Curvy Girls Can’t Date Best Friends by Kelsie Stelting
Forty-Six
CARSON
As I walked back to my grandparents’ house, I felt like a different man. Clary was right. I had no obligation to continue the curse, and I’d be damned if I let a line of abusers decide my life. I was stronger than that. Had been through too much to repeat the cycle. I had too much to lose. I just hoped it wasn’t too late to repair my relationship with Callie. She was everything to me. Ever since I was a little kid, her friendship, support, and guidance were exactly what I needed. I just hoped I was what she wanted.
When I entered the house, the smell of cookies greeted me. The smell of home. Grandma, Gramps, and Clary were at the kitchen table, nibbling at a batch of Grandma’s famous chocolate chip cookies.
Cautiously, I stepped toward them, feeling vulnerable in a way I hadn’t before. Grandma smiled at me and extended her arm. I leaned into her hug, then sat down between her and Grandpa. He patted my back.
Feeling more at home than I ever had before, I looked between them and my sister. “I need to go back and make things right with Callie.”
Clary’s smile couldn’t have been bigger. Grandma looked just as excited, her light blue eyes shining. “Your neighbor girl?”
Clary scoffed. “The neighbor girl. Carson’s loved her since he was ten years old.”
Grandpa chuckled. “What’s been the hold up, then?”
Closing my eyes, I shook my head. “I don’t know, but I’m done being too afraid to tell the love of my life how I feel and who I am.”
Clary reached across the table and took my hand. “I’m proud of you, Cars.”
“Don’t be proud yet. It might be too late.” I shuddered thinking of what moving on looked like for Callie. I had seen the way Nick looked at her. He wouldn’t wait long to make his move, to get his chance, especially with me out of the picture. I couldn’t blame him.
“For true love, it’s never too late,” Grandma said.
My eyes stung, and the lump in my throat got even harder. I swallowed back the emotion and said, “I hope so. Because she’s the one.”
Gramps and Grandma exchanged a look, and Gramps nodded.
“In that case,” Grandma said and began slipping a ring from her weathered finger.
My mouth parted as she took off the gold engagement ring and extended the delicate band encrusted with jewels to me. “Grandma?”
“Your grandpa and I met when we were sixteen years old. I knew then just like I know now that he’s my soul mate.”
Gramps’s eyes shined with love across the table as he nodded. “If this girl is the love of your life, we want you to have this, for when you’re ready. Whether it’s now or ten years from now.”
“Just don’t wait too long,” Grandma said. “We only get today to tell someone we love them.”
I held the ring in my hand, and maybe it was my imagination, but I swore I could feel the love it held. Forty years of a loving, successful marriage, and I promised myself that I would never break that tradition. That was my choice.
