Page 107 of Love You Madly

“So,” she says, her voice cutting through the noise like a knife through butter. “Are we going to ignore the baby in the bar, or are you going to fill us in?”

And there it is.

Callie freezes, her eyes wide with surprise and amusement, before we both erupt into uncontrollable laughter. It’s the kind of laughter that doubles you over, making it hard to catch your breath. Vince, Will, and Luke join in as if on cue, their laughter filling the room and bouncing off the walls. The sound of a sharpthwapcuts through the chaos as the back of Zoe’s hand smacks against Vince’s chest, followed by a whispered but clearly exasperated, “You knew about this?!” Her incredulous tone only fuels the hilarity, and we all dissolve into another round of laughter, my sides aching as tears fill my eyes.

The tension from earlier vanishes, replaced by a shared moment of pure, unfiltered joy that draws us all closer together.I slide my arm around Callie and pull her close, a reassuring gesture to ease her tension. She leans into me, and I press a soft kiss to her temple, letting my lips linger there for a moment as I start to rub soothing circles on her lower back.

“We met when she was already pregnant,” I say with an easy smile, trying to keep things simple. But there’s a part of me that wants to say more, to tell Vicki that Callie’s piece-of-shit ex cheated on her when she was still early in her pregnancy, leaving her to navigate everything on her own. The thought burns me up inside, but I remind myself that it’s not my story to tell, not here, not now. Instead, I add a playful twist, trying to steer the conversation toward lighter ground. “But I’m taking full credit for all the dad jokes in this kid’s future.” The playful remark earns a few chuckles, and I can feel Callie relax a little more against me, the tension slowly melting away as the moment passes.

For a split second, everyone just stares. Well, everyone except the guys who still can’t stop snickering. Then Joel, who’s been quiet all night, starts to laugh. It’s a big, booming laugh that seems to break the tension like a dam bursting. “Well, that clears things up!” he says, lifting his beer in a toast. The rest of the group follows suit, laughter erupting around us, and just like that, the awkward moment is gone.

“Leave it to you, Owen, to keep us all guessing,” Malcolm says with a grin, shaking his head in mock exasperation. “You’ve always been the prankster of the family, but I gotta say, this one takes the cake.”

I can’t help but chuckle, especially with the sound of Callie’s laughter bubbling up beside me. She’s trying to stifle her giggles, but it’s a losing battle, and the way her eyes light up with amusement makes my heart do a little flip. “Hey, someone’s gotta keep things interesting,” I reply with a playful wink, tightening my arm around her and giving her upper ribs a gentle squeeze. “Besides, what’s life without a little suspense?”

Malcolm shakes his head, still grinning. “Suspense? More like you just like watching us all scramble to keep up with whatever twist you’re throwing our way.”

I laugh, leaning in closer to Callie, who’s practically doubled over at this point. “What can I say? I like to keep youguys on your toes. Gotta make sure the family gatherings are never boring, right?”

Callie’s pregnancy quickly becomes just another topic of conversation, woven seamlessly into the night’s banter. It’s amazing how quickly my family has shifted gears, treating Callie like she’s been a part of the group forever. I watch her as she chats with Valerie, Zoe, and Vicki, her hand occasionally drifting to rest on her belly by instinct every time she talks about the baby. It’s a small gesture, but one that makes me feel a surge of protectiveness and pride.

At one point, Luke starts in on a completely ridiculous debate about who is going to teach the baby how to fish.

I can’t help but laugh. “Luke, the last time we went fishing at Darling, you damn near threw your pole into the lake.”

“That was an off day,” he insists, waving me off.

Heather, who’s been giggling beside him, finally speaks up. “The only thing you caught that day was a cold.”

Luke groans, but the rest of us are falling over ourselves with laughter. “Fine, fine,” he concedes, throwing his hands up in mock surrender. “I’ll let Owen handle the fishing lessons. But I still get to be the cool uncle.”

I can’t help but wonder if all this is making Callie feel like things are moving too fast, but she doesn’t miss a beat. “The very coolest,” she promises.

I realize that hearing Luke welcome Callie into the family is promising. I’m hoping that he will put in a good word for us with Beverly and Dad when I eventually introduce Callie to them as well.

The night continues with more of the same–laughter, teasing, and stories being passed around like we’re all old friends. And as I watch Callie laugh and joke with my family, I can’t shake the feeling that she’s always belonged here.

As we step into my apartment, the air seems to shift, like the space itself has been waiting for us. Callie pauses just inside, her hand lingering on the wall as she takes in the room, removing her shoes after the long day we’ve had together. There’s a softness in her green eyes, a quietness that matches the gentle lighting.

“Your place feels...different tonight,” she says after a moment, her voice low and thoughtful, almost as if she’s speaking to herself.

I watch her as she moves deeper into the room, her fingers brushing lightly over the back of the couch, trailing along the edge of the kitchen counter. She stops and turns to look at me, and there’s something different in her expression—something tender, almost reverent.

“How so?” I ask, curious about what she’s thinking, my gaze never leaving her.

She turns to me, a gentle smile touching her lips. “I’m not sure what it is exactly. But being with you just feels like home,” she says simply. There’s a depth to her words that tugs at something inside me. Callie walks back toward me, her bare feet padding softly across the floor, and reaches out to touch my arm, her fingers light but reassuring.

That one simple touch sends warmth through me, and I can’t help but smile back at her. I feel a sense of peace settle over me that I didn’t know I needed.

I walk over to my computer and turn the music on. I reach out, taking her hand in mine, and without a word, we sway to the music, her head resting on my chest.

The first notes of “Suffocate” by J. Holiday fill the room, thesultry, slow rhythm wrapping around us like a warm embrace. Callie’s eyes light up, and she steps closer, her hands finding their way to my shoulders.

“You know,” she says with a teasing smile, “my great-grandmother always used to say, ‘Life’s too short to dance with ugly men.’”

I chuckle, resting my hands on her hips and pulling her closer. “Good thing you don’t have to worry about that tonight,” I tease, leaning in just enough that our noses brush.

She laughs, the sound low and soft, sending a shiver down my spine. “No, I don’t,” she agrees, her voice dropping to a whisper.

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