Chapter 9 #2
The amazing woman sitting in my passenger seat turns toward me. “Oliver.” Large, chocolate eyes blink at me as we sit at a deserted stop sign.
Everything occupying my mind goes out the window as this woman stares across the tight space, daring to witness my bare soul. So I ask her the first thing that pops into my mind. “What’s your middle name?”
Her button nose wrinkles in disgust. “Why?”
Laughing, I resist the urge to reach over and smooth the creases from her kind face. A face that radiates sunshine when she smiles. “In case they ask. You know, as a test.”
Callie looks toward the car ceiling. “They won’t.”
“Humor me?”
She peers at me through narrowed eyes. Sighing, she caves. “Leora.”
My chest warms while I grin like an idiot. “Of course it is.”
“What do you mean?”
“I took this course on the psychology of names given to children for my degree. One of the things we looked at were the meanings of different names. Your name, it means ‘light’,” I explain.
When Callie continues to blink blankly at me, I elaborate, “I told John—the night we talked about that flyer, actually—that I wished I had some kind of guiding light to get me through the holidays this year.”
Callie gives me her best skeptical look.
“I know, I know. It’s cheesy. But with my parents pushing me to find someone and settle down, I was starting to dread all the time I’d be spending with my family.”
“Which is sad, because they’re absolutely incredible.”
Her words warm my heart. It doesn’t take an expert to see I may just be in trouble when it comes to Calloway Rutherford, knowing that she enjoyed being with them, too.
“I guess I’m just glad I had you there today, is all.
So your name makes sense to me.” Releasing my hand from hers, I brush a loose piece of hair from her face.
“You deserve a family that appreciates you, Callie,” I whisper. “Please don’t think otherwise.”
Callie blushes furiously. “Then I guess it's a good thing you'll be there.”
Brushing my fingers under her chin, I tip it up and bring her eyes to mine. “You better believe it, baby.”
She groans. “Not that again.”
“Oh, my sweet hot cocoa connoisseur,” I grin, “we’re just getting started.”
“You know what?” Callie straightens as we pull onto the street. “I think I left my stove on this morning. Maybe we should turn around and go check. Just in case. Because I’d hate to be responsible for burning down my entire apartment complex due to such carelessness.”
“You’re right, that would be bad.” A chuckles escapes, one hand on the steering wheel while the other remains firmly in hers. "But the stove wasn’t on. Trust me.”
“I do,” she says instantly, “but you also didn’t come in, so there’s no real way for you to know that.”
“You didn’t invite me in,” I point out. A fact I’m still telling myself I’m not disappointed about.
Callie frowns. “Fine. But—”
“Calloway.”
Her mouth snaps shut while I pull into the driveway of the type of house that used to make peasants revolt.
“Everything will be fine, I promise.” Putting the car in park at the end of the driveway, I turn toward the woman I’m supposed to be in love with.
Which is turning out to be a lot easier than I imagined.
Making sure her gaze is locked on mine, I take a deep breath.
“No matter what happens in there, you and me? We’re a team.
Whatever is said, whatever is insinuated, I can hold my own.
And while I have no doubt that you can, too, you don’t have to.
Because I’ve got your back. Got it, Calloway Leora? ”
A small smile cracks that terrified facade. “What’s your middle name?”
Shaking my head, I grin while I unbuckle my seat belt. “Grant.”
Callie hops out of the car with much more gusto than I'd imagined, humming a Christmas song. “Oliver Grant Rhodes,” she muses to herself. Callie looks over at me and smiles that breathtaking smile. “I like that. It just kinda flows, you know?”
Rounding the car, I throw my arm around her before placing a kiss on her temple.
“What’re you doing?”
“Playing the doting boyfriend, in case they’re watching. Can’t be too careful,” I murmur into her hair. I breathe in deep, really hamming it up.
