Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 65156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Before I can fully process what’s happening, Callum wraps a strong arm around my waist, pulling me closer. My breath catches as he leans down and gently presses his lips to mine. It’s soft, barely a whisper of a kiss, but it takes me completely by surprise.
My heart flutters wildly in my chest, and I can’t deny the explosion of butterflies that erupts in my stomach. The kiss is over in a blink, quick and to the point, but the sensation lingers. His lips, soft and warm, feel like velvet against mine, leaving an imprint that seems to stretch time.
For that brief moment, his arm stays firm around me, holding me close enough that I can feel his body heat through his clothes, his strength enveloping me.
As he pulls back, my pulse is still racing, and I realize I’m staring at him, completely caught off guard by how that tiny kiss made me feel. This wasn’t supposed to be part of the deal—kissing, or the way it stirred something in me.
“Congratulations,” Millie says, shrugging as she wraps me in a hug. Her words are light, but I can hear the mixture of concern and curiosity in her voice.
“Thanks, I guess,” I reply, still processing everything that’s just happened. The weight of the gold ring on my finger suddenly feels a lot heavier than it did a few minutes ago.
Millie turns to Callum, a playful grin spreading across her face. “Callum, Sunday dinner should be fun.”
He lets out a small chuckle but quickly steps in with a more serious tone. “I appreciate you being here, Millie, I truly do. But please, let me handle telling my family,” he says, moving just a bit closer to me, almost instinctively. It’s subtle, but there’s a protectiveness in his stance, as if he’s already taken on this new role.
Millie raises her hands in mock surrender, glancing between the two of us. “Believe me, I’m not getting in the middle of this.” She pauses, noticing my narrowed eyes. “I mean, I get that you’re both helping each other, which is great. I promise, I won’t say a word.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, grateful that she’s willing to keep this between us. I’m not ready for the whole town to start speculating just yet.
Millie gives us both a quick hug and waves goodbye before heading off to her bookstore. As she disappears around the corner, Callum and I are left standing alone on the courthouse steps. The silence between us is thick, and I can’t help but wonder if he feels as awkward as I do right now. We just got married, yet I barely know him beyond our business arrangement.
We slowly start walking down the courthouse steps, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I steal a glance at him from the corner of my eye, wondering what’s going through his head.
“Should we go get a drink at the brewery to celebrate?” Callum suggests, his voice casual but with an underlying tension, like he’s not sure how I’ll respond.
The offer surprises me. This whole thing may not be real, but for some reason, the idea of celebrating doesn’t seem so crazy. There’s a small part of me that wants to say yes. After all, he’s my husband now, and after that kiss, I’m not entirely sure I want to go home alone just yet. Something about the way his lips felt against mine has stirred something unfamiliar inside me.
I bite my lip, hesitating for a moment before answering. “Yeah… a drink sounds nice,” I say, glancing up at him. “I think I’d like to get to know my husband a little better.”
Chapter 8
Callum
When I offered to marry Violet, I thought it would be easy. No big deal, right? Just a business arrangement that would solve both our problems. But now that it's real, now that the papers are signed and I’ve called her my wife, something feels... different. Standing next to her, saying the word “wife” feels odd, almost surreal. I didn’t expect it to stir anything in me, but here I am, feeling a tug I can't quite explain.
I glance at Violet as we walk the few blocks to Atta Boy Brewery. She’s walking beside me, her long flowy dress catching in the breeze, making her look effortlessly beautiful. I motion to the bar when we arrive, gesturing for her to take a seat.
“I’ll join you in a second,” I say, forcing a smile. “Let me just check on a few things.”
She nods, her hair shimmering under the low lights of the brewery. The dress swishes lightly between her legs as she walks to the bar, settling into a seat like she’s done this a million times before. “Take your time,” she says. Her voice is soft, but there's an undercurrent of understanding in it that makes me pause. “Oh, which beer should I try?” she asks, glancing up at me with a playful grin.