Chapter 16 #3
Callie nods. “That’s definitely improving.
” She takes the icing from where I’d dropped it, picking up where I left off.
“Imogene’s always been so awkward when it comes to me.
I think she’s finally understanding we can have a relationship without her feeling like she’s betraying our parents, or Prescott, too. ”
“Who’s betraying me?” Prescott asks with only a mild edge in his voice. Cool eyes slide between his sister and I.
“Goldie,” Callie answers with ease, “when she eats eight cinnamon rolls instead of five, like you told her she could.”
The oldest Rutherford sibling merely sighs before narrowing his eyes at me. “They must be good, then. Good thing, too. Connie went on and on about them this morning.”
I shrug. “I know my way around a kitchen.”
“Daddy!” Marigold screeches. “Aunt Genny and I saved you a seat.”
Prescott’s generally icy demeanor melts for his daughter. “On my way, sweets.” Turning back to us, his smile falters slightly. “Thanks for all your hard work on these, Oliver. If they’re as good as Constance and Calloway say, you may have just secured the gig for as long as you’re around.”
“Prescott,” Callie warns.
He grins, making his way toward the platter. “Relax, Calloway.” Prescott scoops up a couple of rolls. “I’m sure the good doctor will be around for a long time.”
Throwing my arm around Callie, I pull her in close. “Only if I can help it.” I force a grin onto my face.
As Prescott stalks off toward his daughter, I lean down so that only Callie can hear me. “How’s that one going?”
Callie pipes on the last of the icing. “Fine,” she shrugs, “not super awesome, but better than it was.”
“His comment may be my fault,” I admit.
Her brows knit together. “What do you mean?”
“I may have snapped at him the night of your kids’ program.”
Crackling from the fireplace mingles with the chatter from everyone in the living area. Ira and Chris make their way inside with only a nod in our direction as they wander over to the sectional.
“Should we take the rest of the cinnamon rolls over there?” I ask, removing my apron and hanging it on a peg by the state-of-the-art refrigerator.
“What did you argue with him about?” Her voice is so soft, I’d have missed her question completely if I wasn’t so attuned to her every breath.
Turning toward the pull from my heart, I find Callie regarding me curiously. No judgement or anger, just quizzical.
A tentative step brings her closer to me, and I immediately regret every molecule of air floating between us. “Oliver,” she presses, casting a quick glance toward the rest of her family. Callie takes one more step and I can feel the heat radiating from her pinked cheeks. “Tell me.”
“Just making sure he knew my intentions were honorable is all, sweetheart.” Brushing a strand of hair behind Callie’s ear, I beam down at her. “Trust me, he won’t make that mistake again.”
Callie’s eyes flit down to my lips and I work to suppress a groan.
“You can’t look at me like that, Callie,” I murmur.
Her eyes widen. “Why not?”
“Callie, I—”
“Calloway, Oliver, come on over here,” Connie calls from the couch.
My girlfriend's eyelids flutter, remembering we have an audience. Pulling away, she turns to her family. “Just-just a second. We’re getting some more hot cocoa.” At this rate, I’m honestly shocked it’s not flowing through her veins.
Then again, it very well could be.
“Yep,” I confirm, “does anyone else want any?” When I’m met with a bunch of headshakes, I turn my greedy eyes back on Callie, who is most certainly avoiding my gaze.
Gathering the platter in my hands, Callie prepares two hot chocolates in record time thanks to the electric kettle resting on the counter. Face still flushed, she leads me to the living area where the rest of the Rutherfords are talking about Marigold taking on the bunny slopes today.
“My goodness,” Lillian breathes, looking over at the platter of treats, “how many did you make?”
“My favorite recipe makes about forty per batch,” I offer, placing the platter on the oversized coffee table.
“And we made three full batches,” Callie finishes proudly.
Connie laughs from her place beside Imogene. “Then there’ll be plenty for tomorrow, too, which is good,” she holds up a mostly eaten roll, “because I’ll be thinking about these for years to come. Whoever has next year’s shift has some big shoes to fill.” She nods to the rest of her siblings.
