“Open it,” I urge her again. I watch as she nods and then slowly begins to pull the tissue paper from the bag. She gasps when she sees the new camera backpack she told me she wanted during our drive yesterday.
“How? I mean, why? Silas, this is too much.”
“This is the one you wanted, right? The one you showed me in the picture.”
“Y-Yes, but I didn’t tell you that so you would go out and buy it for me. This is too much, Silas.”
“Shh.” I place my index finger to her lips. “I want to spoil you. I want to be where you are, and I hope that I’ll be spending my nights sleeping next to you.”
“I don’t understand.” Her eyes are wide and full of hope, which tells me all that I need to know.
“I’ve sat on the sidelines for far too long. I told myself that if things didn’t work out between us, it would be awkward with Brody and your sister, and all the time that the four of us spend together.”
“What changed your mind?” Her voice is soft, almost as if she’s afraid of my answer.
Reaching for her hand, I place it over my heart. “Our drive yesterday solidified what I already knew. We’re meant to be together. And the worry of it not working out was swept away. There’s no one else I want to be with. I know if I’m lucky enough to make you mine, it will be a gift, the greatest one I’ve ever received, and I’ll never let you go.”
Her phone rings, and she sighs, her lips turning down at the interruption. I grab it from the table. Seeing Charity’s name, I answer. “Hello?” I say before putting the call on speaker so Callista can hear our conversation.
“Silas?”
“Charity?” I echo her.
“Are you still there?”
“Just got back. We’re going to be headed your way soon.”
“You’re riding together?”
“Yes.”
“What are your intentions with my little sister?” There’s humor in her voice.
Callista rolls her eyes, and I know it’s not from the question, but the little sister comment. “We were just talking about that,” I tell her.
“And?”
“And she’s everything.” I keep my eyes locked on Callista. “Everything I never knew I wanted, and everything I need.”
“Brody and I have been saying for years there’s something between the two of you. It’s crazy how you both watch the other when you think no one is looking.”
“Charity!” Callista scolds her sister, which only causes her laughter to sound from the phone.
“I’ll see you two love birds in a few.” The line goes dead.
“See, even your sister and my best friend know this is right.”
“I feel it too,” she whispers.
“Do you like it?” I ask, nodding to the camera case she’s clutching in her hands. I need to steer the conversation away from us, even though that’s all I want to talk about. We need to go soon, and I know me, and what she means to me. That won’t be happening if I keep thinking about all the things I want to do to her.
“I love it. Thank you, Silas. It’s perfect.”
I want to lean in and kiss her. I want to strip her out of her clothes and make love to her right here. I want so many things in this moment, and it’s hard to define each of them. But if I kiss her now, we won’t be leaving. And we have plans. I also have no doubt if we don’t show up, Charity will keep calling or worse—she and Brody will come knocking.
Standing outside of Brody and Charity’s door, I get a glimpse of my future. I’m holding a Crock-Pot of my favorite taco dip, and Callista has a bag full of chips and homemade cookies that she made today. She raises her hand to knock, and a flash of us in this very same situation, only with a little girl who looks just like her mama, and a little boy who has my dimples stand next to us. It’s surreal, and nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I’ve never had a glimpse of my future or even thought that far ahead in life.
“Why are you knocking?” Brody asks when he answers the door.
Callista shrugs. “I know that sex helps induce labor, and we didn’t want to walk in on that. I’m already scarred from that time I heard the two of you in the shower.”
Brody smirks. “We made sure to take care of that before you got here.”
“Here.” I hand him the Crock-Pot, then take the bags from Callista, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. “Go find your sister.” Not needing to be told twice, she slides past Brody. He steps back, and I follow her inside.
“So,” he says as we make our way to the kitchen.
“So,” I repeat.
“You and Callista.”
“Yep.”
“She’s basically my sister. You know that, right?”
“She’s your sister-in-law, and one day I hope that your wife will gain that title when she’s referring to me.”
“How long?”
“Years.”
“Why now?” He reaches into the fridge and grabs two beers, but I wave him off. He raises his eyebrows in question.
“I need to get us home.”
“You guys can stay here.”
“Thanks, but I think I’ll stay sober just in case.”
“You’ve got it bad.”
“I remember saying those exact words to you.”
“Best decision I ever made was to tell her how I felt.”
I nod. I understand that statement. It was freeing to finally tell Callista where I am and how I’m feeling. She didn’t really tell me how she feels about all of this, but I didn’t give her a chance to. The sexual tension between us is strong, and if she even hinted that’s what she wanted, we wouldn’t be here right now, and the sisters always celebrate their birthdays together. Charity’s isn’t for another two weeks, and I already know we’ll be getting together for dinner and cake then as well.
Laughter rings out from the living room, and like moths to flames, Brody and I automatically move toward the sisters who hold our hearts in the palms of their hands.
Chapter Seven
CALLISTA
“Ten minutes!” Charity says with excitement.
I watch as she places her hand on her belly. Brody’s hand covers hers as they talk quietly among themselves. The smiles on their faces and the excitement they must feel brings tears to my eyes. My niece was supposed to be born today, but she’s stubborn, just like her momma and her aunt. I know we will meet her when she’s ready, but I can’t wait to hold her.
Brody reaches for the remote, and a slow song fills the air. We’ve been watching the performers and waiting for the ball to drop. I watch as he stands and offers my sister his hand, pulling her as close as their daughter will let them, and dances with her.
Silas stands and offers me his hand, and there is no hesitation on my end to place my palm in his. He guides us to the other side of the room, opposite of my sister and brother-in-law, and pulls me into his arms. He’s holding me close as we sway to the music.
“Happy Birthday, baby.”
I smile up at him. “Thank you. It’s definitely one I will always remember.”