Page 63 of The Accidental Honeymoon

“Would you?” Calla raises an eyebrow. “Because itsounds like jealousy to me. Maybe you’re just envious of his goji berry empire and his marathon medals.”

There’s a moment of silence as Ryan and Bennett try to figure out if she’s serious. I hold my breath, wondering the same thing.

Bennett laughs. “She’s got us figured out.”

We inhale our treats and Calla insists on seconds. As we make our second pass through the food booth offerings, I’m struck by something. Calla is in the middle of describing a funny anecdote to me. I’m not listening to her, not precisely. Instead, I’m thinking about how easy it is to talk to her. There’s a rhythm to our banter, a natural flow that feels… good. She’s not as guarded as she usually is. She’s goofy and funny and sweet. I like this side of her

We stop at a booth called Marshmallow Mound, which is selling sweet potato pie loaded with torched marshmallows. I hesitate. "This might be overkill," I say as I eye the gooey mess.

"Come on." She nudges me. "You’re not eating the whole thing anyway. Just two bites."

"Two bites?"

"It’s a technique." She gives me a mock-serious look. "Two amazing bites of each thing. That way, you get the full experience without turning into a stuffed potato."

I raise an eyebrow. "Stuffed potato, huh?"

"Trust me. I’m a professional."

I hand over my money and grab a serving. When we head to find a seat, there are an insane number of people trying to squish into the tables set up for food booth customers. Ryan and Bennett are sitting at the very end of a table occupied by a group of people dressed in colorful inflatable hippo costumes. Wren is nowhere to be seen.

Ryan seems deep in conversation with Bennett, so I leadCalla to a table way on the other side. A group of people are just leaving and I snag a seat. Calla sits beside me, digging in with an enthusiasm that’s honestly kind of adorable. She takes her two bites, closing her eyes like she’s savoring some deep, existential truth.

I take my two bites. The pie is warm, gooey perfection. "Okay, I get it now. The two-bite thing is genius."

"I know. It really is."

The moment stretches into silence. It’s not awkward, though. Just… quiet. Comfortable. I find myself watching her, the way her face softens when she’s relaxed. She’s stunning. Not in an overdone, magazine-cover way, but in a way that feels real.

I nudge her with my elbow. "You’re not what I expected." The words come out before I can stop them. "You’re real, Calla. My ex... she was all about appearances. But you? You’re something else entirely."

She toys with the small gold cross around her neck. "Oh yeah?"

“Absolutely.” I smile. It’s not my usual ridiculous grin. It’s softer. "You’re full of surprises. You know that?"

She brushes it off with a faint smile. "I’ll take that as a compliment."

"Good." We start walking again. The silence between us doesn’t feel like something missing, but like something shared. For once, I don’t try to push it away. For the first time in a long time, I let the moment linger.

Stranger things have happened.

twenty-two

CALLA

I rub my eyes,still groggy, when Jay’s voice cuts through the quiet. “How do you feel about hiking?”

“Uhm…” I blink at him, then glance around, realizing I’m still in his bed. “I feel like it’s walking. But more vertical.”

He grins. “Well, the weather is supposed to be suddenly nice. Sixty-five degrees and sunny.”

I frown. “What the hell. It’s February.”

“Yep. Pretty unusual, even for Georgia. It hasn’t rained for a while, so any hiking trails should be clear and dry. Add a few days of sixty-degree weather to that, and you’ve got perfect hiking conditions.”

I scrunch my nose. “If you say so.”

“I do! You. Me. Right now. I know a good beginner trail with a great view from the top. What do you say?”

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