Page 31 of Rivers of Ink
“I can’t.”
“What are you scared of?”
Alicia didn’t know where to begin in answering that. The way things had developed so quickly and intensely in their relationship took her in one direction. The one where he could make her quiver simply by whispering in her ear or how he was so tuned in to her body that he knew exactly what to do to make her come. Had their relationship been based purely on the physical? She’d never really understood his past with Isobel, apart from the fact that she thought he hated her. What she’d seen at the wedding appeared to contradict that. Everything always came back to Isobel when there were issues.
“I guess he’s not over Isobel,” she said, at last.
Nell sighed. “And you’re not even going to fight for him?”
“He can do the fighting for the both of us.” What Callan had done to Jason shocked her. She had no idea he had a such violent streak in him. Alicia sighed. “I have to make a change for the better now. I should move on.”
She reached for her phone and found the message from her old contact. Before she changed her mind, she typed a response saying she was very interested in finding out more about the job in London. Almost instantly, she was sent a brief job description, salary information, and an invite to interview if she wanted it.
“You might need to find a new flatmate.” She waved the phone at Nell.
Nell grabbed it and scanned the message thread. “Wow, that was quick, you don’t hang around, do you?”
“What’s the point? If I’m going to make a new start, it may as well be today.”
* * *
A horrible sense of déjà vu settled over Callan as he worked through the day at The Unbound Soul. It felt like he was back where he had started the day before Xander’s funeral: down a receptionist and barber. This time, he was also down a best friend, albeit temporarily while he was on honeymoon. Miles and Aaron were rushed off their feet, covering both Aidy and Jason’s clients as well as their own. Marek and Pearl were also comfortably busy, although Pearl was making a fuss about having to cover reception again. Callan was at a loss where to start in sorting things out. He wished Alicia were there.
“All right, son?”
Drew’s voice broke into his reverie.
“What are you doing here?”
“I spoke to Isobel. She told me what happened.”
“Did she tell you everything?”
Drew nodded. “Everything.” He patted his son on the shoulder. “Shall we go get a drink?”
“It’s too early for beer.”
“I meant a coffee. I spotted a shop in the arcade.”
Callan sighed. “Okay, you go ahead. I need to let the others know what’s going on.” He watched Drew walk away. He needed someone to talk to.
Books ’n’ Beans was busy, Drew had managed to find them a table. Callan ordered and headed over to him. He sat down opposite his father.
“What happened? You’ve never done anything like that before.”
So many things ran through Callan’s head that he wanted to say. Things about the past, his mother, his brother, Isobel. Losing Xander had hit him hard, and he didn’t know how he should react.
“I’ve never lost a brother before,” he said finally. “I guess I haven’t dealt with that yet.”
“Cal, no-one would expect you to simply move on from something like that. What happened between Xander and Isobel shouldn’t have. I told him he needed to be straight with you and tell you before you found out for yourself. Then you did and in the worst way possible.”
“You knew about them and you didn’t tell me?” The betrayal hit Callan like a sack of bricks. His head reeled from his father’s confession. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Xander promised me he was going to talk to you and come clean. I believed him. I was wrong.” Drew looked up at the waitress as she set their drinks down. “Thanks, love.”
Callan grabbed his coffee and took quick gulps, ignoring the fact the liquid was scalding the roof of his mouth. The fact his father had been complicit in Xander and Isobel’s deception was too much to take in. More than ever, he wanted to make things right with Alicia. If she was with him, he knew he would be stronger. He had to find a way to get through to her. If he talked to Nell, she could pass on a message.
“Why didn’t you tell me when you first found out?” Callan asked.
