Page 38 of Playboy Husband
The Westwoods stayed for the entire game and it ended in a blur of cheering, skates scraping ice, and Brody’s triumphant grin after netting a goal. He barreled into me after, sweaty, flushed, but so freaking happy.
“We did it, Mom!”
Callum clapped him on the helmet, pride clear as day all over his face, and my chest ached at how natural it all felt. “You did, buddy. That was amazing. You guys are coming together as a pretty awesome team.”
I smiled, deciding to try on their family’s apparent love of banter and teasing for size. “You’re only saying that because you’re the one who made the call about him joining said team, aren’t you?”
The others laughed and surprise registered on Callum’s features, but then he grinned, one of his shoulders lifting in a shrug.
“Hey, I believe in credit where credit is due. The boys deserve all the credit, but it’s nice to know you remember who’s responsible for bringing them together in the first place. ”
I chuckled, sliding my arm around his waist. He fitted his around my shoulders. For a beat, I wondered if his family was going to call us out on our first official show of affection in their presence, but no one said anything.
They took it as if they’d spent the last few years watching him hold me, but when we said our goodbyes outside, both Sadie and Laney gave me their phone numbers. Callum noticed, sending me a small, sidelong smile. He, Brody, and I climbed into his truck.
We spent the afternoon together, running a few errands and picking up some groceries. Callum insisted on cooking dinner, brushing off my protests with a cocky, “Trust me, I’ve got some skills. Not many, but they do exist. Plus, I’ve been studying.”
“Studying?” I asked as we walked back into my house, everyone shrugging off coats and boots. Callum hung his jacket up right next to mine, and again, I was struck by how easily this was all happening. It felt like he was meant to be here with us. “What have you been studying?”
He pumped his eyebrows at me. “Just some recipes. Prepare to be wowed, Morgans. Now, you go relax while I get started.”
Brody raced to the living room, kicking his feet up on the couch and switching on the TV to play one of his games. Since this was his Saturday afternoon TV time, I left him to it and followed Callum into the kitchen instead.
As we worked, the sun started sinking lower, but the light also shifted, the gray of early evening softening into something paler.
I frowned as I stared out the window, trying to figure out exactly what that meant, but Callum quickly distracted me with stories of himself and his brothers growing up.
In turn, I opened up a bit about my own family life growing up, telling him what it had been like to be the little sister to twin older brothers and all the ways in which they used to both tease and protect me.
By the time dinner was finished, the whole house smelled like garlic and herbs, a comforting scent that I hoped would linger for at least the rest of the night. Callum leaned back in his chair, smug as heck as he watched me lick the last of my sauce off my fork.
“Okay, okay.” I laughed. “I’ll admit it. Your studies have paid off. That was delicious. Thank you.”
His grin widened. “Finally, the official seal of approval. I’m excited.”
“Whoa, there, Gordon Ramsay,” I teased. “You do know that making one decent meal means you won’t have any excuses from now on, right? That means we now know you’ve got it in you, so you’re going to have to do a lot of cooking for us in the future.”
“One decent meal?” He pressed a hand to his chest like I’d mortally wounded him. “That was art.”
I laughed again, honestly surprised by how much I was doing that these days. “Fine. It was very good art, but the point remains that you’re going to have to keep producing dishes like this from now on.”
“Challenge accepted.”
Movement outside the window caught my eye. I leaned over a little, blinking when I realized what it was. Just like that, food and Callum’s promises of cooking were the furthest things from my mind.
“It’s snowing.” My voice came out slightly hoarse, the surprise nearly overwhelming me. Even though it started slow at first, it quickly became thicker. Flakes caught the glow of the streetlights and my eyes widened. “Is that real or am I hallucinating?”
Callum twisted to look, a crooked smile spreading on his lips as his head started shaking. “Snow in San Francisco. In November. What are the odds?”
“One in a million maybe?” I got up and walked over to the window, childlike awe creeping through me. “I’ve never seen it like this here. Have you?”
Brody came skidding back into the room on his socks, instantly pressing his face to the window. “Can I go outside? Please, Mom? Please, please, please?”
I tried to keep a straight face, but up and down the street, kids were already racing out of their houses. “Okay, baby, but grab your boots, hat, and gloves. You’ve got thirty minutes.”
He tore off to his room. What felt like only seconds later, the front door slammed behind him, his laughter floating in from the street. I turned back around to find Callum watching me, not the snow.
My cheeks warmed under his gaze, but I held it steadily. “You should stay tonight. It’s getting late and it’s snowing. Also, I’d really like it if you would.”
He tilted his head. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” My voice felt small, but it was certain. I was certain. “If you want to.”
He smiled, his eyes lighting up. He nodded slowly like he was trying not to show how happy this really made him but he wasn’t quite able to. “I definitely want to.”
“Okay, then.”
“Okay.”
Callum stood up when I started clearing the table, and without even discussing it, we cleaned up together.
Once we were done, we curled on the couch with a blanket over our legs, the snow falling steadily outside.
It was cozy, romantic, and so blissfully warm inside that I reached for Callum’s hand under the blanket, loving the soft, happy smile he sent my way as he wrapped his fingers around my own.
Brody finally came back inside a short while later, his cheeks pink and exhausted, and after a hot shower and a goodnight kiss, he crashed without protest. The house settled into that perfect quiet and I leaned into Callum, his arm heavy and warm around me.
“This feels so surreal,” I whispered.
He glanced down at me, those blue eyes shimmering with something that looked a lot like peace when usually I could almost always swear I saw restless energy in them. “The snow?”
“All of it,” I responded. “You. The snow. Tonight. It’s just feels like some dream I’m going to wake up from.”
He didn’t answer right away, but he shifted slightly, like he was working up to something. A moment later, he pulled back, reached into his pocket, and caught my left hand in his.
“Maisie Morgan,” he said, his voice low but steady, his eyes locked on mine as if nothing and nobody else existed. “I should’ve done this weeks ago, but will you wear my ring?”
My lips parted, but words didn’t come as he held up a golden band. It was simple but beautiful. All I could do was stare at him, at the way he looked at me, steady, sure, like the ground had finally stopped moving beneath his feet.
The snow kept falling, rare and fleeting, but inside I felt nothing but warmth. I held his gaze, finally managing a nod as tears started pressing at the backs of my eyes. “Yes, Callum Westwood. I never thought we’d get here, but I would absolutely love to wear your ring.”