Maisie Life had such a funny way of just carrying on. No matter what had happened, good or bad, or how big it had been, the world just k ept right on turning. Brody half-dragged his gear bag across the floor, his hair already sticking up in all directions as he muttered about Gage’s strategies for their home game today. It was like he’d already forgotten what Callum had talked to him about just a few days ago, but while I’d been struggling for weeks about how to break the news of our impending nuptials to him, Callum had simply told him over burgers—and he was absolutely fine. There had been no tantrums. No tears. No sense of betrayal or abandonment. In fact, when I’d gotten home that day after dropping my mom off at the airport, neither the fact that we were getting married or that Callum would be moving in had been Brody’s biggest worry. They’d been playing video games when I’d walked in and he’d stabbed the pause button on his controller, looking up at me with his features so grave, I’d nearly had a heart attack. The reason? “Mom, I don’t think there’s enough space in our garage for all of Callum’s cars.” Callum had been quick to reassure him that all his cars—I honestly didn’t even know how many he had but the phrasing had been ominous— were safely parked at his house on the Westwood Estate. And that had been that. Life had carried on. My mom, of course, had thought it was hilarious. Her response had been simple when I’d told her about it after she’d gotten back home. “Maisie, my baby, you know I love you, but you overthink things way too much. Not everything needs to be analyzed and calculated half to death. Sometimes, you just have to roll the dice without trying to predict how they’re going to land.” The sound of a car engine outside drew me out of my thoughts. I pulled back the curtain in the kitchen window, peeking out just in time to see Callum’s truck pulling into the driveway. Swigging down the rest of my coffee, I wondered how exactly I was supposed to follow my mom’s advice and stop being an overthinker. I had been overthinking the issue ever since that conversation we’d had. I just didn’t know how to not to analyze. To calculate. It was who I was. Who I always had been. That was what had made me so good at diving. It required extensive planning, mastering complex routines, and a ton of strategy in dive selection. I’d studied mathematics, for heaven’s sake, not philosophy. Yet, as I watched Callum climb out of his gleaming truck with a tray of takeout coffee in one hand and a grease-stained paper bag in the other, I had to admit, his strategy with Brody had worked. He’d ripped off the band-aid, and my boy was just fine. Brody opened the door for him now, beaming. Callum strode in, grinning at us like this was the most natural thing in the world. “Delivery. Anyone order a breakfast sandwich?”
“Me!” Brody’s hand shot up as he followed Callum to the kitchen. “Is it bacon and maple syrup?” “With egg,” Callum confirmed, smiling and walking right over to brush the lightest of kisses to my cheek. “I also have a chocolate chip croissant in here with your name on it.” “Be still, my beating heart,” I teased, but also, not really. Pushing away from the counter, I helped him unpack breakfast, giving his hand a quick squeeze while Brody unwrapped his sandwich. “You’re spoiling us.” He shrugged, sliding his arm around my hips and tugging me into him for just a moment. “You ain’t seen nothing yet.” “I don’t like that song,” Brody muttered around a mouthful of food. “Grandpa loves it, though.” “Eat first, baby,” I said. “You can talk when you’re finished chewing.” He groaned but made quick work of his sandwich. I acc epted my coffee and croissant, but I’d barely finished eating by the time they were racing toward the truck. Eventually, I took the coffee with me, content to sip it on our way to the rink while Callum psyched Brody up for the game. When we got there, however, I was surprised to find a cluster of familiar faces waiting near the entrance. My eyes went wide as I twisted to stare at Callum. “Your brothers are here.” “Y ep,” he said cheerfully, that dark hair flopping over his forehead like he was the coolest kid in school. “Their wives, too. They wanted to be here to support Brody.” “Awesome,” he shouted from the back seat, then sprinted toward the locker room as soon as we were out of the truck. When he passed the Westwoods, he held out his hand like he was running out of the locker room and expecting high-fives, and every last one of them obliged. All I could do was shake my head, my cheeks a little flushed by the time we reached them. “I’m so sorry about that,” I said immediately, mostly to Laney and Sadie. Sterling scared me a little and I honestly didn’t know what to make of Jameson. “Did he at least say hi?” “Who has time to say hi?” Jameson asked, grinning. “He got his good luck high-fives. That’s all he needs. Hey, who’s hungry?” “Me,” Callum said immediately, pulling each of his sisters-in-law into a quick hug before he and Jameson practically stormed the concession stand with Sterling in tow. I stared after them, feeling painfully out of place until Sadie suddenly took my arm and started guiding me toward the stands. She smiled happily as Laney took my other arm. “Don’t worry about them. They’ll buy at least half the concession stand—” “Or the actual stand itself,” Laney added. Sadie inclined her chin and shot Laney a grin. “True. Or that. Either way, there’ll be enough snacks for us too. I just really hope Jamie gets me a slushie. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had one of those?” “It’s freezing in here,” Harrison piped up from behind us. I hadn’t even realized he wasn’t with his brothers. “Do you really want a slushie?”
