Before You, He Had Me

Twenty

"And just where are you planning to go this find morning, Megan Grace?" Michael asks as Meg wanders into the kitchen fully dressed.

"Calum's got some plan for us today. He told me to be ready by eight." She shrugs, grabbing a banana off the counter, Moose Moose immediately running over to beg as she opens the fruit.

"You're going out with Calum? Willingly?" Mike chuckles.

"He's not all bad." Meg rolls her eyes, "I know that's contradictory to my entire life but I've seen a new light in him. I like hanging out with him."

"Words I never thought would leave your mouth." Michael laughs as the sound of the front door opening reaches them both.

"Morning, Clifford's." Calum smiles, wandering into the room in a grey t-shirt and black jeans. Meg blushing as she catches herself looking him over from head to toe, he looks good.

"Thanks for telling me this time at least." Michael scoffs softly at Calum.

"I'm taking Meg out today. She'll be safe and you can chill. She will not be texting you back or answering your calls today." Calum rolls his eyes back at Michael.

"Maybe have her home before she falls asleep this time, Hood?"

"Maybe mind your own business and let me be an adult, Michael." Meg snaps slightly, "Come on, Cal, I'm ready." She motions, tossing the banana peel into the trash.

"Let's go. I have plans for us today." Calum grins, turning on his heels to lead her out of the house.

"Ugh, I feel like a teenager who just got picked up for her first date by the schools bad boy." Meg groans as she climbs into the front seat of Calum's Range Rover.

"He's been a little over the top lately, that's for sure. But we are going to have a great day today, Annie. I have a plan. So put it out of your mind." Calum laughs, putting the car into reverse and leaving the driveway.

***

"Where are we going, Calum?" Meg asks after they had been driving north for a while.

"The woods so I can kill you. I'm mentally unhinged you know." Calum retorts with a straight face.

"Oh I know." She rolls her eyes at him, smirking.

"Don't even know why you asked honestly. Should have known my request was just a ploy to cover my plan to murder you."

"Damn, guess I wasn't thinking properly. Those dimples of yours threw me off." She chuckles.

"They are pretty cute dimples." He shrugs, "It's really not your fault."

"Hypnotizing dimples really."

"Na, I wouldn't kill you, Annie, that would be doing myself and the world a disservice. If I kill you I wouldn't get to look at your pretty face ever again." His right hand reaching carefully across the console to rest on her knee.

"Don't call me Annie." She mumbles, but her face is formed into a tight lipped smile as she does, cheeks flushed pink.

"Come on, little Annie, we are here." Calum chuckles as he pulls off a side road and into a small make shift parking lot.

"And here is?" Meg cocks an eyebrow, looking around and only seeing a path between a few shops as any indication that they are actually somewhere real and not just a random alleyway.

"Come on you're going to love it." Calum grins, turning the car off and loading his pockets with his phone, wallet, and keys.

"I'm trusting you, Hood." She gives him a pointed look before stepping out of the car herself.