He loved her. He guessed he’d known that for some time but the minute he’d rushed to her aid, he knew for sure he was in love with this woman and that she was the one he’d searched for all his life. He wanted to always be her knight in shining armor. Maybe he’d fallen in love with her the minute he’d seen her being wheeled out of the women’s shelter. Love at first sight. Callum had never believed in such a thing. He looked up when he heard the bolt in the door being slid open. A uniformed police officer now stood in the doorway.
“You’ve been bailed out, Monroe so you’re free to go but you’ll need to appear in court tomorrow on the assault charges.”
Callum followed him out and along the hallway. The officer slid back the gate and Callum headed outside to see his dad standing there.
“Olivia told us what happened. I guess we raised you to be a gentleman and a protector of a female’s honor so I’m not going to lecture you how dumb it was of you to do what you did.”
They walked outside. It was dark and Callum couldn’t believe how long he’d been locked up in that place. Hopefully, the judge would be a fair one, taking the side of Callum for coming to the rescue of a woman and he wouldn’t be locked up again.
“Is Mom mad at me?” he asked.
“Well, she was at first but then she realized any man would have done the same thing for the lady he loves.”
Callum stopped in his tracks and looked at his father.
“Your mother knew that before you did, right?” asked his dad.
“I guess so.”
His dad opened the truck and Callum got in.
“I have to appear in court tomorrow. You think I’ll do any jail time?” he asked, when his father slid in beside him. “I mean I got arrested for fighting with Aiden Nolan so that’s probably on my record. The judge will think I have a fast temper.”
He slapped Callum on the leg. “I’ll make sure you don’t do jail time, son.”
Callum rested his head against the side of the truck as his father drove out of the parking lot and toward the road that led to their ranch.
“You would have done the same if it was Mom, right?” asked Callum.
“Absolutely. I probably would have put the bastard’s head in the paint can.”
His father turned on the CD player. “Ryan said I had to listen to Aubrie’s CD. I think he’s smitten with her like you were when you first saw Olivia.”
Callum wasn’t in the mood for listening to music but he had to admit Aubrie had a wonderful voice. The ranch soon came into view and he’d never been so glad to see it in all his life.
“Your mom’s saved you some dinner so I guess you’re coming to spend some time with us.” His dad parked the car in the driveway.
Callum got out, not quite sure how he was going to face Olivia. Would she be angry with him, would she be upset that he’d hit that guy. She was against any sort of physical violence and he understood her point of view. Hopefully, she’d give him a free pass this time.
When he went inside, he could see that his mother had been crying.
Shit, now he’d upset her too.
“Mom, I’m sorry that I…
“Oh Callum, she’s gone.”
She ran over to him and threw her arms around him. His dad walked in behind him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“It’s Olivia, she’s gone. I called out to her to let her know supper was ready and when she didn’t answer I thought maybe she was napping. I went into the room and all her stuff is gone. Well, apart from this sitting on the bed.”
His mom pulled a sheet of folded paper out of her pocket. Callum saw his name written on it and it was in Olivia’s penmanship. Callum took it from her and read it
Dear Callum,
Thank you for everything and please thank your parents and Sloan for their kindness to me.
I am bad news and today was evidence of the poison I can be in a man’s life. My ex-husband was right about that. I won’t stay around and bring you down. You’re a good man, Callum Monroe and I hope you meet a woman who will bring you nothing but joy.
I love you but I’m not right for you so please offer me the decency of not trying to find me.
Olivia.
Callum looked up at his parents who now had their arms wrapped around one another.
“She loves me. I love her but she doesn’t want me to find her, but I have to,” he said.
“She couldn’t have gone far because she was here when I left to bail you out,” said his dad.
His mom read the letter and then burst into tears. “I’m so sad for that poor young woman, and for you too Callum.”
“Hey mom, it’s going to be okay.”
He knew it had to be. The love of your life didn’t walk into your world and then disappear never to be seen again. She was close by and Callum was going to find her and convince her she was far from poison. She was the sweetness that had been missing from his lonely bachelor existence.
“I’m going to round up everyone and we’re going to look for Olivia and get this mess sorted out,” said his dad.
Chapter Eighteen
Olivia had no idea where she was going. She’d walked from the ranch to the main road and then into town and caught a bus going to Missoula. She knew that from there she’d be able to buy a ticket to Billings which had a bigger airport and there she’d think about her next move.
She already missed Callum and she’d only been gone four hours. She shivered in the night air, wishing he was here to wrap his arms around her like he had that night at the wedding reception. Not even Marie’s wrap had warmed her like Callum could.
Olivia pulled up her the collar on her jacket. The bus depot wasn’t far away now. She was tired and hungry but maybe she’d grab a sandwich to take on the bus and nap on the journey.
She couldn’t blame Callum for anything that happened that afternoon. He was protecting her like he’d promised. She’d thought the manager was calling her in because of the incident but that wasn’t the case.
