Page 51 of Holiday Do Us Part

“What?No! How would I—”

“You meddled.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did. Yousomeddled.”

“Isodidn’t—”

I reach out, trying to grab at Callie before she attacks, but she’s too quick. I shake my head as the two girls fall to the ground. “Seriously, you’ve lost it!” Tory squeals.

“You’re a filthy, dirty liar,” Callie screams.

“I plead the Fifth. Get off me!”

“No! You promised!”

“I had my fingers crossed behind my back the whole time.”

I’m giving them thirty more seconds until I pull them apart. Before I have to, Callie pauses, stares down at her friend, and, just above a whisper, says, “Thank you.” Then wraps her arms around her.

“You’re welcome,” Tory returns, choked up.

“Should I hand one of you the ring? You’re kind of stealing my moment, Tor.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, get off me crazy.” Callie crawls off her, and they both stand. “I got shit to do anyway. Call me when you wanna start wedding planning.” She hugs Cal and walks past, waving. “Behave, kids.” She winks at me on her way out.

“Are you. . . here just because Tory called you?”

I take in her worried gaze. “Tory called me, but I was already en route to get you. The call just made what I was about to do a little easier.”

“Oh yeah?”

“I was prepared for you to say yes and prepared if you said no.”

She wraps her hands around my neck, and I pull her to me. “And if I said no?”

I kiss her and say, “I would’ve called for backup.”

She laughs. “Dare I ask what backup entails?”

I cock my head, put two fingers in my mouth, and whistle. “What are you—Oh my god, Jake!” she squeals and drops, treating Jake to her signature ear rub. “Hey, buddy. Wait a minute, he’s your reinforcements?”

“Hell yeah. I know you couldn’t say no to Jake. And he and I are a package deal.”

She slowly stands. “Sneaky.”

“I play to win.”

“And did you?” Her eyes glimmer with hope, and I see the most amazing future ahead of us in the reflection of her beautiful gaze.

“Yeah, babe. I won.”

Epilogue

Callie

Eighteen months later…

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