Sadie glanced at him over her shoulder, grinned, and then pointed at her slightly swollen belly. “I have built-in heating these days. Bring on winter, and bring on that slushie.” “I’d better go tell him.” Harrison darted away and Sadie giggled, checking to make sure he was gone before she sighed. “Do you think he’s figured it out yet?” I frowned. “Figured what out?” “That he’s next,” Laney said. My eyes widened. “Do you really think so? Isn’t he only in his early twenties?” “Y ep.” Sadie released my arm when we reached the stands, half-turning to ke ep speaking to us while she climbed. “Harlan’s serious about all this, though. He’s not even going to let Harrison get out of it.” “Do you really think so?” I couldn’t imagine that. “He’s the baby of the family.” Laney glanced toward the concession stand, watching the brothers together for a moment. All four of them were impossibly tall, broad- shouldered, and way too good-looking. Between them, they probably also had enough money to buy several small countries and yet, right now, they were shoving each other playfully, laughing and looking relaxed as they tried to balance too many snacks. “They look so normal,” Laney said as if she’d plucked the thought right out of my head. She turned to glance at Sadie and me as we took our seats. “Don’t be fooled, though. They’re not. Harrison is next and he doesn’t have as much time as he thinks he does.” When the guys reached us, it seemed all that playful shoving and laughing had been because they were teasing him about that very same thing. Jameson rolled his eyes and smirked at their youngest brother as he dropped into a chair next to his wife. “Dude, you might as well go see a man about a tux and book a honeymoon,” he said. “Get a head start on this thing, you know?” Harrison scoffed and handed over Sadie’s slushie before he collapsed into a chair next to Sterling. “The only thing I’m booking is Christmas in the Maldives. That way, I won’t have to spend the holidays with you assholes. I have years before Dad calls me in for the talk.” Callum and Jameson exchanged a look. Sterling simply arched an eyebrow at Harrison, shaking his head as he turned toward the ice. “Ke ep telling yourself that if it helps, but you know we’re right. It’s not like any of us were expecting it either.” Laney’s jaw dropped open in mock outrage. “You mean you didn’t see it coming that you were going to have to strongarm some poor, unsuspecting business owner into marrying you within a week?” “It wasn’t a week,” he retorted playfully. “It was, like, at least two. Maybe three. Besides, it all worked out pretty well for you, didn’t it?” She winked at him, her thumb absently stroking her swollen belly. “If by working out pretty well for me, what you mean is that I’ve been nauseated for months, then sure. It’s been working out great.” He laughed, bending closer to whisper something in her ear that made her blush. Sadie shook her head as she watched them, but there was a smile on her lips. She launched into telling me all about her and Jameson, and how they’d gotten started.
The more I listened to them, being included in their conversations and made to feel like an actual part of their group, I started thinking that maybe this wasn’t so crazy. Maybe marrying into this family didn’t mean I was signing away my sanity for going about this the way we were. Maybe it just meant more people around. More chaos, I was sure, but also more shoulders to lean on. Laney and Sadie had recently been through this themselves and they looked spectacularly happy with their men as the game got started. Callum shouted encouragement to Brody. Jameson, Sterling, and Harrison were as loud and excited as he was. I realized that they had already acc epted us as part of their family and they didn’t seem to mind it. Warmth spread through me, making me feel—for perhaps the first time since I’d walked into that bar to see whose ad I’d answered—like this wasn’t crazy at all. The Westwoods stayed for the entire game and it ended in a blur of cheering, skates scraping ice, and Brody’s triumphant grin after netting a goal. He barreled into me after, sweaty, flushed, but so freaking happy. “We did it, Mom!” Callum clapped him on the helmet, pride clear as day all over his face, and my chest ached at how natural it all felt. “You did, buddy. That was amazing. You guys are coming together as a pretty awesome team.” I smiled, deciding to try on their family’s apparent love of banter and teasing for size. “You’re only saying that because you’re the one who made the call about him joining said team, aren’t you?” The others laughed and surprise registered on Callum’s features, but then he grinned, one of his shoulders lifting in a shrug. “Hey, I believe in credit where credit is due. The boys deserve all the credit, but it’s nice to know you remember who’s responsible for bringing them together in the first place.” I chuckled, sliding my arm around his waist. He fitted his around my shoulders. For a beat, I wondered if his family was going to call us out on our first official show of affection in their presence, but no one said anything. They took it as if they’d spent the last few years watching him hold me, but when we said our goodbyes outside, both Sadie and Laney gave me their phone numbers. Callum noticed, sending me a small, sidelong smile. He, Brody, and I climbed into his truck. We spent the afternoon together, running a few errands and picking up some groceries. Callum insisted on cooking dinner, brushing off my protests with a cocky, “Trust me, I’ve got some skills. Not many, but they do exist. Plus, I’ve been studying.” “Studying?” I asked as we walked back into my house, everyone shrugging off coats and boots. Callum hung his jacket up right next to mine, and again, I was struck by how easily this was all happening. It felt like he was meant to be here with us. “What have you been studying?” He pumped his eyebrows at me. “Just some recipes. Pr epare to be wowed, Morgans. Now, you go relax while I get started.” Brody raced to the living room, kicking his feet up on the couch and switching on the TV to play one of his games. Since this was his Saturday afternoon TV time, I left him to it and followed Callum into the kitchen instead.
