The look of happiness sets in, the warm smile she had when she first arrived stretched bright across her face. Her long dark hair, curled in waves, clipped back in a barrette.
“I’m not much for technology myself. Until I met Callum, I had never even owned a cell phone. Even today, I still have a hard time keeping track of the darn thing.” I laugh, folding my arms on the countertop.
After I woke up in the hospital and Detective Keller stopped by, he returned my cell phone. I didn’t know until I got home but Callum told me they were able to use it to track me down. I guess there’s one thing about technology I can be thankful for.
“I didn’t want one, never had a reason to have one, until I met him. I guess now, looking back on it, I’m glad I listened.”
“Don’t let him hear you say that. He has a thing about always wanting to be right,” she jokes with a knowing smirk on her face.
“Yeah, and he doesn’t like to take no for an answer either,” I say, recalling our conversation in my kitchen the day I fell. The way he pushed me to go to the hospital to get my head checked out and then followed it up by telling me we were going to make a trip to the cell phone store the next day.
“He always has been that way, you know. I know he told you about him and his father,” she says, stopping to clear her throat. The sudden change of direction in the conversation brings me back to the here and now as I nod my head.
“He has always been a go-getter. It’s one of the things about him I’ve always been the proudest of. He doesn’t sit by and let life pass him by. When he sees something he wants, he isn’t afraid to go after it.”
My heart softens just hearing the pride in her words, just hearing them and knowing them to be true. Since I met Callum, he has always shown me, if I let him in, how fiercely he would love me. Even from the first day at the bus station.
“I know you have a lot to fear outside that door,” she says, dipping her hand beneath the water to wash the suds away, picking up another plate. Running the scrub pad along it, she cleans it off before running it under the water faucet.
“I won’t bring it up or ask you to relive the horror of what you’ve been through, but I just hope you know you don’t have to spend your life running anymore, sweetheart. My boy, even though he probably hasn’t told you yet, he cares about you. Those three words, if I had to guess are scary to hear on your end, but are even scarier for him to voice. So, if he hasn’t told you yet, just promise me you’ll be patient. Only a special woman would be so lucky to be on the receiving end of that type of love. You deserve it, too, you both do.”
I know how close Callum and his mother are, so I shouldn’t be surprised to hear he has told her about our relationship and shared a hint of my past.
The sound of a throat clearing behind us draws us out from the seriousness of the conversation. Hearing Callum’s mom tell me she knows how he feels about me, only to have him walk into the room, has me wondering just how much of the conversation he had heard.
“Morning, Ma. You know you don’t have to clean up after me,” he says, coming up behind me, running his hand along my shoulder. His fingers massaging into my skin, helping ease the tension of the conversation from me. Running his nose along my head, he mumbles a small “hi” in my ear before pressing a small kiss there. Walking around the counter, he greets his mother with a hug as she takes a step back from the sink drying off her hands.
“I’ll do whatever I want to do,” she says, looking at me with a wink, turning to give her son a hug.
She runs through all the stuff she brought over, smiling when she shares she made his favorite lasagna for us. She also picked up a prescription for me at the drugstore called in by the doctor to help with my pain and anxiety.
Callum looks over at me before bringing his attention back to his mother. “I just got off the phone with Mason a few minutes ago,” he says. I know this has been a long time coming between Callum and his brother. He told me about the argument that had them on the outs while he was visiting Chicago. What he didn’t explain to me was why he had let so much time pass before he had reconciled with his brother.
“With everything going on, I forgot Steven was coming into town this weekend. He’s wondering if we would be up for dinner tomorrow since Mason will be in town.” Callum’s eyes meet mine, and I see the storm of emotions swirling beneath the blue irises. I know how he feels about talking to his father. It’s been a long time since he’s had a conversation with him, a rational one at least.
“I think it would be good for you,” Connie says encouragingly. “It’s time for you to talk to both of them, put this all behind you. I don’t like seeing my boys fight, not talking. It’s gone on for long enough.” I know Callum is secretly searching for the approval he needs, knowing a lot of his anger is for the way his father treated his mother growing up.
“Your father’s not a bad man, Callum. He has his faults and he didn’t always treat me right. He could be a stubborn bull, but I think that’s something you get from him, too,” she says with a laugh. “I’ve made peace with the past. I think for the sake of taking care of you, it’s time that you made peace with it, too.”
Callum nods his head as he turns to look at me. I know he wants to at least see what his father has to say.
“Yeah, I never have been one to take no for an answer,” he says, catching me off guard before he flashes me a wink.
With his comment, my heart starts to beat out of my chest, wondering just how much of our conversation he heard before he walked in.
I certainly didn’t need something else to fucking stress over. Spending a few days inside the house had Ellie and me nearly clawing to get out. So when she said she was going to spend the afternoon out on the dock, I knew there was nothing I could do to stop her.
When we made plans for dinner with Mason, Brea, and my father, I made a condition it would happen if we could host it at my house. Knowing the police hadn’t made any arrests, I wasn’t willing to take any risks when it came to Ellie’s safety. It’s obvious they both have a few screws loose and I’m fearful that, at this point, Royal will think there isn’t much left to live for. Until the police have them, I was prepared to take every step necessary to keep Ellie safe.
