The Resolution of Callie & Kayden Read online

  ‘Writing again, I see,’ Seth interrupts my thoughts as he strolls into my living room without even knocking. He doesn’t bother to shut the door either, even though it’s freezing outside and a light gust of snow blows in.

  ‘What if I hadn’t been dressed?’ I joke, closing my journal. It’s filled with so many pages of my pen that ink is seriously starting to stain the edges.

  He rolls his eyes. ‘Yeah, right. You would never be naked in your living room.’ He pauses then gets this scandalous look on his face. ‘I, on the other hand, make it a daily ritual.’

  Now I’m the one rolling my eyes. ‘Oh, whatever.’ I toss the journal on the coffee table as I get to my feet. ‘So are you going to shut the door or are you trying to add to my heating bill?’ I grin at him.

  He shakes his head, but is amused. ‘Actually, it’s time to go to the game.’

  My forehead creases as I glance at the time on my phone. ‘But it’s super early.’ Like hours early.

  ‘I know,’ he says, picking up my coat from the armrest and tossing it to me, ‘but I was instructed to take you there early.’

  ‘By who?’ I ask as I slip my arms through the sleeves of my coat and zip it up.

  ‘It’s a secret.’ Then he winks at me and heads out the door, leaving me utterly confused.

  I follow him outside, locking the door before I trot down the stairs behind him. There’s a light frost on the ground and the air is nipping, but the sun is shining and the reflection of it against the snow makes everything sparkle. I can’t help but breathe in the magicalness of the air before getting into the car.

  Seth’s grinning by the time I shut the door as he starts up the engine and then backs out.

  ‘You’re acting weird,’ I tell him as I buckle my seatbelt. ‘What’s up?’

  He shrugs as he turns the steering wheel and we head toward the street. ‘Nothing.’

  I know Seth enough to know that he’s lying. ‘You’re so full of it. What’s going on …? Why are you taking me early?’

  ‘It’s a surprise,’ he says, pulling out onto the street.

  ‘Please, pretty please, tell me,’ I beg with my hands clasped in front of me.

  He shakes his head. ‘No way. Not this time.’

  ‘I won’t tell anyone.’

  ‘It doesn’t matter, Callie. I’d be mad at myself if I ruined this one for you.’

  I pout as I slump back in the seat. ‘Oh, fine. I’ll play along.’ I fiddle with the stereo until I find a good song then I try to relax, but as we pass by a bookstore something dawns on me.

  ‘Oh, crap.’ I put a hand to the base of my neck. ‘I forgot my necklace.’ It’s the one Kayden gave me for Christmas that has a book pendant with my name on it.

  ‘You’ll be fine for one game, Callie,’ Seth brushes me off.

  ‘No way. We have to go back. It brings him good luck whenever I wear it.’

  Seth chuckles as he turns off the main road toward the shiny, steel stadium. ‘You two and your superstition.’

  ‘It’s not a superstition,’ I say, which isn’t quite the truth, but Kayden says that whenever I wear it, it brings him good luck when he plays. Growing up with a father for a football coach, I know enough to tolerate these superstitions.

  ‘Relax, Callie,’ Seth tells me as he parks the car near the entrance of the stadium. ‘I have your necklace.’

  ‘Why do you have it?’ I wonder.

  There’s a pause and I feel the shift in the air. Something’s happening. Something important.

  Seth looks like he’s about to cry as he reaches over, takes my hand, turns it palm up, and drops the necklace into it. ‘Don’t look at it until you get into the stadium.’ He closes my fingers around it then sits back in his seat. ‘Now go.’

  I glance down at my hand and then to the stadium, knowing without really knowing that something magical is about to happen. Unable to form words, I get out of the car and make my journey toward the stadium with the necklace clutched in my hand. The security asks my name then lets me through when I tell him.

  I walk down the tunnel and onto the field, smiling when I remember the night Kayden took me here over two years ago to play catch. And to make out pressed up against the field post. It seems smaller this time, though, less overwhelming. Honestly, I feel like I kind of belong here.

  The feeling only amplifies when Kayden emerges from behind me. I take in his brown hair hanging in his gorgeous eyes I swear can read my soul now. And his lean arms and broad shoulders that hold me whenever I feel sad. He’s dressed not in his uniform but in jeans, boots, and his coat, which I find a little odd.

  ‘Hey, you made it,’ he says as he casually walks toward me, like this isn’t at all weird.

  ‘Yeah, but I’m wondering why I needed to make it,’ I say with suspicion, tipping my head back to look up at him as he reaches me. ‘I’m guessing you and Seth have something major planned, though, since the two of you never plot together unless it’s something epic.’

  ‘Oh, it’s definitely epic,’ he says in a cocky tone, but his eyes reveal otherwise. He’s nervous and that makes me nervous.

  ‘Okay …?’ My fingers tighten around the necklace. ‘Would you like to share with me what this epicness is?’

  He nods, but swallows hard, his skin suddenly paling. ‘A-actually,’ he starts to stammer, but then clears his throat and shakes his head at himself. ‘Okay, let me try that again.’ We both laugh, but not because this is funny – because we’re nervous.

  ‘Do you remember the last time you and I were out here?’ he asks, motioning at the field and the bleachers enclosing it.

  I nod. ‘Yeah, I kicked your ass at catch.’

  He laughs, his eyes bright, but his nerves still there. ‘You did, didn’t you?’ He pauses, tugging his fingers through his hair. ‘Well, I thought I’d bring you back here so we could relive another good past memory since we haven’t done this one before.’

  Is that what this is about? ‘You want to play catch again?’

  He shakes his head. ‘No, I want to ask you something.’

  ‘Okay …?’ I’m so confused.

  And he’s looking paler by the second.

  ‘Do you have your necklace?’ he asks, his voice almost as soft as a whisper.

  I nod then open my hand. ‘Yeah, Seth told me not to look at it until I got to the stadium.’ There’s a pause and then he nervously waits for me to catch on. ‘Oh, right.’ I laugh at myself as I look down at the book pendant in my hand.

  And then I see it.

  What all of this is about?

  ‘By Callie Lawrence-Owens,’ I read aloud, sounding more nervous than him.

  ‘Open it.’ This time, he does whisper.

  With trembling fingers, I fumble with the clasp and finally get it open. The pages are no longer blank. They are filled with the promise of a story. And it’s the most amazing story ever.

  Your happily after.

  ‘Yes!’ I cry before he can even ask. Then I throw my arms around his neck and hug him with everything I have in me.

  He laughs at me and whispers a, ‘Thank God,’ sounding extremely happy as he returns my hug equally, giving me the best thing in the world.

  Not just my happy after.

  But him.