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‘I’d like to see you try.’ Calum’s eyes flickered.
‘Let’s just go.’ She tugged Arran away, dragging him past Calum and Will, not looking at either of them.
‘What’s your problem?’ Arran grumbled, shaking her off and stalking down the track. She kept her gaze low. Tears welled.
‘I don’t want a fight.’
She’d made her choice and left with her brother – again. Their family was still together. She was still part of their unit and Calum was safe from their wrath, for a while anyway. But her heart was back at the trench, lying trampled in the mud.
Chapter 24
Calum
Calum picked up a rock and hurled it towards the sea. ‘Aargh!’ He clenched his fists. If Will wasn’t there with little Angus he would have fallen to his knees and roared.
‘Calum, what is going on?’ Will’s brow furrowed. ‘First the wedding, now this. You still haven’t explained why you walked out yesterday and went AWOL.’
‘Yes, I did. I told you I wasn’t feeling well.’
‘Oh, come on, Calum. You’re never ill.’
‘Just leave me alone.’ He didn’t turn around. How could he face him? For a few glorious weeks, love had filled his soul. He’d learned how to give and receive it. But he didn’t deserve it. He played second fiddle to Arran at school, now it was the same again. Rhona had made her choice.
‘I’m not going anywhere,’ Will said. ‘You wouldn’t have come on a walk with me if you’d really wanted to be alone. So, here I am.’
‘Walking is fine but I’m not in the mood for small talk.’
‘Ok then, instead of small talk, how about some big talk. Spit it out. Tell me what the hell’s going on.’
Calum put his finger to his lips. ‘Shh. Language in front of Angus.’
Will pulled a face. ‘He’s fast asleep. You can say what you want. He won’t wake up until we get home.’
The thumping rage in Calum’s head was receding but not enough. He rubbed his temple, trying to dispel it. ‘I just…’ he began but couldn’t go on. The ache in his heart expanded, engulfing him with pain. He gripped his temples and forced his breathing to remain even.
‘Calum.’ Will rested his hand on his shoulder and Calum screwed his eyes shut. ‘Arran’s a dick. He always was. I won’t ever forget what he did. At the time I was too shocked to make sense of it but now I know he’s not worth it.’
‘It isn’t him.’
‘Rhona then? What’s happened? Has she scuppered the dig or something?’
‘No. The dig’s finished and so are we.’
‘What do you mean? Were you and Rhona ever a thing?’
‘Uh-huh.’
Will shook his head, barely concealing a grin. ‘I had my suspicions. I saw the way you looked at each other.’
After working so hard at mastering his anger, he couldn’t mask his feelings for Rhona. Whenever he was with her his behaviour gave him away. Of course Will had seen it. They’d been friends for so long. ‘More fool me for trusting a Lamond.’
‘So, what happened. Were you seeing her?’
‘On her terms, or terms we agreed. I see it now.’ What a great gift hindsight was. ‘She was never going to choose me. It was fine when we were hushed up and she could hide me. I was her guilty secret. Just like Arran. He used to be my best friend until he got too cool, then he only spoke to me when no one else was about.’
‘How could I forget? Stupid prick. It was my fault you fell out in the first place.’
‘No, Will. It was his. I could take him pushing me around but I couldn’t stand back and let him hurt you anymore. It had gone too far. He hurt one too many people I cared about.’
