Page 27 of Flights and Sights

“So not only will you and your new boyfriend be getting sweaty together, you’ll also end up with wet shirts, at the very least, and you’ll need to peel them off each other for the aforementioned shower you’ll need together.”

I flipped him off. “Please get your mind out of the gutter and away from my fake relationship.”

Charlie shrugged again. “You know I’m right. Just wait and see.”

Whether it was a good thing or bad, I suspected he was exactly right.

Chapter 13 - Paxton

Saturday took far too long to come around, but once it did, I found myself buzzing with nerves. It was another chance to impress—or fuck up in front of—Cal’s family, scare off Jacob, and try to make sure I convince everyone we’re together for real. We agreed that instead of meeting up beforehand, I’d just make my way to the Sinclair house around eleven that morning, so I hopped in my truck with plenty of time to spare and headed over.

As I turned down the street, I was a little surprised to see how many cars were parked in the driveway and along the sidewalk—at least a dozen. It was going to be a lot more hectic than I anticipated. I parked a moment later, but sat in the truck for a bit to steel my nerves. I took a couple of deep breaths and stepped out of the truck and onto the street before making my way to the front door.

Just before I knocked, the front door swung open, a little boy maybe seven years old on the other side, wearing jeans with ripped knees and holding a popsicle.

“Are you here for field day?”

I nodded solemnly. “I am. Are you sure you’re supposed to be answering the door?”

He shrugged and before we could say anything else to one another, a little girl ran up to him and swatted him on the shoulder.

“Tag!”

The little boy darted away.

With a chuckle, I stepped inside and looked around. I didn’t see anyone, but I did hear the shrieks of kids having fun coming from the backyard. After a second, I pulled out my phone, texted Callum that I was there, and waited in the entryway awkwardly until he arrived.

Mercifully, it didn’t take long for him to rescue me. A few moments later, he appeared, coming from what looked to be a formal dining room that connected to the kitchen. His smile was warm and welcoming, sending butterflies through me.

“Hey there.” His voice was soft and a little shy.

I grinned, shoving my hands into my shorts pockets. “Hi.”

“I hope you weren’t waiting long. Things are… a little chaotic around here.”

“That seems like an understatement.”

Cal shrugged. “It’s always like this for Family Field Day. It’s probably the most popular event besides the cookout, which is on the last weekend.”

“What’s the third weekend, then?”

“A movie marathon.”

I hummed approvingly.

“Ready to get this show on the road?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” I followed Cal through the house to a spacious porch that looked out on a huge backyard.

As soon as we stepped onto the porch, Cal’s mom approached us. “Oh, good. Now we can get started.” She clapped her hands together. “Alright everyone, time to team up. Teams should be four people and you’ll need a team name before we start.”

I looked at Cal for guidance and he gestured to Charlie, who was making his way over to us.

“Okay, just one more.”

The little boy who’d answered the front door ran up to us. “Can I be on your team?”

Charlie gave him a big smile and nodded. “You can be the captain if you want, Henry.”