Chapter 19
CALLUM
‘Callum, have you seen this?’ his father roared before marching into Callum’s bedroom and waving a tablet in front of his face.
Grabbing the tablet as it grazed his nose, Callum pushed himself up to sit, and rubbed his eyes. ‘What is it?’
James tapped the screen repeatedly with his forefinger. ‘Look. That’s your sister kissing that full-of-himself actor outside last night. Some sleazy photographer must have made quick work to get that in the newspaper.’
Callum blinked a few times and tried to focus. He realised he was staring at the front page of one of the papers. ‘Erin will be ecstatic to see this,’ he said, his voice croaky.
James snatched the tablet from his hands. ‘What the hell do you mean? Why on earth do you think she’ll be happy with this?’
Callum explained what had happened the night before. ‘It’s fine, Dad. We told you about this photographer chap, remember?’
His father calmed slightly. ‘Maybe, but I didn’t expect to see my daughter in a clinch with this Riley chap.’ He pointed to the screen again. ‘Did you read it?’
‘No, you took it from me before I had the chance.’
His father held the tablet in front of him again.
‘Well, there,’ he said, tapping angrily with his finger again.
‘It says that this Riley character has a girlfriend. Brooke someone-or-other who is going to be devastated. And I don’t know about you, but I’m not happy to think of your sister’s name being raked through the mud by getting herself involved in some sort of love triangle. ’
His dad had a point. Callum reached out for the glass of water he must have thought to take up to his room earlier and drank from it. ‘I’ll get up and go and speak to her. Give me a few minutes to shower and I’ll meet you downstairs.’
His father sighed, sounding slightly calmer. ‘Fine. I’ll put on the coffee. She’s not up yet, so won’t have seen this.’
Callum threw the covers back and got out of bed. As he dressed after his shower it dawned on him how his sister often said that the first thing she did upon waking was to pick up her phone and look at her social media. He hoped that his dad was right and she wasn’t awake yet.
As he entered the corridor, Callum realised how peaceful it was. He heard snoring as he passed his grandfather’s bedroom and smiled. It had been a great party and Grandad had celebrated his birthday until the very end. He hoped that this drama with Riley wasn’t going to ruin anyone’s day.
As he neared the kitchen he heard muffled voices. He opened the door and walked in to find his father comforting his sister.
He exchanged concerned looks with his father as Erin wiped her eyes with a tissue.
‘So you’ve seen the news then, Erin?’
‘Yes,’ she sniffed. ‘And I’ve just put the phone down on Riley-sodding-Sharp, who had the nerve to call me to explain, apparently. Although I’m not sure what there is to explain apart from the fact that he has a girlfriend and never mentioned that to me.’
Callum went to commiserate with her when someone used the heavy knocker to announce their arrival at the front door.
‘Who the hell is that?’ Callum groaned, hurrying out to the hallway to answer the door before the rest of the household was woken from their much-needed sleep.
He pulled the door back and saw Riley. His tanned face was paler than usual and held a concerned expression.
‘What do you want?’ Callum asked.
He noticed the man had the decency to look shame-faced. ‘I’ve, er, come to speak to Erin, if she’d let me.’
‘If you wait here, I’ll go and ask her.’ Callum waved Riley into the hallway and closed the front door.
‘Erin,’ he said once he had closed the kitchen door behind him. ‘Riley—’
‘I know.’ She looked up at the ceiling and closed her eyes for a couple of seconds before smoothing down her dress and taking a steadying breath.
‘I’ve got a few things I want to say to that man.
’ She raised an eyebrow at Dad. ‘I might be a while. If I’m gone for too long you might need to send a search party out to look for him. ’
He laughed at Erin’s remark, wondering why he ever worried about his sister. She was tough and could stand up for herself without any problem. ‘I’m not sure whether to wish you good luck, or him,’ he said.
She opened the kitchen door. ‘Definitely him.’ He heard her speaking to Riley for a few seconds then their voices trailing off. ‘I think I’d better go and find Tasha,’ he told Dad. ‘This business is bound to bring up extra work for her and I want to offer her any assistance she might need.’
