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"Are you all right, love?" I ask. "Should I not have called?"
"No, it's fine. I overslept, that's all."
"Ah, I see. I hope Callum isn't causing you too much stress. He's a bit of a bear lately. That's actually why I rang you."
"Why?"
"Because of Callum."
Silence again. For several seconds Then Kate coughs in the way people do when they're uncomfortable. "What about Callum?"
"He's behaving strangely. I thought you, as his therapist, might have some idea why."
"No. Sorry. Can't help."
Kate is being terse, just like Callum. Next, she'll probably grunt and growl at me. They're both behaving strangely now, which suggests something happened between them. Could they have… No, Callum and Kate don't like each other, and he swore he has no interest in her other than as his therapist. Besides, he would've told me if he'd changed his mind about her. They must've had an argument.
"How about a picnic for lunch?" I ask. "Callum refuses to leave the apartment, so I'm in need of a new partner in crime."
"I don't know. That sounds romantic, and I've told—"
"No romance. Yes, I remember. You are depressingly celibate." Maybe I can change her mind about that. Kate is a lovely woman, and I honestly want to get to know her better. "I promise not to seduce you unless you beg me to do it."
She coughs and splutters as if she's choking on something. "Please stop saying things like that. No sex. Not interested."
"It was a joke, darling. Relax. I only want to share a meal and chat to you."
"Well…okay."
Bloody hell. I've never had so much trouble convincing a woman to spend time with me. It's like pulling an elephant's tooth.
I sit on this bench, alone, and wait for the woman who won't date me to arrive for our platonic picnic.
Kate turns up fifteen minutes later. I'd told her to park in the garage for the apartment building, so she appears from that direction. She is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, with her golden red hair hanging in loose curls around her face, and those green eyes glittering in the sunshine. Yes, the weather god of Scotland gave us actual sunshine today. It's a miracle.
The woman of my dreams halts alongside the bench, and her brows wrinkle. "Where's the picnic? Don't see any food."
"Bollocks. I knew I forgot something."
"Why don't we just go to a restaurant?"
"It's such a lovely day that I thought a picnic would be nice." I grimace. "But food is a requirement for a picnic, isn't it? I'm a ruddy moron."
"You seem distracted."
Iseem like that? She and Callum are the ones having focus issues today. Maybe it's contagious.
Kate glances at the river and hunches her shoulders. "How is Callum doing today?"
Her question stops me. It shouldn't. Kate is Callum's therapist, so for her to ask about him shouldn't feel odd. But it does. I wish I could put my finger on what about her question bothers me—and what about the way she and Callum are behaving bothers me. Am I blind to something that would be painfully obvious to everyone else?
Time to play detective.
"Why don't you come to the apartment?" I ask. "I'll make lunch for the three of us."
"Three?" Kate's eyes almost bulge, but she clears her throat and shakes off her surprise. "You mean Callum will be there. Not sure he wants to see me right now."
"Rough day at the office? I hope he isn't getting under your skin too much."
