Turning the phone over, he pulled out the SIM card and threw both phone and card into the garbage. No more missed calls from Ben. No more threatening voicemail messages. No more looking over his shoulder. Once again, he was walking away from his old life.
He put his new phone down on the table and found himself staring at the shopping list his father had left on the fridge. The handwriting brought back memories, tugging at his heartstrings. He wished he were here, so much it hurt.
Why couldn’t he have made the decision to come home sooner?
Ally was pulling the yoga mat out of the hall cupboard when she heard a knock at the door. She checked her watch. Callum was early, not that it mattered. It wasn’t like she had any plans. Maggie had offered to come around but she wasn’t in the mood. After everything that had happened, she just felt like a quiet night in, by herself. Her head felt better though, so Callum was coming over so they could get the range-of-motion exercises out of the way before she settled in for the night.
She deposited the yoga mat on her lap and headed down the hall to answer the door. Much to her surprise, it was Jack, not Callum, who stood on her doorstep.
“Hi,” he smiled.
“Hi yourself.”
He waggled a DVD in one hand and a bag of popcorn in the other. “I hope I’m not being too presumptuous?”
Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t deny the wave of happiness that overcame her. All her misgivings from earlier seemed to vanish and she smiled back at him shyly.
“Not at all. Come in.”
“You sure I’m not interrupting anything?” he asked, indicating the yoga mat still on her lap.
Suddenly she remembered Callum. Anxiety destroyed the euphoria she had felt just moments before.
“No, nothing,” she lied, dropping the mat on the floor beside her with a tight smile. “Let’s go through to the living room. What’s the DVD?”
He smiled. “An old fave.”
“Sounds good. Make yourself at home, okay? I just have a quick phone call to make.”
She ushered him through to the living room, grabbing the phone on the way and disappearing into the kitchen with it. She kept one eye on him as she wheeled further into the kitchen, dialing Callum’s number with trembling fingers. The phone only rang twice before he answered.
“Hey, I just pulled up outside your house. Meet you at the door.”
“No, wait!” she hissed, heart racing. “Jack’s here!”
“I know, I’m looking at his car.”
“So can we put a pin in this tonight? Please?”
She heard him sigh and she cringed, glancing towards the living room.
“Come on, it’s only twenty minutes. Surely whatever you’re doing can wait that long?”
He didn’t sound happy.
“Please don’t do this to me,” she begged.
“I don’t have to tell you how important this is.”
“Callum!”
In response, she heard a click, then a knock at the door.
Damn it! She was not ready to give up yet. Gritting her teeth, she called out to Jack. “It’s okay, I got it!”
Speeding down the hallway, she reached up to yank open the door, ready with another tactic.
“Forget it,” Callum announced as soon as she opened the door. “Whatever you were going to say, just forget it. It’s twenty minutes out of your night – deal with it.”
“No,” she glared up at him. “I told you – not tonight!”
Callum winked at her. “As the actress said to the bishop.”
“I’m not kidding!” she hissed. “We’re watching a movie!”
“Hey.”
They both turned to see Jack standing in the living room doorway.
“Hey,” Callum said evenly. “I hear you’re watching a movie.”
“Something like that. Join us, if you want?” Jack offered.
Ally glared up at him and he turned his attention back to Jack. “What’s the movie?”
“Armageddon.”
“That’s a blast from the past,” Callum said. “I’ll give it some thought. I’m actually here to see Ally, we have something we need to do. Pass that mat over, will you?”
Jack picked up the yoga mat off the floor and offered it to him.
“Thanks.” Callum walked over to Ally’s bedroom door. “We’ll be about twenty minutes or so. You don’t mind waiting do you?”
Jack shook his head, as Ally flashed him an apologetic smile. All she could think about was punching Callum in the groin, which was conveniently at eye level.
“Won’t be long. There’s beer in the fridge, I think – help yourself,” Ally offered, cheeks burning as she followed Callum into her bedroom.
As soon as she had closed the door behind her, she whirled on Callum. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Settle down. You heard him, he doesn’t mind.”
“Are you even listening to me?”
Callum sighed dramatically and sat down on the edge of her bed. “Okay then, out with it. What’s this all about? Is it because he’s here?”
“Of course it is!” she blurted out, wishing immediately she could take it back.
“Why?”
Her blood pressure soared as she tried to control her racing heart. The thought of Jack walking in on them made her break out in a cold sweat.