“I see your head working overtime.” Cal tapped my forehead with his pointer finger and winked. “It’s only golf.”
“With a bunch of experts…”
Cal corrected me. “Former experts.”
I opted in for the morning, allowing myself my guilty pleasure. Callum. “Tomorrow will work in the morning. I need to be on set by lunchtime. And yes, Tina and Kevin will be in and out throughout the day to help with Chip. I won’t take him to the set tomorrow.”
I turned and caught Cal running a hand through his hair, his gray-peppered locks around his ears a little longer and, as usual, in need of a trim, and felt something unknown.
I was developing feelings for a man I couldn’t keep…
“But after I film tomorrow afternoon, I need to stop by a work event. It’s…” I ripped the bandage off and started to dive into my predicament.
Maybe it was to make a statement, to set boundaries, or whatever kind of stunt I was pulling.
He nodded and waited for me to finish, but I didn’t. Instead, I changed subjects again. “I thought we could go out tonight?” The car exited the freeway, and I was back to staring out the window.
“Is that what you want?”
The air in the car went from being infused with excitement to filling with something unknown. Maybe apprehension? Nerves? A tension that wasn’t typically there between us. “I thought going out would make you happy.” Right now I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to please or piss off Cal. One would hurt me and the other would pain him. Plus, where the hell were we going to go?
“Because you were just telling me now that you have a work commitment tomorrow? Is that why you want to make me happy?”
I hated how smart he was. Not only book smart, but he could read a room—or a car. There was no way to explain to Cal how it was a “be seen” type of Valentine’s event, where I couldn’t be seen with him or the press would go wild. My career, the movie, Ford—all needed me to go to the party, to be captured there. But no one said I couldn’t take a plus-one. That was all me. “It was a last-minute thing. I would prefer to stay in with you, tonight and tomorrow, but I have to make an appearance. I’m sorry.”
His hand blanketed mine, compassion buzzing in his eyes, and I had to stifle the feelings swirling in my belly. I did not deserve this level of empathy or caring…
“We will stay in tonight, and after coffee in the morning, play golf. No problem. Then, I’ll wait for you tomorrow. Sound good? I can take a bike out later in the day and be a tourist.”
Damn Cal, always figuring shit out. If he was upset, he didn’t show it.
I saw Frank give a tepid nod in the front seat and noted he was listening to my stumbling around the truth. And I felt like garbage. Something had to be done.
Callum
“Morning,” I whispered to Billy, who was tangled in the sheets but was sitting up to take the almond milk latte I was handing her. Her hair wild, a crease across her cheek—she never looked more gorgeous.
I didn’t make the latte; Glory was in the kitchen when I went out to the main area despite it being well before dawn.
“Did you know Glory was going to be out there when I slipped out of bed?” I asked, sliding next to Billy.
A smirk formed on her face. “Of course. She’s always here. I told you that. Who else would make my latte?” She hid her face behind the giant mug while taking a sip.
For some reason I’d thought she would have held back on Glory for one morning, but whatever. This was her life, and I was a small part of it. No reason for Billy to rearrange her lifestyle for me. “Good thing I put on pants. Would have scared the shit out of the poor woman. Her braids would’ve been flying in the air. Although a shirt would have been better.” Turning to face Billy, I felt a fissure run through my heart. I held it as something exciting when it should’ve been more of a warning.
Billy served her words with a wink. “Why? Everyone deserves a chance to see the hot doc.”
I took a slug of my coffee and set it on the nightstand. It didn’t escape me that I was in the bedroom of a movie star. Every inch was white and perfectly placed. I was pretty sure as soon as Billy left every morning, a cleaning crew turned over the whole room like a hotel.
I was as out of place in this perfectly scripted room as my overfilled cup of black coffee.
“Is that what you think of me? I’m nothing but a hot doc?” I found myself in a playful mood, despite my unfamiliar surroundings and our awkward car ride last night.
The takeout dinner was a precursor to a steamy reunion in the sheets, and my mood was not to be deterred. If I was honest, I hadn’t expected to go anywhere last night. In fact, I’d assumed we’d spend the weekend “in,” enjoying one another, so it was all fine with me.
“Nothing but a piece of meat.”
Her voice was soft and throaty yet playful, but I could see her brain churning. With the smallest furrow in her brow, I knew she was considering if we were more than bed friends. I certainly thought of us as more, but then quickly corrected myself—it wasn’t time to go out on a limb with this woman. Instead I said, “Do with me as you want,” and she did.
