Page 98 of Love You Madly

“If I go to see your cousins in Cedar Bluff on Friday, you have to come to Hawkridge for the Halestorm concert Saturday night.”

I blink in surprise, then laugh softly. “The Halestorm concert?”

“Yep,” she nods, her eyes sparkling. “I’ve been dying to go, and I think it’d be even more fun with you there. Besides, it’s only fair–family time for you, and a concert for me.”

I can’t help but grin. “So, if I agree to go to a concert with you, you’ll come to a bar with me on Friday night and deal with my drunk cousins while you’re sober?”

She shrugs, her expression playful. “That’s the deal.”

“Deal,” I say, reaching out to shake her hand, though I can’t resist pulling her closer for a quick kiss instead. “I think I’m getting the better end of this bargain, though.”

“Oh, trust me,” she whispers against my lips, her eyes twinkling, “I think we both win.”

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

“Because after the concert... that'll be our third date,” she teases, giving me a knowing wink.

I lean in and kiss her again, feeling the truth of her words in the way she holds me close. This is a big step for us, but it feels right–like we’re moving in the direction we’re meant to go.

When the kiss breaks, we stay close, foreheads touching as we both take a moment to catch our breath. Her fingers trace lazy patterns on the back of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine.

“You know,” I murmur, brushing my lips against her temple, “if this third date goes the way I’m hoping, we might need to find a way to sneak out of that concert early.”

I capture her lips with mine again, the kiss deepening as she wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me closer. The warmth of her body pressed against mine is intoxicating, and for a moment, I lose myself completely in her–her taste, her scent, the way she feels in my arms. It’s like everything else fades away, leaving just us in this perfect moment. Her taste is so deliciously sweet it makes me delirious.

When we finally pull apart, both of us are breathless, our foreheads still touching. I can see the same mix of desire andcontentment in her eyes that I’m feeling, and it makes my heart swell.

“Maybe we should finish breakfast before we get too carried away,” she whispers, her lips brushing mine as she speaks.

“Probably a good idea,” I agree, though my body protests the idea of pulling away from her. I reluctantly step back, giving us both a moment to catch our breath.

We fall into an easy rhythm as we finish our breakfast, the conversation flowing naturally between us. It’s like all the barriers that once stood between us have finally crumbled, leaving us free to explore whatever this is–whatever we’re becoming.

After we finish eating, I clear the plates and start rinsing them off in the sink. Callie joins me, drying each dish as I hand it to her. It’s a simple, domestic moment, but it feels like something more–like a glimpse of what our lives could be like together.

As we work side by side, I can’t help but imagine more mornings like this. More shared breakfasts, more laughter, more kisses that leave us both breathless. It’s a future that I never dared to hope for, but now that it’s within reach, I want it more than anything.

When the last dish is put away, Callie turns to me, her eyes soft and full of emotion. “Owen, I… I really appreciate this. Everything. I know it’s still new, and there’s a lot to figure out, but… I’m really glad we’re doing this.”

I reach out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m glad too, Callie. And we’ll figure it out. Together.”

She nods, a small hopeful smile playing on her lips. “Together,” she echoes.

The sun sinks low in the sky, casting long shadows over the fields. The farm is quiet, the soft rustle of corn in the breeze and the steady hum of crickets the only sounds. I’ve been here before. It’s the same dream—the one that slips through my fingers every time I try to grasp it.

I stand at the edge of the field, the air heavy with anticipation. The old barn looms ahead, bathed in the fading glow of dusk, and beyond it, Uncle Teddy’s farmhouse—a place that once felt like home, now distant, unreachable. Since his death, I’ve never made it to the house in these dreams. Every time I get close, I wake up.

But tonight, something is different. There’s a pull, a sense of urgency I’ve never felt before, drawing me deeper into the field. The sky darkens, purple and blue washing over the landscape, and my heartbeat quickens as the barn comes into sharper focus. My gaze sweeps the horizon, searching for her—the girl with the emerald and amethyst eyes. The one who’s always just out of reach, her face blurred by the waking world.

Then, I see her.

Standing near the barn, her back to me, her dark hair catching the last of the light. My chest tightens. I quicken my pace, desperate to reach her, to finally see her face. I call out, my voice raw with need, and she turns, slow and deliberate, her movements like a ripple in time.

Her eyes meet mine, and everything else fades away. The farm, the barn, the world—all of it dissolves into the background.

It’s Callie.

A wave of recognition crashes over me, knocking the breath from my lungs. How could I not have known? All this time, she’sbeen here—in my dreams, haunting me with those eyes. But it’s not just recognition. It’s deeper. It’s always been her.

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