9. Darcy
9
DARCY
“ Y our usual?” Stephen asked from behind the counter.
“Yes, please. It’s busy in here today!” I looked around the coffee shop to see most of the tables occupied. The store had opened only a few months ago, but it was quickly becoming one of the most popular spots in town.
“I know,” Stephen said, a twinkle in his eye. Stephen and his wife Maura were recent transplants to Maplewood. They came here for a slower life, but I found it amusing that they brought the busy coffee shop with them. The place was reminiscent of some of the cafes I visited when I was on vacation in larger cities.
“Hey Darcy!” Maura came out from the back, bags of coffee in her hands. “Were you at the concert last night?”
I felt a blush creep into my cheeks. Why did the mere mention of Callum’s concert turn me red?
“Yeah,” I said, trying to keep my voice neutral.
“Wasn’t it great? I can’t believe we witnessed his new music! Who knew he would use the concert to announce a solo career!”
“What?” I asked. I didn’t remember Callum mentioning anything to the crowd about officially branching out on his own. Had I missed something? It seemed unlikely given how drawn I was to Callum up on that stage. I had stared at him, hanging on every word from the privacy of the crowd.
“It’s all over the Internet,” Stephen said as he steamed milk for my latte. He made his voice serious and announcer-like as he said, “Callum Jones breaks away from the Horizon!”
“The video already has like a million views on YouTube.”
“Did he really announce that?” I asked, still running through the concert in my head. I knew he premiered some new music, but he never talked about leaving his band.
“It was sort of implied , wasn’t it?” Maura asked. “Callum Jones books a show in his hometown without his band? And then premieres a whole bunch of new music? Just him and his guitar! It was pretty magical.”
Yes, the concert had been magical. And the events after the concert had been pretty exciting as well … I pushed images of Callum’s dressing room aside. As much as I had enjoyed it, I wouldn’t let it happen again. Callum wasn’t here for long. And if he really was breaking out on his own, he would soon be busy with TV appearances and interviews all over the country.
“I didn’t know it was such a big deal,” I said, taking the cup Stephen handed to me.
“Oh yeah,” he said. “The world’s going crazy over it. It’s a whole new era for Callum Jones!”
“Speaking of!” Maura squealed, sending her eyes to the door of the cafe. I turned to see the very man they had been talking about waltzing through the door.
“Look who it is!” Stephen said as customers at the cafe looked up. I saw people whispering to each other and Callum’s name buzzed around the room.
“Welcome to The Cozy Mug!” Stephen called out, and Callum’s eyes darted to the counter where they instantly locked with mine.
“Hey there,” I said. There was no way to avoid an interaction. Unless I wanted to run behind the counter and hope for a back door, I was stuck in the small space with him.
“Darcy,” he said. He sounded surprised, and maybe a bit nervous to find me here.
“What can I get you?” Stephen asked eagerly.
Maura elbowed him in the side.
“Relax,” she whispered, though Callum and I could hear them. “We don’t need to scare away the only celebrity who’s come through those doors.”
“Just a coffee,” Callum told them, smiling. He turned back to me. “I was out for a walk. When I saw the cafe, I figured a bit more caffeine could serve me well.”
It was like he was apologizing, trying to make it clear he hadn’t come here to seek me out.
“Not much sleep?” I asked, but all at once I realized my mistake. I knew this question would send Callum’s mind directly back to our time in the dressing room last night, as it did for me. I had been eager to make casual conversation, hoping to maintain distance between us. Instead, images of Callum standing naked in front of me now flooded into my head.
“You could say that,” Callum said, his eyes dark as they scanned my face. I looked away. I needed to get out of there. I couldn’t stand in front of him, thinking of all the ways he had touched me last night. It would only make me want more.
“Here you go.” Stephen handed Callum’s coffee across the table. When Callum tried to pay, Maura stepped in.
“It’s on the house!” she said. She scanned the customers at the tables, many of them with phones carefully posed in Callum’s direction. “The publicity’s bound to bring us some business!”
