Page 76 of Philly
She stared, her heart in her throat, before jerking her eyes back to his. “How…when…how?”
He grinned. That familiar, adorable, mischievous grin that made her feel special, made her feel as if the two of them had their own secret, their own world, even if only for a moment. “I found them online while we were driving to Vegas this morning and had the store deliver them to Rian at the hospital. He passed it off as we were leaving.”
She couldn’t help the smile tugging at her lips. “You’re a little crazy, you know.”
He cocked his head and smiled back. “Yeah, but you love me, and I love you, and we spent almost twenty years apart. I’m not going to risk that again.” His smile faded a touch, and a flash of vulnerability passed over his expression. “What do you say, Calypso Jane Parks, are we getting hitched this morning?”
40
The light caught the rings on Callie’s finger as she waved to the security guard at the entrance to HICC. Philly grinned. He could hardly believe she’d said yes. Then again, they were too right for her to say anything else. They’d have things to work out, things to settle into. But he wouldn’t have proposed, and she wouldn’t have agreed, if they weren’t in it for the long haul.
His left thumb went to the bottom of his own ring. He’d never worn jewelry before in his life. He liked the weight of it. He liked what it stood for even more. Knowing she’d chosen him, that he washers, made him feel the way he imagined a puffed-up peacock did. If he could, he’d preen. Maybe he’d ask Juliana if men could preen. She knew all sorts of weird shit.
“You’re grinning,” Callie said as she pulled into a parking spot.
“So are you,” he replied.
She stopped the SUV, then killed the engine. “I can’t believe we did that,” she said, holding her hand out and admiring the set of rings. “And I also can’t imagine doing anything else. Does that make sense at all?” she added, looking at him.
“I’m trying not to apply logic,” he said, reaching for her hand. He pulled it to his lips and dropped a kiss on the back, then turned it over and placed one on her palm. “It’s right. We both know it. Do we need more of a reason than that?”
She curled her fingers around his, then pulled his hand to her own lips. After pressing a kiss to his ring, she released him. “Years of habit says yes. Everything else tells me no, tells me that what weknowis enough and we don’t need to define it or explain any more than that.”
He smiled again. “On that note, how about we drop this phone off, then head to the clubhouse? The sooner we get there, the sooner we can head home.”
“Home,” she said, sliding from her seat. “You ready to have a roommate?”
When they reached the front of the car, he wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’m ready for you to be there. It’s a good house; it has good bones. But it hasn’t been updated in a while, and it could use a little TLC to make it a home.”
She leaned up and brushed her lips against his. “Ourhome.”
He almost wished he hadn’t asked Mantis to gather everyone together tonight. He’d much rather head back totheirhome. But his family deserved more, deserved to be a part of this new journey. He might shock the shit out of them, but they’d all been through so much together that none of them ever took for granted a chance to share joy.
“You two coming in?” Chad asked, standing at the front door, his foot propping it open, his arms crossed.
Philly shot Callie a look asking whether he had a choice. She laughed. “Yes, we’re coming,” she called back. With a huff, he followed her.
They made their way inside, then wound through a series of halls until they stepped into what Philly assumed was Chad’s office.
“Sabina would be here, but we had a situation come up and I needed to stay while she went home to be with the kids… Dammit!”
Callie tensed beside him as Chad’s gaze zeroed in on Philly’s left hand. And the band on his finger. “Please tell me you didn’t do what I think you did?! Couldn’t you two have waited at least a month?”
Philly barked a laugh, then sobered when Callie shot him a worried look. “Did you need to do a background check on him or something?” she asked, turning to Chad.
“He’s mad because he lost a bet,” Philly said. “Aren’t you?” he added with a pointed look at Chad.
“Bet?” Callie mumbled, her lips barely moving.
“By thirty-one days. Damn, you Falcons move fast,” Chad grumbled as he sank into his chair.
“Bet?” Callie said again, this time stronger.
“The Warwicks bet oneverything,” he explained. “And have dragged the Falcons into it.” Turning to Chad, he asked, “You were all betting on when we’d get married, weren’t you?” The look Chad shot him gave him the answer. “Who won?”
“Who do you think?” he grunted.
“Charley?” he guessed.
