half-empty pizza box on the coffee table next to two wineglasses.
Josie sits up and smiles. “Hey, guys. What’s up?”
Callie’s posture is rigid. My hands are shoved into my pockets. The fact that we showed up last minute on a Saturday night says it all.
Her smile fades. “Or…what’s wrong?”
Callie slowly goes over to the other couch, and I follow. Josie’s eyes are searching, then Tanner finally sits back beside her.
Callie opens her mouth. “Well.” Closes it. Swallows, tries again.
“I’m pregnant.”
The words hang there, heavy and fragile all at once. Josie’s face goes blank for half a second.
“Are you kidding?!” she snaps, bolting straight up.
Callie flinches and my heart stops for a beat.
“Jo,” Tanner says gently, his hand finding her knee. Not scolding, just firm. “Easy.”
Josie looks between us, disbelief flashing sharp and fast. “You’re— You guys are eighteen.”
“We know,” Callie whispers. And I tuck my lips in, my eyes falling down to the floor. Silence crashes into the room.
Josie stands abruptly and starts pacing, arms crossed tight over her chest. “Holy crap. Holy crap! Mom and Dad are going to lose their minds, Callie!”
“Josie,” Tanner says again, this time a little rougher, looking over at her. Like he’s talking to her through his eyes.
“Mom and Dad actually took it…better than I thought,” Callie adds quietly.
Josie stops midstep. “They know?”
Callie nods. “Yeah.”
Josie huffs. “Well, what the heck. Why am I last?” She lets out a short, breathy laugh and drops back onto the couch, hands pressed to her face for a second.
“You weren’t last,” Callie says quickly. “Just…next.”
Josie drags her palms down her cheeks and looks up at her sister. Really looks at her. The fear in her eyes. The way her shoulders are pulled tight like she’s bracing for impact.
“Are you okay?” Josie asks, voice quieter now.
Callie nods, even though her chin trembles. “I think so. I mean…I’m scared. But I’m not alone.”
Josie’s gaze shifts to me. It’s sharp, assessing. Protective. “You sure about that?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I say without hesitation.
She exhales, long and slow. Tanner reaches for her hand again, grounding her. She squeezes his fingers, then leans back,
“Well,” she mutters, “I wasn’t expecting that.”
Callie lets out a small, shaky laugh.
“Trust me, neither were we,” I say. And she looks back between us, her eyes glassy. That’s when Callie’s control breaks and her tears spill over.
Josie opens her arms and stands. “Come here.”
Callie doesn’t hesitate. She jumps up and the two of them collide, holding each other in a tight hug, Josie whispering that it’ll be okay.
I watch them, heart thumping, knowing one thing for sure…that we’re definitely not doing this alone.
* * *
The drive is quiet at first. Not awkward, just heavy in that way where everything finally starts to sink in.
Callie stares out the window, the glow of passing headlights tracing her profile.
My chest feels tight, crowded with everything I haven’t said yet.
I don’t want this night to end without telling Callie I love her.
I don’t even care if she doesn’t say it back. I just need her to know.
So I don’t turn onto the main road. Instead, I take the back way to her house, the stretch that cuts through open fields and runs alongside the creek. Hardly any houses. Hardly any traffic. Just space.
She glances over. “Are we taking the scenic route?”
“Yeah.” My voice comes out rougher than I mean it to. “Just…hang on a sec.”
I pull off where the field opens wide, gravel crunching under the tires. I kill the engine and turn toward her. She’s already looking at me, confusion flickering across her face, like she’s trying to piece together what’s happening.
I shake my head once, letting out a quiet breath of a laugh. “I’ve been trying to tell you something for what feels like years.”
Her brows knit slightly. “Okay…”
“I kept waiting for the right time,” I say. “And every time I thought I had it, something happened. Someone interrupted. Things got complicated. And then it didn’t feel right anymore.”
She doesn’t say anything, just watches me, eyes steady, patient.
I swallow. “I’ve loved you for a long time,” I admit. “Long before the baby. Long before everything got serious so fast.”
Her lips part, the edges curving into the softest smile. Relief loosens something deep in my chest. I reach for her hand, squeezing it like I need the contact to ground me.
“I love you, Callie.”
She looks down for a second, smiling to herself. “I was starting to think you were never going to say it,” she mutters.
I let out a breath, a small laugh. “Yeah. I know. I’m way overdue.”
She leans across the console, smiling. Her lips hover just inches from mine.
“I love you too, Mitch.”
The knot in my stomach finally disappears, like it was never there at all. Relief rushes through me, overwhelming.
I kiss her a little harder than I mean to, but she doesn’t pull back. She kisses me right back, sure and confident.
It’s the kind of kiss that feels like a promise.