Page 54 of What Hurts Us

Shivers radiated from my shoulders down to my toes, and goosebumps sprung up across my skin.

“You’ll freeze in this thing.”

“I’ll be fine,” I stuttered. “Khale joonkeeps the main house really warm. Besides, it was hot today.”

It had been one of those “gotcha days” where summer was making its last stand, bringing us bright skies and eighty-degree weather.

“But it’s gonna cool off tonight.”

“Don’t worry about me, Cal—”

He was already draping a thick leather jacket over my shoulders. It was a stark contrast to the barely-there dress. The black biker jacket was warm, heavy, and smelled just like him. It enveloped me like a bear hug, pressing down on my shoulders as I wrapped my arms around my waist and stared hard at my toes.

“I will always worry about you.”

But why? I was a competent, responsible adult. I wasn’t really his fiancé. I wasn’t anything to him except a temporary roommate.

“You don’t have to worry about me,” I clipped as I turned, pushing past him to grab my shoes.

Callum caught my wrist. His hand encircled it like a shackle, tethering me to him. My body jerked back, but he stood steadfast. “You live in my house. In my town. I will worry about you, honey.”

And with that, he let go and walked down the stairs.

The ride to the Ballentine House Bed and Breakfast was quiet. Cal kept a one-hand grip on the steering wheel while his free hand rested on the console between us. I alternated between staring out the window and fidgeting with a zipper on Cal’s jacket.

Cars lined the street in front of the Ballentine House.Khale joonhad the front doors thrown open, welcoming anyone and everyone to celebrate with us.

And boy, did they turn out.

Cal and I hadn’t even made it inside before being accosted with well wishes and congratulations.

Bea Walker was the first to pounce with shrill excitement and nosey questions about our wedding plans. I reared back when she lunged for my hand.

“Thanks, Ms.Bea,” Cal said as he spread his hand across my lower back, stroking a calming pattern with his thumb. He seamlessly angled his body between hers and mine. “We should probably get in there and see my Gran and Ms. Sepideh before we make the rounds.” He punctuated it with a heart-stopping wink.

Before I knew it, he was lacing our fingers together and dragging me through the crowd. The fire marshal would have had a heart attack if he saw the crowd that was definitely over capacity, but he was too busy drooling over the buffet of pies Gran had made.

I followed Cal as we weaved through the melee. We dipped and bobbed around a cluster of busybodies from the Ladies Auxiliary. I swung my hip to the right, narrowly avoiding a s’mores station that I was determined to indulge in before we left. Somehow, we managed to steer clear of my mother, who was gesturing wildly with her hands while she talked to Estelle Gould.

Like a magician, Callum slipped out the back door to the rotunda off the side of the wraparound porch. A full plate of food and two champagne glasses were trapped in his hand.

“Alright,” I said, taking one of the glasses from him and downing it in a single swallow. “Show me your invisibility cloak. That was some seriously practiced avoidance.” I glanced back at the door. “Shouldn’t we tell your Gran we’re here?”

He grinned as he popped an hors d’oeuvre in his mouth—a small crostini topped with goat cheese, dried persimmons, and pistachios. “Don’t worry. Bea will spread the word, and there are so many people in there that everyone will think we’re visiting with everyone else. If this thing turns out right, we can hang out here for an hour or so, let the crowd dwindle, say a few hellos, then leave.”

I studied him with suspicion. “You seem like you’ve done this a time or two.”

He snickered as he stabbed a cracker into a smear of the pecan-crusted cheese ball. “You don’t live with Gran without learning how to survive town-wide parties.”

I stole the skewer of mini meatballs from his plate. “You know, one day, you’ll have to tell me about that.”

“Nothing to tell,” he clipped.

Before I could press him further, heavy footsteps thundered out onto the porch. Shane Hutchins popped his head out. “Figured I’d find y’all hiding from the Nosey Nellies.” He had made himself right at home at the buffet table, a mountain of appetizers and desserts teetering precariously on his plate.

Cal drained his champagne glass. “Come to congratulate us, Hutch?”

Shane snickered. “Sure, I guess getting engaged is cool and shit, but you know me. When your Gran drops by the station and says there’s a party with her food, I’m there.”

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