“He’s loyal, caring, and true,” she said with a faint smile. “If the fight I heard about between the two of ye is true, then I reckon Callum will make amends.”
“I don’t know about that,” I whispered. All I wanted was to see him again, to explain myself, but after our heated exchange I wasn’t counting on seeing him any time soon.
Agnes reached over, squeezing my hand. “Trust me. He will come ‘round. Don’t be too hard on ‘im when he does. Make him work, but don’t torture him, aye?”
I frowned at her hopeful tone but nodded along. If I could pretend I believed in fairies, then I could suspend disbelief for this.
“Aye.” I gave her my best smile, and if she saw through it she didn’t so much as bat an eyelash. Instead, she pointed a flour-covered finger over my shoulder and said, “Now go fetch the pans so we can get these baking.”
And that had been that.
The entire afternoon flew by in a flurry of measuring ingredients, labeling orders for pick-up, and greeting customers, who seemed curious and relieved that I was still in town after my scene with Callum. I did my best not to let on that I was annoyed by their comments.
A blonde woman my age flashed me a smile. “He’s prickly, that one. Ye don’t pay him any mind.”
“Aye,” her friend agreed with a nod, “I’ve never seen ‘im in a good mood.”
“He’s in a good mood plenty,” I said, my voice stiff as I handed them their items.
The woman in front of me shook her head with a giggle. “I dinna think there is a woman alive who could put that bear in a good mood.”
They both tittered and opened their mouths to say more, but the bell above the door jingled, pulling our attention to the man striding in with the confident step I’d recognize anywhere.
The room seemed too small. I froze, one hand holding their change, as my eyes drank in the sight he cut walking toward me. His green eyes were bright and intense.
There wasn’t a thing capable of making him look away from me. I knew this because the women in front of me tried their best.
“Callum.” The blonde who had just been remarking on his bearlike behavior tossed her hair over her shoulder and gave him a dazzling smile. “How are ye?”
Callum nodded at her but didn’t look away as he came to a stop in front of me. “Fine,” he answered her, before he extended a hand to me. “Del, may I have a word?”
I swallowed hard, eyes sliding to the side. Agnes had been right, and that meant I was wrong, which also meant I had no idea what to do. I hadn’t prepared for this scenario. What I had done was anticipate a week filled with work at the bakery, followed by a New Year’s celebration in my new home. I hoped to meet new people, have fun and maybe indulge in a drink or two, and all of that had been woefully absent of Callum’s presence.
But now here he was, in front of me and asking me to have a word with me.
Callum cleared his throat. “Please, Del.”
My eyes snapped back to his at those two words. Two simple words that meant so much, said so much, I could hear the tenderness—the pleading in his voice—and I softened.
Maybe it wasn’t so bad that I didn’t have a plan as long as I was with him…
I gave him a quick nod and ignored the stunned looks on the women’s faces. They stared at him with open mouths and wide eyes, as if they had never heard a nice thing come out of his mouth, and I found that I didn’t much care for that, either.
They didn’t know him, even after all the years they’d lived near him.
I pulled my apron off and stepped around the corner toward him, eyes never leaving his as I came closer. “Agnes, I need to—”
“Go on then, shoo,” Agnes ordered, coming through the kitchen door as if she had been waiting with an ear pressed against it. I laughed at her pleased expression. She looked every bit the part of the cat who got the cream.
“It’s about time ye came ‘round,” she said with a pointed stare at Callum. He blew out an annoyed sigh and ran a hand over his face.
“Auntie…” he warned with a pinched look before he caught hold of my hand and pulled me with him. “We’ll be back in a few minutes,” he tossed over his shoulder, grabbing my coat from the hook by the door. “It’s cold out,” he said to my surprised look when he held it out for me.
“Thank you,” I murmured, ignoring the whispers the gesture had elicited from the women at the counter. Callum slipped his hand back in mine once I was bundled up. I might have objected, or even asked where we were going, but I was too overwhelmed by Callum’s sudden appearance and the way he held my hand.
My feet followed his lead, and a moment later we had left the bakery behind.
“Take all the time ye need!” Agnes called out with a cheery little wave as the door shut behind us. When we hit the sidewalk Callum continued forward, but this time he slipped his hand from mine to my elbow as he guided me along.
