Toni looked startled. ‘Why would I think that? Anyone that gorgeous can’t be too bad.’
Callum wasn’t sure he agreed with her logic but resisted saying anything. ‘If you met him you’d probably not be so immune to his personality.’
She laughed. ‘I should be so lucky.’
‘About what?’ Erin asked, walking over to the desk and waving for Callum to move. ‘Please look after Mrs Sloane for me, Toni.’ She smiled at her client. ‘I hope you have a wonderful anniversary and I’ll see you next month.’
‘Thank you, as always, Erin.’
Erin gave her another smile, then took Callum by the arm and led him to her small kitchen at the back of the salon. ‘What’s happened?’
‘Hello to you, too,’ he said, unsurprised that Erin had got straight to the point of his visit.
‘Never mind that. Why are you here? You never come and visit me at the salon.’
‘That’s a lie.’
She glared at him like she did when she was just about to punch him. Not that Callum expected his sister to do anything like that now they were grown-ups.
‘I wanted to warn you that Riley’s girlfriend has arrived and is trashing the cottage.’
‘Brooke Farrow is here? In Jersey?’
‘She is.’
Erin pulled a face. ‘Ahh. She’s upset then.’
He frowned, wondering why his sister seemed surprised. ‘I’d say that’s an understatement. Anyway, wouldn’t you be if your boyfriend had been photographed kissing another woman, and the photos were then published everywhere online?’
Erin stared at him with her mouth open for a couple of seconds before her face crumpled. He could tell she was trying hard to keep from crying. She peered around him to check they weren’t being listened to before quietly adding, ‘I promise you I had no idea he had a girlfriend, otherwise I never would have kissed him.’ She covered her eyes with one hand briefly before giving him a beseeching look. ‘I’ve never knowingly kissed someone else’s partner.’
Aware Erin was struggling, Callum pulled her into a hug. ‘I know,’ he whispered. ‘But it’s happened now and clearly there’s going to be fallout from this.’ It was a struggle to hide his irritation with Riley for getting his sister into such a nasty situation.
‘I suppose I’ll just have to grin and bear it, won’t I?’
Callum nodded. He decided not to add that from what he had seen of the damage to the cottage crockery, Brooke had a way to go yet before Riley or Tasha managed to appease her. Aware that he needed to tip Erin off in some way so she was prepared for any confrontation, he added, ‘You should be ready in case Brooke wants to meet you.’
Erin stepped back and looked up at him. ‘I never imagined I’d meet someone as glamorous as Brooke Farrow,’ she said miserably. Erin lowered her gaze and was obviously embarrassed by her involvement. ‘Is she very cross?’
He couldn’t lie. ‘She is, I’m afraid.’
Erin groaned. ‘I can’t blame her for that; I would be too.’
‘It didn’t mention your name in any of the articles I saw,’ he said, hoping to reassure Erin. ‘But I presume journalists will now be vying to try and be the first person to track you down.’
Her mouth dropped open and her face paled. For a moment Callum thought she might faint and wished he hadn’t been so blunt. He took her hand. ‘Sorry, that came out wrong.’
Erin gave him a doubtful look. ‘I can’t see how that information could be shared any other way really.’
He supposed she was right. ‘The point I’m trying to make is that I think you should keep away from the cottage, at least until Riley…’ He frowned. ‘Or Brooke come to the house to find you.’
She stared at him without speaking. ‘Maybe I should stay upstairs in my flat.’ Before Callum could respond she shook her head. ‘No. We’ve got the house for a week and I want to be with my family.’ She straightened her shoulders. ‘If Brooke wants to have it out with me, I’ll do the right thing and face her. It’s the least I owe her, don’t you think?’
Callum shrugged. ‘Maybe, but don’t forget you didn’t knowingly do anything wrong.’
‘That’s true. I thought they had broken up months ago.’ She sighed. ‘They say you shouldn’t believe everything you read in the papers.’ Her face lit up. ‘Maybe she won’t believe this?’
Callum winced. ‘I’m afraid she does believe it.’
