Page 88 of Shattered

“You have an elevator…in your house?” She looked at him with a wide-eyed expression. Callum shrugged in response.

The elevator was smaller than most, probably only meant for one person or a set of luggage at a time.

Throwing caution to the wind, she stepped forward and they crammed in, front to back, with her standing so close to him she could feel his breath shifting the lightest of her curls. For a fleeting moment, she recalled their trip to Social. Her mouth became dry and her heart began to race. She counted the seconds until she heard the ding indicating they were finally at their destination.

When the door slid open, she quickly stepped out first, desperate to get away from the feelings his exhale had caused. She only made it a few steps before she had to stop in awe at the sight before her.

The back of the room was a wall of floor to ceiling windows overlooking the marsh. The pool below was lit up with surrounding lights and there were palmetto trees scattered about the yard.

It was paradise.

By this point, the sun had set, making it difficult to see much beyond the yard in the dark, but she was sure the view tomorrow would stun her even more.

The living room itself was larger than the entire home she shared with Kristin, and was furnished as if it was suited for the cover of a magazine instead of somewhere people actually lived. But then the small details started to creep in. A finger painting obviously completed by a toddler hung on a far wall. There was a set of ceramic vases sitting on the coffee table that looked more like they were completed in an art class than bought at a fine arts store. The wall between the massive kitchen and what she assumed was a pantry had height marks scaling up the walls.

She stood there for a moment, taking it all in and wondering what his childhood was like if he was able to frequent places such as this.

What kind of memories did he hold of this place? Had it been his fingers and hands that had crafted the artwork all around? Or Connor’s or Amelia’s? She also wondered what could have happened to cause such strife between him and his family.

Then there was a moment of mounting frustration she had to reign in. He obviously had any and everything he could have ever needed and then some. She wanted to scream at him that he should be grateful for what all he had been given. She turned back to find Callum leaning against the kitchen counter, looking her way.

“You’re doing it again.” He started to walk toward her.

“Doing what?”

“Thinking too hard.” He reached up and popped her bottom lip free from the grasp of her teeth. The spot where he touched seemed to buzz even after he let go.

“I was just thinking about how amazing it would have been to grow up here. You are truly blessed.”

“One person's perception is another person's reality.”

“What?” Her brow furrowed.

“I just mean, my life wasn’t always what it might have appeared to be.”

“How did it appear?” she leaned against the table beside her.

“Perfect.”

“And it wasn’t?”

“It was in the beginning, I think,” he clarified with a raised brow. “But time moved on and things happened and then it wasn’t so perfect anymore. Or maybe it never was in the first place, I just lived with the rose-colored glasses of a child who was only able to see what he wanted to see.”

She thought about her own childhood then. She had never had the luxury of rose-colored glasses. Her situation had never been anything she’d particularly wanted. Sure, there had been good families along the way. But, for the most part, she never had a home. Not a real one, at least.

“What about your parents?” He interrupted her thoughts. “I mean, you’re in college and planning to go to med school. Most would be cheering their kids on for going into a field like that,” he observed, an expectant look in his eyes.

“Most probably would.” She crossed her arms over her chest just as they were interrupted by Drew coming through the back door and Callum’s shoulders fell.

“They’re here with food,” Drew called out. “Kristin said she bought stuff for this chicken roll thing and to preheat the oven,” he added as he made his way up the stairs to where Sam assumed the bedrooms were located.

“Why are we cooking?” Callum questioned as he turned to walk back into the massive, white and gold kitchen. Sam quickly corrected him, “Y’all aren’t. That’s my secret recipe and Kristin loves it. So, I guess I’m Chef Sam tonight.” Callum turned to give her a smile.

“I’m good with whatever you fix. Come on,” he motioned toward the stairs. “I’ll show you where the bedrooms are while they bring everything inside.”

The first door they passed was a bedroom where Drew was now laid out on the bed working on a laptop. The next room was empty and Callum indicated Micah and Kristin would be in there. Then there was a large media room, another bathroom, the master bedroom with a massive porch overlooking the water, and lastly, another bedroom.

“You can stay here.” He opened the door to the final room.

---