Page 78 of Keepsakes and Kismet

Peyton settles back into her spot, tugging her oversized hoodie down over the top of her leggings. “I’m glad I wore comfy clothes. It’s so cozy in here. Why are you wearing hard pants?”

“Hard pants?” I look down at my blue jeans.

She nods solemnly. “Yeah. Pants with no stretch. It should be a crime to watch a movie in hard pants.”

“This is the first time I’ve heard of ‘hard pants.’ I wasn’t aware of the movie rules. Forgive me.”

“I’ll let you off with a warning this time. You did wear a comfy top.” She points to my long sleeve shirt. “But if you’re already going to wear hard pants, you might as well put on your full inspector costume. That’s my favorite of all.”

I chuckle and scratch my chin. “Wow. Is it the green hard hat or the khakis that does it for you?”

Peyton gives me a once-over, like she’s envisioning my uniform. “Both, plus the polo. Just an overall solid combo for me.”

“I’ll make a note of it. So I can further woo you,” I say, booping her on the nose.

“I’m pretty wooed already, honey.”

I kiss her forehead. “Everything is going to plan then, honey.”

Both of us pause. Did we just exchange honeys?

“I like it,” Peyton says.

“Hm?”

She smiles. “‘Honey.’ I like it when you say it.”

I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. “Okay. Honey.”

As Harry and Sally keep running into each other on the screen, it’s impossible not to think about our own story. I prefer our version, though. The burning curiosity I experienced in my ambition to know her. The glint in her eyes whenever we met by happenstance.

“We never hated each other though, huh?” I ask her.

“Hm?”

I shake my head, remembering that Peyton doesn’t reside inside my brain. “Sorry, I was just thinking about us. Sally loathed Harry at the beginning, but we never hated each other.”

She snorts. “I’m pretty sure you hated not knowing what my job was.”

“Nah, it was only ever rooted in interest.”

Peyton squeezes my arm. “That’s sweet, Callum. I love that you pursued me.”

“A rarity in my world.” I pause, thinking about my conversation with Dr. Jain. “I didn’t think I’d ever pursue someone again, honestly.”

“Why?”

I pause, wanting to be more open with Peyton, let her in a bit more. “It’s hard to pursue someone when you’re running on empty.” I twist the dial on my watch, giving my fingers something to do. “There are these unwritten standards for men. Grappling with mental health makes you ‘weak,’ and being emotionally honest makes you a wimp. But I’ve come to realize it takes more strength to work through this shit than anything else I’ve ever done. When you say I pursued you… You have no idea how good it feels for me. Because that’s what it was, Pey. And you being my girlfriend isn’t the endpoint for that kind of chase.”

It’s hard to tell what she’s thinking, as her expression stays completely neutral. The rational side of me knows that I should sit with the silence and wait for her to respond, but another, louder side itches to explain further in case it was too much and she’s freaked out.

“It feels wonderful being wanted by you, Callum.” Peyton’s eyes soften. “You can always be honest with me. I feel closer to you when you let me in. Don’t ever feel like you can’t share something with me, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She shoots me a glare. “Honey, I can do. But call me ma’am again, and I’ll break up with you on the spot.”

“We just started officially dating today. It’s too early for threats, honey.”