“What do you think?” Callie asked. She bit her lip, a nervous habit she exhibited whenever she was nervous about something.
“It looks fantastic,” he said, looking all around him. The kitchen area was open with a granite counter and a half wall separating it from the living room area. Everything was warm and bright. It was far from the posh lifestyle Callie was used to at the Duvall mansion, but something told him that Callie wouldn’t mind that one bit. She was itching for a change. He could feel it pulsing in the air around her. “You must be really happy about all this.”
Callie looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “Really? That wasn’t what you were saying this afternoon.”
“I’m sorry about that,” he said. “Believe it or not, my intentions were good. Lionel…your father…he was hurting. I know him well enough to tell you with confidence that it wasn’t an act. He loves you and it tore him apart that you were leaving.”
Callie let out a hollow laugh. “There was a lot more to it than that.”
“I know,” he blurted out. “That’s why I feel so badly about what I said earlier and how I tried to convince you not to leave home.”
She let out a sound of surprise. “How did you find out? Oh, I see. You wheedled the information out of Luke.”
“I wouldn’t put it that way,” he said sheepishly. “I did ask Luke about your brother and what was going on. He’s a good friend and I was curious after I left you today. Please don’t give him a hard time for telling me. It’s not something I’m going to repeat to anybody. You have my most sacred promise.”
“I appreciate that. It would be splashed all over the gossip rags if word got out.” She sighed, her petite shoulders heaving. “As mad as I am, I don’t want to smear my parents in the media or subject Mac to any scrutiny. His life in Cape Cod is very tranquil. I want it to stay that way for his sake.”
“It’s sweet of you to think of everyone else in this situation. Don’t forget about your own feelings. It’s okay to want to protect yourself too along with everyone else.”
She ran a hand through her long, wavy locks. “That’s what I’ve been trying to do for the last few weeks. Take care of myself and allow time for healing.”
Jax smiled. It was great to know that Callie was finding a way not to lose herself under the pressure of this situation. “That’s good to hear,” he said with an approving nod.
“Are you thirsty? Or hungry? There’s some leftover pizza…cheese and pepperoni.”
Jax’s tummy grumbled in response to her question.
The corners of Callie’s mouth titled upwards into a smile. “I think your stomach answered for you. Come on in to the kitchen and take a seat at my humble table.”
Callie led the way toward the kitchen. Jax trailed a few steps behind her. The kitchen was small but stylish. A butcher-block table sat in the middle of the room. He took a seat while Callie rummaged in the fridge. She pulled out the pizza and placed it in the microwave, then pulled two glasses from the cupboard and filled them with lemonade. She placed the drinks down on the table then turned toward the microwave as soon as it dinged. Within seconds he had two slices of steaming hot pizza sitting in front of him.
“I’m not going to give my brother a hard time. And I’ve known you long enough to know that you’re not going to spread this around Savannah.”
He took a big bite of the pizza then swallowed. “I’d never hurt you like that. Or betray your family.”
She cleared her throat. “I-I know that. I don’t mind anyone knowing about Mac. If I could I would shout it from the rooftops.” She let out a giggle. “My brother Mac is alive and well and wonderful. And I’m over the moon about it.”
“You really love him, don’t you?”
“Of course. He was my world. And then we were ripped away from one another.” She let out a loud tutting sound. “For what? Because of an illegal adoption ring? Because someone unscrupulous worked with the Massachusetts Child Care Services and sold me down the river to a wealthy family?”
Jax put his second slice of pizza back down on the plate. He was stunned by what Callie had just revealed. Luke hadn’t told him that the Child Care agency had been involved. “Is that what happened?”
Tears pooled in Callie’s eyes. “Yes,” she said, her voice raspy. “Mac was my hero. We were living in an abusive home. Mac got the brunt of it. He protected me. Saved me really from the worst of it. It all came to a head one night when Mac was locked down in the basement as punishment and I went down to give him something to eat.” Callie swiped away a tear. It took every ounce of his strength not to reach out and comfort her. “He told me we had to get out of the house. He said that if we didn’t leave that night he might not live. That’s how bad things were with my stepfather.”
“Callie, that’s horrific. What about your mother? Didn’t she do anything to stop it?”
Callie shook her head, her long red hair swirling about her face. “In the beginning she used to tell him to stop. But that ended after a while. She got addicted to pain killers. Then began taking other substances. She was zonked out most of the time. Frank did what he wanted to us.”
He leaned forward across the table. “And that night? Did you leave?”
“Yes. I called 911 and they took Mac to the hospital because he’d been beaten so badly by Frank. We were supposed to be reunited in foster care, but I never made it there. I was taken away in a car…then I was on a plane and at a sunny place for a while. Then I was with my adoptive parents.”
“And you never saw Mac again until recently?” he asked, incredulous about the story unfolding from Callie’s lips.
“No. I asked about him all the time. I was told he was dead. And I mourned him and missed him until he walked back into my life a few weeks ago.”
Jax had completely lost his appetite. The pain shimmering in Callie’s voice gutted him. He couldn’t wrap his head around what the two siblings had lost when they had been ripped apart from one another. It was unimaginable. And horrific. And so very tragic.
