“Kellan came in quite handy then. Got her . . . to a point, I guess, where she wasn’t bloody hysterical all the time. Then she called me. Begged me to come see her. Jesus. It was brutal.”
My heart goes out to him.
“She . . . she wants another chance. Says she misses me, that we’ve lost too much time already. Told me she was sorry for what she did, so very bloody sorry that she shagged my best mate and was going to have his baby.”
“How do you feel about that?” I ask softly.
“Like she fucking punched me right in the balls.” He stands up. “I’m going to go to bed. Chloe, if you dare to get married while I’m napping, I’ll never speak to you again.”
I stand up and hug him tightly. “Understood.”
When he’s gone, Cameron says, “I worry about him, hen.”
Me, too.
After much going back and forth on how to handle the situation, Jonah and I finally decide it’d be best if he talked to Kellan about our decision to get engaged again. Initially, I’d wanted to be there, but in the end, I realized there was a good chance I’d just flat-out make things worse by sobbing outright, wracked by guilt, which would have done neither man any good.
Even still, I’m a nervous wreck tonight, knowing that Jonah is having that discussion with Kellan while I’m to have one with Callie.
Jonah’s ex-girlfriend shows up at my apartment, board game in hand for what she believes to be a leisurely night in. But Cal’s always had keen eyesight, so the moment I attempt to hug her, arms outstretched, she stops me with a look that is an agonizing cross between resignation, surprise, and flat-out pain.
My stomach plummets three stories down. She’s been telling me for some time that she’s over Jonah. Hell, she’s made it clear numerous times lately that she’s more than interested in Will (although, if I tell him, she warns, she’ll cut me out of her life forever). So knowing that seeing the ring on my finger crushes her is a blow I wasn’t quite prepared for.
Within seconds, though, she pulls out a smile and hugs me anyway, murmuring congratulations in that husky voice of hers.
“Callie—”
She pulls herself upright. “Don’t you dare apologize, Chloe. I can see that’s what you want to do. I’m just—I’m being stupidly sentimental. That ring . . .” She shakes her head, sending silvery strands floating around her shoulders before letting out a throaty, sad chuckle. “I used to dream about that ring on my finger.”
I can’t help but ask, “Do you still?”
“No.” And then, more firmly, “No. Not anymore.”
Will comes out from his room, hair adorably mussed. “Chloe, have you—” His feet come to a halt the moment he spies Cal. “Oh. Hello, Callie.”
They stare at each other so long that I’ve become the awkward third wheel.
I take the board game from Cal. “Do you want to join us?” I ask Will. “I ordered a pizza and—”
“Why do you look like that?” Callie asks quietly.
She’s not talking to me, though. One of Will’s hands goes to his hair. “Like what?”
“Like you’ve . . .” She flushes, waves her hand around. “Like that.”
I’ve got to admit, I’m just as confused as he is about what she’s talking about. Other than looking like he just got out of bed, he looks just like Will. Incredibly gorgeous, yes, but it’s not like she hasn’t ever seen him before.
“Oh, well.” He ducks his head. “Right, then.”
Is it wrong to admit I’m amused by how dorky they’re acting right now?
“Is that a yes?” I ask him.
He blinks, like he’s just remembered I’m in the room. “Um . . . yeah. Of course. Let me—I guess . . .” He runs his hands down his wrinkly t-shirt and then blushes himself. “I’ll be right back.”
After he leaves, I turn to Callie. “Smooth moves there.”
She snatches the board game back. “Shut up.” And then, more gently, “Is he okay?”
I wish I could answer that one myself.
According to Jonah, things did not go too well when he talked to Kellan about our re-engagement. There was no fighting this time, nor arguing—just Kellan shutting down right before his eyes before leaving to go do who knows what. He hadn’t come back by the next morning, but Jonah assured me that he was in contact with Kellan their way and his brother was asking for some space to wrap his head around everything.
It was hard not to go running after him. I bite my lip, wanting to keep the words inside, but I eventually murmur, “Maybe we should have waited to tell him?”
We’re looking at furniture today, despite me being able to make us pretty much anything we want; while I’d been so excited to do this very normal, couple-y thing just an hour earlier, now I feel the weights of our actions pressing down against me once more.
Jonah pulls me close and kisses the side of my head. “He appreciated me telling him right away. He asked me to tell you he doesn’t want you to feel guilty about any of this.”