“Callum? What are you—” Lena’s voice sounds like someone is strangling it until finally it gives up and fades away.
Callum Porter treads onto the lush, cream and gold rug, not bothering to take off his shoes as he advances into the living room and drops the box on the coffee table in front of us, followed by a small set of keys. The scent of old cigarettes fills the room. “Sorry, love.”
Love? The endearment seems a little callous considering the whole he-dumped-her thing. Callum’s accent is thick. He sounds like a Bond villain. Kinda looks like one too.
His light brows crinkle as he scowls at me, then at Lena. “Did you two… Is this staged?”
Our wide eyes find each other, and I can sense the streak of panic ricocheting through her. It’s the same alarm that’s cropped up in me. The last thing we needed was her ex, of all people, to be the one to figure us out. How does he know we’re faking it anyway?
Lena sways from foot to foot. “Callum, we?—”
He holds up a tattooed hand, silencing her, his voice rife with accusation. “Did you tell me to return your things so you could prove to me you’ve moved on?”
Relief rushes over me.
“That was today?” she asks, picking up her phone and clicking on her calendar.
Callum gives her a look like he’s not buying it.
She frantically scrolls through her personal schedule. He’s making her nervous. In her own home. And I don’t like it. I stand, wrapping an arm around her waist. At first she’s so zeroed in on tapping around on her phone that I wonder if she even realizes I’m holding her. Seconds later, she glances up at me and relaxes into my side.
“Bit pathetic, don’t you agree?” he says flatly, twirling a silver keyring around his finger.
She pulls her eyes from mine, rolling them before they pin Callum to where he stands. Still, she doesn’t say anything. We all hover in silence, both of them sizing each other up. Examining them closer, Callum’s look is confident, like he’s won something. Smug, even. Despite my initial assessment, Lena’s gaze isn’t as stiff as I would expect her to give someone who cheated on her and riled her up enough to cause a reaction that required a visit from the fire department. There’s something soft in her eyes, like whatever stern, sassy gaze she’s going for has been overshadowed by a filter of tears. It makes me angry for her and a little disappointed that he still gets such an emotional rise out of her after what he did. I wish she looked as strong as I know she’s trying to be.
She takes a deep breath, tucking her phone away. “I’m sorry. I’ve been so busy this week I forgot to add it to my schedule.”
“Don’t you agree, though?” His voice is sharp as he commandeers the conversation as though Lena never opened her mouth. “It does seem a bit odd with the timing. With you in his lap when I walked in the door. But good for you. I’m happy to see you pulling yourself out of that sad, desperate place I last saw you in.”
He pushes his hands into his pockets, his eyes boring into Lena, who seems to have lost any fight she’d been trying to muster. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he’s enjoying this. He likes to see her squirm. I can’t help but wonder if this is whatshe had to deal with throughout all of her time with him. All those moments she thought they were happy together, he was talking to her like this and undressing other women behind her back. Lena can be difficult, but she doesn’t deserve this. And if there’s anything I’ve gathered from the last few minutes, Callum definitely never deserved her either.
Immediately, something ignites in me, and it takes every shred of restraint I have not to punch him. My jaw stiffens. I clench it once, then glance down at Lena, who’s still frozen, her head bobbing around my chest. She’s got a distant look in her eyes, one reminiscent of the day we were mobbed in that deli parking lot. Her meticulously curated composure is cracking, and I won’t let it.
I smooth my hand over the top of her soft hair. “Are you ready to go? We’re gonna be late.”
Her brows knit and unravel again. “Oh, yes. Yeah. Let me get my stuff.”
I step forward, attempting to block Lena from his scrutinizing gaze. “I’ll show Callum out.”
Callum holds up a hand. “No need. I’ve been here plenty.” He cranes his neck around, finding Lena again as he dangles the silver keyring in her direction. “I’ll leave your keys atop the box. If you have mine, I’ll take them now.”
She deflates, and I can’t help but feel embarrassed for wanting her while she so clearly is still stuck on him. If this is the kind of guy she goes for, I don’t know how to compete. I can’t stack up against a musician with an accent who is half my size.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll just grab them while I’m upstairs.” She disappears, leaving Callum and me alone.
I roll my shoulders back, letting my spine stiffen, my gaze harden. If he keeps talking to Lena in that condescending way, I'm gonna morph from a tight end into a defensive tackle real quick.
“Where are you two off to?” Callum’s accent grates against the last of my nerves.
I don’t blink. I don’t look away. “It’s a surprise.” He lets out a patronizing laugh, and my jaw tenses again. “It’s a bit ridiculous to think I’d tell you where we’re going when I haven’t even told her yet, don’t you agree?”
He rolls his eyes, shaking his stupid blonde man bun.
I take a step closer, letting myself tower over him.
The tiny man stands his ground. “I’ve heard about your escapades.”
“And I’ve heard about yours. Do your fans know you’re a cheater?”
