“Tired?” he asked, grinning.
“Not really.”
“Want to play tourist today? Or do you have other plans? We could check out the clinics Seb and Omar recommended later.”
“We can do both. Tour the city now, look into clinics tonight. I have an appointment with Dr. Martínez tomorrow.”
“Perfect,” he said as they stepped into the elevator. “And how do you feel about the appointment?”
Alejandra leaned against the wall, exhaling. “Nervous. It scares me to say out loud what I’ve been thinking, and then not be able to process it.”
He stepped closer, his hand brushing against her cheek with a tenderness that nearly unraveled her.
“You know I’m here, right? Anytime you want to talk. About any of it.”
“I know…” she breathed. Then hesitated. “I have a question.”
“Ask.”
“It’s about the car accident.”
He nodded once, serious.
“After the accident, were you afraid of driving again? Or just getting into a car?”
He paused, thoughtful. “I was scared of everyone else driving around me. At first, I was totally paranoid, like, no one should’ve had a license except me,” he chuckled softly. “But the more I did it, the more the panic eased. Little by little.”
Alejandra nodded slowly, then whispered, her voice shaky, uncertain: “I’m scared I won’t be able to surf again. And not because of the shoulder. It’s what I feel… here.” She tapped her temple gently.
The elevator dinged before he could answer. They stepped out, and Callum pulled the keys from his pocket.
“I’m sure, Alejandra,” he said, his voice calm and confident. “You’ll surf again. The therapist will help. The clinics will help. Your family will help. And I’ll do everything I can to help you feel whole again.”
She looked up at him, his blue eyes so unwavering, so sure of her when she couldn’t be.
“You already are,” she whispered.
That smile—God, that smile—could light up a whole damn city. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, soft at first. But then he backed her up against the door, his arm braced beside her head, and the kiss turned wild, hot, all-consuming. Her fingers fisted in his shirt just as—
A pointed cough broke them apart. An elderly woman stood nearby, arms crossed, giving them a look that could wither steel.
“This is not the place for such things, Mister Evans,” she said sternly.
“Sorry, Miss Isabel,” Callum said with a sheepish grin, scooping up the dropped bag. “I just find this woman extremely irresistible.”
Alejandra could barely hold in her laughter. She gave the woman a wave, which was met with a narrowed glare. Once inside the flat, they looked at each other and burst into laughter.
How did Callum make her feel like she was fifteen again?
38
CALLUM
What A Man Gotta Do - Jonas Brother
Walking around London,hand in hand with Alejandra, acting like a couple, was something Callum had never expected, but he truly enjoyed it.
When he thought of her, sand and ocean were always the backdrop—sunlight, salt, something wild and untouchable—so seeing her wrapped in her coat, surrounded by the grey of London, felt surprisingly strange. And yet… heartwarming. She was there. With him. And it wasn’t a dream.
