Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
Birdie
Present Day
After running into Callum at Coastal Market, I swore I would never come back to this grocery store again. But it’s my day off, and after working three back-to-back, twelve-hour shifts, I don’t have the energy to deal with Walmart today. The local market is small and easy to navigate. I can be in and out in less than twenty minutes.
Besides, it’s been two weeks since Callum last showed up at my work. Maybe he’s finally taken a hint and realized I’m not interested in listening to his lies. It’s a little too late for that.
I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that he had the audacity to show up at my work—not once, but twice—and then demand that I speak with him. Callum needs a serious reality check if he thinks I owe him a second of my time.
I just don’t get it. In over a decade, he hasn’t reached out to me once. And then, he sees me in the middle of a grocery store and decides it’s time for his apology tour .
Honestly, that’s more insulting than anything else. It’s as if after years of ghosting me, he and his dick liked what they saw and won’t take no for an answer. Typical men…always thinking with their cocks instead of their brains.
Unfortunately for him, I don’t give a shit what he has to say anymore. He can go and spew his lies to someone else.
Deciding to get my mind off Callum, I grab a shopping cart, put in my earbuds, start a podcast, and head into the store. I’ve done enough moping around, blankly staring at walls, and overthinking my exchange with Callum over the past couple of weeks. I’m tired of giving him rent-free space in my heart and mind.
I open the notes app on my phone and head straight for the produce aisle.
Twenty-five minutes later, I’m walking toward my car with a full cart of groceries. My lips are curved up in a pleased smile because there’s something so satisfying about having your grocery list checked off for the week.
The sun is shining, there’s not a cloud in the sky, and I haven’t thought about Callum Pierce in approximately…twenty-five minutes.
Better than nothing, I suppose.
Even though scrubs are pretty damn comfortable, I’m thankful to be in regular clothes today. I’m wearing black biker shorts paired with a lilac tank top. My hair is pulled back in a loose ponytail, the long strands wavy from the salty air. It’s ninety degrees outside today, which is my kind of weather. I love the heat and feeling the sun against my skin. It feels like home.
Once I reach my car, I drop my earbuds into my purse and pop open the trunk. Winnie used to always give me shit for wearing headphones in parking lots. She would call me after a late shift, and I would usually talk to her through my earbuds while walking to my car. She said a creep could come up behind me, and I would never know it. After watching one too many crime documentaries, I finally decided to listen to her. Especially since I’m constantly moving to cities where I’m unfamiliar with my surroundings.
I only get a few bags in the trunk before a deep voice causes my limbs to freeze.
“Can I help you with that?”
His words feel like velvet against my skin. I don't know if I could ever get used to his older, husky voice. If I didn’t loathe him so much, I might pay him a pretty penny to read me the dictionary.
I slowly turn my head to the right to find Callum standing an arm’s length away. His body language is stiff with nerves.
Jesus Christ.
This has to be a fucking joke.
But what’s not a joke, unfortunately, is how infuriatingly good he looks today…
He’s wearing a simple pair of tan shorts and a white linen shirt. His onyx hair is pushed back on the sides and messier on the top. The dark strands glisten under the sun, still looking wet from a shower or a swim. He’s wearing a pair of round sunglasses that shade his sapphire eyes.
Fuck. Those sunglasses are too much for me to handle today.
He coughs loudly, and that’s when I realize I’m blatantly staring. Lazily roaming my eyes up and down his tall frame like a lovesick fool.
I quickly furrow my brows and pull together my best scowl.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I exhale, rolling my eyes. “You show up at my work unannounced, and now, you’re stalking me at the grocery store. I’m getting a restraining order. ”
I reach for another bag before angrily tossing it into my trunk.
“Technically, I’m not following you.” He dips his hands into the cart to grab a few bags. “But since you got me banned from the hospital, I’ve just been coming to the market every day, knowing I would eventually run into you. Everybody needs groceries,” he shrugs before carefully placing the bags in my trunk.
