Chapter 13 #3
Taking her advice and removing my coat, I move past her small kitchen and into the living area before plopping down onto a small orange couch.
Tattered from years of wear, several patchwork quilts lay draped across the few pieces of mismatching furniture.
A cream shag rug fills the majority of the floor, while a small oak coffee table sits in the center of the space.
And even though she has a TV and several art pieces on the walls, nothing captures my attention quite like the massive overload of plants in the room.
They hang from coatracks, from the ceiling and sit on miniature stands.
Some kind of vine crawls across the top of the kitchen cabinets, draping itself onto the countertop, where a single pot sits alone and thriving.
Curiosity gets the better of me, the small plant singing its siren song. Reaching out, my fingers are a hairsbreadth away when I hear movement behind me.
“Don’t touch him!” Callie cries.
My hand aborts its mission immediately, opting to fly to my chest to check for cardiac activity instead.
“Sorry,” she says, reaching around me. Grabbing the pot, Callie takes it over to the sink and waters it. “I’m just a little protective of this one.”
“A little?”
Callie rolls her eyes. “Gilmore’s special. He, uh,” she peeks up, “he was my first baby.”
“How old is he?’
“About eight years old,” she declares proudly. Setting him back on the counter, she moves to grab a bag sitting on the floor by the bedroom door.
Palming the back of my neck, I blow out a breath. “Wow. Mine usually last about two weeks. Then they run for the hills.” Taking the bag from her, I place it by the front door.
Callie frowns, watching me.
Panic seizes my chest. “What? Were you not done with this one?”
“I didn’t see any plants in your apartment on Thanksgiving,” she says, words laced with suspicion. “Not gonna lie, your place could use all the plants you can handle. ”
“Which is none, if I’m the one caring for them.”
“But then your place wouldn’t be so cold,” she grins, “with the exception of Nacho being there, of course.”
“Of course. Maybe I just need you to come and redo my house.” I shrug, looking around her chaotic and warm home. Other than Nacho’s presence, the only reason mine is a home is because I’m there every day.
But Callie’s home is full of life, of love.
Something mine could desperately use.
Callie laughs, producing another smaller bag from right inside her bedroom door. “Just say the word. I’ll happily redo my fake boyfriend’s house. It would definitely help us sell things even more.” She pauses, considering something. “Not that we’ll need to for much longer, though, I guess.”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I actively fight the urge to ask her to reconsider as she turns out every light except for a small lamp in the living room.
“Remind me,” Callie shakes her head, “Nacho really will be okay while we’re gone?”
My heart warms at her concern, resulting in a smile trying to take over my face. “She’ll be fine. My neighbor, Cory, will take good care of her while we’re away.”
Callie nods. “Okay, only if you’re sure. Are you ready?” she asks, reaching where I stand by the door with her large bag in hand. “You know, you really don’t have to do this. It’s … a lot.”
Pasting a smile on my face, I scoop the second luggage piece from her grip. “I’ve always heard Aspen Point is some kind of swanky place. When am I gonna get another chance to see it?” Winking, I’m rewarded with one of her sweet giggles.
While Callie locks up and waves to a spying Mrs. Martinez, I tote both of her bags to the car. By the time she makes it down the walkway, I have the door open and waiting for her.
Callie beams up at me as she slides into my passenger seat.
Making my way to the drivers side, I give Mrs. Martinez one more wave before joining my girlfriend.
“What’s in the tumbler?” Callie points to the two travel mugs waiting in the cup holders.
I shrug. “In case we get thirsty along the way.” Pulling out onto the road, I add, “Don’t drink from the one in the back spot. It’s coffee, so you won’t like it.”
“And the other one? The one in the prime cup holder, the princess parking of all cup holders? The one covered in pictures of plants?” A perfect ruby brow lifts, taking the corners of her lips with it.
Pressing my mouth into a line, I shrug, never taking my eyes off the road. “Not coffee.”
“Oliver, did you buy me a plant tumbler?”
“Do you like it?” My words are cautious as I glance at the captivating woman in my front seat.
Callie holds up the travel mug, turning it this way and that way. “I’m surprised you picked plants instead of glitter or puppies or something.”
A smile tugs at my lips. “Your favorite color is green. Two of your favorite hobbies involve plants.” Heat rises in my cheeks.
