Callie closed her eyes. She wasn’t sure how she felt after telling Max what she thought of him. The problem was, Lily wasn’t in love with Charles—she hadn’t been for years. Callie couldn’t say the same about Max. Oh, she wanted to hate him. She did in some ways. But his betrayal still cut deep. It was still fresh. In some ways, it was just yesterday.
“Callie?” Lily softly prompted.
Callie sighed. “Remember I told you I fell hard for someone and that he dumped me after taking what he wanted?”
Lily scowled. “Yes, I remember.”
“I met him when I was in Europe. His name was Max. He was… He was perfect. Or so I thought. He was handsome. Confident. Arrogant. He was strong and so dominant he made me shiver just being in the same room with him.”
Lily quietly got up and sat on the floor beside Callie. She lay down so they were side by side and reached over to take Callie’s hand.
“I fell so fast. He seemed so into me, so in tune with my needs. I gave him complete control in the bedroom,” she said quietly. “I felt so cherished. He took such good care of me. He told me he wanted us to be together. I thought he was the one. I mean, I almost called Mom to tell her I had met the man I was going to marry. I know that sounds horribly naive now. I cringe when I think of how stupid and foolish I was.”
Lily squeezed her hand. “Don’t. Don’t be ashamed because you gave him your heart.”
Callie squeezed back, her chest tightening at the comfort Lily gave without even realizing it. “We spent three wonderful weeks together. It was all such a blur. Italy, Greece, we explored so much. We spent every moment together and every night in his bed. It was like a fairy tale. I’ve never been happier.
“Then one day he said he’d gotten a phone call and he had to go back to the U.S. for an emergency. He didn’t give me details. He was in such a hurry to leave, but before he did, he told me to wait. That he’d be back in a few days, a week at the most. He’d come back and then we’d be together. He wanted me to enjoy the rest of my vacation.
“He never came back.”
Lily gripped Callie’s hand tighter. “I hate him.”
Callie laughed even as the sting of tears made her nose draw up. “You don’t hate anyone, Lily. Not even Charles, and if there was ever a reason to hate someone, he would be it.”
Lily sniffed. “I do so hate Max. He’s a bastard for hurting you. I think we should tell the guys so they can go beat him up. Seth could find him for you.”
“He’s here,” Callie whispered.
Lily sat up and looked down at Callie, her eyes wide. “Here? Where?”
“He came into the bar last night.”
Lily scowled ferociously and she looked so cute, Callie giggled despite the tension in the air.
“So he left you in Europe, never came back—did he call you?”
Callie shook her head. “I waited. I waited for an entire month. I canceled the rest of my trip to the other parts of Europe I was backpacking through because I wanted to be there where he asked me to wait. I spent every dime I had on the hotel because I was worried he’d come back and I wouldn’t be there. He never called. When I finally made myself face the fact that he wasn’t coming back and that he’d played me, I was devastated. I couldn’t even be that angry at him because I’d made it so disgustingly easy for him. I was furious with myself.”
“Oh no, Callie.” Tears shone in Lily’s eyes as she crossed her legs and gathered Callie’s hand in hers. “You can’t blame yourself because he was an asshole. What the hell did he want last night? He’s got a lot of nerve showing up here after what he did.”
Lily was vibrating with indignation and Callie wanted to sit up and squeeze the life out of her. It felt so good to have someone to confide in, someone to offer her unconditional support.
“I don’t know what he wants,” Callie admitted. “He said he wanted to talk. He didn’t ask. He just demanded. He’s used to getting what he wants. I decked him and told him to get lost.”
Lily’s hand flew to her mouth and her eyes shone with merriment. “You hit him? Really?”
Callie nodded.
Lily burst into laughter. “Oh my God, I wish I could have been there to see it!”
Then her laughter died and fury entered her gaze. “He didn’t hurt you, did he? Did he touch you in any way? I swear if he did, I’m going to have Seth arrest him. After Michael and Dillon beat the crap out of him.”
Callie chuckled. “You’re so bloodthirsty, Lily. I like it. No, he didn’t hurt me. Whatever he may have done to me emotionally, he’d never hurt me physically. He… He was always extremely careful not to hurt me. When we were together he was so…protective. He was so focused on me.”
Lily pulled at Callie’s arm until Callie sat up. Then Lily hugged her fiercely and Callie clung to her. “I’m so sorry, Callie. He doesn’t deserve you.”
Callie slowly pulled away. “No, he doesn’t deserve me. I deserve better than what he did. But it still hurts and I don’t know how to make that go away. I can’t handle seeing him. I thought I had pulled myself together. But then I saw him again and it all came back.”
Lily pulled her back into a hug and rocked back and forth. “I don’t know how to make it stop hurting. It’s not something you can just turn off. It takes time.”
“Lily? Callie? Is something wrong?”
Callie jerked her gaze to the door to see Seth standing there, a frown etched deep into his face. Lily squeezed her reassuringly and then turned to her husband.
“It’s girl stuff.”
Seth didn’t look impressed or put off by Lily’s explanation.
“What kind of girl stuff?”
“I just needed to talk to Lily,” Callie said. “I knew she’d make me feel better and she has.”
Seth wasn’t pleased by being blown off. He glared at both of them. Lily picked herself up off the floor and then reached down to help Callie.
“I’m willing to bet that Dillon has breakfast cooked which is why Seth came in here to begin with. Am I right?” Lily asked as she turned to her husband.
He gave a short nod.
Lily took Callie’s hand and then pulled her up to her side so she could wrap her arm around Callie’s waist.
“Then let’s go get something to eat. I’m starving and I bet you are too, Callie. You never eat well when you work the bar.”
Callie grinned at the fussy note she heard in Lily’s voice. It warmed her to her toes.
“Have I ever told you how good you did picking this one, big brother?” Callie asked as she and Lily walked past him.
“Don’t think I’m letting this drop,” Seth said in a terse voice. “I want to know what the hell is going on with you, Callie.”
Callie rolled her eyes and continued down the hall with Lily at her side.
Chapter Three
Lunch was uncomfortable despite Lily’s warm presence and reassuring manner. Callie’s three brothers stared holes through her until she felt taken apart piece by piece. It was all she could do to calmly eat her meal and pretend that her world hadn’t shifted on its axis the night before.
Midway through, Dillon sighed and put down his fork. “I think you should take tonight off, Callie. If I can’t find a bartender to cover for you, I’ll go in myself.”
“Okay.”
She instantly regretted her easy acquiescence. The agreement had slipped out born of her relief that she wouldn’t have to face a night when Max could very well show up again thinking to ambush her. Instead she should have made a show of arguing and then grudgingly relenting. Because now her brothers would be convinced that something was horribly wrong.