Back To You (Book #1 in Meadow Hills series)

Callum’s POV

Age 18

“To Callum!” my best friend Heath yells. My other two friends, Jessie and Lachlan, raise their beer cans and take a sip.

I just roll my eyes. This is supposed to be our joint graduation party, but since I fly out for basic training tomorrow, they’re making the entire night about me.

We’re spread out around Heath’s living room on the couch, the armchairs, the floor, and a couple of bean bag chairs—the latter being where I’ve parked myself. Heath volunteered to throw a combined party for our crew from Meadow Hills Private School and the kids from Meadow Hills Secondary. The house is packed inside and out with seniors celebrating the end of high school.

“When do you fly out?” Jessie asks, leaning back.

“6:00 AM,” I answer. “So tonight’s an early night for me, boys.”

All three of them groan in unison.

“Can’t you just pull an all-nighter?” Lachlan suggests, waving his can at me.

“I’d rather make a good first—”

The words catch in my throat. My eyes lock onto a sight to behold—the most beautiful, gorgeous, captivating girl I’ve ever seen.

Short, wavy brown hair, sun-kissed skin, and tiny freckles dusting her nose and arms. She has a body that just won’t quit and sky-blue eyes I could easily get lost in. She’s standing in the kitchen next to Allison, playing beer pong on the folding table Heath bought just for tonight.

“Uh, Callum?” Lachlan asks, tracking my stare.

“Who’s that?” The question tumbles out before I can stop it.

The guys all turn to look.

“That’s Allison,” Heath states smoothly. “If you want to get laid one last time before you ship out, she’s your girl.”

“Not her,” I grumble, not taking my eyes off the kitchen. “The one next to her.”

“Oh. That’s Terry,” Jessie says, shaking his head.

“She’s going to be my future wife,” I declare.

The boys burst out laughing. “You cannot be serious,” Heath wheezes, gasping for breath.

“I’m dead serious,” I argue, leaning forward. “Look at her.”

“Dude, you don’t know Terry,” Jessie warns. “That girl is crazy mean.”

“I like a challenge,” I tell him.

“Watch this,” Lachlan chuckles, pointing toward the kitchen.

Kai Letterman is making his move on her. Kai’s a known player from the public school—we hear all about him from the private school girls who end up crying over him in the hallways.

My eyes widen as Kai steps into her personal space. Without missing a beat, Terry plants a swift punch right to his throat. Kai drops to his knees, clutching his neck and coughing violently.

“I am not interested,” she snaps. Her voice is cold, carrying a rich southern drawl that makes my chest tighten. It’s so fucking sexy.

Kai scrambles to his feet and stumbles out the back door. Allison huffs at her friend’s antics, but Terry just picks up her ping-pong ball and gets right back to the game.

“See?” Jessie says with a smirk. “You’re not getting anywhere near her.”

I push myself up from the bean bag and smirk right back. “I’m at least going to try.”

“Oh dear,” I hear Heath mumble behind me as I walk away.

I make my way over to the center of the beer pong table and lean against the edge, watching them play for a minute. Terry is ridiculously good—she’s barely missed a single cup, single-handedly carrying Allison.

I sweep my eyes over her again. She’s wearing a black leather skirt that hits mid-thigh and a fitted white button-up tucked into the waistband. It looks great on her, but something about it feels off. She looks completely uncomfortable.

“Hi, Callum,” Allison greets me, dropping her voice into a flirty tone.

“Hey,” I reply, offering a polite smile. Allison’s parents are constantly over at my house since our folks play tennis together. She’s always throwing hints my way, but I’ve never taken the bait. Now, I’m damn glad I didn’t. I want a real shot with her friend.

“You girls played before?” I ask.

“I have, but this is Theresa’s first time,” Allison says, rolling her eyes playfully.

Theresa. What a beautiful name.

“Terry,” Terry grunts, glaring at her partner. “I’ve told you a thousand times to call me Terry, Ally.”

