Callum (Blue Halo Book 7)

“You sure you don’t need backup?”

Callum’s mouth stretched into a smile at Liam’s words. He was already almost at Tamarack Lodge to make sure Freddie was getting the hell out of town. So no, he didn’t think he needed “backup” to talk to the guy.

“He’s an accountant. I think I can handle myself.”

“Yeah, I was thinking more backup to make sure you didn’t do anything stupid.”

That was probably a fair call. If he turned up and the guy hadn’t packed his bag, Callum might just lose his shit. Not because he was scared Fiona might actually play into his hands, but because the asshole was harassing her.

“I can control myself. I’m also going to ask if he knows anything about those texts.”

Liam scoffed. “You think he’ll talk to you regardless? You almost broke his arm yesterday.”

“Exactly why he’ll talk to me.”

“Fine, but no knocking the guy out or doing anything that warrants me bailing your ass out of jail.”

Callum bit back a laugh as he turned onto Walnut Avenue. “You have so little faith in my self-restraint?”

“When it comes to Fiona? Yes.”

Fine, he’d give his friend that. “No one’s getting knocked out or sent to jail. Hell, I’m hoping he’s already checked out and gone home.” Fat damn chance, but still. He pulled into the parking lot of the lodge. “Thanks for checking in. Now get back to work.”

“If I don’t hear from you in an hour, I’m coming to find you.”

He almost laughed. He could do a hell of a lot in an hour, and his friend knew it. “Deal.”

He ended the call as he turned off the engine. He hadn’t told Fiona he was paying Freddie this visit. He would…once it was done. It would be her lunch break soon—maybe he’d pop into the library on the way home, bring her a Reuben sandwich from Bigwood Bread as a way of softening her up so she forgave him.

As he climbed from the car, his gaze shifted around the lot. Unfortunately, the hotel didn’t have a high-tech booking system he could hack to find the guy’s room number, so instead, he’d have to go the old-fashioned route.

He stepped inside the small reception area to find a wooden counter to the right, and behind it, a middle-aged blond woman who wore black-rimmed glasses.

He plastered a smile onto his face before moving to the desk.

Her eyes widened, and red tinged her cheeks. “Hi, my name’s Vanessa. Are you checking in today?”

“Hi, Vanessa, I’m Callum.” He stopped at the desk, keeping his body language relaxed. “I’m actually here to see an old friend who’s in from out of town. We organized to meet in an hour, but I wanted to surprise him and come by early. He told me his room number, but I can’t recall it now and his phone is switched off. I was wondering if you could help me out and tell me which room he’s in?”

She swallowed, her mouth opening and closing before she responded. “I’m sorry, I’m not really supposed to give out guest information. I could call him and ask?”

“That would be great. Freddie Bant.”

The woman turned to the screen and began typing. When she lifted the phone, Callum bit back a curse. The asshole was still here. A part of him had been hoping he’d listened to Callum’s warning and left.

He watched closely as she typed in the numbers, assuming the last few digits would be the room number. He filed those numbers in his head, then listened as the phone rang. If Freddie picked up and found out Callum was here, he’d come out. If he didn’t, well…Callum knew what room he was in now, and he’d already looked over a blueprint of the hotel from the local county clerk’s online archives. He knew where each room was located.

Vanessa cringed when she hung up. “Sorry. He’s not answering.”

Callum straightened, tapping the desk. “That’s okay, I’ll wait it out. I appreciate your help.”

He left the reception area, but instead of walking back to his car, he found a section of fence that led to the courtyard. From his study of the lodge, he knew there was a large grassy common area, and the rooms were built around it. Now that he knew Freddie’s room number, he knew the guy was on a ground-floor suite. He may not be there right now, but that didn’t mean Callum couldn’t wait for him in his room.

He shot one quick glance around before running a few steps and jumping the fence. His feet hit the ground silently on the other side. Orange chairs and pots of flowers were scattered around the space. The second door should be Freddie’s room. It was a wooden-framed glass door with a curtain pulled shut over the glass.

He was about to knock when he heard sounds from inside. Deep moans followed by the compression of mattress springs. It sounded like two people making out.

He shifted to carefully glance inside the window beside the door, finding that glass wasn’t fully covered.

He frowned at the sight of Freddie leaning a woman back onto the bed. Her head was turned the other way so he couldn’t see her face.

Really? The guy came all this way to convince Fiona they were meant to be together and he was already fucking another woman?

Callum was moments from walking away—until the woman’s top rode up her waist. His gaze caught on the mark on her rib cage. A small oval birthmark. His muscles tensed. Then he noticed her sweater. It was one he’d seen before.

