Page 121 of Love You Madly

The suggestion is so unexpected, yet so perfect, that I’m momentarily at a loss for words. "Are you serious, Callie?"

She nods, her eyes softening as she looks at me, and I can tell that this isn’t just an offhand comment. There’s a vulnerability in her expression, a quiet hope that makes my chest tighten. “I know it’s fast, Owen. I’ve always been the kind of person who falls quickly. I know that about myself,” she admits, her voice steady but tinged with a hint of self-awareness. “But this… with you, it’s different. It feels like we’ve known each other for so much longer, like everything just clicks. What we have… it’s what I’ve been chasing after most of my life. And now that I have it, I don’t want to spend time away from you if I don’t have to. I’ve never felt this way before, not like this. We’ve been spending so much time together, and it feels right. I think it could be good for us. Plus, you’re in a tough spot. No matter where you move, you’re going to end up having to uproot Barrett. You might as well bring him to a place where you and I can help each other out. I could talk to Brooke and see if I can work around your schedule on weeks when you have him. I know this is fast, babe. But I want so much to be a part of your life. You moving in here, even if it’s just for a little while, might be crazy, but it could also make a lot of sense for us if you think about it.”

Her words wash over me, dissolving any lingering doubts I might have had. The thought of moving in with Callie, of being here with her and Sara every day, fills me with a sense of anticipation and contentment that I didn’t realize I was craving. But it also breaks my heart a bit because it’s reminding me of what Sabrina said to me yesterday about potentially losing time with Barrett now that he’s been accepted into preschool.

I study her face, the way her eyes are searching mine for a sign, any indication of what I’m thinking. I can see she’s nervous, even though she’s trying to hide it. This is a big step, and we both know it. But there’s something so natural about the idea, something that feels like it’s always been part of the plan, even if we didn’t realize it until now.

I reach out, taking her hand in mine. The touch is grounding and reassuring, and I give it a gentle squeeze, letting her know that I’m right here with her at this moment. “You’re right,” I say, my voice steady as I meet her beautiful green eyes. “It does make sense. And honestly? It feels right to me, too. I want to be here, with you and Sara. I want us to figure this out together.”

Her lips curve into a smile, not the playful one from before, but a softer, more genuine smile that reaches her eyes and warms my heart. “I’m glad you feel that way,” she whispers, and I can hear the relief in her voice, see the tension ease from her shoulders as she relaxes intothe moment.

As we sit there, hands entwined, I reflect upon how far we’ve come in such a short time. It’s been a whirlwind, but one that feels so right, so perfectly timed. There’s something about Callie, about us, that’s different from anything I’ve ever known. It’s like we were always meant to find each other, to build this life together.

“Are you sure, Callie?” I ask, needing to hear it again, to make sure I’m not just imagining this. “I don’t want to rush anything or make things more complicated for you. You already have a lot on your plate.”

She nods, a small, reassuring smile tugging at her lips. The kind of smile that tells me she’s not just saying this to be nice—she’s saying it because she means it. “You have a lot going on too, babe. We can team up and help each other out. We’ll figure out the details as we go, but I really think this could work. For all of us.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, feeling the weight of uncertainty lift off my shoulders. I can’t stop the grin that spreads across my face, one of those genuine, can’t-help-it kind of smiles. “Let’s do it. I think you’re right. It does make sense.”

As the words settle between us, the sound of the kids’ laughter bubbles up from the other side of the room, a sweet reminder of what’s at stake. I glance over to see Barrett and Sara holding hands, making their way down the hallway toward Sara’s room. The sight of them together, so natural, so easy, fills me with a kind of hope I haven’t felt in years. Callie follows my gaze and smiles.

“Looks like they’re off to explore,” she says with a soft chuckle, and there’s so much love in her voice that it tugs at something deep inside me. “Sara’s probably showing Barrett her dinosaur collection.”

