Truly, they were words to live by.
Chapter Five
By the time I arrived at Euston at nearly nine on Monday evening, I’d talked myself in and out of my festive fake relationship a thousand times over, but when I saw Callum standing by the entrance to platform one, there was no turning back.
‘That’s him?’ Joel gasped on my left when he spotted the three of us and raised a hand in greeting.
‘Why’s he wearing all black?’ Desi asked on my other side. ‘Who does he think he is, James Bond?’
‘Black hides the blood stains better,’ I replied, waving back to my new boyfriend. ‘Can the two of you behave for one minute? I knew I shouldn’t have let you come.’
‘I wanted to look him in the eye before he takes you off for the ritual sacrifice,’ she said, her steely eyes locked on Callum. ‘He needs to know who he’s dealing with.’
‘A twenty-seven-year-old graphic designer from Kent?’
‘Who can’t even watchThe Vampires Diarieson her own because it’s too scary,’ added Joel.
‘I don’t like it when their faces go all veiny,’ she muttered right before I dug an elbow into her ribs. ‘OK, ow?’
‘Hi!’
I broke ranks from my friends, taking a large step forward as Callum strode towards us. He was exactly as handsome and as tall as I remembered, but his hair was more red than brown now it was completely dry, falling around his freshly shaven face. And when he saw me, I could’ve sworn I saw his eyes light up, a vibrant blue, shining like sapphires against the dull, dark shades of grey that made up London’s most depressing train station.
‘Right on time.’ He glanced at my escorts. ‘And you brought friends?’
‘Desi and Joel,’ I replied by way of introduction. ‘They’ve come to make sure you’re not a murderer.’
‘How would you know?’ Callum asked, eyes definitely sparkling. ‘Is there a test?’
‘Desi has a sixth sense.’ Joel extended an arm to shake his hand while Desi glowered at my side. ‘She always knows who’s going to get voted off onBake Off, as well. Seriously, I’ve made so much money off her predictions, she’s never wrong.’
Callum squinted at my friends. ‘You can bet onBake Off?’
‘You can bet on anything,’ Desi answered when he turned to shake her hand. ‘Bake Off,Strictly, how long it would take me to hunt you down and tear you to pieces if you hurt my friend.’
‘I’m not a murderer,’ he said, his smile tightening by a fraction.
‘Sounds like the kind of thing a murderer would say.’
‘Well, thanks for seeing me to the station,’ I said, clapping my hands together loudly. ‘You can both fuck off now.’
‘I’ve hidden AirTags in all her things,’ she went on, still gripping Callum’s hand like she was ready to tear it off. ‘And you don’t have to submit to a DNA test now but—’
‘That’s enough, Olivia Benson,’ I interrupted, pulling my backpack off her shoulder and hoisting it onto my own back. ‘I’ll be back on the twenty-sixth.’
‘With all her limbs intact,’ Callum promised. ‘Scout’s honour.’
‘Were you a scout?’ Desi asked.
He gave her a dazzling smile. ‘I don’t know, was I?’
‘He’s so hot,’ Joel whispered into my ear as I leaned in to hug him goodbye. ‘I take it all back, poke holes in those condoms, please have his baby. We need that DNA in our bloodline.’
‘Text us when you get there,’ Desi instructed loudly, still eyeing Callum over my shoulder. ‘And call me. A lot.’
‘I’ll make sure she sends you a daily selfie holding the morning newspaper,’ he promised, taking my suitcase from Joel. ‘Unless the two of you want to come with us? I’m sure my parents will make room.’
‘Enough,’ I declared, before they could take him up on the offer. ‘We have to go, don’t want to miss the train.’
