Chapter 5
FIVE
brIGHT, AND MADE OF DISAPPOINTMENT
Mathilda
Callum McRae had children. The mother of his children had called, and he’d sworn a few times then leapt to his feet, stomping away to take the call in private.
Did it matter that he had kids? An irrational spark of jealousy flared. I liked so much about him. Every word he’d said had painted a picture of responsibility and of a traditional man. Homeowner, landowner, a damn castle owner, it had lit me up like a pinball machine.
But whoever wanted him had to share him with another woman. The degree to which I disliked that almost took my breath away.
The bell over the restaurant’s external door nearly came off its hinge as Callum thrust his way through. He fell into his seat opposite me, dialling another number on his phone.
“I’m sorry about this,” he muttered, stabbing at the screen.
“I have the care of my youngest brothers, and they are a force to be reckoned with. This weekend they were meant to be staying with their mother, but they took off in her new husband’s car.
He’s a wet blanket but he’s mighty angry as he needs the car for work tomorrow.
I dinna know what gets into their heads.
It’s Ally, obviously,” he continued, half to himself.
“Always the ringleader. Wasp goes along with him for a quiet life, but he knows better.”
Brothers. Not sons. No baby mama. Well.
The call on his phone connected, and the video screen activated. A young man’s face appeared, grinning broadly under a shock of blond hair, a pair of headphones slung around his neck. “Cal!” he yelled over the grumble of an engine.
“Dinna you give me Cal. Where the hell are you?” Callum barked.
“Eh? About an hour from home. We’re making great time.
Wasp’s behind the wheel, so don’t you fret, I’m not yakking and driving.
” He panned the camera around to an identical boy, though with shorter hair, sitting in the driver’s seat.
Wasp, I presumed, gave a salute and returned his attention to the road.
Callum drew a breath. “Alasdair Maddock McRae—”
Ally reappeared on the screen. “I know what you’re going to say. About the car. But we have a plan.”
Their older brother ground the heel of his hand into his forehead. “Do you, now? Besides thievery, potential arrest for not having a full licence, the stack of firewood you’ll chop to work off your debt to the family, the heart attack you’ll give me—”
“Aye. All that.” Ally waved a hand, clearly not listening.
“Fitz was going to collect us later, so tonight we’ll drive back in convoy, give Grant his seriously shite ride back—honestly, Cal, if we had a grannie, she wouldnae be seen dead in this—then Fitz can bring us home.
Genius! Ma was planning to stay home today, so it made no difference to them. ”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Don’t pretend you thought we’d stay. They sit in front of the TV. All day. And Lily is cute, but she’s a baby and boring as—”
Callum’s hand dipped, and for a moment, the screen rested on me.
“Is that a lady you’re with? Who is she? Hi! Woo! Put her back on screen!”
I couldn’t help it, but I laughed. At Callum’s dramatic huffing, at the boys and their ridiculous antics and their complete lack of fear.
It told me so much. I had no idea how their brother came to be their carer, even if I could guess with their mother having a new husband and baby, plus him owning a castle so presumably having the space, but the boys obviously adored him. And ran rings around him.
Callum McRae: the responsible hero. Raising a family, being the one in charge, trying to keep them safe. The stranger in front of me became fully fleshed. My imagination projected a baby on each arm and a castle at his back. I was screwed. Totally and utterly.
“Wasp, did ye see? Cal’s big meeting was a front.
There’s no bad guy doing him out of a deal.
He snuck off to London to see a lass. Listen, woman!
He might look big and impressive, but he’s a terrible snorer,” the boy yelled.
“His temper in the morning is like a barbarian with a migraine, and he’s got the worst smelling feet. ”
To my even greater amusement, the apples of Callum’s cheekbones grew pink.
He sat up straight and barked at the boys, giving them orders to drive safely, stay within the speed limit, and go straight home.
After he hung up, he sent a couple of quick messages then stuffed the phone in his pocket.
He closed his eyes for a moment, then returned a sheepish gaze to me.
“I’ve blown my chance of impressing you, aye?”
“Is one of your brothers really named Wasp?” I asked, not willing to admit how much the opposite to his statement was true.
“A nickname. There’s four of us, five, if you include James, who we’ve adopted. I’m the oldest, then there’s Gordain, he’s in the RAF, so not at home so often, then William and Alasdair are the twins. Wasp and Ally.”