‘Good idea.’ His dad smiled. ‘I don’t know why I worry about your sister when she’s probably more capable of standing up for herself than the rest of us.’
Callum laughed. ‘I was thinking the same thing,’ he admitted as he left through the back door.
He walked down to the cottage hoping Tasha was in and that he wouldn’t be disturbing her.
Riley had been the star of the party after his grandad, and the guests had seemed delighted to see him having fun with them, being well-mannered and not drinking too much.
Callum had begun to think he might have got the guy wrong.
Riley had charmed all guests, old and young.
Erin had had more fun than he had seen her have in a long time, and it was a shame that so soon after the party things were turning sour for some of them.
He was nearing the door when he heard Tasha calling out to him. ‘Over here.’
Callum turned to look for her, spotting a small clearing in the wood and catching glimpses of her yellow sundress in what looked like some sort of gazebo. He hurried to join her.
‘You’re looking very nice.’ Callum stepped onto the wooden structure and sat near her.
‘Nice?’ She laughed. ‘I was hoping for a bit better than that.’
He knew she was teasing but realised he had been a bit flat with his compliment. ‘Beautiful and very summery. Better?’
She tilted her head from one side to the other. ‘Maybe. It’s good to see you.’
‘You, too.’ He relaxed slightly.
‘Riley said he was going up to the house to speak to Erin. Do you know if he’s there yet?’ She grimaced. ‘He did try to call her to tip her off about the articles but said Erin had already seen them and wasn’t happy.’
‘I’m not surprised. My sister was unaware he had a girlfriend. Erin isn’t the sort of person to kiss someone who’s in a relationship.’
Tasha frowned. ‘I was worried about her finding out before he spoke to her. Silly man. Honestly, I wonder what he’s playing at sometimes.
He told me he and Brooke had split up.’ Tasha shook her head.
‘They do so quite often. I gather they had a fight and he assumed they were on a break. She might not see it the same way though.’
‘What a mess. At least his girlfriend doesn’t live on the island. That would be awkward for Erin.’
‘Yes. I think Riley is anxious about clearing this up with her and intends contacting Brooke as soon as he’s spoken to Erin.’ She stared out to the garden for a moment. ‘Riley spoke to his manager Dale again this morning and told him he hoped there was a future for him and Erin.’
He wasn’t sure if he’d misheard. ‘Sorry, what?’
‘I know.’ She raised her hands in disbelief. ‘I’ve met Brooke. She’s used to getting her own way and can be rather temperamental. I’m not sure how this is going to turn out, but one thing I can be sure of is that she won’t let Riley go easily.’
‘And where will that leave Erin?’
Tasha shrugged. ‘I’ve no idea and I have to admit that worries me.’
‘Same here.’ He was beginning to think that the short time before Tasha left the island was going to be filled with drama about Riley and the two women he had managed to get himself entangled with.
‘I’m going to have to go back to the house and help finish the clearing up,’ he said, wanting to take the opportunity to get to know Tasha a little better and make the most of having time alone with her. ‘First though I was wondering if you would like to go for a quiet walk. Just the two of us.’
She nodded. ‘I would like that very much. All this chaos is exhausting and I fear this is only the beginning of it.’
They walked along a path between lavender borders. ‘This scent is wonderful, don’t you think?’
She breathed in slowly. ‘Glorious. I think we should pick loads and put it in vases in every room in the cottage,’ she suggested, laughing. ‘We need all the help we can get calming everyone before the tension mounts too much.’
‘Great idea, although I doubt the owners of this place, or the gardens, would welcome us pinching so much.’
She nudged him and laughed. ‘I was joking.’
‘I know you were.’ He reached out to see if she would take his hand, delighted when he felt Tasha’s cool, soft fingers taking hold of his. ‘This is just what I needed this morning.’
‘And me.’
They walked on a bit. Intrigued to know more about her, Callum said, ‘You’ve met most of my family but I realised this morning I don’t know anything much about you at all.’
He wasn’t sure but thought he felt her tense momentarily. ‘Like what?’
Unsure what to suggest, Callum thought for a moment. ‘I don’t know. Um, where you’re from? Are you an only child or one of a dozen children? Are your parents still together, or divorced like mine?’