Chapter 9 #2
“No, it’s okay. It’s just, well, the guy got a little handsy and a little violent, and when I needed help, I called Callum.”
“Felicity,” she mouthed.
“I’m really okay. I promise. It didn’t go far. He didn’t even really hurt me. I ended up breaking his nose.”
“Damn, girl. I’m proud of that.”
“Me too. It scared me, and the first person I called was Callum. Which, in hindsight, was ridiculous because Bodhi lived closer, or I could have even called my parents. My parents would walk through fire for any one of their kids.”
“I love your parents.”
“I really do too. But I didn’t call any of them. I called Callum. And then he rescued me.”
“It sounds like you rescued yourself too,” Keely reminded me. “Never forget that.”
“You’re right. I did. And Callum was there, and he beat the shit out of Bradley.”
“Of course, his name was Bradley. Fuck him. He better be in jail or something?”
I shook my head. “No, his friends took him away, and I’m pretty sure they aren’t friends with him anymore, at least from what I heard.
Bradley got the shit beat out of him, and we didn’t want charges to be put on Callum because that seemed like what the little twerp would do.
Everything just got pushed away, and I didn’t think about it. ”
“That sounds terrifying.”
“It was at the time, but Callum picked me up and carried me to the car, and I knew I was safe.”
“Aww. That’s so sweet.”
“And I already had a crush on him. I mean, I have since I was out of high school. A hardcore crush. And it just kept evolving.”
“And then he ate you out on your kitchen counter to break the house in. I mean, that’s one way for a crush to go.”
“Of course, when he kissed me two years ago, too, that sort of surprised me.”
“What?” Keely exclaimed. “When did this happen?”
“The next morning. He came to check on me, and we sort of growled at each other because I was scared and pissed off, and he kept treating me like a kid. I’m not a kid.
I might be younger than him, but I’m not ridiculously younger.
My frontal lobe is developed, I can make my own choices, and well, one thing led to another, and I sort of kissed him. ”
“Damn, Felicity. Go you.”
“It didn’t feel like a go-me at the time. I knew I was making a mistake as soon as I did it, but then he gripped my ponytail, and well, it was the hottest kiss I’d ever had in my life. Until yesterday.”
“Wow. I mean, just looking at him, he does have that growly dominant thing going on, but wow.”
“You have no idea.”
Keely visibly shivered and grinned at me. “So, is anything going to happen? I mean, are you going to tell your brothers? Because I don’t know, that seems like a recipe for disaster if you don’t.”
“I don’t even know if anything’s happening. He just walked out, and I think it’s going to be the only time. But what the hell? That was more than just an accidental kiss.”
“Yes, because he just tripped, and his face fell into your vagina.”
I burst out laughing. “Oh, yes, that’s exactly what happened.”
“Just don’t use that excuse if your brothers ask.”
I groaned into my hands. “Oh my God. I can never tell them.”
“Keeping secrets only makes things worse later. You might want to figure out what the hell you and Callum are doing and make sure that your brothers aren’t surprised later.
Because they are best friends with Callum, and they treat you like you’re a precious little princess.
All of them do.” She paused. “Okay, Callum didn’t treat you like a precious little princess when he had his hand around your throat, making out with you, but I digress. ”
My lips twitch. “No, I wasn’t a precious little princess then.” I let out a breath. “This is all so messy.”
“Small town life. Who knew it would be this kind of messy?”
“I’m just so confused. And now I have to have family dinner and have to act as if nothing has changed.”
“Like I said. Messy. But I promise I won’t say a thing. Not that I have many people to tell.”
“You’re making friends. Just like I am. Albeit slowly.”
“You have the luxury of being the small-town girl who came home.”
“And I’m also the baby sister of the Carter brothers. Meaning, I’ll always be that little princess.”
Or little flower when it came to Callum. I held back a shudder at that thought.
“Okay, that is true. But I’m the new girl. The random transplant who came to a small town that she didn’t know and nobody knows anything about.”
“You’re mysterious.”
Keely snorted. “Not even a little. Although, there is another newbie in town. A nanny.”
“Tess?” I ask, speaking of the woman I hadn’t met.
“Yes. Her. She seemed really nice, at least, from the two seconds that I saw her at the diner. And she’s working for two different families right now, and they haven’t fired her yet.
So there you go, there’s another transplant to town.
And I’m already gossiping about it like I’m an Ashford Creek resident. I don’t think I like that.”
“The gossip? Or the being a resident?”
“The gossip. Because who knows what everyone’s saying about me?”
“Well, it doesn’t matter what they think. Unless they’re lying to your face about it. And now, I don’t know if I like this small-town feeling,” I said dryly.
“No, continue to like it. I promise it’s not terrible.
