I am the only one who knows the truth about Gwen’s past and how deep-rooted her trauma is. It’s why I’m so protective of her. None of the others know what she’s dealt with. Things no young girl should have to face. I worry about her a lot because I see the damage it’s done. No amount of therapy can undo it, but her gran has tried everything to help her. I’ve encouraged Gwen to confide in the others, but she doesn’t like speaking about it, and I never want to push her past her comfort zone.
“It’s fine, Azzie. You don’t need to defend me, and I haven’t changed my mind. Even if I wanted Callan, which I don’t, it’s not like I’d stand a chance with someone like him. Especially not after the way he was looking at you.”
2
CALLAN
“Mum said you need to come downstairs. We’re leaving now,” my little sister, Erin, says, lingering in the open doorway of my bedroom.
“I’m not going,” I say, tossing a football into the air while lying on my bed.
“Get your arse down here now, Callan Hunt!” Ma hollers up the stairs. She must be a mind reader because she has an uncanny ability to always know what I’m thinking.
“It’ll be fun.” Erin jumps on my bed and throws her arms around me.
“Your idea of fun and mine are very different, Pixie.” I wind my fingers in her hair and playfully tug a few strands.
Erin shrieks, swatting my hand away and staring at me in outrage. “Don’t mess my hair!” She pouts, running her hands carefully over the riot of reddish-brown curls tumbling over her shoulders. “I need to make a good first impression.”
“I swear you’re ten going on seventy some days,” I tease as loud footsteps stomp up the creaky wooden stairs.
“The neighbors have a girl the same age as me, and I want her to be my friend.”
“Their older daughter is a senior too,” Mum says, materializing in my room. She’s wearing her “don’t piss me off” expression as she plants her hands on her shapely hips. “It would be good for you to make some friends who aren’t jocks.”
“Stop being so judgmental.” I toss my ball up into the air again. “The guys on my team are sound, and I don’t need any other mates.”
“It can’t hurt to make more friends.”
“I’m still not going.” Hugging the ball to my chest, I stab my mother with a challenging look. “I’m seventeen, and you can’t make me.”
“One hour,” she says. “You will come forone hourto be polite to our neighbors. If you want to leave after we’ve eaten, you can. That’s my final offer.”
“Hard pass.”
Her lips purse, and I recognize her battle stance, but before she can say anything else, Erin swings into action.
“Please, Cal. Please come.” She grabs my arms and peers at me with pleading eyes. “It’s our first Labor Day weekend in America, and I need my big brother. One hour isn’t much. Then you can come back and continue brooding.”
I mutter under my breath, already knowing I’m going to relent. Erin has this special power over me. I literally cannot say no to her, not ever. Dara is the same. We would both burn the world down for our little sister.
Ma’s lips twitch as she fights a smile. I wouldn’t put it past her to have planned this with her daughter. Those two regularly gang up on me.
“Fine,” I grumble. “I’ll come forone hour, but that’s it. I’m out of there then.”
“Good. You have ten minutes to make yourself presentable. I don’t want to be late.”
“I thought we needed to go now?”
Ma grins. “I know my son. I factored in negotiation time.”
“Funny. Not.” I cross my arms and scowl.
“You need to unpack, Callan,” she adds, glancing around my room and frowning at the boxes stacked high against the wall. “This move is final, and there is nothing else to be said on the subject.”
I glare at her. “This move is only temporary for me, and you know it. I’ll be leaving this shitty house and going home as soon as I graduate.”
“Callan, please.” Her tone softens, and pain fills her eyes as she walks toward me. Ma perches on the end of the bed. “Would it kill you to at least try? We won’t stop you from going back to Ireland when you finish school if that’s what you really want, but you could make an effort for the time you will be living here. If you embraced it, you’d be happier. Ryemont is such a beautiful place, love. Please just try.”