I clench my jaw, glowering at him. His nonchalant tone is pissing me the hell off. He’s acting like it’s no big deal that a security guard escorted him off the hospital premises two weeks ago. This man has no shame.
“I don’t need your help,” I grit out before swatting his hands away from the basket. “And technically ,” I repeat his words, “you are following me. Stalking would be the correct term.”
He scoffs before reaching into the cart and grabbing the last few bags against my will. After he closes the rest of the groceries in my trunk, he places his hands on his hips. His long fingers splay out across his trim waist, and suddenly, my mind is drifting again.
God, this man is so sexy. It’s ruining my life.
The sun gleams against his inky-black hair, almost turning the strands silver and blue. A bead of sweat rolls down his tan neck before kissing his defined collarbone.
I want to put a restraining order on him for the sole reason of looking this damn hot. It’s not fair.
“If you would just talk to me, I wouldn’t have to follow you around like a fucking creep,” he scoffs. “Instead, you’re treating me like I never existed.”
I arch a brow and cross my arms over my chest.
“Welcome to my world, Callum,” I clip. “How does it feel to be treated like a stranger by someone you love? Sucks, doesn't it? And for the record, you were the one that made it like you never existed. You were the one who up and vanished. I’m just following your lead.”
He closes his eyes and rubs a palm against his chin in frustration.
“I know you don’t believe me,” he sighs heavily. “But I had a good reason to leave. Was it okay that I never reached out to you? No. That was shitty of me, and I take full responsibility for that. I will forever live with the regret of leaving you the way I did. But Birdie, you have to understand that I was trying to protect you. I left because you were my everything. I loved you more than anything else. I still do–”
Is he seriously about to say what I think he is? How dare he?
I stop him before he can get any further. I won’t entertain his lies for a second longer.
“You’re done,” I interject before wrapping my fingers around the basket and walking it a few feet away to a cart station. I feel the radiating heat of Callum walking behind me, following me step for step.
“Birdie–”
“I don’t want to hear it, Callum.” I spin around and stomp back to my car. I reach for the door, focused on getting home as quickly as possible.
Callum steps around me and places a hand flat on the driver-side window, preventing me from opening the door. Steam practically bellows from my ears as I unlock my phone, fully prepared to call 911 if that’s what it takes to get him to leave me the fuck alone.
“What are you doing?” His eyes widen as he watches me dial the three numbers.
“Calling the police. ”
He shakes his head and runs a hand through his hair in defeat.
“This is ridiculous, Birdie,” he snaps. “Absolutely fucking ridiculous.”
I ignore him as my thumb lowers to the call button.
But the next words he mutters stop me.
Freezes time.
I forget how to move. How to breathe.
“I almost died that day, Birdie,” he says weakly, his tone hoarse and thick. “The day I left you, I almost fucking died. I was fighting for my life.”
I almost died that day, Birdie.
The hand clenching my phone falls to my side as I forget everything except the confession that just came from Callum’s lips.
I feel sick. Like I could either throw up or pass out right here in this parking lot.
He almost died? What the hell is talking about?
“What?” I exhale as my stomach churns.
He has to be speaking in metaphors, right? There’s no way he almost died without me knowing about it.
“What do you mean you almost died?” I rush out before he can respond. “Do you mean that you were so sad from leaving that–”
“No, Birdie,” he interjects. “I literally almost lost my life. The night I left—the night my parents took me away, I was in a hospital bed fighting for my life.”
I was in a hospital bed fighting for my life.
Time stands still as my blood runs cold.
Oh my God.
Oh.
My .
God.
The thoughts running through my mind are making my head pound with confusion.
I have so many questions. Did he get in an accident? And if he did, how did no one in our small town know about it? How did he almost die and disappear without a trace?
What the fuck is going on?
