“Yeah, sure. What’s up?” I ask placing the last of the dishes by the sink for Jessie and Robin to wash and dry.
“Wedding talk.”
“Okay. Do you want to go outside for a short walk?”
Callie kisses Reece on the lips and whispers something to him before opening the backdoor and indicating with her hand that I should go first.
I love being outside when it’s dusk—not quite day, but not ready to be night yet. It’s also a bit cooler, which makes breathing a lot easier because it sure can boil the air in your lungs. Walking with Callie is pleasant. She spends time taking in her surroundings rather than what she has to say. You can bet if I’d been out here with Reece his questions would have started the minute the door had closed. That’s one of the things I like about her, not only has she calmed the beast—slightly—but she’s good to hang out with.
Walking out along the small dock at the end of our garden, we sit facing the moon with our feet dangling over the water. I lay down, closing my eyes and feel Callie do the same.
After a few minutes of silence, I ask, “Did you really want to talk to me about the wedding?”
“Yes I did, but I could have asked you inside away from your mom. I thought I’d get you out here to find out what is really going on with you and Donovan.”
“Start with the wedding, please.”
“Okay. I know we’ve sort of skirted around Dahlia being involved in the wedding, but at the end of the day, she’s close to Reece and I’d like her to be included as part of the family and not just a friend. I know Reece wants this, although he hasn’t said anything to me.”
Once I’d arrived at Donovan’s door after the hum dinger of an argument I’d had with Mom over Dahlia, I’d come to realize that Mom wasn’t the only one mistreated. Dahlia was left with her bastard of a father—who has finally disappeared and left her alone—after her mother died.
Every time I’ve seen her since, I’ve tried to be friendly towards her and I think she’s trying as well.
“I really don’t know what you’re asking me. I’m cool with Dahlia being part of your wedding. I mean it doesn’t have anything to do with me anyway, but I’d think it strange if she wasn’t involved.”
“It’s your mom and sisters that Reece is worried about. I am as well. You left because of it all before so we’re both hesitant to bring the subject up.”
I turn to look at her, and can just make out her eyes in the darkness now the dusk is finally turning to night. “Reece and Mom have made their peace. I talk to Dahlia every time I see her, some of the time I go out of my way to bump in to her. But I know what you’re saying. You don’t want your big day ruined because my mom or one of my sisters says something upsetting to her, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Look, don’t worry about it. I’ll mention it to Mom when I go back inside and hopefully she won’t lose it again.”
She grins in the dark showing me her white teeth. “Now. I want to know exactly what is going on between Donovan and you—not the Reece version—the Callie version.”
Groaning, I close my eyes again and think about my guy holding me all afternoon as we both slept. I know we got up to no good before that, but he just held me even though there was a chance of someone else barging into my room.
“That good, huh?”
I giggle. “Oh yeah!” I curl up on my side and resting my head in my hand, I admit, “He makes me happy, Callie. Really, really happy. I’ve wanted him to notice me for so long. Now that he does, I keep having to pinch myself to make sure it’s real and I’m not dreaming.” I lay back down. “Although I’ve wanted him for a while I’m glad it’s taken this long for us to get together because I feel ready to be with him. I don’t just mean sex, I mean to be with him—to spend time with him and just hang out. But he’s worried about Reece, and I guess I am as well. You know what Reece is like with me Callie. I just don’t get why he’d be against me being with his best friend.”
“I don’t think you want to go there Mara.”
“I know what Reece and Donovan used to get up to before Reece fell for you so I guess I can understand that. But Reece has proved he can settle on one girl and be happy so why can’t Donovan. I mean sometimes Reece looks so damn in love with you that it makes me want to hurl.”
“Ha ha ha. You’re funny—not.”
I nudge her. “Yes it was—you’ve made my brother a love sick idiot.”
“Yeah, well, he’s my idiot and I love him and can’t wait to get his ring on my finger… What are you going to do about Donovan and telling Reece?”
“I really don’t know. Phoenix suggested after the wedding—”
“Wait. Phoenix knows?”
“Um, yeah. He kind of caught us this morning on Donovan’s kitchen floor.”
“But…but…I mean. Shit. You’ve done it with him?”