I laugh, the sound light and carefree, something I haven’tfelt in a long time. “What is it with kids and dinosaurs? Barrett loves them too.”

“They’re so sweet together,” Callie says, her voice filled with that note of affection that always gets to me, makes me want to pull her closer and never let go.

“Yeah,” I agree, my voice softer now, filled with something deeper. “They are.”

As the kids disappear down the hallway, Callie leans into me, her head resting against my shoulder, and I wrap my arm around her, pulling her close. This—this moment, this connection–it’s everything I’ve been searching for, everything I didn’t know I needed. The warmth of her body against mine is so grounding. “We’ll take it one step at a time,” I murmur, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “But I want to be here, Callie. With you, Barrett and Sara.”

Her breath catches, and for a moment, she’s silent, letting the weight of my words sink in. I can feel her heart beating against me, fast but steady, like mine. Then she pulls back just enough to look up at me, her eyes shining with emotion, with something that looks a lot like the beginning of forever. “I want that too, Owen.”

There’s a vulnerability in her voice, a raw honesty that makes my heart ache in the best way. I lean over, capturing her lips in a kiss that’s slow and deep, a promise of everything we’re building together. It’s a kiss that says I’m all in. When we finally pull back, I rest my forehead against hers, savoring the quiet, intimate moment. The world outside may be chaotic, but in this bubble we’ve created, everything feels perfect.

Just as we’re soaking in that closeness, there’s a sudden burst of tiny footsteps. I barely have time to register them before Barrett bursts into the room, his little face scrunched up in a dramatic expression of disgust. “Eww!” he exclaims,pointing at us like he’s just caught us doing something scandalous.

Callie and I both laugh, pulling apart slightly but still holding onto each other. I look down at Barrett, who’s standing there with his hands on his hips, clearly unimpressed by our display of affection.

“Eww, Daddy!” Barrett repeats, his tone somewhere between serious and playful.

Callie chuckles, giving Barrett a teasing look. “What’s wrong with kissing, Barrett?”

But Barrett isn’t done. He furrows his brow, looking up at me with all the seriousness a toddler can muster. “Does that mean you’re getting married now? Like Mommy and Alex?”

His words catch me off guard, and I glance at Callie, who’s smiling but clearly as surprised as I am. I kneel down to Barrett’s level, keeping my tone gentle. “Well, buddy, not exactly. Kissing doesn’t always mean people are getting married. But it does mean we care about each other a lot.”

Barrett seems to consider this, his little face thoughtful as he processes the information. “But you do love Callie, right?”

I hesitate for a moment, caught off guard by his question. And I can feel Callie’s body tense up beside me. I’ve been trying to figure out for days how I was going to tell Callie how I really feel about her. And now that we’ve discussed the possibility of me moving into this house with her and Sara, I guess there’s no time like the present. I smile, feeling a warmth spread through me. I guess now is as good of a time for her to find out as any. “Yes, I do, Barrett. Very much.”

I look over at Callie to see that she has tears in her eyes–happy ones, I hope. She smiles at me and looks back at Barrett, reaching out to hold his hand. “And I love your daddy too,” she adds softly.

Barrett looks between us, his expression softening as henods, seemingly satisfied with our answers. “Okay,” he says finally, his tone accepting, like he’s just made peace with the situation. Then, without warning, he turns and dashes back down the hallway. Before I can fully relax into the moment, he skids to a stop at the door, eyes wide with realization. “Wait!” he shouts, darting back into the room and making a beeline for his bag. He rummages through it with a determined focus until he triumphantly pulls out Mr. Chompers so he can show his very own stuffed dinosaur to Sara.

“Got it!” Barrett declares, clutching the toy to his chest like it’s the most important thing in the world. He flashes us a grin, his earlier disgust completely forgotten, before springing out of the room again, his little footsteps fading into the distance.

Callie and I exchange a look, and then we’re both laughing. “That was… something,” Callie says, still chuckling as she stands up.

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