Page 95 of Let Me Be the One
Yes, it was. Her parents had always had expensive taste in vehicles. Her red Escape was one more thing her mother had frowned over. Apparently, McCallahans should buy black cars. Liz deemed the color elegant.
In the next second, Liam said, “Your cherry red Ford is cool, too.” He elbowed her. “And I’m loving my Buick.”
Callie laughed. “Are you a little car crazy?”
“No way. The things I want…they aren’t that easy.”
No, they weren’t. On impulse, she squeezed his shoulder. “You’re getting there.”
“One step at a time.” He opened the hatch and they both took in the enormous size of the plant. Liam lifted a brow. “That’s a tree.”
“It’s tall enough to be.” Five feet of leafy plant filled the back of her parents’ SUV at a tilt, with some leavesspilled over to the front seat. “I love it, but it does look like it weighs a ton.”
Grinning, Liam lifted the entire awkward thing out, and then, holding it like it was nothing, he asked, “Where do you want it?”
She laughed again. From the time of her parents’ arrival, she’d been in an awful funk, but already Liam had lightened her mood.
“You make it look so easy.” She hustled ahead of him to the porch. “For now, let’s leave it outside by the door.” Plans were forming in her head, and she wanted time to think them through.
Unfortunately, the second they stepped inside, Sutter drew her in for a tight hug. Didn’t matter that she kept her arms stiff at her sides, or that she leaned away as much as she could.
Her parents had disappeared, probably back into the kitchen, but Liam was still right there, and as she glanced at him over Sutter’s shoulder, she saw him cross his arms and lean on the wall.
Clearly, he wasn’t budging unless she asked him to. God love the young man, she owed him something special for his loyalty. Maybe, if Tanner gave her a chance, she’d talk to him to figure out something good. He knew Liam better than she did, and he’d probably have some great ideas for a surprise.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“AHEM.” WEDGING HERhands between them, Callie pressed Sutter back. “Don’t do that again.”
“Come on, Callie. Talk to me.”
“I can talk without being plastered to you.”
“Fine.” He held up his hands. “If you want to talk, we’ll talk.”
Wait, what? “Idon’t. You’re the one who—”
“I’ve been thinking that we could work on our problems.”
“Ourproblems?” Damn it, she was getting shrill again.
“Neither of us is perfect, right? A professional counselor could help with that.” Despite the promise he’d just made, Sutter cupped her shoulders, his hands massaging. “You’d been so distant, that’s why I sought solace elsewhere.”
Unbelievable!
“Things can be fixed,” he insisted. “If webothwork on it.”
If it wasn’t for Liam snickering, she might have lost her cool. “No, we’re not perfect. That much is true. But I amperfectlyhappy here, in Hoker, Kentucky. I’mperfectlyhappy being single, too.”
Gently, even with a touch of pity, he crooned, “You know that’s not true.”
She seriously felt like punching him. “I know my own mind, Sutter.”
“Sure you do. But you are fooling yourself. You’re out of character. And I know why.”
Oh, this should be good. She gestured magnanimously. “Go on. Let’s hear it.” The sooner she got this over with, the sooner she could toss him out.
“I hurt you and I’m sorry. If I could go back and undo the damage, I would.”
