Small Town Lights

Chapter 9

Colt

The 4th was turning out just like I remembered it always being. Friends of my parents and the Barton's joined us for an entire day of playing on the beach, swimming, beach volleyball, and now a barbeque.

As I watched everyone running around having a great time, I wanted to kick myself for not trying harder to come home over the last 4 years. I was busy with football and my grades but so were other guys on the team and most of them managed to go home at least once a year. I didn't even bother, I just made up an excuse for every holiday and during the summer. If I had come home sooner, I would have known about Maddy sooner. I would have gotten to know her sooner. Maybe I wouldn't have missed my chance with Callie. I watched Callie sit on the opposite end of the couch I had taken up residency on for the better part of the afternoon. As soon as I opened my mouth to say something to her, Maddy came running up to him with tears in her eyes.

"What's wrong giggles?" I asked her wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Jared is being mean," she scowled in the direction the other kids were playing in and crossed her arms. I laughed a little which caused her glare to be turned in my direction.

"Did you know that sometimes boys are mean to girls because they think they are pretty?" Maddy's eyes lit up as she looked at me.

"Where you mean to momma?" She asked me innocently. I looked at Callie who giggled at our daughters' question. I nodded my head and lifted her so that she was sitting on my lap.

"When we were little, I pulled momma's hair," I told her. I heard Callie giggle again. "You are so pretty," I told her. "Just like your momma," I made sure to add looking at Callie not breaking eye contact as I continued. "Pretty girls should always be happy." I didn't get to say anything more because Maddy kissed my cheek, hopped off my lap and ran off toward the kids running around in the sand. I turned back to Callie and smiled, "so, pretty momma, are you happy?" She bit her lip which had me dying a little inside. I watched her open her mouth to answer.

"I'm pretty and you should be nice to me if you like me," we heard Maddy say to the boy that I assumed had been picking on her. I looked to the little boy with a glare. Now that I knew which one it was I would be sure to keep an eye on him from now until forever. I heard Callie giggling and looked back at her.

"Down, daddy," she told me before her eyes grew thinking of the double meaning she didn't mean. I laughed.

Before I could ask her my question again, Austin came and sat in between us on the couch. I glared when he threw his arms around our shoulders. "What are my besties doing?" He asked looking from Callie to me with a smile. He had obviously had a few beers and was extremely happy.

"Just talking. Jared was picking on Maddy," Callie shrugged like she didn't care that we had been interrupted. I chose to say nothing hoping he would get the hint and take off.

"He likes her," Austin bumped my shoulder earning himself a deeper glare that I didn't know I was capable of throwing. "Callie, any chance we could take a walk? I need to talk to you about something, kind of private," he looked away from me. I watched Callie nod her head without hesitation. It made no sense to me how close they were. In high school, they hated each other. I was constantly breaking up their fights and now they were just best friends or whatever they were. "Colt, buddy, you be okay without us for a bit?" Austin asked me now. I felt my hands ball into fists and tried hiding them so Callie wouldn't see. I had always been a little possessive in high school. Not scary like but she didn't like it any way and I didn't want to upset her. I reigned in my anger and nodded letting them go.

I watched them go with my jaw clenched nearly as tight as my fists were. I heard someone sit in the chair to my left and looked to find Tucker, Daisy's fiancé sitting down. He was wearing a little smirk but I ignored it, turning back to watch Callie continue to walk on the beach with my high school best friend. "How long have you been in love with her?" He asked me.