Silver Lining ❥ daerin

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓: 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝

𝚂̷𝚊̷𝚐̷𝚎̷

As soon as Calista left, the silence of the house settled back in, and I took the opportunity to freshen up before she returned—whenever that would be. I could still feel the lingering warmth of her presence, but I knew I needed to shake off the daze I was in. A quick shower would do the trick. The warmth of the water ran down my skin, soothing and waking me up completely. With each drop, I replayed the last few hours in my head—her smile, her laugh, the way she looked at me. I felt like I was floating.

I changed into a pair of jeans and an oversized tee, something simple but comfortable. I wasn't sure what Calista had planned for the day, but I figured breakfast would be a good start. Once I was ready, I made my way downstairs to the kitchen and started gathering ingredients.

Calista had only asked for eggs and toast, but something inside me—maybe the need to impress her or the simple fact that she had this magnetic pull on me—pushed me to go the extra mile. She was an Avellino after all, and though she never acted like she cared for those formalities, I wanted to make this breakfast feel a little more special. So I decided on pancakes too. From scratch. A little more on the Nara Smith side of things.

The kitchen filled with the smell of batter, sizzling bacon, and warm syrup as I worked. The rhythm of cooking was calming, giving me something to focus on while I waited. But as the minutes ticked by and Calista hadn't yet returned, I couldn't help but wonder what was keeping her.

I glanced at the clock, and just as I was about to set the eggs on the pan, the doorbell rang.

I quickly set the pan down and turned off the gas, my heart racing a little with anticipation as I wiped my hands on my apron. Making my way to the door, I felt the nervous flutter in my stomach again. I had no idea why she made me feel this way, but it was undeniable.

When I opened the door, my breath hitched. Calista stood there, looking as effortlessly cool as ever, but what caught me off guard wasn't her outfit—though she looked incredible in her dark jeans and cropped top—but the fact that she was holding a bouquet of flowers. Bright, vibrant ones.

I frowned, trying to mask my smile with mock irritation. "I told you to hurry, didn't I?"

I crossed my arms, leaning against the doorframe, trying to hold onto the fake anger. But of course, Calista saw right through it. She stepped closer, pulling me in for a quick kiss that made me forget I was pretending to be mad in the first place.

"I know," she said, handing me the bouquet with that crooked smile that made my knees feel weak. "I just wanted to make your morning a little more special. For you."

My irritation melted away instantly as I took the flowers from her, my cheeks warming. "You didn't have to..."

"I wanted to," she interrupted softly, her eyes catching mine with a tenderness that made my heart swell. "You deserve it."

I blinked, completely disarmed by her sweetness. This was Calista—reckless, fearless, the girl who tore up the racetrack and lived life on the edge—and yet here she was, making me feel like the centre of her world in such a quiet, beautiful way.

I stepped aside to let her in, my smile widening. "Well, you're just in time. I made breakfast."

Her eyes lit up with interest as she walked past me, her gaze scanning the kitchen and the smell of pancakes and bacon hitting her. "You did all this?"

"Yeah," I said, setting the flowers down on the kitchen counter and unwrapping them carefully. "Eggs and toast just didn't feel... enough. So I went a little extra."