I didn’t miss the slight wince on Callum’s face, the way his shoulders dropped. Was he upset about the attention? For someone with so many pictures on the Internet, I didn’t expect him to be shy.
“You should tell them to tag the place in their posts,” Callum said.
He looked back at me as I eyed the door, desperate to excuse myself.
“Can I talk to you?” he asked.
I wanted to say no. If we had been alone, I might have. But Maura and Stephen were watching us, listening to every word. I couldn’t start any town rumors that I was rude to the great Callum Jones.
“Alright,” I said.
“Outside?” I caught the way Callum’s eyes scanned the room again, very aware of the attention his presence was getting.
I nodded and made my way to the door. I saw Callum drop money in the tip jar on the counter before he followed me out. Without speaking, I crossed the street to the park. Callum didn’t seem in the mood to run into many people today, and I knew the park would be quiet at this mid-morning hour.
“Sounds like there’s a lot of buzz about you this morning,” I mused.
“So I saw,” he said. I heard a frustration and darkness in his voice that was counter to the reaction I expected.
“You’re not happy?” I asked. I sipped my latte as I led Callum down the walking path that circled the park.
“Believe it or not, I wasn’t trying to make any sort of announcement last night. Kind of sucks when the whole world decides what you’re trying to say without consulting you …”
This was surprising. Callum seemed genuinely upset by whatever was being said about him online this morning. It made me glad for my small life in a small town where no one much cared what I was doing with my life.
“Sorry,” Callum said, running his hand through his hair. “That’s not what I came to talk to you about.”
I braced herself. I had tried to make it clear to Callum that I understood last night was a one-time thing. I didn’t need some sad story about his life on the road and how it wasn’t the right time to settle down.
“It’s alright,” I said. “We don’t have to talk about it.”
“You didn’t have to run out of there,” Callum said. “I mean … you could have stayed.”
“It’s alright,” I said again. “It was late. And I had work …”
I realized the irony of this statement as I walked in the park and sipped coffee at ten a.m. Clearly work wasn’t that important if I was here right now.
“I didn’t …” he seemed conflicted, as if he wasn’t sure what to say. “I’m sorry if things moved too fast last night.”
“Don’t worry about it.” I felt like a broken record, saying the same words over and over. I felt trapped in a conversation I didn’t want to have. It was time to make Callum understand that I was fine with the way things happened last night. Otherwise, Callum and I were in for a very awkward summer.
“Look,” I said, ready to lay it all on the line. “I don’t regret what happened. I wanted it to happen. But I don’t expect anything. I know you have a busy life. I do too! I have a business to worry about.”
“I know that,” Callum said.
“I’m focusing on the real estate office right now. I want to put my energy where it really matters, you know? So, let’s just leave it. It was good that it happened, but it doesn’t have to happen again, okay?”
My heart beat hard in my chest, but a sense of relief washed over me. There, I had said it. And now there would be no confusion about what I expected. I wasn’t some clingy fan who would send him love letters and ask when I would see him again. I was an adult who could make adult decisions, and Callum was free to make his.
“Okay,” Callum said. “I get it.” I sensed hesitation in his voice, and that same sadness that had hung over him from the moment I saw him today. I couldn’t help wondering if it was part of some well-rehearsed, moody-musician vibe.
“I have to get to work,” I said, unsure what else he wanted me to say. From this part of the park, I could easily cut through to my office which was just down the road on Main Street.
“Come to dinner with me.”
The words stopped me in my tracks. I turned to look at him and saw a slight smile turning up one corner of his mouth.
“I can’t,” I said, searching his face. Was he joking with me? “Like I said—I’m focusing on my business right now.”
With that, I walked away, leaving Callum standing on the path. I felt a sense of accomplishment and pride over how I had handled things with him. Last night was fun, but now I had released Callum from any obligation to me. Yes, it felt good. And that feeling was almost enough to mask the hurt and sadness I felt as I walked away from Callum Jones.