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I tear my eyes away from her, turning my attention back to the road. I notice the mile marker on the side of the freeway. We are only sixty miles from her hometown, which means we are less than an hour away from parting ways for good.
The realization hits me like a ton of bricks, and I find myself feeling a sense of panic.
I don’t want to say goodbye to Callie—not yet.
Because the truth is, last night felt real. The way she looked at me with those big green eyes, the way her lips felt against mine, it all felt ... genuine, and I can’t help but wonder if she felt the same way.
I clear my throat, breaking the silence between us. “Callie, can I ask you something?”
“Sure,” she says, turning her head to look at me.
But before I can say another word, my phone starts to ring. I glance down at the caller ID and see that it’s Carson. Frustration washes over me and I sigh heavily, not wanting to answer it but knowing that I have no choice.
“I’m sorry,” I say, reaching for my phone, “it’s my brother.” I take a deep breath and press “Accept” on the call.
“Hey, Carson.”
“Dad had a heart attack,” he says, his voice suddenly sounding very distant in my ear as I try to register what the heck he just said.
“What?”
“Yeah, a heart attack.”
“What do you mean? We were just there. Is he okay?” My heart starts to race as I head toward the nearest exit to pull over. “I’m in Arkansas right now.”
“Yeah, he’s okay. He got help right away,” Carson’s voice stays serious. “He’s going to have to have surgery to correct the clogged artery though. I just think if you’re able to come back...”
“I’ll come back,” I say, answering his question before he can even ask it. I glance at Callie, her face is laced with concern. “When’s the surgery?”
“I think they’re holding off for a day. Do you think you could be here before then?”
“Yeah,” I cut him off, “I’ll talk to Callie.”
“Alright. I gotta go. Emma is calling for me. Love you, bro,” he says, before quickly hanging up the phone.
I stare at the phone in my hand, the weight of my father’s situation settling heavily on my shoulders. I turn to Callie, my mind racing. “My dad had a heart attack,” I say, still trying to wrap my head around the words.
“Oh my gosh.” She gasps, placing a hand on my arm. “Is he okay?”
“He’s stable,” I say, my voice tight, “but he needs surgery. I need to go back to Texas.”
Callie’s expression softens, and she reaches over to take my hand. “Of course you do. We can turn around and head back right now.”
I shake my head, my mind already racing with logistics. “No, we’re not that far from your hometown. I can drop you off and then head back. It’s not a big deal.”
“It is a big deal,” Callie says. “Family comes first. I’ll go back with you.”
I stare at her in disbelief. “You don’t have to do that, Callie. You barely know my family, and I don’t want to put you out anymore than you already have been—”
“Wade,” she interjects, “you need to be with your family, and we can’t waste anymore time going another hour out of the way. Besides, I want to come,” she says, her words understanding and supportive.
I look at her, feeling a wave of gratitude wash over me. She’s right, my family needs me right now, and I don’t want to let them down. Plus, having Callie with me will make the trip back to Texas a little less lonely.
I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her yet, anyway.
“Thank you, Callie,” I say, my voice low. “I appreciate you coming with me.”
“Of course,” she says, her hand squeezing mine. “Let’s get going then. The sooner we get there, the better.”
