and from the look on her face, you would’ve thought we’d asked her to give up her Louboutin collection.
We’d never ordered pizza when we were younger. Ours had been made by our chef with premium, organic, no-bullshit, no-fun, no-greasiness ingredients.
Tonight, she ate three slices before admitting she sort of liked it.
Us stubborn Callahans.
After gorging ourselves with pizza, we spent the next four hours in the theater, watching chick flicks she’d selected. They were lame as hell, but as I watched, they reminded me of shit Georgia would like. I sent her a picture of the screen during one movie, and she replied with laughing emojis that it was in her top ten favorites.
We texted throughout the day. Her asking how we were doing, me asking about her day. As I sat there, half-paying attention to the movie, I wondered where we’d go from here.
Will we start dating?
Does she want to date me?
My eyes are heavy when I drag my phone from my pocket and text her.
Me: I’m leaving my mom’s now. I know it’s late, and I don’t want to wake you in case you’re sleeping.
I don’t want to be a dick and wake her, but I also don’t want to be a dick and make her think I’ve forgotten about her or that I wasn’t serious about everything that I said today.
I was serious about every word.
The only times I’d lied to her was when I said I didn’t have feelings for her. It was easier to lie than reveal my truth—that I was falling hard for her every single damn second of the day.
The night of my father’s death, it hit me. I said cruel words to him, thinking we’d talk again.
The same with my grandfather.
There was a chance that could happen with Georgia. I could lie to her face and make her feel unwanted by me and then possibly never see her again.
It had been a reality check for me.
No more hiding my feelings.
She needs to know every emotion running through my body for her.
My phone rings, and her name flashes across the screen.
I smile.
My lips are probably shocked as fuck since smiling is a rarity for me.
“Hi,” I answer.
“Hey,” she says around a yawn.
“I woke you up.”
“Nope.”
“You lying?”
“Yep.” She yawns again. “How’d everything go?”
“As good as it could have, I guess.” I relax in my seat and massage my forehead, the pain of losing my father hitting me. “We tried distracting her, but the doorbell constantly ringing with sympathy gifts didn’t help.”
“Poor thing. That has to be hard on her heart.”
“She’s struggling but working through it well. It helps that Lincoln is here too. Had he still been locked up, it would’ve been harder on her … on both of them since he couldn’t have been here for her or attended our father’s funeral.”
“I’m glad he’s back for you and your mom. You make a good team.”
“Me too.” I rub at the tension at the back of my neck. “Is the offer to come over still open?”
I don’t want to go back to an empty house, and Lincoln is staying with our mom for the next few days.
“Always,” she answers with no hesitation.
Georgia presses her finger to her soft lips when she answers the door before waving me inside.
I texted her a few minutes ago, letting her know I was here, so I wouldn’t wake up Grace by ringing the doorbell. As soon as I walk in, I envelop Georgia in my arms, holding her tight. When we pull apart, she grabs my hand and walks me through the dark hallway to her bedroom. The only light comes from a lamp on her nightstand, and her bed is in disarray.
When she turns to face me, my mouth waters as I eye her up and down, taking in her short-shorts that show off her tanned, sleek legs and an oversize tee that I’d guess was once Cohen’s.
At least that’s my hope and that it’s not some other dude’s.
I pull at the bottom of the shirt. “Where’d you get this from?”
She peeks up at me. “Cohen, I think?”
“You think?”
She shrugs. “My brain is too tired to remember.”
And I’m too tired to stress the question for answers.
Her eyes fix on me as I strip out of my jeans and tee, leaving on only my boxer briefs. I wait for her to get into bed before sliding in after her.
When I stretch out, half my body is off the bed. “Remind me to buy you a larger bed.”
“Hey!” She smacks