The social security number and identity she’d purchased, thinking she was buying her freedom, had caught up with her. When she’d signed up for work at the DIY and given the social security number it had set off a red flag. Olivia had quickly explained that she’d transposed two of the numbers, but she knew when it was run again she’d be in more trouble. She could even be arrested and she didn’t want to pull Callum and his family into having a criminal living under their roof.
She guessed the person whose identity she now had, had been the victim of identity theft. She’d been desperate to get a new identity and in so doing, had turned herself into someone who broke the law.
Olivia hurried along to the bus depot but saw the red tail lights of the bus just pulling away. She hurried inside and ran up to the ticket counter, hoping she had time to buy a ticket for the next one.
“I’d like a ticket to Billings?” she said.
“I can’t sell you one tonight because the last one left a few minutes ago and I’m about to close up for the evening. The next one is 9 a.m. tomorrow morning and we open at 8 a.m. if you want to come back then.”
Damn, if only she’d left the Monroe’s ranch earlier or had walked faster.
“There are plenty of motels around the area,” said the clerk.
“Okay thank you.”
Olivia knew she had to pay for the bus ticket, maybe even buy herself a plane ticket so unless she could find a room for about thirty dollars, she had nowhere to go for the night. She slumped down on the nearest seat feeling that the day was getting worse by the second.
Maybe she should eat humble pie and call her mother. They’d fallen out when she’d married Mark because she’d always maintained there was something no right about him.
She ran her hands through her hair. Mother knows best…She’d sit and think about whether to go it alone or ask her mother to forgive her for all the terrible things she’d said to her, accusing her of being jealous because Olivia’s own f
ather had walked out on them when she was eight years old.
Olivia burst into tears not knowing which direction to go next.
*****
They hadn’t found Olivia and now it was the following morning and everyone was in his parent’s kitchen working out a plan on where to look for her next. He had to admit even the Nolans had stopped by to help.
“You probably know that one of my best buddies is the county sheriff so I can ask him for some manpower,” said Brad.
“I can look out to the west of our property,” said Callum.
“No, son, you have to make that appearance in court or you’ll be in more trouble,” said his dad.
“Aubrie and I can cover the west for you,” said Bobby.
“And how about Ryan, Shane and I, cover the east side of town,” said Aiden.
“Sounds like a plan to me,” said Ryan.
“And Glen, how about we old guys get in the truck and just go street to street?” Brad suggested.
“Great idea,” said his dad.
Wow, if anything good had come out of this, his dad and Brad were going to work together for the first time in their lives.
“Sloan and I will stay here, just in case Olivia comes back,” said his mom. “Now Callum, you go home get washed and shaved, and get yourself to the courthouse.”
She was right. If they found Olivia it wouldn’t do any good if he was arrested for not showing up in front of the judge.
*****
Olivia felt like a fool. She’d run off and now she was back at the ranch but only so she could get some shut eye and think about where she wanted to go. She’d managed to pry open the door to the house that was going to be hers once Callum finished renovating it.
Callum had been working with the help of generator because the electricity wasn’t switched on in the house. Not that she wanted to turn on any lights and give away her location, but turning on the heat would have been nice.
She’d slept on the rolled up carpet in the back room. Scared to death when she’d heard, for the first time, wolves howling and she wasn’t sure how far away they were. She’d even heard a rustling noise outside the window and guessed it might be a bear looking for a midnight snack.
It was morning and the sun was filtering in through the window. She sat up but her body ached so bad from lying on the floor. She moved the carpet, hoping she could rest against it for a bit. It hit the door of a small cupboard that was on the back wall. It sprung open.
Maybe Callum’s grandparents had used it as a safe. She looked inside and saw a box.
She realized it was wrong being so nosy, but she pulled it out and opened it up. Dust particles filled the air and she coughed.
Inside were books and what looked to be someone’s diary. Underneath sat some old photos that looked like they dated back to the 1800s. She guessed that Callum or his family didn’t know about these. She lifted more photos and underneath there was folded piece of paper.
She opened it up and saw it was a deed to some property.
By what she could understand all the Monroe land belonged to the Nolans.
“Oh wow,” she said out loud, almost forgetting her own troubles. No wonder it hadn’t been hidden by no doubt, Callum’s grandmother.
Olivia, soon forgetting the pain in her body and the torment in her mind, began reading about a mail order bride who’d traveled out to Montana territory after answering an ad in a New York newspaper. She heard voices outside and quickly threw everything into the box. She crept along the floor and peeked out of the window.
It was Aubrie and her uncle, Bobby who’d performed at the wedding. What were they doing here?
She put her back to the wall and tried not to make too much noise.
“Uncle Bobby, it’s not worth looking in here. If she’s run away, she’d be miles from here by now,” Aubrie said.
“You’re wrong because I remember when my parents wouldn’t let me go the circus when it came to Billings and I said I’d run away and join them? I did run away but I got so scared I came straight back home but hit in the closet where I knew they’d never think of looking.”