He stumbled back a step, his skin turning cold. It couldn’t be. His eyes had to be fucking deceiving him.

The woman’s fingers swept through Freddie’s hair while her legs wrapped around his waist, and she ground against him. Freddie kissed her neck, and she tipped her head back and to the side.

This time, his skin didn’t go cold—it iced over completely. Something so sickening churned in his gut that it was an effort to not double over.

Because even though the woman’s eyes were closed, he could see it was Fiona.

Fiona looked at her phone for what had to be the tenth time that afternoon. She’d texted Callum earlier, and there was still no response. Only two hours had passed, and her text had only suggested what she thought they should have for dinner…it wasn’t like she was asking the man to give her a kidney. But still, he usually responded within minutes. Hell, most of the time he texted back immediately.

She nibbled her bottom lip, gaze shifting to the door. He’d be here in an hour to tail her home from work. She should stop being so needy. He was probably busy running his company.

Her phone vibrated and her heart sped up. But when she looked down at her phone, it wasn’t the message she’d been waiting for.

Unknown number: You’re a whore, and soon, he’ll grow sick of you. Then you’ll have no one.

Her mouth was opening and closing when a voice sounded from behind her.

“Fiona!”

She jumped, the phone slipping from her fingers and hitting the desk with a thud.

Shit. Rick. Again. The man had been on a rampage today. Everything she did was the wrong thing. He’d even criticized the way she interacted with patrons. Told her she took too long on her lunch break and that her dress was too short. Of course she’d defended herself, but that had just led to extensive arguments. It was exhausting.

“I just read one text,” she said quickly, pushing the phone into her pocket.

He huffed as he stopped beside her. “I’ve been trying to give you some leeway because of the incident here the other night.”

He had?

“But,” he continued before she could get a word in, “if you keep getting distracted by your phone, neglecting your work, and making mistakes, I will have to take further action.”

Hang on a second… “Rick, I don’t make mistakes, I never neglect my work, and what exactly do you mean, further action?”

“You know what I mean, Fiona.”

So he wasn’t just being an ass now, he was threatening her employment? She crossed her arms and lowered her voice so her words reached only him. “Why do you do this, Rick? This last month, you’ve had moments where you’ve been downright awful to me.”

His eyes narrowed. “Don’t pretend you don’t know why.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what happened. Then you came into work pretending it didn’t. That would piss off most men.”

Okay, now she was really confused. “I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Anger darkened his features. “You’re actually playing that card?”

“What card?”

The words were lost in the air because Rick was already turning and walking away from her.

What the hell was that? Good God, maybe she needed to see if there was a librarian position at The Community Library in Ketchum, because working under Rick just wasn’t good for anyone.

She blew out a breath and turned back to the computer screen, but the next hour was the slowest of her life. The library was dead, Rick basically ignored her, and Callum never responded.

“Hey, are you all right?”

She looked up at Patricia Edwards, an older librarian. She was nice, but part of that cliquey group of women who’d never welcomed Fiona into their fold. “I’m fine. Almost finished.”

Patricia patted her arm. “Good.”

Not caring what Rick said, she lifted her phone to send a quick text to Stacey. She needed someone to lift her mood.

Fiona: Tell me something funny. I need to laugh.

The phone dinged almost immediately.

Stacey: Mom got a new alarm system for her house for added security, but then stuck the code up next to the system in case she “forgot.” I tried explaining that it wasn’t a good idea, but the advice fell on deaf ears. The code is still there for whoever feels like breaking in. That’s the level of uselessness I come from.

Fiona laughed out loud. That sounded like Aunt Alison. The woman was great but didn’t always think her plans through. She was still smiling when the door opened, and Liam stepped in.

She frowned as he approached the desk, pushing her phone into her pocket. “Hey. What are you doing here?”

“Callum’s going to meet you at your place.”

Her frown deepened. Liam’s words weren’t curt or unfriendly, but they lacked the usual warmth. Plus, why was Callum meeting her at her place? And why hadn’t he told her?

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

“That’s between you and him, Fiona.”

She flinched. Not at his words, but at what he didn’t say. He didn’t confirm Callum was okay. He didn’t put any warmth into his voice. Hell, he barely met her gaze.

Something was wrong. Had something happened to Callum? Had he changed his mind about them?

Her chest began to rise and fall in quick succession, and she realized she was panicking…because she was falling for Callum. Had let herself fall hard. Given her heart permission even when the rest of her had rebelled against it from the beginning, warned her that it wasn’t smart, and she’d be hurt again.

Scenarios raced through her head. Of him telling her it was over. Of her having to live in a town with the man but not be with him.

She was silently spiraling when Liam touched her hand. His eyes softened just a fraction, but enough to pull her back to the present. “Hey. Talk to him.”