“Mm good call,” Callie says, wrapping her arms round my torso, “though they don’t really bother with me unless they have to. So it’s not very likely anyone’s looking.”
Knowing we already look like the perfect couple in love, I pull her in close. The walk to the door is too short as we pass three luxury vehicles coated in fresh snowfall.
We’re definitely late to the party.
“Do any of your siblings have significant others?” If so, it says something about which family home they’ve been at all day.
Callie shakes her head. “Nope. Prescott used to seriously date this girl back in law school, but they broke up a long time ago. None of the others have anyone, though.”
“What about Connie and Ian’s brother?”
Playfully rolling her eyes, Callie smiles. “Maybe one day. Oh, there’s one other thing I should mention.”
“Consider my interest piqued.”
“My parents love when my siblings challenge each—”
“There you—and just who is this?” A tall, slender woman in her early sixties stands with the front door wide open.
Dressed in a cream blouse and matching slacks, Lillian Rutherford is everything I’ve pictured as Callie’s mother.
Thin lips purse as she takes me in, medically enhanced cheekbones prominent with the movement.
“Ready or not,” I whisper as I unlatch myself from Callie, immediately missing her warmth. But that woman did an incredible job of holding up her end of the bargain.
Now, it’s my turn.
Pasting a smile on my face, I start this bizarre game of chess. “My name is Dr. Oliver Rhodes. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Rutherford,” I hold out my hand, “You have a lovely home.”
Lillian Rutherford takes my extended hand automatically, gaze still flitting between her daughter and myself. “Um, it’s a pleasure to meet you, doctor.”
“Mom, I’m so sorry I forgot to tell you. I just wasn’t sure if he’d make it. Oliver is my, um, boyfriend.” I can practically hear Callie cringe behind me.
Lillian’s eyes widen at the word.
“But I figured, since you asked a couple weeks ago, it would be okay if I brought him today,” Callie continues. “If not, I’m sure he can wait in the car or something.”
Pressing my lips together, I work hard to keep my scoff internal.
Her mother’s manners kick in then, dropping my hand and ushering us toward the house. Well, mainly me. “Please, come on in, doctor. You must be freezing.” She keeps a couple paces ahead, overaccommodating with me while all but ignoring her daughter.
Frowning, I hold out a hand toward Callie, ensuring she keeps pace with me.
Reminding her that we’re in this together.
She shoots me a grateful smile, one that tells me just how forgotten she feels by her family.
When we meet Lillian at the door, impatience seeps into hawklike eyes as she appraises Callie’s appearance.
“Man, I’m glad we wiped off all the powdered sugar before we left,” my fake girlfriend mutters to me.
Her shrewd mother cringes in disgust. “You went somewhere covered in food? Calloway Rutherford, you were taught better than that.” Lillian shifts a tight smile in my direction as she closes the door behind us. “I promise, doctor, her father and I really did try to teach her some manners.”
A timid maid appears out of nowhere, meek and trembling, holding out frail arms waiting for our coats.
Mrs. Rutherford aims to look apologetic for her daughter, landing in the realm of utterly miffed.
Swallowing my thorough annoyance with this woman, I put on a mask typically reserved for difficult patients. “Please, call me Oliver, Mrs. Rutherford.”
The woman who’s practically taken a bath in Chanel blushes, stammering, “Well-well, then a handsome man such as yourself is more than welcome to call me Lillian.”
Callie rolls her eyes as loudly as possible, making quick work of handing off her white peacoat before holding out a hand for mine.
Rolling my lips in, I suppress a smile at the role reversal from my own family’s home.
Shooting a knowing grin my way, Callie’s cheeks heat while her mother turns on a heel and takes off deeper into the house.
“This way, Oliver,” Lillian calls over her shoulder. “The rest of the family will be very interested to meet you.”
Taking Callie’s hand in mine, I press one more kiss to her cheek. Just on the off chance someone’s watching us. Moving my lips to her ear, I whisper, “Showtime.”