“I’m sorry for what you’ve been through. You and Mac,” he said, feeling at a loss as to what he could possibly say to convey his sorrow. Callie’s past was nightmarish, yet he’d always viewed her as a spoiled princess. It served as a reminder not to judge people. It was true that one never knew what road a person had traveled down.
“Thanks,” she said in a soft voice, bowing her head down. “But I don’t want to let the past define us. Mac has a very happy life in Breeze Point, Cape Cod. He’s engaged to a wonderful woman named Delilah. She helped him find me,” Callie said, her face beaming with joy. “There’s so much to look forward to. Now that Mac and I have closure with the past we can focus on the future.”
“I like the sound of that,” he said. “The past can hold us back from moving forward. Trust me, I should know.”
Callie’s expression softened. “How is your mother holding up? It must be difficult.”
Jax stared into his lemonade glass. “She’s doing okay. It’s been a rough twelve months.”
“Have you…been to see him?” Callie asked.
“No,” Jax said in a curt voice. “And I have no intention of doing so.”
Callie winced. “I understand your hurt, but perhaps you should keep an open mind.”
Jax felt the muscles in his neck tightening. “You should understand more than anybody why that’s not possible. Something tells me you won’t be forgiving Lionel anytime soon.”
A look of annoyance crossed Callie’s features. “I don’t want to compare battle scars, but what your father did…it wasn’t personal. He embezzled funds.”
“And left my mother in dire straits when he was convicted and placed in prison. Not to mention the shame and humiliation she’s suffered. She’s barely gone anywhere in the last year,” Jax grumbled. “She’s a shadow of her former self.”
“Your mother is stronger than she realizes. She might just be in a funk over everything. Going out with some of her friends coul
d shake things up a bit in her world,” Callie suggested.
Jax snorted. “Friends? Most of them ditched her after the scandal broke. No one wants to be associated with a woman whose husband is serving time for stealing funds.” Jax felt anger rising up inside him due to the unfairness of it all. He could withstand all the whispers, but when his sweet mother was snubbed and treated poorly because of his father’s sins, he had a huge problem with it. Most hurtful of all had been when certain members of their congregation had turned their backs on them. It had been ugly and hurtful.
Callie shook her head, shifting his focus to her full head of vibrantly colored hair and the way it swung about her shoulders. “Those are not true friends. Friends don’t judge or seek to diminish the ones they love. They lift each other up.”
Callie locked gazes with him. Her beautiful green eyes radiated compassion. “How are you doing, Jax? I know you hide behind that sarcastic sense of humor, but I know this must have taken its toll on you.”
Jax bit back a sigh. He didn’t want Callie to feel sorry for him. He hated pity of any kind. All he wanted was for Callie to see him as a strong, rugged man who could take care of her when the storms of life swirled around her. He had been praying about that for quite some time now.
“I’m good. I don’t intend to be judged by my father’s actions. He chose to do wrong and now he’s paying for it.” Jax didn’t even believe what he was saying. His father had wounded him terribly and the ripples of his actions were still resonating for their family. Jax’s younger sister, Tandy, wouldn’t even come home to Savannah because of the scandal.
“But it still hurts like crazy,” he acknowledged. “A person only has one father.” He shuddered. “It’s devastating to discover that the man you thought was your hero has feet of clay. I still love him, but I’m going to pray for him and love him at a distance. I’m my own person. I refused to be wrecked by his deception.”
“I agree,” Callie said. “We’re our own people when it comes right down to it. I have no intention of allowing my father’s lies to taint my life. That’s one of the main reasons I left home…to distance myself from him and all that he represents.”
Jax raised an eyebrow. “And your mother? I know how much she depends on you.”
Callie placed her glass down on the counter. “She’s not exactly innocent in all this. My father shoulders most of the blame for lying about Mac being dead, but my mother couldn’t have been completely in the dark all these years.”
Jax nodded. “I hear ya. I better get going, Callie. I was really just popping in to make sure you were all settled in.” He looked around him and smiled. Although there were a few small boxes still sitting around, it appeared as if she was fully moved in and operational. A feeling of pride rose up inside him. Although Callie had always been a bit of a princess, she was now showing her strength and grit. And after what Luke had told him about her upbringing, he now knew that she had endured hardships…and abuse. It made him shudder just to think of what she and Mac had lived through.
Callie got up from her seat and began walking with him toward the door.
“Thanks for coming to check on me, Jax. And thanks for listening,” she said, a sweet expression etched on her face.
Did she have any idea how adorable she looked? Or how it made his heart thump like crazy just to be in her orbit? Luke had encouraged him to lay his feelings on the line, but tonight was not the night to do so. Callie had peeled back her layers this evening and shared something deeply personal with him. It made him feel closer to her than he had ever felt before. It made him feel hopeful about putting his feelings out there and courting Callie the way he wanted to—with every ounce of romance and dedication he had stored up inside him.