I like it here. Promise is fantastic. And I’m learning all the new businesses and figuring out my routine.
I know there’s a town meeting coming up, and I have no idea what holiday’s coming up next, but there’ll probably be a parade, and everything will be cute, and I’m really excited.
Just like I’m excited to figure out what the hell you’re going to do with Callum. ”
I cringed. “The problem is, I have no idea what I’m going to do with Callum. Or even if there is anything to do. He’s just not doing anything about it.”
“Okay then. Then maybe you make the move.”
“No. Absolutely not. I already did that once.”
“Then talk to him. Talking helps.”
“I don’t really like that. The whole communication is key thing.”
“Because it usually works?” Keely asked with a laugh. Keely’s phone buzzed, and she looked down at it and grinned. “And my time is up. I’m working the afternoon and evening shifts at the bed and breakfast because I decided to actually let my team open for me. It’s weird. Having a team.”
“You’re an amazing cook, though, because you made me breakfast,” I teased as I looked over at the kitchen.
“And you did the dishes. And that’s all that matters. You’ve got this, okay? Whatever happens, you got this. Just remember, secrets hurt. And I don’t want you to get hurt. You’re my friend. I like you. And I’m afraid of this small town without you.”
I smiled, and we stood up, hugging. And as I walked her out, I swallowed hard, wondering what the hell I was doing.
I watched as Keely drove away, and my heart thudded when, across the street, the front door opened. Callum stood there, an odd look on his face, and I held up my hand and waved. Like an idiot.
Well, that was brilliant.
His lips quirked into a smile for an instant, and I wanted to walk over there just to talk to him. To see what the hell was going on. But, of course, that never worked out. Instead, two cars pulled down the road and into my driveway.
“There she is, my baby girl. I haven’t seen you in forever,” my mom called out as she came forward, arms outstretched.
I looked over at Callum before forcing myself to break eye contact and let my mom hug me. “I saw you yesterday. I’ve only spent one night away.”
“You say that, and yet you’re my baby girl.”
“Mom.”
“Oh, shush. I just love you. Now, let’s get back to unpacking.”
I let out a sigh. “I’m nearly done.”
“You do realize that we have more stuff for you in the car, right?” my dad asked, giving me an apologetic look.
“Your house is going to be fully decorated at any moment. And if we were allowed to paint, we would be doing that too.”
“The owner said she’d be allowed to paint any room she wants,” a deep voice said, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
I looked up at Callum, standing next to my brother, and tried not to look guilty. After all, Callum had just had his face between my thighs less than twenty-four hours ago. Totally normal.
“Wait, you never said that.”
“I didn’t think it was a problem.”
“But we already have the stuff in the house,” Rune said as he threw his head back and sighed audibly. “Now I’m going to have to move shit so she can paint.”
I pressed my lips together, wondering why my older brother always acted like a toddler when it came to things like that. He acted as if he didn’t own a business and wasn’t a fully functioning adult who knew what the hell he was doing.
“It’s really okay. I don’t need to paint.”
“Oh, but Felicity, we can totally do that.” My mom rubbed her hands together. “Wouldn’t that be fun?”
“I’m really okay,” I said, looking at the looks of horror on all the men’s faces in front of me. “I have enough to decorate for now. And, we all have other things to do other than painting.”
“See? I knew my daughter was brilliant.” My dad gave me a one-armed hug before he gestured towards his SUV. “Rune, Callum, you want to help me get a few boxes out of the trunk?”
“Boxes?” I asked. “I thought I had everything.”
“Well, you needed more frames and things for the walls. And there was that one vase that you liked when we went to that home goods store, and well, you need it.”
“Mom. You don’t need to buy me everything.”
“I don’t need to, I want to. Let me spoil you. You’re my baby girl.”
I wanted to sigh at that, but then my mom reached out and patted Rune’s cheek.
“Just like you’re my baby boy. I don’t care if you all are sixty years old, and I’m walking beside you with my little walker.
You’ll be my babies. Now, help me do the heavy lifting because that is what your strong backs are for.
” She reached up and squeezed Callum’s cheek, and he just grinned down at her, the love in his eyes brilliant.
“Anything for you, Mrs. Carter.”
“Stop flirting with my mom,” Rune growled, his lips quirked into a smile.
Callum met my gaze for a moment, and I swallowed hard, knowing Keely was right.
Secrets always had a way of biting you in the ass.
The problem was, however, I didn’t know if the secrets were just between myself and the rest of town or if the secret happened to be between Callum and me.
Because I couldn’t read his face.
Not entirely.
Yet the desire in those eyes? I couldn’t mistake that.
And he didn’t look like a man who said it was only going to be one time.
No, he looked like a man on the hunt.
And I was his prey.
And frankly, I didn’t feel like I wanted to run.