‘And the whole working for my aunt thing?’ he adds. ‘By the time I joined Kat Moretti at the end of last year, I’d spent years working my way up the career ladder. Of course it helped that she’s my aunt, I don’t deny that. But I actually think it makes me work harder, knowing how many other talented designers there are out there who could be doing this job. I want to prove myself even more. That’s why I stay late, work weekends, whatever it takes. I am incredibly grateful for this job and the opportunities it’s opened up to me. I wish you could see that, Moss.’
‘I …’ I begin before stumbling over my words.
He casts his gaze down to the floor and I have to physically fight the sudden impulse to wrap myself around him. Offer comfort. I need to keep a clear head, but my already frazzled brain is struggling to assimilate this brand-new information, let alone the way it’s making me feel.
Callum Bang is not the entitled dick I thought he was.
‘I …’ I try again.Words, don’t fail me now!
Callum’s now looking at me appraisingly.
‘I might have misjudged you a bit,’ I grind out.
Thelookon his face.
‘Sorry, I didn’t quite hear that.’ He cocks a hand around his ear.
‘Oh for God’s sake,’ I mutter. He might not be entitled but he’s definitely still annoying as hell. And let’s not forget his behaviour last Christmas. ‘I might have misjudged you a bit,’ I say it louder this time.
‘Huh. Imagine that.’ He beams. ‘Nina Moss might have misjudged me a bit. I feel all warm and glowy inside.’
I scowl in response.
‘I still haven’t had an apology,’ he adds.
‘Don’t push it.’
‘But I do feel like we’re making progress. Well done, you.’
‘That’s funny, because I feel like you’re a patronizing shit.’
Callum chews his lip, clearly enjoying this. ‘Now it seems like we’re falling back a step.’
‘Please be quiet now.’
We quarrel all the way to Singapore, pausing only to transfer onto our next flight and chat politely to Clio and drunk Brody, before recommencing the patter en route to Perth. I must admit there’s a strange sense of comfort in it and, at times, I find myself actively amused by Callum. He has a dry sense of humour not unlike my own and he is, admittedly, extremely engaging. At one point he tells me a story about how he was browsing bags of salad in the supermarket when an older woman asked for his thoughts on rocket versus lamb’s lettuce and then ended up telling him her life story. I could picture it happening. Heisthe type of person who you’d open up to in the vegetable aisle. Not that I’d admit that to him, obviously.
‘I must have one of those faces,’ he shrugs.
‘Punch-able?’ I offer cheerfully.
‘I was going with lovable but you do you, Moss.’
By the time we land in Perth, I am so tired I’d struggle to tell you my middle name or, indeed, spell it.
I can definitely tell you Callum’s though. By now I’m so well-practised at today that, as we trot through Perth airport and Callum’s passport falls loose, I reach to catch it before it lands on the floor. Even Callum looks impressed. I open it up to enjoy another shot of his man-bun era and this time, I clock his full name too.
Callum Aleksander Bang.
Hmm. I was hoping for something a little more tease-worthy.Annoyingly, Callum Aleksander Bang is quite a hot full name? It’s definitely giving Bond.
‘The name’s Bang. Callum Aleksander Bang,’ I say in my deepest voice.
It’s at this point that I realize Callum is looking down at me with a question mark written across his face. Probably because I’m standing right next to him and saying his full name aloud while doing a James Bond impression. It is a bit odd, I must admit.
‘Have you been drinking?’ he asks, taking the passport from me as he continues to march ahead of me through the airport.
‘It’s just the time difference,’ I call out confidently. ‘That and not getting any sleep over the past twenty-plus hours. And don’t even get me started on the time-looping!’
