The Resolution of Callie & Kayden(52)

He gives me this strange look that I can’t decipher.

‘What?’ I ask.

He shrugs. ‘It’s nothing.’

‘It is something; otherwise, you wouldn’t be looking at me like a weirdo.’

That gets him to laugh. ‘It really is nothing. I was just thinking about how you seem happy.’ His shoulders keep lifting and falling. ‘It’s nice, and you deserve it.’

‘Thanks, Jackson.’ I smile at him as I text Luke to see if he can come help.

‘Although, I have to say, I wouldn’t tell Mom that whole story of him surprising you,’ Jackson says. ‘She’ll think you’re getting engaged.’ He pauses then smirks at me. ‘Though, I wouldn’t be surprised if you did at the rate you two are going.’

‘Okay, Mom.’ I roll my eyes at him then laugh, but Jackson doesn’t join in.

‘Just giving you a head’s up,’ he tells me with a nonchalant lift of his shoulders. ‘You seem kind of clueless with this stuff.’

I’d be offended, but I’m too distracted by the other thing he said. Is that where Kayden and I are heading? Why have I never thought of this?

I probably would have sat there all day, stuck in my head, if my phone didn’t start going nuts in my hand.

Luke: Yeah, headed over. I’m not at my place, though, so it’ll take me just a little bit longer.

Me: K, thanks. I owe u one:)

I put my phone away then get to my feet. ‘I got you some non-tiny backup.’

My brother looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. ‘What the hell are you talking about?’

‘Luke’s coming over to help you move the heavy stuff in,’ I say, opening the front door. ‘But while we wait, this tiny little girl with her tiny little arms is going to go bring up what she can because she’s not as weak as she looks.’

‘I know that, Callie.’ My brother follows me outside and down the stairway. ‘You’re tougher than a lot of people.’

‘Wow, two compliments in a day,’ I joke, jumping off the last step and into a fluffy pile of snow that reaches the ankles of my boots. ‘It’s a miracle.’

‘It’ll be a miracle if it stopped snowing.’ He zips his coat up to his chin and glares at the cloudy sky. ‘I’m going to freeze my ass off.’

‘The weather in Florida’s making you kind of a baby.’ I pick up a handful of snow and ball it up in my hand. ‘You know that.’

Now he’s glaring at me. ‘You throw that at me and you’re going to pay.’

I make the snow in my hand into a firm ball then I back down the frozen sidewalk. ‘I’ll only pay if you can catch me, but I have a feeling that Florida Boy is going to fail epically when I run up the snowbank.’ Then I stick out my tongue and launch the snowball at him.

I don’t think he thought I had the guts to do it because he doesn’t even duck. It hits him straight in the face and I feel kind of bad, but not enough to stop myself from laughing.

Looking pissed off, he wipes the snow from his face with the sleeve of his jacket. ‘You’re so going to pay for that.’ He cracks his knuckles as he walks toward me. ‘I think you’ve forgotten how good I used to be at mad, crazy snowball fighting.’

‘The key words being used to.’ I take off running before I even finish my sentence, knowing full well that this is probably going to end with me getting my face shoved in the snow. He used to do it all the time when we were younger and Jackson hasn’t grown up enough not to do it now.

Just like I predicted, by the end of our mad, crazy snowball fight, Jackson is smashing snow in my face. I’m on my back on the snowbank near the dumpster, laughing my butt off as he stands over me, pressing snow into my face. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Luke’s truck pull up and park under the carport near the building.

‘Fine, I give up!’ I laugh, kicking at Jackson, feeling like a kid again, having fun with my older brother, something that stopped happening when I was twelve. ‘Just stop! Luke’s here.’

‘I warned you not to mess with me.’ His cheeks are red because I did manage to throw a few more snowballs at his face. Just to be an ass, Jackson drops a handful of snow on the top of my head before helping me to my feet. Then we slip down the steep hill and walk back toward the carport area. My coat is full of snow and I try to shake it out while Jackson laughs his head off at me.