"Me too," she says softly. "It felt like a daily barrage there for a while. It's nice to just be. And I love feeling free to be with you and Ollie, doing something as simple as walking and enjoying this beautiful afternoon."

We walk a few more paces in silence before I clear my throat. "I've been meaning to talk to you about what I have coming up. They want me in LA next week, Tuesday until Friday, to shoot a couple of music videos. It’s all part of the rollout plan. Any chance you could come with me?"

Her face lights up, and her pride is evident. "That’s huge, Callum. I’m so happy for you. I wish I could say yes, maybe one day. But I have Ollie from Wednesday until Friday. I don't think now is the time to ask Marcus to change it up."

"I get it and figured that would be the case," I say, scratching the back of my neck. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you, too," she says warmly. "It’s amazing, Callum. Every song is going to be a hit. People are going to love it."

The sincerity in her voice does something to me, grounding me in a way I didn’t know I needed. I reach for her hand, lacing our fingers together as we continue walking.

For the first time in a long time, it feels like things might be falling into place.

THIRTY-ONE

Sienna

The threads of fate have brought us here

Wednesday, April 16

Sienna’s Brownstone

7:43 PM

The apartment is finally quiet.Ollie’s tucked in with his glow-in-the-dark stars casting a faint pattern on the ceiling above his bed. We hummed together until he drifted off to sleep. That is a new one to me, but I loved the calmness it brought both of us.

I grab my phone off the counter as I walk into the kitchen and see a text from Brooke.

I haven’t seen you in a week and I’m in your ’hood. Armed with wine, I’m heading to you. See you in 15.

As soon as I finish reading it, a knock echoes through the apartment. Of course. Brooke’s nothing if not punctual.

I open the door and she holds up a bottle of red like a trophy. Her designer oversized coat hangs off her shoulders. "Am I late to my own intervention?"

I laugh softly, stepping back to let her in. "You know, for someone who’s not a mom, you have the whole ‘showing up after bedtime chaos’ thing down pat."

"Because I’m not a mom," she says, grinning as she kicks off her heels. "I swoop in when the work’s done and claim the fun part. Pour me a glass, Walker."

I grab two glasses and the corkscrew while she shrugs off her coat and settles onto the couch. She folds her legs beneath her and drapes herself over the back of the sofa to watch me.

I hand her a glass and plop down beside her.

"Okay," she says, setting it down dramatically. "Let’s talk. Callum’s gone, Marcus is still an asshole, and you’re what? Stir-crazy?"

"Something like that," I admit, sinking into the seat beside her.

Brooke takes a sip of her wine, studying me with a look that’s way too perceptive for someone halfway into her first glass. "You miss him."

I scoff, rolling my eyes. "He’s only been gone a day. Jesus, when did you become so clingy?"

"I just know you, and you're clingy," she says matter-of-factly. "You'll survive, I promise."

I glance at the glass in my hand, swirling the wine absently. "It’s not just about missing him. It’s about everything else. His career, the PR, the travel. This is what life with him would look like—him being gone, me juggling everything here, waiting for him. And then there’s Marcus, who’s already tried to blow this up once."

Brooke leans back, resting her arm on the back of the couch. "Marcus is a dick, yes. But he’s a predictable dick. You’ve handled him this long, and you’ll keep handling him. Callum, though... that’s something else entirely."

I frown, glancing at her. "What do you mean?"