Where I Found You (Heart's Compass Book 1)

by Brooke O'Brien

  The last time we saw each other was when she last visited her parents in town, almost nine months ago. I’m not proud to say it, but we hooked up in the back of my pick-up truck. We haven’t been together for a few years, but while we were off finding ourselves, she always seemed to find her way back into my bed.

  That’s all it was, though, just sex.

  “Callum, it’s okay. Go ahead and dance with your friend.” Ellie smiles, looking up at me beneath her long eyelashes. “I’m going to head up, get a drink, and chat with Kinsley.”

  Stepping back, she breaks the connection, and immediately my body feels the loss. A look of hurt crosses over Ellie’s face but is quickly replaced with a reassuring smile, as she sashays over to the bar where Kinsley is seated.

  Turning to Madison, I shake my head in frustration as she holds out her hand. Pressing herself in close, Madison comes just below my chin. Looking over her, my eyes connect with Ellie’s. I wink at her, and she shakes her head, turning her attention back to Kinsley.

  “I’ve missed you, Callum. When are we going to get together and catch up?” Madison whines. Good God, I don’t remember the sound of her voice being this annoying.

  Keeping my right hand clasped with her left, I wrap my arm around Madison’s waist, making sure to keep enough space between us. We move along to the beat of the music, swaying in a circle. Throughout the song, Madison continues to try and persuade me into coming home with her tonight.

  “Callum, don’t you remember when we used to dance like this on the bed of your pick-up truck down by the pond?” Madison inquires, tilting her head back to look up at me.

  “Yeah, Mad, I do, but those days are over now. They’re in the past,” I say with conviction.

  Keeping my face angled down toward her shoulder, I use only my eyes to seek out Ellie from across the crowded bar. Once again, our eyes connect before contact is broken as I watch her slide down from her seat and walk over to the bar to order a drink. A feeling of worry takes root in the pit of my stomach as I see someone slide in next to her at the bar. Quickly, I recognize the person next to her, as anger sets it.

  “Damn it,” I mutter to myself. “I’m sorry, Mad, but I gotta go.”

  Jeff Sahls.

  Jeff and I have a rather lengthy history, going back to our high school days where we fought over the same girl. Madison.

  Frustrated with the course the night has taken, I keep my distance, making my way over to the table where Wes and Brannon are seated, all while focusing my eyes directly on her. Although Ellie has her body angled away from me, I can see her face from where I’m standing. The soft smile she has on display for him has me kicking myself for letting her get away from me tonight, even for a minute.

  After ordering a beer from one of the waitresses, I chug most of it and slam it down on the table.

  “Whoa, Reid, you alright?” Brannon asks, but I don’t even respond as my eyes fall back on Ellie. She is laughing at something Jeff said as he moves in closer to her ear. I clench my jaw to stop from yelling at him from across the bar, causing a scene. This girl has been on my mind for the past three months, and the second I find her again, she is off talking to the one person I hate more than anyone else in this world.

  I can’t say or do anything though, because as much as I feel connected to Ellie, she isn’t mine.

  “You could get up and go talk to her, ya know?” Kinsley says, drawing my attention away from Ellie. “Listen, I don’t know her whole story, but from what I’ve gathered, she’s been dealt a shitty hand. She’s a good person.”

  I know she is just looking out for Ellie, and I’m relieved. Ellie deserves to have people on her side, taking care of her, even if she may not want to accept it.

  “You don’t have to tell me what I already know,” I say as I slide off my barstool and saunter over to where Ellie is seated at the bar.

  “Excuse me, Ellie. Can I talk to you for a minute?” I ask, leaning in close to her ear. The music is loud, giving me an excuse for the closeness. A spark of electricity just from having her near jolts right through me, and I can’t help but smile when I hear the hitch in her breath. She hasn’t been able to hide her reaction to me.

  Nodding her head, she turns around on her barstool as she places her hand in mine. She picks up her drink, which looks like lemonade, and carries it with her. I want to turn around and give cocksucker the finger, but Ellie deserves better than that. As I lead her away from the bar, I don’t even bother to see if she says goodbye.

