Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 59701 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59701 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 299(@200wpm)___ 239(@250wpm)___ 199(@300wpm)
I exhale and shrug my shoulders. “Apology accepted.”
Now, go away.
“Thank you,” he says. “Would you like to—?”
“No.” I shake my head, my voice firm. “No, I don’t.”
His jaw clenches as if he’s frustrated all over again.
“Have a good stay in Cunningham Falls, Callum.”
I turn my back to him and wait. Finally, I hear his footsteps, the bell on the door, and then he’s gone.
I let out a long breath.
My emotions are already raw this week. I had no idea that Callum was coming to town with the rest of the family. If I’d known, I would have tried to prepare myself. Because that was just awful.
I accepted the apology because Ellie’s my friend, and I don’t want things to be weird.
But Callum and I aren’t going to be anything to each other. I’m not going to hang out with him. No dinners.
No sex.
But I can’t carry around the anger anymore either. It’s exhausting and a waste of time. It’s a lesson learned, and now we move on.
Because I refuse to give up my friendship with Ellie.
I’ll be cordial with Callum. That’s the word. Cordial.
I can be cordial.
Chapter 2
~Callum~
“Get some rest, David,” I say to my personal security when we reach my brother Sebastian’s home. “I’ll see you later.”
“Yes, sir. Just ring me if you need anything. I do believe Alice is making dinner for the family.”
“Then I’ll see you at dinner,” I reply with a smile.
David’s been with me for several years. He’s only two years older than me and is excellent at his job. He’s also in wonderful shape, which I need because I like to run, and David can keep up with me.
He married Alice last year. Since then, she’s become our personal chef, and it allows her to travel with us when we take lengthy holidays like this one.
The royal family demands a lot of its employees, but we are also mindful that they’re people with families of their own. If we can accommodate them, we do our best.
Happy staff is good staff.
And David has become a mate, as well.
Liam and Ellie are staying in their new house up on Whitetail Mountain. It looks out over the lake—the whole valley, actually. So, I’m staying here at Sebastian’s lake home, in the flat above the boathouse.
It’s modern and more than comfortable.
Best of all, it’s private.
I round the corner of the house and almost run smack dab into Ellie.
“Oh, hello,” she says. “I wasn’t expecting to run into you.”
“Likewise. I thought you and Liam were up at the mountain house.”
“We are,” she says with a grin. “I just came down to chat with Nina for a bit. Liam wanted to see the security men. You can take the man out of the job, but you can’t take the job out of the man.”
I nod. Liam used to be the head of security for the Montana property. That was before he fell in love with and married my baby sister.
But he continues to check in with the men.
“I’m sure he has tight security up at your place, as well.”
“It’s borderline ridiculous, but you know how it goes.”
I nod and shove my hands into my pockets. “Are you coming down here for dinner? Alice is cooking.”
“She doesn’t have to do that when we’re all knackered with jet lag,” Ellie says with a frown. “But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved. Hiring Alice was the best thing we ever did.”
“Agreed.”
Ellie narrows her eyes and looks me over. “You look more than jet-lagged. You look cross.”
I shake my head. “I’m not angry, darling.”
“You are,” she insists. “What’s wrong? We just arrived.”
I blow out a breath and stare down at the lake.
“Wait. Did you go see Aspen?” she asks.
“Why do you ask?”
“Because she’s the only one who has this effect on you. It’s absolutely fascinating.”
“I’m happy to entertain you.”
She laughs, and I feel my jaw tighten more.
“Okay, but seriously,” Ellie says, losing the smile, “did you apologize?”
“Yes.”
“And did she accept your apology?”
“She did.”
Ellie raises a brow in surprise. “Wow, that’s progress. Why do you look like you’re ready to punch someone, then?”
“I tried to ask her out to dinner, and she shut me down.”
My sister closes her eyes and shakes her head as if I’m totally daft.
“You’re my brother, and I love you, but you’re a bloody idiot.”
“Hey.”
“Did you think you could apologize to her and then try to score with her again? Callum, Aspen is one of my friends. I need you to not only make things right with her but keep things right. I adore her, and you’ve made it awkward.”
“This isn’t all about you, you know.”
“I’m not the one who messed up,” she reminds me. “And I refuse to be the one punished because my brother can’t remember who he’s—”
“Okay, okay. She accepted my apology. Everything should be fine.”