With the couch being at capacity, I guide Callie to a spot on the rug nestled right by the tree.
Holding her cocoa as she gets settled, I look around at the family surrounding me.
There’s the making for a close knit family here, but they have to want it as much as Callie does.
And I’m going to help her get the family she deserves if it’s the last thing I do.
Connie and Imogene watch their youngest sister with warmth in their eyes as she finds her own place in their tiny Rutherford world.
Even Lillian seems a little more attentive today.
It’s the men I have to keep an eye on, especially after the conversation I had with them at Callie’s school. Prescott will probably be the easiest to persuade that Callie really is worthy of her family name. Chris and Ira, on the other hand, will take some convincing.
“Oliver?” Callie looks up at me from the floor, hands open for her turn holding the mugs while I sit down beside her.
In one fluid motion, my knee is touching hers as I cuddle up as close as possible. Taking my cocoa, I press a soft kiss to her hair.
She hums in appreciation, though I honestly don’t know if it’s for my kiss or the hot chocolate topped with extra mini marshmallows.
Despite our objective of gaining her family’s acceptance, Callie snuggles into me, completely at ease in her surroundings.
Desperation to talk through everything with her rears its ugly head, and I take a quick inventory of my features to make sure I don’t look like I’m anything but a fool in love. And with Callie, that's like breathing.
Later. That will come later.
Ira leans forward, taking one of the rolls. “I still can’t believe Calloway helped make such perfection.” He turns the treat this way and that way. You think he’d be less obvious about looking for imperfections.
“Callie and I bake together regularly,” I shrug, “we’ve definitely taught each other a thing or two. Didn’t you say you’ve been baking since college?” I ask, turning to my girlfriend.
“About then,” she answers around the half of a roll currently in her mouth.
Ira frowns. “Really? I had no idea you were so talented, Calloway.”
“She’s very talented,” I interject. “For instance, she managed to both flummox my annoyingly astute receptionist and trail glitter all through the practice the first time I met her.”
Callie shoots me a grin. “Are you all still finding glitter?”
“In the most obscure places,” I smirk.
Prescott frowns. “I thought you met in Calloway’s classroom?”
Dammit.
Red crawls up Callie’s neck, blending with her hair. Tension radiates through her frame and into mine.
“That was when we officially met,” I clarify. “But she had come by the practice first to talk to one of my partners about his daughter. I saw her that day and knew I had to meet her.”
Callie tilts her head back, eyes searching mine. “What can I say? I know how to make an impression. Especially when someone is a bit of an ass.” She grins. “That’s when glitter really comes in handy.”
“Just wanted to make sure you stayed on my mind?” At this point, I don’t even care if the rest of her family is watching us.
“You caught me,” she says, voice low. The sparkle in her eyes just about does me in. “It’s how I get all my guys.”
Leaning my lips down to her ear, I murmur, “You sure got me, Ms. Rutherford.” Even though the others have forgotten us once again, I don’t want them to hear what’s only for Callie to know. “And I hope you’ll never let me go.”
Callie shivers, and I tuck her in as close as possible.
It’s the sound of my name that pulls me back into the larger conversation happening around us. “Sorry?” I reluctantly tear my eyes away from the woman consuming every part of my being.
Lillian reaches for a napkin, wiping off professionally polished fingers.
“I asked if you were planning to join us at the firm’s annual New Year's party? I’m sure Calloway would love your company.
” Here, Lillian almost looks like a normal mother and not the privileged woman less concerned with her daughter and more concerned with the fact that the man she is dating has a doctorate.
“And I know Ira and Prescott’s colleagues would enjoy getting to meet the impressive man Calloway has miraculously managed to snag. ” There it is.
The immediate acceptance of the invitation sits on the tip of my tongue. Anything to guarantee more time with Calloway Rutherford. But as I glance down at Callie, something unreadable crosses those mesmerizing features. Something that gives me pause.
Something that causes my heart to clench.