As we worked, the sun started sinking lower, but the light also shifted, the gray of early evening softening into something paler. I frowned as I stared out the window, trying to figure out exactly what that meant, but Callum quickly distracted me with stories of himself and his brothers growing up. In turn, I opened up a bit about my own family life growing up, telling him what it had been like to be the little sister to twin older brothers and all the ways in which they used to both tease and protect me. By the time dinner was finished, the whole house smelled like garlic and herbs, a comforting scent that I hoped would linger for at least the rest of the night. Callum leaned back in his chair, smug as heck as he watched me lick the last of my sauce off my fork. “Okay, okay.” I laughed. “I’ll admit it. Your studies have paid off. That was delicious. Thank you.” His grin widened. “Finally, the official seal of approval. I’m excited.” “Whoa, there, Gordon Ramsay,” I teased. “You do know that making one decent meal means you won’t have any excuses from now on, right? That means we now know you’ve got it in you, so you’re going to have to do a lot of cooking for us in the future.” “One decent meal?” He pressed a hand to his chest like I’d mortally wounded him. “That was art.” I laughed again, honestly surprised by how much I was doing that these days. “Fine. It was very good art, but the point remains that you’re going to have to ke ep producing dishes like this from now on.” “Challenge acc epted.” Movement outside the window caught my eye. I leaned over a little, blinking when I realized what it was. Just like that, food and Callum’s promises of cooking were the furthest things from my mind. “It’s snowing.” My voice came out slightly hoarse, the surprise nearly overwhelming me. Even though it started slow at first, it quickly became thicker. Flakes caught the glow of the streetlights and my eyes widened. “Is that real or am I hallucinating?” Callum twisted to look, a crooked smile spreading on his lips as his head started shaking. “Snow in San Francisco. In November. What are the odds?” “One in a million maybe?” I got up and walked over to the window, childlike awe cre eping through me. “I’ve never seen it like this here. Have you?” Brody came skidding back into the room on his socks, instantly pressing his face to the window. “Can I go outside? Please, Mom? Please, please, please?” I tried to ke ep a straight face, but up and down the street, kids were already racing out of their houses. “Okay, baby, but grab your boots, hat, and gloves. You’ve got thirty minutes.” He tore off to his room. What felt like only seconds later, the front door slammed behind him, his laughter floating in from the street. I turned back around to find Callum watching me, not the snow. My cheeks warmed under his gaze, but I held it steadily. “You should stay tonight. It’s getting late and it’s snowing. Also, I’d really like it if you would.” He tilted his head. “Yeah?” “Yeah.” My voice felt small, but it was certain. I was certain. “If you want to.”
He smiled, his eyes lighting up. He nodded slowly like he was trying not to show how happy this really made him but he wasn’t quite able to. “I definitely want to.” “Okay, then.” “Okay.” Callum stood up when I started clearing the table, and without even discussing it, we cleaned up together. Once we were done, we curled on the couch with a blanket over our legs, the snow falling steadily outside. It was cozy, romantic, and so blissfully warm inside that I reached for Callum’s hand under the blanket, loving the soft, happy smile he sent my way as he wrapped his fingers around my own. Brody finally came back inside a short while later, his cheeks pink and exhausted, and after a hot shower and a goodnight kiss, he crashed without protest. The house settled into that perfect quiet and I leaned into Callum, his arm heavy and warm around me. “This feels so surreal,” I whispered. He glanced down at me, those blue eyes shimmering with something that looked a lot like peace when usually I could almost always swear I saw restless energy in them. “The snow?” “All of it,” I responded. “You. The snow. Tonight. It’s just feels like some dream I’m going to wake up from.” He didn’t answer right away, but he shifted slightly, like he was working up to something. A moment later, he pulled back, reached into his pocket, and caught my left hand in his. “Maisie Morgan,” he said, his voice low but steady, his eyes locked on mine as if nothing and nobody else existed. “I should’ve done this weeks ago, but will you wear my ring?” My lips parted, but words didn’t come as he held up a golden band. It was simple but beautiful. All I could do was stare at him, at the way he looked at me, steady, sure, like the ground had finally stopped moving beneath his feet. The snow k ept falling, rare and fleeting, but inside I felt nothing but warmth. I held his gaze, finally managing a nod as tears started pressing at the backs of my eyes. “Yes, Callum Westwood. I never thought we’d get here, but I would absolutely love to wear your ring.”