Page 141 of Should the Sky Fall

Cal racks his mind. “A few weeks ago. We don’t have many pictures from…before and it didn’t feel right.” A small chuckle makes it past his lips. “We are competing.”

Olivia frowns. “At what?”

“Who can take a worse picture of the other.”

She studies him like he’s some peculiar critter. He’s surprised when she puts the photo down and asks, “Who’s leading?”

“Dawson,” he says with a fond laugh. “I look like a moron when I’m not ready to pose. Actually, even when I am ready.”

Is it his imagination or does Oliva smile? Or maybe it’s just a tick.

“Sounds like something my spawns would like to do.”

“Chloe and Leia?” Cal asks, hoping he didn’t mess up the names. Olivia gives him a struck look. “Dawson talks about you a lot. All of you. I was thinking we could visit when you’re not busy.”

Yeah, right. This woman won’t be inviting you to her home anytime soon.

Her eyes never leave Cal as she approaches him with slow, almost soundless steps. She tilts her head as she scrutinizes his face. Cal tries not to fidget.

“That must have been some blow you took,” she murmurs, like she’s talking to herself. Figuring it doesn’t warrant a response, he doesn’t say anything. After a few seconds of staring into his soul, Olivia goes to roam the living room, her focus mostly on the walls. Cal holds himself back from asking her to remove her shoes because he and Dawson always do before leaving the foyer.

She stops in front of some of Dawson’s older paintings. “What are these?”

“Paintings Dawson kept in the storage room.” Cal goes to join her, keeping a safe distance. “He fought me on it, but I convinced him to hang them up.” He can’t help the smitten smile that always appears when he looks at Dawson’s work. “They’re amazing, aren’t they?”

“Yeah,” Olivia says, her voice distant and…sad. Cal wants to ask her if she’s okay, but she speaks first. “So, they’re not new? He still hasn’t picked it back up.”

“Not quite but…” He points at the other wall, regretting it instantly when he realizes his ‘art’ hangs there too. “We did a Paint ‘n’ Sip session earlier this week.”

He follows Olivia when she makes a beeline for the paintings. “Is that a dick?”

Cheeks aflame, Cal forces out, “Um… That’s mine. Not my dick. Jesus,” he rushes to correct when she snaps her head up to look at him with horror. He rubs a hand over his face. “My painting. I painted that. I didn’t want it up, but Dawson forced me.”

This time, it’s definitely a smile on Olivia’s lips. “Oh boy,” is what she says. Before she can make Cal even more miserable and make him wish the ground would swallow him up, he’s saved.

“I’m home!” his salvation calls out. Donut runs to greet him, making excited little noises. “Cal, guess who we bumped into. Ash and Gabe! And you should’ve seen Kieran when—” Dawson’s voice cuts off, as do his footsteps. “Liv?!”

“Hey, bro.” She waves at him.

Dawson’s eyes flick between the two of them, his brows furrowing. “What are you doing here?” He’s decidedly not happy being surprised like this, and Cal questions his decision to let Olivia in.

“Visiting. Which you’d know if you’d picked up your phone.”

“I was busy.”

“Spending time with your friend for once. Good on you.”

Cal tries to summon his best apologetic face, feeling guilty for making Dawson so uncomfortable.

“What are you doing?” Dawson questions.

Olivia shrugs. “I was just admiring Cal’s dick.”

“The painting!” Cal blurts out when Dawson looks like he might pass out. “She means the painting.” Jesus, this family is going to kill him. Not alcohol or car crashes—this family.

“You’re painting again,” Olivia says matter-of-factly, ignoring Cal’s mortification.

Dawson ducks his head. “Just a little. It’s a social thing.”