  Moving so we are alone off to the side of the bar, I turn and pull her close to me again. I just need to feel her body pressed against mine. I don’t know if what I saw was hurt, but I need to make everything right with her.

  “I’m sorry,” I say, not wasting a second of time. “She is just an old friend.” Placing my hand on her hip, drawing her closer, needing to feel her body heat against mine.

  “Callum, you have nothing to be sorry for. You don’t have to explain yourself to me. You can dance with whomever you want.” Sam Hunt starts to play, and I use the opportunity to have her body molded against mine.

  “You may not think so, baby, but you need to know that you’re the only one I want to be dancing with tonight. Dance with me,” I ask, taking her drink from her hand, setting it on the table next to us. Looking up at me, the look that passes over her face softens, and I know I broke through to her.

  Wrapping my arms around her as she slides her arms to my neck once again, I tighten my hold and pull her in. Pressing her closer to my front, my lips tracing the line up her neck to her ear, I sing along to the lyrics of the song while dancing slowly.

  “Callum,” she sighs.

  Placing a soft kiss on her collarbone, I can hear her breath get caught in her throat.

  “Ellie,” I whisper back along her ear, running my hands along her lower back, enjoying the feel of her body shivering beneath my fingertips.

  Keeping her forehead against my neck, I can feel her heavy breathing against my jaw. The rise and fall of her chest confirms she is feeling the pull between us, too.

  It isn’t until the song changes and she leans back, that it hits me where we are. Somehow, I found a way to get lost in her.

  “Um… I think I’m going to step outside for a minute. Get some fresh air; it’s warm in here,” she says, looking around the room for the exit.

  “Of course, let me walk you. I need to use the restroom, but I’ll meet you outside.” More like I need to take care of this growing problem. A problem that she undoubtedly felt when I had her pressed against me like she was a second skin.

  I follow her toward the back of the bar; there’s an urgency in her step. It isn’t until she slips outside that I realize for the second time tonight I’ve made the mistake of letting her get away from me.

  Making a move toward the back of the bar, I rush to escape the moment. I’ve never felt the way I just did, the way I still do. Being close to someone has never made me feel the way I felt wrapped in his arms. My nerve endings feel fried. I can feel him everywhere; every inch of my body is alive under his touch, like a zap of electricity coursing through me.

  Stepping outside, I inhale a deep breath of fresh air, letting the cool night breeze wash over me. Leaning up against the side of the bar, I close my eyes and take a minute to clear my head.

  I can’t deny this feeling or attraction to him. The only other time I felt like this with someone was when we ran into each other that day at the bus station. I couldn’t even help but feel jealous watching him dance with his friend. It was totally unlike me, yet I used the opportunity to distract myself from those jealous pangs by making conversation with the guy at the bar.

  He started off as a complete gentleman, but when he wrapped his arms around me, panic set in. Before I knew it, Callum was there to save me.

  Just like the day at the bus station.

  “Looks like we have similar taste in men.” The raspy voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard, drawing my attention to
the woman standing before me. It takes me a second to recognize her under the dim lights, but I know who she is. Madison, I think her name is? She raises her lip, sneering, as her eyes rake over my body with a look of distaste.

  Who the hell does this chick think she is?

  “Excuse me,” I spout, before I silently chastise myself. Normally, I’m very aware of what is going on around me. I feel like Callum has taken over my every thought since the day that I met him. I can’t believe I’ve allowed him to let my walls down.

  My thoughts are instantly diverted, taking a deep breath as the scent of clover cigarettes fill the air around me. It’s like all my thoughts escape me, ending the conversation. Looking around, I see several groups of people huddled together. Some of them smoking, but the strong scent wraps around me like a vise threatening to choke me. I feel like I can’t escape it. I need to escape it.

