Too Good to Be True - Kristan Higgins [114]
I wasn’t sure why I felt so happy, given that my chances of being history chair were smaller than ever. “I guess there’s more to life than work, right, McFangus?” I asked the Wonder Pup. He wriggled in delight.
It was true. In just a little while, Natalie and Andrew would be married, putting the final nail in the coffin of Andrew and me. Summer was fast approaching, the time of reading and relaxing and battling down South.
And Callahan O’Shea was my boyfriend. A warm tide of happiness rose from my ankles on up. Callahan O’Shea was looking for a wife, kids and a lawn to mow. I figured I might just be able to help him out on that quest.
“Can I cut in?”
Speak of the devil, there he was on my porch, sinful grin in place. Angus stiffened and yarped in my arms.
“Come on in,” I said, setting down my faithful beastie, who leaped onto Cal’s ankle with great enthusiasm. Hrrr. Hrrr. Cal ignored him, took my hand and put his hand on my waist.
“I don’t really know what I’m doing,” he admitted, his eyes crinkling most appealingly as he tried to execute a box step, stepping on my foot.
“I’ll teach you,” I said. The back of his neck was warm under my hand, and the lovely smell of wood and man and sweat made my heart beat a little faster. The tide of happiness became a flood.
“I always kind of liked the eighth-grade shuffle myself,” he said, pulling me into a hug. Our feet barely moved…well, except when Cal tried to shake Angus off. My hands drifted down Cal’s back…I figured I’d cop a feel, why not…when I touched paper.
“Oh, right,” Callahan said, stepping back. “This is yours. The mailman put it in my box by mistake.” He pulled an envelope from the back pocket of his jeans and handed it to me.
The envelope was thick and creamy, my name done in stylish calligraphy, the ink a dark green. “This must be my sister’s wedding invitation,” I said, opening it. Sure enough, it was. Stylish and classic, just like Natalie. I smiled a little at the pretty design, the traditional words. Together with their parents, Natalie Rose Emerson and Andrew Chase Carson warmly request the honor of your attendance… I looked up at Callahan. “Want to be my wedding date?” I asked.
He smiled. “Sure,” he said.
Sure. Just like that. Such a contrast from the superhuman effort I’d put into finding a date for Kitty’s wedding. I paused. “Um, I don’t think I told you this, Cal, but remember I said I’d been engaged once?” Cal nodded. “Well, it was to Andrew. The guy who’s marrying my sister.”
Cal’s eyebrows bounced up in surprise. “Really?”
“Yup,” I said. “But once he and Natalie met, it seemed pretty clear that she was the one for him. Not me.”
He didn’t say anything for a minute, just looked at me, frowning slightly. “Are you okay with them being together?” he asked finally. Angus shook the cuff of his jeans.
“Oh, sure,” I answered. I paused. “It was really tough at first, but I’m fine now.”
Cal studied me for another minute. Then he bent, picked up Angus, who replied with a growl before gnawing on Cal’s thumb. “I’d say she’s more than fine, wouldn’t you, Angus?” he asked. Then he leaned in and kissed my neck, and it dawned on me in a sweetly painful rush that I was crazy in love with Callahan O’Shea.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
BUT BEING CRAZY ABOUT HIM didn’t mean things were perfect.
“I think we should just wait a little bit,” I said to Cal a few days later as we drove to West Hartford.
“I think it’s a bad idea,” he said, not looking at me. We were on our way to that most distressing of family gatherings—Mom’s art show. Well, actually, most of my family gatherings were distressing, but Mom’s shows were special. However, it was the only night before Nat’s wedding that my family could get together. The official Meet the Family horror show.
“Callahan, trust me. It’s my family. They’re going to…well, you know. Flip a little.