“Well, I’m your best friend, so I get to call you whatever I like,” Allison huffs.

I step up to the table. “I’ll play you next,” I say, looking straight at Terry. “One-on-one.”

“No thanks,” Terry says, not even looking up as she palms a ball.

“What, are you scared you’re going to lose?” I taunt. “It’s fine if you are. Beginner’s luck only lasts so long.”

“First off, I’m not scared of anything,” Terry snaps, turning her blue eyes on me with enough heat to make Allison take a step back. “And second, I don’t rely on luck. I’m great at everything I do.”

I’m sure you are. Unbidden images flash through my mind—her on her knees, my hands tangled in her brown hair, her eyes looking up at me. I shake the thought loose before it shows on my face.

“Then prove it,” I challenge. “Play me.”

“Fine,” she growls.

“Terry, wait, we were still—” Allison starts.

“Game’s over,” Terry tells the two guys on the other end of the table. “I’m playing Caleb here.”

“Callum,” I correct gently.

She glares at me, a flicker of amusement hiding behind her sharp look. “I’ll learn your name if you win,” she says with a subtle smirk. “Which you won’t.”

“So confident,” I murmur, unable to hide my smile. I walk over to the opposite side of the table and reset the cups into a fresh triangle. “Let’s make this interesting.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “How?”

“Every cup I hit, you have to answer one question I ask you.”

“And why would I agree to that?”

I smirk. “Because you think I’m handsome?”

Her lip twitches, just for a split second, and I count that as a massive win.

“Fine,” she says, narrowing her eyes. “But the same rule applies to me. You answer my questions when I hit yours.”

“Deal,” I say. “Want to shake on it, or should we just kiss...?”

She chuckles, shaking her head. “In your dreams, sweetheart.”

“Ladies first,” I say, rolling the ping pong ball across the table to her. Allison retreats to the sideline, watching her friend with wide eyes like she can’t believe what she’s seeing.

Terry balances the ball on her index finger, glances at my cups, and throws. It arcs smoothly through the air and sinks right into the apex cup.

I pull the ball out, drain the beer in one go, and set the empty cup aside. “Alright. What’s your question?”

“What’s your favorite color?” Terry asks, leaning against her side of the table.

I snort. “You have free rein to ask me literally anything, and you go with favorite color?”

“Answer the question,” she growls.

“Blue,” I say smoothly. “It used to be green, but I changed my mind about ten minutes ago.”

“Why’s that?”

“Your eyes,” I reply without missing a beat.

A soft flush creeps up her neck, staining her cheeks a faint shade of pink. “Just throw the ball,” she says quickly, tossing it back to me.

I center myself, take aim, and sink my first shot right into her back row.

“My turn,” I say, resting my hands on the table. “Why do you look so uncomfortable in those clothes?”

Terry blinks, clearly caught off guard by the question. “They aren’t mine,” she admits, adjusting the collar of the white shirt. “I didn’t even want to come tonight, but Allison practically dragged me out of the house.”

“Well, you look gorgeous either way,” I tell her honestly. “But I think I’d prefer to see you in your usual outfit.”

She cocks an eyebrow. “Jeans, a flannel, and work boots?”

I smirk. “You’re a cowgirl?”

“My dad owns a horse ranch,” she says, a sudden note of pride lacing her southern drawl. “I’m the oldest of four, so I’ll be taking it over one day.”

“Is that your dream?”

She nods, her expression softening for the first time all night. “It is.” Then she tilts her head, eyeing me up and down with renewed interest. “What about you? What’s your dream, Callum?”

I smile softly. “So you do know my name.”

She rolls her eyes, but doesn’t pull away.

“I’m shipping off to the military tomorrow,” I answer, holding her gaze. “That’s my dream.”

And my next dream, I think to myself as she takes her next turn, is coming back home to marry you and raise a family on that ranch.