Callie opened up her front door for him and he walked out into the cool Savannah night, feeling a bit surprised by the strength of the ocean breeze. He turned back toward Callie and impulsively leaned in and pressed a kiss against her cheek. He could smell the sweet scent of lavender and vanilla hovering around her. When he lifted his head up he caught a glimpse of her immediate reaction. Her eyes went wide. Her beautiful, full lips were trembling. There was an awareness flaring between them that neither of them could deny. He could sense that it startled Callie…this awareness that he’d felt for quite some time. He took a step backward, knowing this wasn’t the moment, nor the time to press it any further.
With a smile he headed toward his car, softly whistling as he unlocked it with his remote and slid into the driver’s seat. He turned his head to get one last look at Callie. She was still standing in the doorway gazing at him. He waved to her before roaring off into the night, a feeling of satisfaction flooding through him at the dazed look on her face. In his humble opinion, something had shifted between them tonight. It could lead to something really special. If he played his cards right.
**
Callie stood in the doorway until Jax drove away and his car faded from view. She headed back inside the cottage and locked the door behind her. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she settled on to her love seat and pulled a cashmere throw over her body.
What in the world had just happened?
Why had she felt goosebumps when he had kissed her on the cheek?
Why was she suddenly feeling this groundswell of emotion for Jax?
What was going on with her?
Perhaps she was simply more sensitive these days, having had her life derailed over the past few weeks. Having been lied to by her own parents about Mac allowed her to have more empathy for Jax and his family situation. Suddenly, she was seeing things in him she hadn’t ever seen.
For once she and Jax had shared a sweet, honest moment that resonated deeply with her. He’d shed the sarcasm and shown her his tender side. In talking about his father’s embezzlement scandal he had demonstrated a vulnerability that he rarely displayed. And when he spoke about his mother it had been crystal clear that he ached for her. He’d gotten used to stuffing down his own feelings. It had been obvious during their conversation that he had been seriously affected by his father’s criminal acts.
Callie felt a sense of unease as she reflected on the moment his lips had touched her cheek. For a single instant she had thought he was leaning in for a kiss on the lips. If she was being honest with herself, she had felt a flash of disappointment that the kiss had landed on her cheek. There was no escaping the ramifications of what had just happened. She reached for a pillow and covered her face with it, letting out a mangled scream.
How in the world had this happened? When had she started to have feelings for Jax Holden?
“Loving one another is the only thing that makes sense in this crazy world.”
Callie Duvall
Chapter Three
The next few days flew by, and before Callie knew it, Mac’s trip to Savannah had come to an end. Callie had gotten down on her knees and prayed last night about her feelings of anxiety with regards to Mac heading back to Cape Cod. She knew these strong feelings were all tied up in the past and the way they had been cruelly separated. A part of her felt like she was reliving it all over again with Mac’s departure.
For the past few nights Mac had been staying at the guest house with her instead of at the hotel where he had stayed the first night so he could meet with a distributor in the morning. He didn’t mind sleeping on the sofa, even though she had offered to sleep there so his long legs could lie in a bed. They had stayed up until the wee hours of the morning…talking, laughing, and shedding a tear or two over the lost years. There was no one else on the planet who knew what those early years had been like in their household except for Mac.
Mac—sweetheart that he was—prepared a breakfast feast for them before they headed off to the airport. Omelettes, grits, toast, hash browns and home-made ice coffee. They sat together at her kitchen table, eating in companionable silence and enjoying their last few moments of togetherness. Callie thought about Mac stepping off the plane in Cape Cod and being greeted by Delilah at
the terminal. It made her break into a huge grin.
“What are you grinning about?” Mac asked, a slight smile gracing his own face.
“I was thinking of Delilah being there at the airport when you arrive back home. It makes me smile.” She let out a sigh. “I hope someday to be as in love with someone as the two of you are with each other.”
“That’s my wish for you, kiddo. I know you said you’re not dating anyone at the moment, but remember to keep your heart open to the possibilities.”
“I am open,” she said, detecting a defensive tone in her voice.
Mac held up his hands. “I’m just warning you not to do what I did. For so long I shut myself down and wouldn’t even entertain the possibility of love. I always thought the abuse we suffered made me damaged goods. I couldn’t wrap my head around loving someone or being vulnerable to that extent to another human being.” His expression turned sharp. “I can’t help but think there’s a little part of you that feels that way also.”
Callie swallowed part of her omelette, then washed it down with the iced coffee. No one had ever said anything remotely like this to her, not even Olivia.
Was Mac right? Why hadn’t she ever been in a serious relationship? What was she so afraid of? Her last serious relationship—her only one—had been in college. He had been a sweet Southern boy from North Carolina. Trent Walcott III had treated her with dignity and respect and a wholehearted desire to make her his forever lady. When he had mentioned getting engaged, Callie had bolted from the relationship. It made her blush to remember how she had put up an emotional wall between them. She hadn’t been in love with Trent, nor had she envisioned them walking off into the sunset together, but she should have handled the situation better. She shouldn’t have hurt him.
Till The End Of Time (Secrets of Savannah Book 1) Page 5