Opening the sliding glass door, I step out onto the back patio of the house facing the pond. It’s early September and while it’s a little cool, it’s the perfect weather to grill out and enjoy dinner outside. Moving to the steps, I stand here and watch Ellie from where she sits with her feet hanging just above the water.
As if she can somehow sense I’m watching her, she turns her head as she closes her book in her lap. Moving to stand, she makes her way up the hill toward the patio with a smile on her face. She looks beautiful with her long golden blond hair blowing in the wind.
“How are you doing with everything?” she asks, climbing up the stairs, making her way over to me. Once she reaches me, she wraps her arms around my waist, resting her cheek against my chest.
“If I’m being honest, I’m ready to just get it over with.”
“Don’t you think maybe it’s worth giving him a chance and hear what he has to say? You never know, it could be worth listening to,” she assures, leaning back to look up at me. “I’ll be here every step of the way. You’re always the first to remind me that you’re here by my side, but I hope you know that I want to be there for you, too.”
“I can get through anything if I have you by my side, sweetheart.” I smile, leaning forward, pressing a soft kiss to Ellie’s lips, running my hands along her back.
I can hear the doorbell ring from inside the house as I press one last kiss to Ellie’s lips.
“C’mon, baby, let’s get this over with,” I mutter, wrapping my hand in hers.
Heading inside through the sliding glass, I leave it open for Ellie to follow as I pad my feet along the floor toward the front of the house. Just as I move to unlock the door, I can feel Ellie approach as her hand runs along my back, silently offering me
her support.
“Hello, son,” my father says. As always, my father is dressed in a suit and tie. Steven Reid is always a businessman, even if it’s a family dinner on a Saturday afternoon. I wouldn’t expect anything different today.
“Hello, father, Mason,” I say sternly. “Brea, it’s good to see you again.” The soft smile on her face looks uneasy, meaning I’m sure my brother has told her about the tension running through us.
Remembering my manners, I run my hand along Ellie’s spine introducing her to everyone. Although Mason and Brea had been to the hospital, she hadn’t been awake for me to introduce her. Taking a step back, I smile as I wave them in. I hope the smile on my face is as welcoming as I intend for it to be, although I can’t help but feel like it’s forced.
“This is a nice place you have, man. I haven’t seen it since I was home for Christmas but a lot has changed,” Mason says, looking around. Brea and Ellie are both talking and smiling with each other. As Ellie shows her around, they make their way into the kitchen.
“I agree, this is a really nice place you have, Callum. Thanks for having us,” my father says, moving his hand out in front of me to shake my hand. Returning the gesture, I feel his hand envelop around mine as he wraps his arm around my shoulder. “I hope you know how proud of you I am, son.”
I can’t help but feel taken by surprise by his compliment. Leaning back, I make it a point to look him directly in the eyes, and that’s when I notice something different about him. The bloodshot glossy look in his eyes I’m used to seeing for so many years is gone.
Nodding my head, I return his smile. “Thank you.”
After taking some time to show them around the main floor, we make ourselves comfortable on the back patio. Firing up the grill, we make small talk about Mason’s school, how things are going at Whitt’s, and how Florida is treating my father. Although the conversation continues to flow, I can’t help but think some of the topics are awkward. We are skating around everything, but not acknowledging the way we left things in Chicago.
Ellie and Brea are seated at the patio table as I overhear Ellie tell her about how we met outside the bus station. I can’t help but smile when I look over at her. She moves to take a drink and my eyes find hers over the top of her glass. When she sets the glass down on the table, she flashes me a smile, tipping her head toward where my father and Mason are talking about school. I know it’s her way of encouraging me to break the tension hovering in the air around us all.
Turning back to them, I listen intently as Mason talks about the Criminal Law classes he is taking next fall as my father nods his head listening. Looking down at the glass in his hand, I watch as he takes a drink of his ice water holding the glass in front of him. The usual habits he always had when he had been drinking are gone; the way he would insist on a whiskey and coke at dinner, the way his words would slur, or he would barely listen to your conversation.
It’s clear my father hasn’t been drinking. If I had to guess by looking at him, I’d say it’s been awhile since he’s picked up a drink.
“What brings you back to town? Mason mentioned yesterday that you were staying in Des Moines,” I ask, curiosity getting the best of me.
“The same thing that brought me to town when you were visiting Chicago and the same reason why I’ve been trying to get in touch with you now.” The mention of Chicago causes my shoulder to tense, preparing for this to turn into an argument. I can see Ellie out of the corner of my eye turning her head toward me, making sure I’m okay.
“Son, I know I wasn’t a good father to you growing up. Hell, I was an even shittier husband to your mother. I was lucky to have had her, and I was a bastard who didn’t value her like I should’ve. I had my own problems, and I’m sorry you had to witness them and the burden was put on you. I understand why you feel the way you do about me and why you were upset with me back in Chicago.”
Looking at my father and hearing the words, I see something I haven’t seen since I was young.
My Dad.
