Songbird Read Online Free PDF Page B

the night—with Callie wrapped in my arms—I’d felt an inexplicable urge to watch her sleep. So that’s what I did. I held her and watched her sleep until the sun rose in the Nashville sky.
    She’d asked for only two things from me. Having already fulfilled one of her requests—thanks to the perfect placement of my latest hickey—I carefully climbed out of bed and scribbled a goodbye note. Sensing it needed something more, I quietly called guest services and asked for a single white rose. I placed it, along with the note, on my pillow where she’d be sure to find it.
    A few days after the wedding, I met Owen for breakfast. He begged for details about the weekend. I shared just enough to shut him up. When I told him I wouldn’t be seeing her again, he seemed almost relieved, muttering something about Callie being a sweet girl and far too good for me.
    After a day filled with boring-ass meetings and more paperwork, I drive home, change clothes, and immediately go for a run, hoping the exercise will help clear my head. It works, until I see another runner in the distance with a blonde ponytail. Like an idiot, I chase the woman until she stops to stretch.
    I feel like a complete dumbass when I realize it’s not her.
    For punishment, I make myself run another five miles. When I finally make it back to my apartment, I collapse on the couch without even taking a shower.
    That night, for the first time in weeks, I don’t have one dream about blue eyes or white roses.

“C allie? I came as fast as I could.” Lorie’s voice is unnaturally soft from behind the bathroom door. “I ran three red lights and had to flirt my way out of a ticket, but I’m here. Can I come in?”
    “Yes,” I reply shakily.
    The door opens, and Lorie’s wide eyes immediately find me, sitting on the edge of the tub and surrounded by open boxes and various brands of pregnancy tests.
    “How can they all be positive? How can ten different tests from ten different companies say the same thing?”
    Lorie sighs heavily before making her way over to me. Kneeling on the ground, she lifts my chin and smooths my hair out of my tear-stained face.
    “Did you seriously pee on all of these?”
    I sniffle quietly. “I thought if I kept trying, I’d eventually get a different result.”
    Lorie sits down on the tile floor. Despite my embarrassment and fear, I can appreciate the fact that my normally outspoken friend is resisting the urge to tell me how irresponsible and stupid I am.
    “How, Callie? I mean . . . how ? Aren’t you on the pill?”
    “I got busy. And stupid. And I forgot to take them for a few nights.”
    She frowns. “I didn’t realize you were even seeing anybody.”
    “I’m not. I haven’t. Not since . . .”
    I can’t finish the sentence, because no matter how terrified I am that I’m pregnant, nothing can compare to the sheer terror in confessing the father’s name.
    After what feels like forever, Lorie finally gasps.
    “Devin? Devin McAllister’s the father?”
    All it takes is the sound of his name to make me dissolve into tears.
    Deciding she can’t handle my breakdown without assistance, Lorie calls Megan, who shows up an hour later with a pint of ice cream and three spoons. They manage to coax me out of the bathroom and lead me to the living room.
    The three of us snuggle on the couch and wrap ourselves in my favorite blanket while we take turns eating triple chocolate chip right out of the carton. In between mouthfuls, I tearfully confess every detail of my weekend with Devin. They gasp and giggle appropriately. Megan even sighs wistfully when I tell them about the white rose. Lorie’s not so easy to impress.
    “Forgive me if I’m not bowing at his feet for giving her a flower,” she says. “He left her. Twice.”
    “But he said goodbye the second time,” Megan says with a nod.
    “No, he left a note that said goodbye. You don’t think two nights with our beautiful best friend warrants more than a card and