Chapter 25
CHAPTER 25
APRIL
I watch as Caleb turns around and leaves, closing the door behind him. Samuel drops onto the bed.
“Wow, how the other half live,” he says, unable to keep the grin off his face. “When he offered to let you stay, I bet you didn’t envisage this?”
He throws himself back, allowing the spring of the bed to bounce him, his arms above his head. The bed must be a super king, as Samuel takes up no space despite his size. On top of that, the bed itself doesn’t take up much space in a room this size. It reminds me of the room I woke in after my night with Caleb. The opulence of the room, with its own sitting area, dressing room, and en suite. The pale grey room has teal and dark grey soft furnishings. It makes for a very tranquil space. Whoever designed it has beautiful taste.
I smack Samuel’s leg and head into the bathroom. A his-and-hers sink unit sits in a granite vanity top, with a ceiling-high mirror on the wall behind it. An enormous walk-in shower takes up the end of the bathroom. The wall is filled with more jets than anyone could need. An internal wall shields the toilet. I smile at the privacy angle .
I catch sight of myself in the bathroom mirror and groan. Samuel appears at the door in an instant.
“You okay?” he asks, his concern touching.
“I’m fine, apart from looking like someone dragged me through a hedge backwards, and I spent most of the afternoon crying about it.”
The red blotchiness around my eyes is more apparent than the tear tracks down my cheeks.
“I shouldn’t worry. I don’t think Cal noticed,” he says, leaning against the wall. “That man was about ready to turn the entire city upside down, trying to track you down. I think he’s spent most of the day hunting for you.”
“I doubt it,” I say.
Although a certain warmth settles in my chest at the thought of him looking for me, caring enough.
What! Where did that come from?
“Damn, we need to call Di. She’s beside herself,” he says suddenly, pulling out his phone and hitting redial on her number.
“Hi Di, yes, she’s safe. I’ll pass you over.”
He thrusts the phone into my hands before walking out of the room.
“Hi, Di,” I say.
“Oh honey, are you okay? We’ve been worried sick. When Samuel said he couldn’t find you…” her voice catches as she breaks off.
“I’m fine. Promise. I dropped my phone during my grand escape,” I say, trying to make light of the situation, although the thought of having to eat into my meagre savings to replace it is a pain. Monday, I’ll need to go to the job centre and sign on. See what I’m entitled to until I can get another job.
“Is everything gone?”
“Yes. ”
My throat closes over, forcing me to take a breath before I add, “I saved, Mr Ted.”
I pull the old, dog-eared teddy bear from my pocket and hold it to my chest. It’s one of the few possessions I have left from my childhood. I think losing Mr Ted might have broken me more than losing the business. The only item I have left from my birth mother.
“Well, as long as you and Mr Ted are safe, I’m happy. Do you need money? I can transfer you some if you do.” Di says. “Julian and I, we are always here for you. It might not be much, but know we love you very much.”
“I know, and I appreciate everything you’ve done and do for me. But I’m okay. I promise you. I have some money put aside,” I say, although it’s a lot less than I would wish for.
“If you’re sure,” Di says. The emotion in her voice lets me know how scared she’s been.
“I promise to call if I need anything,” I say. “Look, I better go. Cal has ordered takeaway, and it should arrive any minute now.”
“Cal?” Di asks, her interest clearly peaked.
“Yes, Caleb Frazer, the property developer who bought my building.”
“Really…” she says, the excitement in her voice makes me want to groan.
“Oh, I have to go. Our takeaway has arrived,” I say, screwing up my face and holding my breath. I hate lying to Di, but I don’t need her to get the wrong impression. Especially knowing he already has her seal of approval. She was the one who told me I should look him up after all.
I repent and sigh. “He’s kindly offered me his spare room, and I’ll be staying with him for a few days until I can get myself sorted. Please don’t worry about me.” Before she can say anything else or get the wrong idea, I continue. “Look, I better go. I’ll call you as soon as I pick up a new phone. If you need me, call Samuel. He can get a message to me.”
“Take care, April. Remember, we love you.”
“I know. I love you too,” I say.
Even after all these years, knowing they are there and care makes me feel a little less alone in the world.
I wash my face and put a brush through my tangled hair. Exiting the bathroom, I find Cal in the doorway and Samuel still sitting on the bed.
“Singing my praises?” Cal says, a smirk on his face.
“Did no one ever tell you it’s rude to eavesdrop.?” I make a mental note never to use speaker phone again within Cal’s hearing
“Nah, and if I thought you meant it—” he stops and shoots a look at Samuel. “The food's arrived. It’s downstairs and waiting whenever you’re ready.”
Samuel is up and off the bed in a heartbeat, making his way downstairs. Cal holds his arm out, motioning for me to lead the way.
“Thank you,” I say as I pass him.
“You’re welcome,” he replies, his smile genuine.
I don’t understand this man. Everything about him is a contradiction. The things I’ve read about him, how he conducts his business, the humanitarian effort, his affordable and eco living and then there’s…him. The man makes my head spin.
Conversation over dinner is a muted affair, everyone too hungry to speak. I wonder whether Samuel’s assessment of Cal is true.
Has he really been out looking for me all day?
The thought does strange things to my insides .
When Samuel’s phone rings for the fifth time, I growl at him.
“You can’t ignore him,” I say.
“I can and I will. Daniel needs to understand that what he did is unacceptable,” he hisses.
“Maybe, but you know why he is the way he is. You ignoring him and being with me will not help the situation.”
“If it hadn’t been for Caleb, I wouldn’t have known you were missing.” He huffs before grabbing one of the spring rolls Caleb ordered.
“I wasn’t missing. I was at a hostel. I would have called you tomorrow,” I say. “I was just too tired earlier. It was a long night. The paramedic warned me I’d be tired from the smoke inhalation. Told me to sleep it off.”
It’s then I realise what Samuel said. I turn to Cal. “You went to Daniel’s apartment?”
Cal nods but continues eating as if it’s no big deal.
He tracked down my best friend to check on me.
I turn back to Samuel. His declaration is not something I can process right now.
“This is beyond Dan’s control,” I say. “He has issues. He’s come a long way since you two first started dating.”
I don’t know why I’m sitting here defending him, probably because I know my bestie loves him, and I don’t want to be the person who gets between them. Plus, someone else's problems are the perfect distraction for my own messed up life.
To say Daniel has issues with Samuel and my close relationship is an understatement. When Dan met Samuel, he’d gone through a messy divorce. Leaving him with multiple scars. Initially, he tried to smother him, not allowing him out, wanting to vet every friendship. Kudos to my bestie. He drew a line in the sand. But our friendship is still a bone of contention .
Samuel runs a hand down his face. When his phone rings again, he picks it up and leaves the table.
“Second door on the right,” Cal says to him, pointing to a corridor that goes under the stairs to another part of the apartment.
This place is enormous. The explorer in me wants to seek out where each door leads. Be nosy, see what I can find out about this enigma of a man. As Samuel disappears, I turn towards Cal, only to find him watching me. The expression in his eyes is unreadable, but something in that look sets off butterflies low in my stomach and a flood of memories taking me back to that night.