Page 88 of The Deviation
Hannah nods. “I mean, it still freaks me out, but I love making music. And why the hell shouldn’t I?” she snaps, looking ready to throw down with anyone who says differently. “Not everyone will like my style. I can deal with that.” Her green eyes lift to Cal’s. “As long as I have you watching my back. We can do anything. Right?”
She barely manages to finish talking before Cal engulfs her in a hug. They’re both laughing when I approach them from behind Calum. Hannah’s gaze meets mine and when she and Calum separate, she holds her fist out towards me. I bump it with my own. As surprises go, we nailed this one.
The afternoon wanes and guests slowly drift out the door. Oz and Hannah leave with their friends for a night on the town. Once it’s back to just the two of us, Cal shakes his head in disbelief. “It’s still weird to see Han surrounded by so many people and not threatening to bite any of them.”
My eyebrows lift in question, and he winces. “There was this whole thing when she was fourteen. I thought I might have to muzzle her.”
I burst out laughing. That’s our girl. Which she is now—our girl. Hannah is the sister I never thought I’d get to have, and I love her to death. I love writing music with her and helping her improve her technique on the guitar. She offered to help me with my singing in return. I laughed out loud in response. That won’t be happening in this lifetime.
Cal and I finish cleaning up from the party before falling onto the couch with leftover snacks and giant glasses of water to dilute the alcohol in our systems.
“I can’t believe you and Han planned that whole candle thing behind my back,” he says, grinning even as he narrows his eyes at me.
“She froze up when I first made the suggestion,” I tell him. “Then she came back the next day and said she wanted to do it. Because she wants you to have ‘more dreams and shit’,” I add air quotes to the last few words.
He’s quiet for a long moment, before he edges closer to me. Our limbs are tangled between us, our faces inches apart. “I want to tell you my wish,” he whispers.
With a lazy smile, I reach out to cup his cheek in one hand. “Tell me, Cal. Give me your wishes, and I’ll make them come true.”
His throat moves as he swallows. “I wished to marry you some day. So the world will know we’re a family. That we belong together. Forever.”
Every word out of his mouth melts my heart. Because, while I might not have discussed this with anyone else, I’ve been thinking a lot about what getting married again would mean for me. In the aftermath of my divorce, I had doubts about ever marrying again. The commitment I’d thought of as being lifelong had fallen apart and I’d become disillusioned with the idea. What would be the point?
Calum is the point. Despite all he’s been through, the idea of family is still sacrosanct to him. Values like loyalty and commitment are not mere words, but the foundation of who he is. I trust that his vow, once given, will never waver. Just as my vow to him will be as rock solid in the decades to come as it is right here and now. Our marriage, when it comes, will be the outward expression of a commitment we’ve already made, and keep making every single day.
“I love you, Calum.” My lips almost touch his as I breathe the quiet words. “I will be honoured to marry you and be your husband. But…” I add with a slow smile, “first I want to organise the sappiest, most romantic proposal of all time.”
He laughs, his body softening against me until he’s all but in my lap. “Or maybe I should propose to you. This will be your last chance to have someone get down on one knee for you. Because I love you too, and I’m never letting you go.”
“My love, you will never have the chance.” With that, I tumble him onto his back on the couch and stretch out on top of him. My lips ghost over his neck. My tongue sneaks out to taste the salt of the day’s sweat on his skin.
“Shall we move this to the bedroom?” he suggests, already starting to tug off my shirt.
“Give me one more minute.” I gaze deep into his green eyes while I begin to rock against him. “I’m enjoying the feel of you.”
“I’ll give you all the minutes,” Cal says as his movements fall into rhythm with mine. “You and me? We have all the time in the world.”
THE END