  Running down the side of the building, I’m relieved when I see a cab parked along the curb. This is the last place I should be. I need to remember what I’m doing and why I’m in Arbor Creek in the first place. I needed to get away from my past, and at the first look of his gorgeous blue eyes, he was able to distract me.

  Without thinking, I quickly open the back door of the cab and rattle off my address, thanking the driver for a ride. The drive home is quiet, once again I’m thankful for the silence. I can’t help but feel guilty for leaving without saying goodbye. I don’t want Kinsley to worry about me. I’m fine, though; I can take care of myself.

  I feel like I’m trying to convince myself of that more than anyone.

  When I wake up the next morning, I stay in bed longer than I normally do, especially on a work day. I didn’t sleep well last night; I tossed and turned battling my thoughts. I kept replaying the night, not believing I have lived for three months in Arbor Creek without knowing Callum was this close to me.

  So much for living in a small town.

  I keep thinking about the look in his eyes when he saw me and how my body responded to his hands on my hips once again. The way my breath caught as he ran his nose down my neck. Getting lost in my thoughts, my fingertips draw the path Callum made, replaying his whispered lyrics in my ear for only me to hear. Just the memory of him has a jolt of lust running through my bloodstream.

  Even with the weight of the world on me, I still feel high on him.

  Thinking back to the way I left, just tucked tail and ran, leaves me with a ball of guilt sitting in the pit of my stomach. Kinsley has been such a good friend to me since I moved here, and I feel terrible that I just walked out without even saying goodbye. Remembering Kinsley would be working with Halle at the salon today, preparing for their grand opening on Monday, I decide to stop by to see her on my way to work.

  Dragging my ass out of bed, I hop into the shower to clean and get myself ready. Opting to wear my hair up in a top bun, I leave a few tendrils of hair down around my face. Keeping it light on the make-up, I stick to my basic khaki shorts and a pale pink button-up shirt.

  Arriving at the salon an hour later, I can hear the music playing through the open window. A bell chimes when I walk through the side door. I can’t help but smile at how far it’s come since the first time I was here. The walls of the salon are brick with two large mirrors taking over the length of the wall. The room has a rustic farmhouse feel to it with black iron accents. It’s cozy and warm.

  “Ells, hey! Gimme just a second,” she yells, peeking her head out from the back room. Walking around the salon, I look at all the photos adorning the walls. The sound of muffled grunts behind me have me spinning on my heel to see Kinsley carrying two large boxes in her arms.

  Quickly rushing over to help her, I take one of the boxes as she mumbles out “thanks”. Following behind her, we walk up to the front near the shelves, depositing the boxes against the wall.

  Dusting off her hands on her pants, she turns with her hands on her hips throwing me a glare. I knew this was coming, good thing I prepared for it.

  “What?” I throw back, putting my hand on my hip, tossing her a smug smile in greeting.

  “You care to share where you took off to last night like the devil was hot on your heels?” she retorts, heavy on the sass. I knew the way I left last night without even saying goodbye wasn’t going to sit well with her.

  Avoiding eye contact I look away, clear my throat, and it comes out sounding more like a cough. This was going to be harder than expected.

  “That’s actually why I was stopping by. I went outside for some fresh air, started feeling a little light-headed, and I needed to get out of there.”

  It wasn’t like I was lying to her.

  Looking up at her, Kinsley raises her eyebrow and narrows her eyes at me questioning. I know she isn’t buying what I’m trying to sell. Shaking her head at me, she straps on her sarcastic smile as she crosses her arms. “You haven’t quite convinced me yet. Keep going.” Nodding her head and waving me to continue.

  I want to groan, but it’s no use. Instead, I decide to stick with honesty being the best policy.

  “Listen, it was shitty of me not to say goodbye before I left last night. The last thing I wanted was to worry you or dip out like a jerk. I just needed to get out of there.” I look up meeting her eyes, letting her see the truth in my words. “I want you to know how proud of you I am.”

  Letting out a deep sigh, she walks over tossing her arms around my neck. “You’re lucky I love you and that I know people,” she mumbles, squeezing me. The movement takes me off guard, delaying my reaction before I raise my arms circling her waist.

