Page 69 of Legacy

Mouth agape, I stared after her, hoping I was having an out-of-body experience.

Fiona had just stood up for me. And probably outed my crush to the rest of the world, but seriously. What the hell?

The Ls sneered and walked away without another word, leaving their destruction in their wake, and nothing felt real.

I stared at a few of the town members who had sat in on this odd diatribe and realized that none of them looked happy to be there. Each gave me a pitying look or a confused one. Oh yes, this would make the Gazette. There would be no doubt. A Carter messing up? That was new to them. Because the Carters didn’t mess up.

But I’d sure as hell found a way.

I just shook my head, kissed my coffee goodbye, and moved past Callum. I would wake up soon, and this would be over. And I’d wonder what kind of sedative I had accidentally taken before bed.

As I moved down the street, Callum ran up beside me and grabbed my hand. I froze, closing my eyes, wanting this day to be over.

“Not now, Callum. I’m having one of those nightmares where I’m about to stand naked in front of the class to do my book report, and I didn’t practice.”

“And while that idea is intriguing, come watch a movie with me.”

I sighed and turned. “That’s what you’re going with? A movie.”

Though the idea of me naked in front of a class, where he’s in it, seemed intriguing to him. Or maybe the lack of a book report was the intriguing part.

“I have no idea what just happened, but you look like you’ve had a bad day, so let’s go watch a movie and eat ice cream.”

“Ice cream doesn’t solve everything.”

“That’s not what you said before.”

“Is it going to solve the fact that two women that I thought I trusted, who I went to college with, lived with, and hung out with for four years, just treated me like a weird hillbilly who doesn’t have any motivation and then lied about it? They were gossiping about me as if they knew me, and we clearly didn’t know each other. I have no idea what their motivations are other than the fact that they seemed bored. Oh, and is it going to fix the fact that they’re on their way to go see Bradley?”

Callum’s jaw tensed. “Excuse me?”

I held up my hand, knowing I’d probably said the wrong thing. “Never mind. How about do you think the ice cream’s going to fix the fact that the guy that I went on a half date with who tried to add me to his threesome was standing outside of the coffee shop with another date, trying to also treat me like shit? I’m really tired of random people who shouldn’t matter to me, kicking me for no good reason.”

“Little flower, we’re going to go watch that movie, and we’re going to go get ice cream. And I’m not taking no for an answer.”

“Callum, you don’t get to tell me what to do.”

And though we were out on the street, in full view of anyone who happened to be looking out, he took a step towards me, so close I could feel the heat of him, and he glared down at me.

He was just so big. And yet, I felt safe with him.

I was a masochist.

“Felicity. Breathe. They don’t matter.”

“I know they don’t. But I don’t need your pity.”

“I don’t feel pity when I look at you, Felicity.”

“And what do you feel?”

But he didn’t answer.

Chapter 11

Callum

If someone asked me what I was doing, I would tell them I was taking care of a friend. If somebody asked me to tell the truth, I wasn’t sure what I would say.