She gave a quick, jerky nod.

The entire drive home, she had to force herself to breathe. To keep calm. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe the reason Callum hadn’t texted back and wanted to speak to her at home wasn’t because he was breaking up with her. Maybe she was overthinking everything.

God, she hoped so.

When she got to her place and saw Callum wasn’t there yet, she wasn’t sure if she was relieved or not. She stepped inside, but Liam didn’t follow. Instead, he stopped at the door. “I’ll wait out here.”

Yep, there were those nerves in her belly again. “Okay.”

The second she closed the door, she moved to the bedroom and changed into leggings and an oversized sweater. It would be fine. If Callum decided he didn’t want to be with her, then she’d be okay. She’d pulled herself out of the deep ditch that was Freddie’s betrayal. If she fell into another ditch, she’d pull herself out of that one too.

But this is Callum, a voice whispered. Things were different with him.

Maybe he needed to break it to her that he’d cheated.

Her heart skidded in her chest, and she had to remind herself to breathe. To not break down and hyperventilate.

Her phone vibrated, and she pulled it out to see a message from Jenny.

Jenny: So, Rick was on a new level of assholery this morning, wasn’t he?

Fiona: Oh, and it continued into the afternoon.

She nibbled her bottom lip before sending her next text.

Fiona: I think Callum’s going to end things.

Immediately, the three dots popped up.

Jenny: No way. Why do you think that?

She perched on the edge of her bed, heart pounding in her chest.

Fiona: He didn’t respond to my text, then Liam said Callum needs to “talk” to me about something. Now I’m just…waiting.

And man, waiting was the worst part. Her phone rang.

“Am I being crazy?” Fiona asked before Jenny could say anything.

“Not crazy, just reactive. I’ve seen the way Callum looks at you. He’s not just going to end things.”

She clenched the edge of the bed, her nails biting into the mattress. “It’s so unlike him to not reply to my texts, and Liam was acting so strange.”

“Maybe Callum’s just had a long day at work. Maybe something went wrong, and Liam couldn’t tell you what it was.”

“Maybe…” But her gut told her it wasn’t that. That this was more personal.

“Fi, don’t stress yourself out. Talk to him.”

“You’re right.” But she was still a nervous wreck.

“Ask him what’s going on and take things from there.”

Ask him what was going on…without freaking out…she could do that. She could be calm. “Okay. Yes. That sounds smart.”

“Of course it does. Let me know how it goes.”

“I will. Thank you.” The sound of the door opening sent her pulse racing at a sporadic beat, and any thoughts of calm dissipated. “I think he’s here. I’ve got to go.”

“Good luck.”

She hung up, expecting Callum to walk into the bedroom after hearing her voice. Instead, the sound of his steps moving farther away echoed in the other room.

Another big red flashing sign that things weren’t normal.

Chill, Fiona. Ask him what’s going on.

Once she was kind of sure she could be calm, she headed out of the room to find him standing by the front window in the living room, hands in his pockets. He was still. So still, he almost looked like a perfectly created statue.

Things weren’t fine…

“Callum,” she started slowly, “what’s going on?”

Two seconds of silence passed before he turned, and when he did, her stomach dropped. There was no warmth on his face. There wasn’t anger, either. He just looked…closed off.

“Is there something you’d like to tell me, Fiona?”

Her brows rose, confusion swirling inside her. “Uh, not that I can think of.”

Disappointment flashed over his face. Only for a second, then it was gone, replaced by that same stony expression. He almost looked like a stranger.

“I saw you today.”

Okay, now she was really confused. “Saw me where?”

At work? Eating her peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch under the tree? Getting yelled at by Rick?

When he didn’t answer, she moved toward him—but he stepped back. That step was like a blow straight to her abdomen. It hit so deep she almost drew back herself.

Her feet stopped. She lowered her voice, trying to shove down the emotion that was bubbling to the surface. “Tell me, Callum. Where did you see me?”

“In Ketchum, at Tamarack Lodge.”

Where Freddie was staying? She shook her head. “No, that’s not possible. I was at work all day.”

He cocked his head, his eyes squinting as if trying to work her out. “You sound like you’re telling the truth, but you can’t be, because I saw the birthmark on your side. I saw your red sweater. I saw you.”

Her heart thrashed in her chest…at the distance between them, the thickness of the air, the words coming out of his mouth. “It wasn’t me. Ask anyone at the library. I was there all day.” When he just kept looking at her with a confused expression on his face, she finally plucked up the courage to ask. “What exactly did you see me doing?”

His jaw clenched. “You were in Freddie’s arms, kissing the guy.”