Chapter 2 #2
Okay, maybe I was a bitch right back to her.
But she started it. And the only reason I didn’t mind talking back to her was that she would never sully her baked goods by taking revenge on anybody by hurting her pies.
She may spit in our faces, but she would never do so to anything she cooked. She had standards.
“Are they ready now? If you need more time, let me know. You are busy.” I looked around the mostly empty bakery. “I wouldn’t want to take too much of your time.”
“Such a snarky little Carter like usual. You’re as bad as the Ashfords.”
“Well, good to know some things haven’t changed.”
That voice sizzled down my spine, even as the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Callum must have put his hand over the bell as he walked in since he hated the damn thing as much as I did. Only I couldn’t reach it, and that galled.
“Oh, Callum. I didn’t see you there. Is there anything I can get you? Something sweet on your mind?”
I barely resisted the urge to put my finger down my throat and gag. I seriously did not understand this woman. “Pies, Fiona?” I asked, doing my best to sound nonchalant and not as if the very idea of Callum behind me made me want to jump over something or jump him. Either or, at this point.
“Oh. Sure. I’ll get that for you.”
I had a feeling she only wanted me out of the way, which was fine. It wasn’t as if I was an obstacle for her. No, Fiona could do that all on her own.
“Pies for dinner tonight?” Callum asked, and I finally turned, trying to catch my breath.
Why did this man change everything for me? Why could I not just breathe? But no, he always made things difficult.
“Family dinner. You know how it is.”
He nodded, his eyes looking off into the distance. I could have kicked myself. The anniversary of Malcolm’s death had just passed, and I had no idea how to help him with that. His little brother was gone, and though it had been years, the wound still felt fresh.
There was nothing I could do other than be there for him, but it wasn’t as if he would let me be there for him. There were rules, after all.
“There you go, and I added a couple of extra cookies for your mom. Tell her hi from me.”
I raised a brow at her but didn’t say a thing. We had already paid up and would be square. Instead, I just moved past Callum, trying to once again get my bearings. It was hard to when it came to him. So damn hard.
I hadn’t realized he was following me until he touched my elbow, and I nearly dropped the pies.
“Here, let me help with that.”
“I’ve got it. I’m parked right down there, and I’m heading to my parents’ house. You don’t need to take care of me, Callum.”
I hadn’t meant for the sharp bite in my words, but then again, I couldn’t help it when it came to him.
He was trying to help me. But not out of the goodness of his heart, not out of the sweetness of just being a good man.
No, it was because he constantly tried to put me in the role of best friend’s little sister. Too young, too na?ve. Not his.
But I could still remember that night. Then the next morning.
When everything had changed. Not only had my life been rocked, but the idea that someone could want to hurt me like that boy had tried all those years ago, and then the idea that I could still remember Callum’s taste, was what echoed in my memories day in and day out.
And it killed me. Because he wasn’t mine. He would never be. And I needed to grow up and get over him. Not that the man would ever make it easy.
Callum held up both hands, eyes wide. “What’s your problem?”
“I don’t have a problem, Callum. And I’m really independent and can handle holding a couple of boxes on my own.”
“I was just trying to help.”
“I think you’ve done enough, then.”
“What the hell’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing’s wrong with me. Nothing’s ever been wrong with me. You are the one who always saw faults.”
“I have no idea what the hell you’re talking about right now. Let me help you because I know opening your car door is going to be difficult.”
“Then I’ll drop the pies.”
“It doesn’t make any sense. Why would you do that to spite yourself?”
“I’m careful. I’m an adult. I can do little things like holding boxes of pies by myself, Callum. You don’t need to keep rushing out to save me.”
When his eyes widened fractionally, I thought maybe he got it.
Yet, I needed to make sure. “I don’t need another big brother.
I don’t need you to constantly act all growly around me and try to help.
In fact, I’m moving on. So just let me be.
” I whirled on my feet, nearly dropping the pies again, and stomped towards my car.
Well, that would show him. Speaking out of turn and flailing like a little girl, all while saying I was getting over him. Because when had I ever been under him? No, he had never known the full extent of my crush. And yet, I was pretty sure I’d just blurted it.
I was an idiot.
I did indeed get the pies into my SUV without dropping anything, though it had been a little precarious.
I was so stupid when it came to Callum Ashford.