Clearing my throat, I regrip the steering wheel.
“And Blythe likes online shopping, so I put it to good use.” Chancing a peek at my girlfriend, I ask, “How does one accumulate so many green things, anyway? Your apartment’s like a jungle. ”
Callie, who is currently taking a swig of the Williams Sonoma hot chocolate Blythe helped me pick out, smiles. Looking down at the mug, unshed tears glisten.
Alarms go off in every corner of my body, horror clinching my heart. Gripping the steering wheel as hard as I can, I silently curse such a stupid idea. “Callie, sweetheart, I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean to—”
She laughs.
My entire system freezes, with the exception of my driving capabilities. Thank all that is holy.
But even those become endangered when Callie reaches across the console and rests a dainty hand on my leg for the briefest moment. “Thank you,” she says, her warm voice melting away any residual anxiety. “It’s perfect.”
If my face was heated before, it’s undoubtedly on fire now. I hope she likes what’s in my bag as much as she likes the mug.
“And, uh, Ian and Aaron always get me a new baby for birthdays and Christmases.” Callie takes another sip from her new mug. “Since they usually go in together, I’ve got some expensive plants,” she laughs.
Indulging in the twinge of one hundred percent irrational jealousy, I ask the question I’ve wondered since that first night in the bar. “How did you and Ian become so close? And, I guess, his brother too, for that matter?”
My girl puts the tumbler back in the cupholder, and resituates herself to get comfortable in her seat. “Nothing too crazy. They moved in next door—”
“To the next mansion?”
“Pretty much. Their dad is one of the big wigs in Benedict International’s software division.
And they have family money, too.” Callie shrugs, as if it’s all so normal.
But to her, it is. “Ian was right between the twins’ and my age, while Aaron was Connie and Chris’s age.
Since the twins had each other, they really weren’t interested in anyone else.
At least, that’s what I thought until Connie told me otherwise.
I’d decided at a young age I wanted to teach.
I would play School with my stuffed animals since no one else would play with me. ”
“Not even Connie?”
Callie hesitates, considering her next words.
“She did, sometimes. But I think she always felt guilty leaving Chris, so it was usually pretty brief. It was fine—I was typically left to my own devices. So when I found out that their mom was an elementary teacher, I suddenly found their home much more interesting than the Rutherford ivory tower.” She scoffs.
“That’s what all the kids in our classes called our house, anyway. No one was allowed over.”
“I’m surprised you all weren’t homeschooled,” I admit.
“You and me, both,” she laughs. “Their mom is amazing. Their dad, too. Mrs. Fairchild actually teaches right across the hall from me. I eventually conned Ian into playing School with me and, I think, he’s the one who got Aaron involved.
Even with the age difference, the three of us became inseparable.
If I wasn’t at my house, I was at theirs. ”
“I’m guessing your parents didn’t mind,” I say dryly. It’s not a big leap for Ira and Lillian.
Callie quirks her lips to the side. “I honestly don’t think they noticed. If you were to ask, they probably wouldn’t even remember.”
Man, my girlfriend’s parents are frustrating. That’s what I’m here to fix.
Hopefully.
Something Callie said sticks out. “Did you say their dad works for Benedict International?”
That lovely face scrunches. “Yeah. Why?”
“Last week, at your program—” shaking my head, I try to remember the exact details “—Ian congratulated your dad about something to do with that company.”
Callie nods. “Oh, that’s right. They signed a merger.
My father’s firm now oversees BI’s legal division while still maintaining their outside firm, as well.
” Snickering, she bites down on her lower lip.
“Should be fun for Prescott.” With a quirk of my brow, Callie answers the unspoken question.
“The owner of BI, Charles Benedict? Prescott used to date his daughter back in law school. But she was a little younger, I think. Still an undergrad at the time, even. Rumor is she’s an attorney now, too. And working at her father’s company.”
Snorting, I roll my eyes. “Is this what first-class gossip is like?”
Laughter fills the car. “Pretty much.”
“Then I guess I’d better catch up,” I grin, “since we’re headed to a premier winter resort, and all.”
Grinning right back, Callie is stunning. “Don’t worry, Rhodes. I’ve got your back.”