“And they drive?”
“Aye, have done since they could reach the pedals. It’s necessary where we live, but they’re sixteen, so have a year until they are legal. But you can see how well rules work with them. I spend most of my days fretting after their safety.”
“I’ve got a younger sister,” I blurted.
Then that was it, our food arrived—a feast of sausages and bacon for him, eggs benedict for me—and we settled into an easy conversation.
I kept my cards close to my chest about my family, but confessions about work and my home life flew off my tongue.
The joy of working in events and how it suited me to the core.
It was like I’d known Callum for years, not for a total of twelve hours.
His eyes lit when he talked about his home.
They shone with warmth when he grumbled about his brothers, and my heart swelled for a specific reason.
Ally and Wasp were obviously half brothers, not full blood.
Yet not once had he referenced the split.
At no time did he distance himself from them and their mischievous ways, and the extent to which they were a family was clear.
It almost broke my heart to hear.
It was oh-so unalike to my experience. To the rot that ate away at my family’s foundations. The difference was stark and highly addictive. I wanted to see them all together, witness the bond, and work out how it was done.
By the time my phone buzzed in my purse—Beth, with a ten-minute warning—I didn’t want to leave. Fancy that. Of all the big man’s attractions, his family life had me reconsidering my plans.
Wait. Was I having second thoughts?
Dominic had laid his cards out in his proposal.
His tone had been brisk. “What is the girl, thirteen, fourteen? Five years married to me, with her living at your side, then she’ll be an adult.
You, in turn, will save my reputation, and all you need to do is follow a few simple rules.
Don’t you see? This is in both our interests.
Your father trusts me. You can have everything you want. ”
Dad didn’t trust anyone, not really, but Dominic was right in everything else. And in exchange, he’d get his reputation repaired. Marriage to me would smooth over the damage of his affair, and his status with his shareholders would be restored.
But then there was Callum. I still barely knew him, but my body and mind had already started to attach. He invited it, like he could take care of me.
My father had his old-fashioned ways. His conservative view on young women and their sex lives was the main reason he wouldn’t allow Scarlet to move in with me and Beth, some wild picture in his head of us having men over to stay and all kinds of debauchery.
He’d point blank refused my request to take on Scarlet, even though he loathed seeing her every day.
Even if it cut him to the bone and caused infinite damage to my sister’s self-esteem.
Caused all kinds of negative behaviours I needed to stop.
Mom begged me to never ask again.
I so desperately wanted to fix it. For everyone.
Callum and I left the restaurant, with me insisting on splitting the bill, though the argument left him adorably cranky.
James, his friend, waited in the lobby. He offered us a shy, polite smile. Callum beckoned to him, and we walked together out of the rear hotel exit, Callum wheeling my luggage.
“Any luck?” Callum asked.
“I got through to the office. They wouldn’t allow me to book an appointment, but they are open even though it’s a Saturday. I believe the best approach will be to show up on the doorstep.”
At the end of the street, my red Audi came into sight, Beth behind the wheel.
“You never told me what you’re doing in London,” I said to Callum as I waved to Beth.
The car accelerated up the road and halted abruptly alongside us. A wide parking space yawned, but Beth didn’t pull in. She slid the window down, and a show tune blasted out. ‘Sobbin’ women’ from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. I grinned, and she cocked her head.
A devilish look filled her gaze, and she eyed the space, the width of the road, and the empty street. “You didn’t say there were men here. Whoa, mama.”
“Beth,” I warned. She was planning something.
“Be right back.”
The Audi screeched off to the end of the access road, tyres squealing, Beth pulling a smart U-turn. I heaved a sigh. I should have yelled after her that she couldn’t pull this kind of stunt in London, but it was too late.
“Gentlemen, meet Beth,” I murmured, bracing myself a little. “Don’t be alarmed.”
Either side of me, the men stood taller, their eyes trained on the red car.
As the Audi sped back up the street, Callum inched closer, placing a hand on my shoulder and reaching out to do the same to his friend.
Then Beth slammed on the brakes and pulled her trademark stunt—a one-eighty degree turn to spin the car around and precision slide it into the narrow parking space. Road grit spat. Smoke billowed, and my closest friend in the world beamed from the bouncing driving seat, chuckling at her cleverness.
