Page 48 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

“And the jaw clenching while he’s staring a hole through your head?” Gwen mimicked Nate’s mannerisms perfectly.

Callie nodded. “That happened too.”

Both of the women hooted out a laugh. “You did piss him off.”

Gwen gave her belly another stroke. “So, what did you do?”

Callie slid her hair behind her ear, finding this situation entirely weird, yet refreshing at the same time. Girl talk on a rainy Monday morning. Something she’d rarely indulged in, but there was something about the Carters that put her instantly at ease. “We—After last night…”

“No. Nope.” Molly held up her index fingers in a cross—like Callie was evil. “No after-last-night talk.”

Gwen rolled her big blue eyes. “Excuse Molly. We’re still waiting for her to mature.”

Callie laughed.

“Go ahead,” Gwen encouraged her.

“Last night we were, um, ready to take the next step.” She darted an apologetic look at Molly. “But Nate got called away before we could.” She cleared her throat. “But while we were together, things got pretty intense.”

Gwen nodded.

Callie cleared her throat again. “After he left I had time to think, and I got a little freaked out about how fast we were moving. I started thinking about how I might hurt him or how he might hurt me, so this morning I told him I thought it would be better if we stayed friends instead of date. You know, since I have to leave in a few weeks—” She stopped when Gwen and Molly made simultaneous sounds in their throats. “What?”

Gwen shook her head as Molly set a glass of water in front of her sister. “You told Nate what you thought was best for him.”

“For both of us, really.”

“And that, new friend, is where you went wrong.” Gwen patted Callie’s shoulder. “Here’s a little crash course on my baby brother. Nate’s a nice guy—the best I know—but he’s equally as stubborn. Anytime anyone tries to tell him what’s best for him when he already knows what he wants”—she shrugged—“well, that’s when you get the angry eyes and clenching jaw.”

“We fixed it, though,” Callie added.

“And?” Molly wanted to know as she brought her coffee cup to her lips.

“And we’re going to move forward—take things a day at a time.”

“Score one for Nate.” Molly held up her hand for a high five from her sister.

Gwen gave her sister’s palm a slap, then sipped her water. “So, when do you have to go back to New York?”

“In about seven weeks.” Which she didn’t want to talk about.

“Are you contracted to live in the Big Apple?” Molly wanted to know.

“No. I just always have—or since college, anyway.”

Molly sighed wistfully. “It must be so great working there—the energy and ambiance.”

Callie shrugged. Nowhere seemed to be a good place for her to work these days. “It’s okay, but as long as I have my equipment I can work anywhere.” She frowned as she realized what she’d just said. Why was that thought just now occurring to her? She didn’t have to live in Manhattan mere blocks from Marion’s gallery, but that’s where she belonged—where she was expected to be.

Gwen sighed. “Well, now that we’re done with that little bit of fun, I need some chocolate so I can slink back into my sulk.”

Molly reached into the display case with a piece of waxed paper and pulled out three brownies, setting one on a napkin in front of each of them. “What’s up?”

“Mini came by the bank and bombarded me in my office.”

“Oh.” Molly bit into her treat.

“Apparently, Mini and Leah were talking last night and they want to know—in minute detail—what I have planned for the Sanderson Women’s Society tea thing.”