Page 12 of Callum
“Well, I can see why you lied.”
Fiona sighed. “The worst part? I wasn’t even surprised when she did it. Don’t get me wrong, I was mad as hell. But I swear, since the day I was born, she’s hated me.” And Fiona had never known why. Sometimes she thought it was jealousy, since Fiona and her parents got along so well. But their parents loved both of them.
“Why are you going then?”
That was a good question. Most wouldn’t. “A couple of reasons. The first is my parents don’t know about the cheating. They think I just fell out of love with him, then my sister started dating him. I adore my parents and the truth would kill them.”
Her gaze flickered to the window, but she wasn’t really seeing. “And more than that, I just…I don’t want them to know how much they hurt me.”
Because theyhadhurt her. More severely than anyone else ever had. And they’d damaged her trust.
“Okay. Yes, I totally understand.” Sympathy shone in her friend’s eyes, but then a second later it shifted into a mischievous look. “Well, I mean, you could ask—”
“No.” She already knew who Jenny was going to say, and it was a big fat no.
So why do you keep thinking about asking him?
Even thinking it made her mentally cringe. Shehadbeen thinking about asking him. She’d been doing a lot of thinking about Callum in the last week. The way he’d caught her off the ladder. The way he’d saved her in the bar. The man was becoming her personal bodyguard.
No. Asking him was crazy. They weren’t even friends.
Jenny lifted a shoulder. “I’m just saying. He clearly likes you, and he’s saved you a million times now.”
The words had just left Jenny’s mouth when the door opened and three large men walked inside, all well over six feet, with wide shoulders and thick arms. And the last man in the door was none other than Callum.
Goddammit. Why did the world keep summoning him everywhere she went?
Immediately, Callum’s gaze whipped to hers. The corners of his mouth ticked up in just a hint of a smile. Then he mouthed, “Hey.”
And even though she told herself not to react, freaking screamed it in her head, her damn body betrayed her, her heart kicking into a gallop and her mouth drying.
Without realizing she was doing it, she thumbed her right wrist, where he’d grazed her skin as he’d written his number.
“Oh. My. God,” Jenny whispered as she watched the men walking inside. “You can’t say that isn’t the universe telling you to ask him.”
No. It was the universe tormenting her. She swallowed, swearing she could still feel him watching her. “It’s not.”
Jenny sighed. “Okay, but I think you’re missing an opportunity.”
She didn’t tell her friend that the man had already offered to be her date, because then Jenny would push harder. For a fleeting moment, she imagined walking into her sister’s wedding with his arm around her. With his heat touching her side.
No. No, no, no. He would be far too easy to fall for, and he wasn’t in her plans. Her plans were short, chubby and bald. The opposite of Callum.
Thankfully, Courtney returned to their table with steaming lattes, which smelled so amazing she almost groaned out loud.
“Oh my gosh, Courtney. I thinkImight be kissingyourfeet for this.” Fiona lifted the coffee to her lips, and yep, it tasted as amazing as the last time she’d come here.
“Kiss away.” Courtney smiled. “Don’t forget about the joke on the mug.”
She pulled her mug down and read the side.
Once in a while someone amazing comes along…and here I am.
She chuckled as Jenny read hers out loud.
“You know what that sounds like? Not my problem.”
They both laughed, and Fiona looked back up at Courtney. “These are awesome.”