“Christ,” muttered Callum. His arm had slid around my shoulders, holding me to him, and the other was now clamped on James. To reassure him? But when I glanced at the younger man’s face, I recoiled.
His handsome features had twisted in fear, and he held himself so taut, he looked like he’d snap. “What in God’s name— What the hell did you do?” James shouted, red flooding his face, terror contorting his words.
“Steady,” Callum murmured. “It was just a stunt.”
Beth popped her door and hopped out, all five foot nothing of her. Her wild brown curls swept over, and her holey black jumper slid from her shoulder. “Huh? That was epic. I nailed it.”
James found the use of his muscles and spun on his heel, marching into the hotel.
“Shit.” Beth’s face fell and she tracked James’s flight path. “I didn’t mean to scare anyone. I was in total control. And no way could I resist that chance.” She bounced over to where I waited with Callum. We exchanged a swift hug.
“This is Callum,” I said. “And that was James.”
“He’ll be all right.” Callum glanced at the hotel, but worry clouded his gaze. “He’s nae great with noise and drama.”
“I’m just going to—” Beth pointed finger guns at the lobby, then strode off. “Want a coffee for the road?” she yelled back, reaching the doors.
After I refused her offer, careful fingertips touched my face, and Callum brought my gaze back to his blue eyes. “I want to see you again.” He placed his words as if they were individually weighted. A little too heavy. Not quite balanced.
My pulse fluttered. “I want that, too.”
A smile made of relief and something else pulled at his lips. “Finally, she admits it. You have my card. My number. Will you use it?”
Conflict flipped my stomach, but yes, I was going to call him.
Like I even had a choice. He wasn’t the sort of man Dad would easily tolerate, but everything else about him was perfect.
Dominic’s proposal suddenly became a joke, and all I could see was the big man at my side.
He was too good to be true. He seemed to want marriage, and he was everything I’d ever dreamed about.
I stopped the whys and hows in their tracks and inclined my head, and he ran his hand down my arm and interlaced his fingers with mine. Blood rushed to my head. Heat pooled in my belly.
No. No choice at all.
“Good.” Callum held my gaze. “Now, you asked why I was here. I’m in London to confront a man who owes me money.
On my estate, we have a distillery, and a year ago we had a big order for whisky.
The sort of order that would keep the wolves at bay for years to come.
The bastard reneged on the deal. Offered me half what he promised. ”
Cold slunk into my veins.
“I dinna believe in lawyers and waiting around, so I’ll see him and force him to explain. Tell him what his decision will do to my family.”
No, it couldn’t be.
“He’s an alcohol distributor?” I could barely utter the words.
“Aye. Maximus Storm, if you can believe the name. False, like his promises. Like the small print on his contracts. He’s the worst kind of charlatan but he met his match when he crossed me.”
Dad had done this. His new venture for selling top-end spirits. Oh God, it was Dominic’s fault. His reduced investment. All because he couldn’t keep his hands off a married woman.
Callum continued, naming my father’s faults one by one, exposing each one like I didn’t already know them. Hadn’t lived with them and excused them my entire life.
Every word cut deep, severing the tender little bond I felt for the big man and his wonderful world. The nicks bled, but I kept my face unaffected. Because what was the point? I couldn’t tell him.
He was right. In everything he said. But it was my dad, and Callum didn’t understand what my father had been through and why he was so ruthless. How the bottom line always came first and how all his deals had clauses to keep him safe.
Why I loved him and needed him onside. For Scarlet, but for Dad’s own sake, too.
Callum wasn’t an option now. I had to walk away.
I really was stuck with Dominic.
Beth reappeared in the entrance to the hotel, James at her side. She tripped as she peered up at him, and James caught her. Beth beamed, gave him a hug, then darted over to the car.
The dark-haired man stood there, frozen, his face impassive. But his hand hovered over the place on his arm where Beth had clutched him.
“I need to go,” I murmured, looking anywhere but at Callum.
Then I swallowed the hurt and forced a smile, bright and made of disappointment.
Callum spoke, his words low and entreating.
I didn’t hear a single one. Didn’t focus on the face which represented childhood fantasies and made-up worlds.
Because that was all they were. And I had reality to handle.
Then we drove away. I set my face and got on with my life.