I lifted my arm and manoeuvred him into a handshake. ‘We’re totally doing this.’
If the smile on Callum’s face was anything to go by, then I’d found a frivolous thing he wanted to. He used his grip on my hand to pull me to standing, then into the tightest hug.
‘I’ve missed this,’ I murmured into the side of his neck.
He hummed in agreement, his chest vibrating against mine. I knew it would wreck me to say goodbye to this beautiful man in two months’ time, but I didn’t pull back. I snuggled closer to his steady warmth.
I wouldn’t think about it. Or how my plan was royallywrecked. Wouldn’t think about how leaving Callum meant a fourth painful romantic car crash.
Future Aster could deal with all of that. Present Aster just wanted more of this closeness, no matter the cost.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CALLUM
How did Bonnie always know? Every time I was remotely happy, she found new ways to smash in and ruin it. Her Alpha superpower.
A week after Aster and I cleared the air, everything was so near to perfect I was almost scared to breathe. We’d regained the closeness we’d lost, we’d indulged in long hugs filled with nuzzling and hands roaming across backs, and we’d fallen back into our normal routine of TV watching and chatting about whatever popped into Aster’s head.
It was glorious—the gentle knowing of another person I’d never allowed myself to imagine—but apparently I was only allowed a week of joy before Bonnie grubbed her sticky fingers all over it.
It was petulant, staying away from the cabin all day despite the shrill tones of my phone chasing me across the mountains from where I’d left it in my bedroom. The song Bonnie picked for her ringtone was incredibly annoying. If I knew how to change it, I would. Maybe I’d ask Aster. Hecould probably record something new, a loop of him saying what a terrible sister I had.
I didn’t expect my avoidance to backfire so monumentally. Because while I steered clear of the cabin, Bonnie’s ringtone jangling in my ears for hours on end, I lost track of Aster.
The horrendous song cut off abruptly. ‘Bonnie, are you okay?’
I stood up from examining a kid, which she took as an opportunity to ram her head into my shin.
I didn’t have time to dwell on the pain. The bruises would fade quickly.
The thing I had to focus on—and stop as soon as possible—was my sister talking to Aster.
‘Ah, Aster. So lovely to hear your voice. I see you’ve taken up the mantle of functioning adult up in the mountains. A position that’s been vacant for quite some time.’
I started running towards the cabin. Hopefully Aster was in the bedroom, where he’d found my phone. Then he wouldn’t witness me careening across the hills at inhuman speed.
Bonnie was easy to read, even on a phone and from this distance. I’d kept her waiting for a long time and she was pissed. Which meant she was going to mess with me. I needed to get home before she said anything that would ruin the delicate new thing between me and Aster.
‘Sorry?’ he huffed, sounding equally as annoyed as my sister. ‘Is something wrong?’
‘What would be wrong?’ Bonnie countered. ‘Has my little brother done something untoward?’
‘What does untoward even mean? No, don’t answer that. Not important. What’s important is that I came hometo find one hundred and seven missed calls on Callum’s phone.’
Bonnie chuckled, and I pounded across the grass as fast as my legs could carry me. ‘Callum doesn’t answer unless I call multiple times.’
‘Multiple times?’ Aster spluttered. ‘Ten missed calls is multiple times. Fifteen, tops. Bonnie, you called over a hundred times. That’s the-apocalypse-is-coming territory. That’s floodwaters-have-submerged-the-village level of urgency.’
Bonnie tsked. ‘Stop being dramatic, Aster. Callum doesn’t pick up unless I keep calling.’
‘I can’t see why not,’ Aster said, sarcasm an inch thick. ‘Every interaction you guys have seems so damn healthy.’
I could practically hear Bonnie rolling her eyes. The cabin was in sight. If Aster kept her distracted, then she might not say anything too damaging before I got there.
‘I’m bored of this,’ Bonnie said. ‘How’s it going with my brother? Have you two made sweet love yet?’
How?How did she know the exact thing to say to bring maximum destruction and embarrassment to my life?