“What’s changed? I don’t get it,” I say. There is a hint of a bite in my tone I didn’t mean to come out. I know Ellie can sense where this conversation is going as she pushes her chair back from the table.
Walking around the edge, she mumbles they’re going to get the sides prepared. She looks at me, making sure I’m okay before she does as Brea follows along behind her into the house.
“A lot has, Callum. Six months ago, I almost lost my license as an attorney and damn near put myself in the hospital. The only option I had was to put myself through rehab.” He sighs, rubbing his fingers along his forehead as he takes another drink of water. Mason has his back turned to us as he takes over flipping the burgers on the grill.
“I know how bad it sounds. I lost my family and moved to Florida but it took almost losing my job before I turned it around. It’s fucked up and I know that, but I’m glad I finally did it. It’s the first time in a long time I’ve had a clear head.”
Taking a drink of my own, I let the weight of his words sink in. Am I mad that almost losing his job was the final straw?
The answer is no. I’m just glad he is getting help and taking care of himself.
“You look good, healthy. I’m happy for you. Regardless of how we left things when you were in Chicago and everything that’s happened between us, I’m glad you sought out help.”
“Thanks, your approval means a lot. I got a job in Des Moines, I’ll be moving up here in a couple weeks. I’m up here wrapping up the closing on the house I just bought. I thought it would be good for me to come back home and be closer to family.”
I can hear it in his tone, the hope. Like my mom said, it’s time for us to make peace with the past. I don’t want it to hold me back anymore.
“I’d like that,” I say, clapping him on the shoulder. The sliding glass door opens as Ellie and Brea walk out with glass dishes in their hands as Mason heads over with the platter of cooked burgers. We all move to take a seat around the patio table. I can see the worry on Ellie’s face as her hand finds mine under the table, her eyes taking in my face trying to read me. Squeezing her hand in mine, I flash her a reassuring smile.
The conversation flows through dinner, keeping the topics light. I can feel Ellie relax as she notices the earlier tension in the air is now gone.
My father asks Ellie how we had met, and I can’t help but smile as Ellie recounts for the second time tonight how we ran into each other at the bus station leaving Chicago. When it’s Brea’s turn to answer the same question, I can sense the unease as she struggles to explain her relationship with Mason, settling on them being friends. The look of frustration that passes over Mason’s face and the glimmer of sadness in Brea’s eyes at the admission says there is more going on between them that isn’t being said.
The sound of the doorbell ringing inside has me excusing myself from the table. With the way the night has went, I could use a minute to step away and take a breath. It isn’t until I’m wandering back through the house that I wonder who could be here.
Peeking through the peephole, the tension sets in again when I see who it is.
“Detective,” I say as I open the door. My eyes immediately float to the man standing behind Keller, recognizing him as the detective as his partner. He had been at the hospital after Ellie had been found and brought in. Holding his hand out to me, I return mine, shaking it.
“Detective Duluth,” he says with a nod.
Taking a step back, I let them in. “We’re sorry to bother you. I hope this is a good time. Is Ellie here?” Keller asks, looking around the living room.
As if Ellie can sense we are talking about her, I turn to hear her enter from the patio as she calls for me.
“Ellie, can you come in here?” I know they’re here to talk to her but I’m not about to let her go through any of this shit without me next to her every step of the way.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Hayes. We wanted to stop by and give you an update on your case.” E
llie took some time to explain to me after she moved why she kept her name private. As much as it hurt to hear, I knew she wanted to start over in a new town, and her identity was something she felt she needed to keep quiet to remain under the radar.
I understood why. That doesn’t mean I liked it, but I understood.
“Thank you for stopping by,” Ellie says, lacing her fingers in mine. On the outside, she may look broken down at the hands of Royal, but she has proven just how strong she truly is. Squeezing her fingers, I silently offer her support and remind her I’m here with her.
“What can we do for you?” I ask, encouraging this conversation along. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m ready to get this over with.
“I wanted to tell you in person we were able to locate both Royal Carter and Lynne Hayes. They are both in custody. Royal is currently being treated at the local hospital while under the custody of the Everton Police Department. He was suffering from an infection from an untreated stab wound to the abdomen. Once he is released, which should be soon, he will be detained and booked in Pearl County.”
I can’t help but smile at the pride rushing through me just knowing how he received that stab wound.
My girl, the fighter.
“Have you been able to get information from her? Do you know why she was there?”
“While Royal was in prison, we know that they still maintained their relationship. She would regularly come to visit him. In her statements, your mother has said that after he was released he turned up missing which we know now is when he came to Arbor Creek. We believe she was coming to see him and wasn’t aware that you were here.”
“Please,” Ellie says, holding up her hand, stopping him from talking. “Please don’t refer to her as my ‘mother’ anymore. Her name is Lynne. She’s been anything but a mother to me.”
I can see the remorse written all over his face as he nods his head, acknowledging his mistake.
“He is being held on kidnapping and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. Royal will be lucky if he ever walks free again.” I can hear the audible sigh of relief come from Ellie as I let go of her hand, moving to wrap my arms around her.
Where I Found You (Heart's Compass Book 1) Page 21