But the worst feeling of all is realizing that I could have lost Callum Pierce for good. No matter how angry I am with him, the thought of living on this planet without him seems unbearable. For so many years, he was my other half. Whether I want to admit it or not, he’s the only man I’ve ever been in love with. And if he were to leave this Earth before me, I don’t think I would survive it.
“What happened?” I whisper. My eyes flick between his, searching for an answer.
He swallows thickly as pain fills his beautiful eyes.
“My dad…” he trails off.
The blood coursing through my veins begins to boil at those two words.
That motherfucker .
I always had a gut feeling that something was off with Callum’s dad. He would walk around the community like a celebrity, but deep down, I could see right through his act. Unfortunately, I could never pinpoint exactly what it was, and Callum wouldn't talk to me about it.
“What about your dad?” I say slowly, my tone lethal. “What did he do to you, Cal?”
An inkling of life fills Callum’s eyes as he smiles without his lips.
“ Cal …” he croaks. “I never thought I’d hear you call me Cal again.”
I didn’t even register that his old nickname came out of my mouth because I’m too pissed to think straight. The thought of Callum’s father hurting him has me shaking.
“Answer my question,” I prod through clenched teeth. “What did he do to you, Callum?”
His Adam’s apple bobs as he deflects his gaze.
“Can we,” he stammers while looking around the parking lot, “talk about this somewhere else?”
My gaze stays laser-focused on him. My heart breaks with every second of silence that passes between us.
“Please, Birdie…” he begs, sounding defeated. “Please. I’m just asking for one conversation. Let me explain everything to you, and after that, if you never want to see me again, I’ll leave you alone. I swear.”
I stand still, unmoving for what feels like minutes, knowing I’m about to say yes.
How could I not after the bomb he just dropped on me?
“I need to go home and put up my groceries,” I finally respond.
He nods.
“Then let's meet tonight. How about dinner?”
His eyes dart between mine in anticipation as I purse my lips together.
“Fine,” I mutter. “But only if we meet at a restaurant. Somewhere public.”
Agreeing to have dinner with Callum is already a major step for me. Having dinner in the comfort of our homes would be…too intimate. Way out of my comfort zone.
His face falls with a hint of disappointment.
“Okay,” he agrees. “Where do you want to meet?”
Since I’m new to Gulf Shores, I let him pick.
“You decide,” I answer. “But can we go somewhere that’s not going to be packed with tourists? ”
I have a feeling that our conversation will get emotional, and I would prefer not to have a crowd for that.
“Of course,” he nods. “How about Captain Ray’s? It’s a spot for the locals. Super lowkey.”
Jesus Christ. We’re actually doing this…
After eleven years, I’m agreeing to have dinner with Callum Pierce.
“Sure,” I breathe. “I’ll meet you there at seven…if that works for you–”
“Yes,” he replies before I even finish my sentence. “I’m free whenever you are. Seven is perfect.”
My cheeks flush at his eagerness. I hate that I find it kind of endearing.
“Alright,” I respond, attempting to hold back a soft smile. “I’ll see you there.”
Callum, however, doesn't hold back his boyish grin. His lips turn up in a triumphant smile that reminds me of when we were kids.
“Do you want me to give you my number so I can text you the address?”
“No,” I shake my head, not wanting to open up that can of worms. “I’ll just look it up on my phone.”
I can’t help but feel terrible when his eyes flinch with hurt. I hate being so cold to him, but I just don’t trust him yet.
“Okay…” he trails off.
“Alright.” I pull my eyes from his and open my car door. “I’ll see you tonight then.”
Before I can get behind the wheel, Callum takes my breath away by gently wrapping his fingers around my wrist. Even though his touch is light, every nerve in my body sings for him.
It’s been so long since I’ve wanted— craved the touch of another man.
“Birdie… ”
“Yeah?” I pant. When I turn back to look at him, there’s a sheen in his eyes that wasn’t there before.
“Thank you,” he breathes, his voice faltering.
All I can do is muster up a nod as my pulse drums against my neck.
“I’ll see you at seven,” I mutter before getting into my car.