I always had been. My palms were freaking sweaty at this point, and I blamed him.
Or rather, my reaction to him. I just needed to get over him and whatever crush might be annoying me at the time and move on.
Just like I had told him. To his face. Like an idiot.
I groaned and tried not to lean my head against the steering wheel since I was still driving. By the time I pulled into my mother’s driveway and parked behind her car, I was finally breathing a bit more and feeling as though I wasn’t fully losing my mind.
I didn’t even have to open my door before my dad was there, a grin on his face.
“There’s my baby girl.”
I laughed, unbuckled my seatbelt, and threw myself into Jackson Carter’s arms. At fifty-five, he was robust, strong, and looked nowhere near his age.
I was an ‘oops’ baby, to say the least, but I was fine with that.
My two older brothers were far older than me, and yet, it hadn’t mattered.
I’d come along, and they’d treated me like their little doll.
Maybe an action figure, if I was honest. Both Atlas and Rune had carried me around on their shoulders and showed me off to the world.
Then they’d all gone off to college, Callum and the rest included, leaving me behind.
That’s when my parents and I truly bonded.
When it felt as though I was an only child, waiting for my big brothers to return.
My dad’s hugs were an example of exactly the type of guy he was. They were real hugs. You could divulge all of your secrets and know you were safe in his arms as he held you. He squeezed me once and kissed the top of my head.
“It’s been far too long.”
I smiled despite my nerves from before. “It’s been forty-eight hours.”
“Far too long. My baby chick lives so close, and yet, I never see her.”
I grinned and pointed towards the right wing of the house.
“I live with you. I haven’t seen you in forty-eight hours because you went on a fishing trip, and the timing interfered with my work hours. I’m sorry you don’t see me often enough.”
“You’d think I would since we share a roof. Now, do I see some of Fiona’s pies there?”
I grimaced and gestured towards my passenger seat. “There they are for you. And I didn’t drop one.”
He raised a brow. “I wouldn’t think you would have. Something you should tell me?”
I pressed my lips together and shook my head. “Nope. Other than next time, Atlas gets the pies.”
My dad threw his head back and laughed. “Deal. There’s a reason your mother and I do not go into that shop.”
“Are we bad-mouthing Fiona again?” my mother called from the doorway, and I rolled my eyes.
“Always.”
“Well, come on in. Rune should be here soon. I folded your laundry for you if that was okay. Since I already know where everything is, I just set it aside. Though I did leave your delicates alone. I know we have boundaries.”
I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. Boundaries?
My parents didn’t know them. Yes, they were the best parents you could ever have in the world, and I loved them dearly, but I truly needed to find an apartment of my own.
I had been saving for it since college, but when I had moved out of the four Ls’ place and moved back to Ashford Creek to work at my favorite bookkeeping place, I’d stayed in my old childhood room at first, and then it had just turned into nearly a year of it.
We each took turns grocery shopping, we all had chores, and I cooked dinner two nights a week.
It was like living with the best roommates in the world. But they were still my parents.
There was only so much one could do with that. No wonder I didn’t date.
Okay, it wasn’t just that. It was the giant elephant in the room, aka, my brother’s best friend, but I wasn’t going to mention that.
“Is everything okay, baby?” my mom asked as she patted my cheek. I leaned into her touch and sighed.
“Everything’s great. I think I made a new friend.”
“I was the one who made sure they exchanged numbers,” Rune said as he walked up the pathway, four-pack of beer in hand. “Callum’s on his way too, by the way. I cornered him outside of his brewery and forced him to eat with us. He was going to microwave something. How wrong is that?”
“Of course, Callum’s always welcome. He’s like an honorary son. I’ll go set another place at the table.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll go do that,” I said quickly as I moved past her, heart racing.
This was good. Dinner with Callum was a normal thing.
Ever since I had moved back, Callum at the dinner table had been an unwelcome reminder of the fact that we were in certain roles, and I needed to get over whatever crush I had.
I needed to forget the kiss that had changed my life.
Maybe it was earth-shattering and life-changing, but it couldn’t keep me where I was at. Only if I let it.
So I would have dinner with Callum. And my family. And I’d make a new friend soon with Keely. And I would find my own place. Or at least where I could find myself in Ashford Creek. It was time for me to get past whatever was blocking me.
Even if that block happened to be named Callum Ashford.