Chapter 48
CALLUM
The next morning Callum’s phone vibrated, interrupting them kissing. Callum stifled a groan. He tried to ignore it but the caller was determined to wait until someone answered. Thankfully the ringing stopped as the call went to voicemail.
‘Maybe you should answer it?’ Tasha said, resting a hand on his stomach and making Callum think that was the last thing he wanted to do at that moment.
‘It’s not seven yet,’ she said, giving him a sympathetic smile. ‘For someone to call this early could mean there’s an emergency.’
‘Ever the professional,’ he said, kissing her on the tip of her nose. ‘I suppose I should see who it is.’
He moved away from her reluctantly and reached out to pick up his phone.
Then, seeing it was his mother who had a tendency to call at inopportune moments, thought he would call her back in a bit.
Before he had the chance to ask Tasha to continue with what she had been saying, a message pinged onto his screen.
Call me. Urgent. It’s about your sister. See attached pics. Mum
Callum sighed. What had Erin done now that couldn’t wait until later in the morning? ‘I’m sorry. It seems that my sister has done something that’s concerned my mother. I need to look at some photos Mum has sent me.’
‘Go ahead.’
Tasha turned on her side, facing away from him, the skin of her thigh grazing his lightly as she moved, resting her bottom against his hip.
Callum’s breath caught in his throat and for a moment he wondered if he could leave the photos just for a little while.
No, he should do the right thing. He closed his eyes, frustrated with his mother’s interruption, then opened the photos, frowning when he saw photos of Erin at a party with Riley.
He began to feel irritated with his mother for getting irate about perfectly innocent photos, when he swiped to the next one and saw what had upset her.
‘What the hell?’
Tasha immediately turned to face him. ‘What’s happened?’ she asked, sitting up and peering at his phone screen. She gasped.
He stared at his sister. Riley stood beaming at her, his arm around her waist as Erin held out her hand to the woman he recognised as the make-up artist who had prepared him for his few short scenes.
Erin beamed at the woman who gazed in awe at the large diamond solitaire engagement ring on his sister’s finger.
It wasn’t so much seeing that, but the wedding band next to it that shocked Callum.
It took him a moment to comprehend what this meant.
‘They’re married?’
‘It certainly looks that way,’ Tasha said, sounding as stunned as he felt.
He tore his eyes from the photo and stared in disbelief at Tasha.
‘When could they have done it?’ A dark thought wafted into his mind.
Callum tried to push it away but after discovering that Tasha had not immediately alerted him or Erin about Brooke after the drama of the photos of his sister and Riley kissing being in all the papers, he knew he needed to address what was on his mind.
Before he could say anything, Tasha’s expression darkened. ‘No, I did not have any prior warning about this, if that’s what you’re about to ask me.’
He was relieved she had been the one to say it, removing the need for him to do so.
Callum looked from her to the photos again. ‘I know,’ he said, feeling guilty for even considering that she might have known without trying to do something about it. Although what Tasha could realistically do, he wasn’t sure. ‘I’m going to have to call Mum. She’ll be beside herself about this.’
Tasha held out her hand, so he passed the phone to her.
She peered at the photo and shook her head.
‘This must have been taken at the wrap party. I forgot that was happening last night.’ She scowled up at him.
‘Someone from the party probably took this and sold it to one of the newspapers. They didn’t waste any time, did they?
’ She picked up her own phone from the nightstand next to her. ‘Send me this, will you?’
He forwarded the photo to her, wondering what she was about to do with it.
‘I’m going to contact a couple of the crew and see what they can tell me,’ Tasha explained.
‘Thanks.’
Callum slipped out of bed, pulled on his underwear and went into the kitchen to call her.
‘Mum?’ he said, keeping his voice low.
‘Oh, so you are there then?’
‘I know you’re upset, Mum, but until we speak to Erin there’s not much I can add to what you’ve already seen.’
‘This can’t be real,’ she said. ‘Can it?’
‘Oh, it’s real all right,’ he said, hoping his sister knew what she was doing. ‘I’ve spoken to Tasha and she’s calling a couple of people to try and find out more. I’ll let you know if she comes up with anything.’
‘She’s there with you now?’
‘Mum, I think that’s irrelevant, don’t you?’
He heard his mother mumble something to herself. ‘I despair with you and your sister sometimes.’
Callum had no intention of discussing anything about Tasha with her. ‘Mum, there’s nothing we can do about this anyway. Erin is an adult and in her mid-twenties with her own business. We have to trust she’s made a decision that’s right for her.’
‘Is that all you can say?’
He understood his mother’s shock and wished there was some way he could reassure her.
‘That silly, reckless girl.’
‘Realistically,’ he continued, ‘I think the only thing we can do is be there for her in case this does all go wrong. If it does, we need to be there to support her.’
Hearing light footsteps coming into the kitchen, he looked over to the door and saw Tasha gently rubbing her eyes, wearing his dressing gown that was so long on her it reached the ground. She stopped in front of him and shook her head.
‘Thank you,’ he mouthed.
‘Are you there, Callum?’ he heard his mother ask.
‘Sorry, Mum, I am.’ He decided to end his mother’s call on a positive. ‘Anyway, who knows, Erin and Riley might surprise us all and enjoy a long and happy marriage.’
‘And you really believe that, do you?’ she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
He had no idea but liked to think Riley could make his sister happy. ‘It’s possible.’
He bent down and gave Tasha a kiss on her forehead.
‘I’m going to have to go, Mum. Why don’t you speak to Barry about this. Maybe he’ll have some suggestions. If I find out anything useful I’ll give you a call later.’
‘Thank you, darling,’ she said, sounding calmer.
The call ended. Callum placed his mobile on the kitchen counter and focused on Tasha.
‘I don’t know about you but I need a cup of tea,’ she said.
He did too. After their amazing day yesterday when anything seemed possible, Callum knew that today they would need to focus on his sister and damage control where his family were concerned.
First though, he wanted some quiet time with the woman he loved and decided he was going to cook them breakfast. He took Tasha by hand, opened the balcony door and led her outside. ‘I think we need to eat something. I have a feeling today is going to be a very long day.’