‘Don’t be. I’m so sorry for all of you. It must be so hard when you have to keep reminding him.’
‘It doesn’t get any easier,’ he acknowledges.
The afternoon sun emerges from behind the clouds.
‘Are you in a rush back?’ I look longingly out at the East Pier, the seagulls soaring overhead.
‘No.’ He slows the car.
He parks outside the library and we set off hand in hand, strolling the entire length of Scotsman’s Bay, pausing only to look in the amusements before heading on towards People’s Park. The hazy sunshine toasts our skin and the familiar scent of sun cream lingers in the air around us.
‘My older brother mostly raised us,’ Callum opens up as we walk.
‘I didn’t realise.’
‘Brian’s the polar opposite of me. He settled with his college girlfriend, became a teacher, got married, had a family. Brian’s life is so clean-cut, so straight forward. He has a knack of making everything look so simple. I’m sure all he had to do was hang his trousers on the end of his bed and Melissa was instantly impregnated. He doesn’t approve of me, no matter what I do.’ Callum’s pace slows as he stares thoughtfully at the powerful crashing waves of the Irish Sea.
‘Did you ever consider that maybe it’s himself he doesn’t approve of? It must be hard being the brother of a professional athlete. Even the best-natured people might find it hard to measure up. Often traits that we don’t like in a person are actually a reflection of something we see in ourselves.’
‘Ha. No. I think he resents me and Mark. Because Brian’s the oldest, we looked to him when Mam died. He was only thirteen himself.’ Callum seems to be having a moment, some sort of an epiphany.
‘So how are things between you both now?’ We take a seat on a nearby bench.
‘Funny you should mention it, but he always annoyed me about settling down. As you know, until recently, I had no intention. But I sought his advice after our kiss at the fundraiser. I didn’t know who else to ask. Since then we’ve developed a weird sort of understanding of each other.’
‘Well, I’m delighted I played a small part in it. When can I meet him?’ A fuzzy warmth tingles inside of me.
‘He’s dying to meet you. If all else fails, you’ll meet him at James’s wedding. Melissa, Brian’s wife, is actually Nadine’s second cousin.’
‘Only in Ireland.’ It was the truth of it.
‘What are we doing?’ His gaze exudes a warm intensity, one that hints at more than lust.
‘We’re having a walk on a sunny afternoon…’ I deliberately keep it light.
‘You know that’s not what I mean…’ He continues to stare at the ocean, as if the answers will be washed up in the tide.
‘Will I let you in on a little secret, Callum?’ I pause conspicuously. ‘Nobody in this world knows what they’re doing. And if they say they do, they’re lying.’
He takes his phone out of his pocket, opens the camera and wraps an arm territorially around me. He snaps a few different angles and opens his Instagram app.
His fingers hover over the ‘post now’ button. ‘Do you mind?’
‘Is this the modern-day equivalent of asking me to be your girlfriend? Or what do the Americans call it?’ I muse, knowing well they called it going exclusive.
‘As far as the rest of the world is concerned, you’re already my girlfriend. I’m just making it official. Is that ok?’
‘I suppose I can put up with it.’ My heart’s doing a hundred beats per minute. It’s only been a couple of weeks, yet he’s taking our relationship to the next level, a very public next level. His commitment is unexpected and exhilarating. I hope he continues to see in me whatever it was he didn’t find elsewhere before. I’m free-falling into an addictive relationship with this spirited, sensitive man, who I can now officially say is no longer one of Ireland’s most eligible bachelors.
He posts the picture on his social media and entitles it ‘The Mrs’ before switching his phone off and returning it to his back pocket.
‘I suggest you do the same,’ he advises. ‘Three hundred and twenty thousand followers can cause a lot of vibrations.’
On days like these, it’s easy to forget that Callum is one of the most famous sports heroes in the country. On days like these, he’s just human, vulnerable, lovable, and by some mad, unpredictable twist of fate, officially mine.
