Page 48 of Promise Me This

“Hard candy, too,” I mumble. Callum’s gaze flickers to me, and I avoid it.

“What was that?” Eden asks, eyebrows raised.

I find a loose thread hanging from my sweater and grab on, twirling it around my finger until the circulation is cut off and the tip starts turning red. “Hard candy. Like Jolly Ranchers, or here they don’t have those but any flavored candy like that will work. Crackers, too. Basically, just don’t ever let yourself get hungry.”

Eden smiles, and it takes up her entire face. She’s beautiful in the way a rainy day is beautiful. Refreshing. Life-giving. “Thank you; I’ll try that.”

Siobhan is watching me closely, and Callum’s hand cups my elbow to get my attention. I pull my gaze away from where Eden’s hands still cradle her nonexistent bump to meet Callum’s.

His eyebrows furrow. “How’d you know all that?”

I shrug and force my voice out while holding back every lick of emotion behind a dam. “Lots of my friends have kids.”

He considers me for another moment, and I panic when I realize he might press for more answers. But then the sound of Siobhan scraping the bowl for the last bit of batter breaks whatever tether was anchoring him to me, and I loose the breath I was holding.

“Well, I hope something works and you can get a bit of relief,” he offers the woman before turning to his mom. “Where’s Niamh?”

His mother points with the spatula down the hall. “She’s asleep in my room. Do you want something to eat before you go?”

“No, I’d better get her home.” Callum glances between Siobhan and I, clearly trying to decide how to go about this exit. After how close we were just a little while ago, it feels odd to have this distance between us. For a moment I think he’s going to hug me goodbye, but he places a hand briefly on my bicep instead. “Good night, Leo.”

“Good night, Callum.” I smile at him, a little bit relieved, and hope I’m turned enough away from his mother that she cannot see. That flicker of desire burns to life once more in his eyes, and then he’s turning and marching out the door before anyone else catches it.

“Good night, son!” Siobhan calls pointedly, but the door falls to a shut on her words. An awkward silence settles around us, with only the sizzling of the pan to break it up.

“So are you two…?” Chase asks, gesturing toward the door. Eden swats him before I have a chance to infer what he’s asking.

The front door closes somewhere down the hall, and a tightness fills my chest to know Callum is leaving. It feels ridiculous. I know I’ll see him again. But getting close to him tonight, hearing him say that he wants something with me, no matter how slow we take it… It makes being apart now impossibly painful.

“He wants to know if you two are a couple,” Siobhan finishes for him, staring intently at me. “In fact, all of us would like to know.”

She plates the last crepe and carries it over to the table. I gather a couple of bowls filled with strawberry slices and sugar and follow her lead. Chase and Eden take a seat at the table, loading up their plates with silent efficiency.

“It’s, um, complicated.” I grab a crepe and start filling it, hoping a stuffed mouth will spare me from this conversation.

No such luck.

“Might want to uncomplicate it, because he’s delicious,” Eden comments, snorting at her own observation. Chase covers his mouth to drown out the noise of his own resounding laugh. “I meant the crepes are delicious. Truly an honest mistake.”

“I’m working on it,” I say, keeping my head down.

“Well, don’t work on it for too long,” Eden says. She glances at her husband, and the love on her face is plain for anyone to see. It’s almost painful to behold. “Don’t wanna let a good one slip away.”

“Eden would know,” Chase adds. He scrunches his nose at her, and she sticks out her tongue in response. “She was the queen of playing hard to get. Almost cost her this dime piece.” He gestures to himself.

“You weren’t going anywhere,” Eden says, rolling her eyes.

“Damn straight.” Chase swallows the last of his crepe. “But I can’t let you get too cocky.”

The two of them go on laughing. Meanwhile Siobhan is watching me silently. I meet her gaze, and she offers the tiniest smile. The closest thing I’ll get to approval tonight, in front of guests.

I nod, accepting it, and say a silent prayer that I won’t let us all down.

Chapter Twenty

Callum

“Be careful, Niamh!” I call, but she’s already sprinting up the stairs to the door of the bed-and-breakfast and letting herself in.

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