  “What in the hell is going on here?” Halle shouts, causing my heart to drop into my stomach, scaring the hell out of me.

  “Seriously?” I mumble, but I can’t help but laugh as I take a step back from Kinsley. Looking over at Halle, she has her hands full with a tray of coffee and a to-go bag tucked under her arm.

  “Well, look who it is,” Halle retorts. “I thought for sure after you went missing that you and Callum ran off together. He looked sexy, all rugged in those denim jeans. No one would’ve blamed you if you did.” Halle is a lot like Kinsley in that she has no problem telling you what’s on her mind. The difference between the two of them is Halle is unapologetic in her honesty and lacks a filter.

  Case in point.

  “I agree, you two hit it off pretty quick. You looked cozy over there in the corner last night. Care to share with us how that happened?”

  “Nothing happened. Callum asked me to dance so we danced.” I sigh, all while feeling the heat rise beneath my skin. Even the thought of Callum last night brings me back to how I felt at that moment and my heart starts to pound.

  “Are you kidding? You were dancing so close to each other I wouldn’t be surprised if you got pregnant. So, what, you went home after that? I bet your hand hurt after that workout.” Halle calls over her shoulder, making her way to her station. She sets the coffee on the counter before sitting in her chair, spinning around to face us.

  “Anyway, after you left he seemed concerned about you making it home safely. He never outright said it, he just kept reiterating that he knew you could take care of yourself. Any idea why he would ask me why you still don’t have a phone?”

  I can feel Kinsley’s eyes burning into the side of my face waiting for my response. Crossing my arms around my middle, I clutch my right hand around the pendant of my necklace, replaying the conversation I had with Callum at the bus station.

  “I’ve taken care of myself for most of my life and have gotten along just fine without a phone. No one gives a shit where I’m going, much less how to get ahold of me when I get there.”

  “He called Kolton from the bar and asked him to drive by your house to check on you. We knew you made it home because your lights were on.”

  There are so many questions I can hear in her voice, questions I’m not prepared to answer, mostly because I feel terrible for how I’ve treated him. Ever since the first day I met Callum he has looked out for me, show
n more concern for me than anyone other than my father and Grams have.

  I’ve done nothing but thrown his kindness back in his face.

  Looking up, I meet Kinsley’s eyes, and I know she can see it there plain as day on my face. She knows from what little I’ve told her about my past and the reason why I came to Arbor Creek that I can’t do it.

  I can’t open up to him, let him in.

  “Well, at least one of us got some action last night.” Halle smiles as she takes a drink of her coffee, and I’m grateful for the change in conversation. “You’ll never guess who I went home with.”

  “Who?”

  “The Uber driver. Fuck, I can’t remember his name. The one from Canada.”

  Kinsley doesn’t appear to be the least bit shocked as she turns back to the stack of boxes, unloading them. “Casey! Halle, his name is Casey.” The words sound like she is annoyed, but her tone implies this is not something she is surprised by.

  “Ahh yes, Casey! Anyway, he picked me up from Brod’s last night and gave me a ride.” She smiles, picking up on the double meaning as she opens the wrapper to her sandwich and takes a bite all while she continues to spin in her chair. I can’t begin to understand how she can twirl around while eating, the thought making me nauseous.

  “He was sweet, though, even knowing I kept calling him Canada. I was drunk so I don’t remember much else.”

  “You know, he could be potential dating material if I didn’t wake up this morning utterly annoyed with Pop Tart crumbles all over my bed. The asshole ate Pop Tarts in my bed! Who the hell does that? Let me just say, there is nothing sexy about waking up to jelly crumbs stuck to the side of your face.”

  “Good grief, I can’t handle you today,” Kinsley says as she bends down and picks up several bottles of shampoo in her hands, continuing to line them up on the shelf. “Wes is having a bonfire tonight, which means several of his guy friends will be there. Maybe you’ll find one there who won’t leave Pop Tart crumbs in bed.”