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“I knew I liked you,” he said with a huge smile.
I bent down and kissed him again, and this time his tongue slid into my mouth. Callum pulled me closer to him, and I pressed my mouth harder against his as the kiss deepened. Our kissing got more intense, filled with desperation and passion fueled by our recent recommitment to one another. I wanted to feel even closer to Callum, and I slid my leg across his body before sliding to be fully on top of him.
“Wait,” he said, breaking off the kiss. “There’s something I need to do.”
I groaned and dropped my head to Callum’s chest.
“Now?” I asked with a smile.
“Yes, now.” He laughed. He helped guide me off of him and slid up to a seated position so we both sat on the blanket. I saw Callum pull his cell phone out of his pocket. There was a moment of hesitation and I caught him as he glanced over at me. But then he was back to his phone.
“You don’t have to worry about Liz,” I told him. “You know she’ll always forgive her big brother.”
Callum put the phone to his ear and gently shook his head at my words.
“Hey. Brady.”
I held back a small gasp as I heard the greeting. I looked over at him, trying to catch his eye, but Callum wouldn’t look at me.
“You don’t have to do this right now …” I tried, but Callum wasn’t listening to me. I was about to try again, but I stopped myself. I realized that this phone call wasn’t all about me. It was the culmination of what Callum had been thinking about all summer. It was Callum finally speaking his mind and saying what he wanted.
“Listen, I’m not going on tour.”
I couldn’t hear Brady’s words on the other end of the line, but I could hear a muffled voice. It sounded angry and loud.
“I know that’s not what you want to hear, but it’s time you start realizing that I’m a person and not a product. Look, I’m grateful for what you’ve done for the band, but our success is not because of you.”
Again, the angry voice. I slid myself closer to Callum and rested a hand on his back, providing comfort.
“Yes, I know how much time you’ve spent promoting the band and representing us. But it’s nothing compared to the hours we spend writing music and practicing and traveling from city to city. So, when we say we need a break, you’re going to listen to us. And when the band agrees to something like my summer away, you’re not going to turn around and convince them otherwise.
“Just stop talking for a minute! I need you to know that I won’t allow you to kick me out of this band. If I need to get lawyers involved, I won’t hesitate to do that. So, I think you better call up that company and tell them the Horizon will not be a replacement band on anyone’s tour!”
I wanted to cheer as I heard the words, but I knew it wouldn’t help Callum if I was overheard. A smile spread wide across my face and I felt giddy with happiness.
“Here’s what’s going to happen, Brady. I’m not going to hear from you for a month. You’re going to sit back and collect your paycheck and forget that the Horizon is even a client for this month. Then, when I’m ready, I’m going to call you and you’re going to answer. We’ll discuss my solo album and we’ll plan the recording of my new music in conjunction with events for the Horizon. And if you don’t like this plan, then I think it’s time for the Horizon to look for a new manager.”
I celebrated silently next to Callum, even grabbing his shoulders to shake him in pride and appreciation. Callum smiled over at me as he brushed me aside, trying to keep the phone pressed to his ear. But even as he tried to stay focused on Brady, I saw the huge smile that spread across his face.
I was so thrilled to hear him take charge with his manager, and I couldn’t stop myself from dreaming about the summer we would have together. I could picture the trips to the theme parks and an afternoon on the beach. I would show him my favorite hike around a local lake. I was so distracted by thoughts of the summer, that I was surprised when Callum began saying his goodbyes to Brady.
“Sounds good. I’ll talk to you in a month.”
He hung up abruptly, without further niceties and, as soon as the phone was off, I let out the excited squeal I had been holding inside.
“That was amazing!” I cried. I wrapped my arms around Callum and hugged him close to me. He seemed a bit stiff, as if he might be shocked by what he had just done. But then he was hugging me back, and I felt him squeeze me close as relief flooded through his body.
“I can’t believe I did that,” he breathed out.
I pulled back so I could look at him.
“How did it feel?”
He thought about this for a moment, and then that smile spread across his face once more.
“It felt amazing! And it felt like it was a long time coming.”
He leaned in and kissed me as he set his phone back onto the blanket.