“So you’re saying Olivia’s in the closet in this house?” asked Aubrie.
“It’s worth checking out.”
Next thing she knew the door was being opened and she could hear them walking around in the living room.
“Callum’s done a nice job here,” said Bobby.
“Yeah, I’d love a place like this just to be on my own.”
Some dust got under Olivia’s nose. She put her finger under it to stop herself from sneezing but in doing so she made the floorboard squeak.
“You hear that?” asked Aubrie.
“Sounds like it came from back there.”
Olivia thought about hiding but this was stupid and hopeless. She might as well come out and face the consequences of her continually bad decisions.
*****
Callum had sweated profusely the whole time he’d been in the courthouse but had found out that the man had dropped the charges against him. The judge had warned him to keep his temper under control and he’d definitely taken that to heart.
Now all he had to do was find Olivia. He called in at her parent’s home on the way back and couldn’t believe the sight he saw at the table. His mom and Sloan sitting at the table with no other than the woman he loved.
“Callum, would you like to meet Megan Roberts.”
He looked at Olivia and didn’t quite understand what his mother meant.
“I’ve been living a lie,” said Olivia. “I bought a fake social security number and name before I ran away to Montana. I thought it would be my safety net should Mark ever come looking for me.”
Callum walked over to her and hugged her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“We’ll leave you two to talk,” said his mom, ushering Sloan out of the kitchen.
“I should have but by the point I could trust you I thought I might lose you for my dishonesty.”
“Oh baby, we’ve both been so stupid.”
He lifted both her hands and kissed their knuckles.
“I know I’m going to be in big trouble,” Olivia said.
“I’m guessing it’s nothing an attorney can’t sort out. We know a great one. He used to be a fellow rancher who decided the life wasn’t for him.”
“What if I go to prison?” Olivia asked.
Callum wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close. He kissed the top of her head
“Baby, I won’t let them take you away from me, ever. You know I love the name Olivia but I’m always been sort of partial to Megans.”
He knew it would take some getting used to well, that was if she wanted to go back to using her real name. Callum pulled her in close, taking in her scent and realizing how much he’d missed her and how he’d felt the deepest pain in his heart thinking that maybe he’d never see her again.
His parents chose that point to step back into the kitchen.
“I don’t know about you but I could do with some tea and I think I should make something to feed everyone who’s been out looking for Megan as a way to thank them,” said his mom.
*****
Olivia shook as she and Callum waiting in the law offices of Kip Mclintock. Callum flicked through magazines so fast she knew he wasn’t reading anything and that he like her, was scared of what they might be told about the punishment Olivia might face.
“Hi Callum and you must be Megan, why don’t you come into my office,” said a tall middle aged man who peeked around the door to one of the back rooms.
Callum stood and encouraged Olivia to walk ahead. Kip shook her hand and then pulled out a chair for her.
“Can I get either of some coffee?” Kip asked.
“Not for me,” Callum said.
“Me neither,” Olivia said. Her mouth had been dry all morning and she didn’t think she’d be able to swallow even her own saliva.
“Okay, let’s get down to business,” sai
d Kip, sitting behind the desk. He crossed his legs and Olivia saw he was wearing cowboy boots and his hat hung on a rack by the window.
“How much trouble am I in?” Olivia decided to ask. She wanted to know her fate and if she and Callum would be separated. She didn’t want to get her hopes up about them having a future if that wasn’t going to be the case.
“Under any other circumstance, I’d say you’d be in every big trouble young lady. But note I placed emphasis on the word circumstance. You committed this crime because you wanted to escape a life and marriage filled with abuse. Taking a new identity, although you did it illegally, was the only way you thought you’d be safe.”
Olivia nodded as a tear fell from her cheek and bounced onto her lap. Callum reached across to her, grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
“So you’ll represent her?” Callum asked.
“Of course I will and I’m going to make sure that she gets only community service as the very worst punishment. How does doing volunteer work with Sloan at the shelter sound?”
“Oh my god, yes, I’d be happy to do that,” Olivia said.
Kip made a few notes. “Okay, I’ll see what I can do and Callum could you and your parents write a note about what an upstanding citizen she’s been while she’s been living with your folks?”
“They’d be happy to.”
Olivia was feeling better by the minute. It wasn’t quite over yet but she sensed that Kip would offer a good defense for her foolish ways.
“And if I could, I’d like to legally change my name to Olivia. I don’t ever want to go back to being Megan,” Olivia said.
“I can certainly see to that for you too,” Kip said, making more notes. “And is there perhaps a maiden name you’d like to use again.”
Callum raised his hand before Olivia could respond.
“She’ll be Olivia Monroe,” he said.
Olivia looked at him. “Baby, I’ve never done this before and I know this isn’t how it’s supposed to be but I’m too nervous to take you out for a romantic dinner and get down on one knee, well hell, I guess I just can’t wait to ask if you’d marry me.”
Callum (Cowboy Tough Book 1) Page 12
