Page 151 of He Loves Me Knot

No one had gotten close. No one.

. . . until Liddy.

That is why she terrifies me so much. Why I wanted to push her away.

Callum released a slow breath and then said in a ragged voice, “I love you, Mum.”

Mum sniffled, her eyes red rimmed. “I know it’s too late?—”

“I don’t know that.” He pushed her hair back behind her ear, then tipped her chin up so that he could search her eyes. The skin of her cheek was softer than he remembered, the lines around her eyes deeper. “I’m not good at forgiveness. Or I haven’t been. But it hasn’t made my life any better either. I can tell you it’s going to take work, Mum. We can’t go back to that time when I held you on a pedestal as a child. When I thought you’d never hurt me. But if you’re willing to put in the work”—he struggled to get the words out—“then so am I.”

Mum let out a soft, breathy cry and nodded. Then she leaned over and flung her arms around his neck, sobbing against him.

Callum held her tight, his mind spinning.

He’d been born here. Lived here.

Turned his back on it all.

But so many times this week, he’d felt that tug of the familiar. The sense of knowing who he was by being here.

This was a piece of the puzzle of who he was. And without this piece, he couldn’t be truly happy.

And it’s Isla’s home.

He pulled back from his mum and clasped her hands. “So let’s talk a little more about what it’s going to cost to saveLa Hacienda.”

Callum lefthis mum’s house and headed toward the bungalow he’d been sharing with Liddy.

He didn’t quite know what he was going to tell her.

I just have to see her before the day gets too chaotic.

He was still wet and cold from the time he’d spent on the beach this morning, but he smiled to himself.

Maybe Liddy would have enough time to take a shower with him.

“Callum.” Aiden strode down the path toward him, an umbrella on his shoulder. “Glad I found you.”

Interesting how he doesn’t appear glad.

Had something happened to Quinn?

Aiden’s face was serious, a marked difference in demeanor from the previous night when they’d been drinking at a bar together. Their dynamic had always been unique, to say the least. Aiden had gone from being the younger, sometimes annoying, brother of one of his closest friends to his colleague, then his boss and good friend. Besides Quinn, Aiden was probably his best friend, if he thought about it.

“Everything all right?”

“Not exactly.” Aiden gestured down the path. “Care to have a chat for a minute?”

“Sure.” Callum followed him toward one bungalow. Aiden held the door open for Callum, and Callum passed through.

No one else was inside, and Callum assumed it was Aiden’s room—the bed was neatly made, something Callum had always seen Quinn do whenever they’d gone places overnight together. “Please.” Aiden gestured toward the chair.

Callum took a seat, his brow furrowing as Aiden sat across from him on the bed. He chuckled. “Somehow I feel as though I’m in trouble.”

Aiden frowned. “Well, you might be.”

What?

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