He didn’t turn away or blink. He kept his gaze hard on her. “Promise me that you won’t let me kiss you? I can’t lose focus on why I’m here. And I can’t let anything happen between us. You can’t let me kiss you, okay?”
Her heart plunged, leaving a sick and tight knot in the pit of her stomach. No kissing. She shouldn’t be so disappointed. If anything, she should be relieved. She wouldn’t travel down that path, but deep down, she wanted to know what his lips felt like…for one last time.
Straightening her back, she gave him a firm nod and said, “Scout’s honour, Callum Reid,” before sticking up her pinkie.
His lips curved upwards, and then he entwined his pinkie with hers. “Scout’s honour, Peyton Spencer.”
They both laughed, acknowledging the time they were Cubs in Scouts Victoria. The only reason why she quit the Scouts was because she hadn’t liked one of the older Venturer girls—the one who’d dunked her in the mud pit of the obstacle course. Callum was the one who had pulled her out and quit Scouts the next day with her.
He gently pushed on her knees and stood up properly. When he took her hand and helped her up, Peyton tried to ignore the tingles that his touch ignited.
“What’s our plan today, Scout Peyton?” he asked and let go of her hand.
She was sure that he could feel the sweat of her hand. He made her nervous and uncomfortable. As discreetly as she could, she wiped her hand on her pyjama bottoms.
Then she let out a sigh and picked up the plate of untouched food. “I have to go check on the hotel and make sure the storm damage isn’t too bad.”
“Can I come with you?” he asked.
Peyton walked out of her room and into the kitchen. She was surprised when she saw that it was clean. From the noise he’d made, she’d been sure she would have been standing in the middle of a bombsite. The kitchen was immaculate, more so than when she had gone to bed. She set the plate on the counter and faced him.
“I’m just going to survey the hotel and then pick up some paperwork that I left behind. I have to get everything ready for when the staff return on Monday. Sure you want to come?” Peyton asked, reaching for an apple in the fruit bowl. She shined it against her tank top and took a big bite, staring at him.
“I’d love to,” he said. Then he winked.
Peyton rolled her eyes. “Well, I guess I can show you my plans for Oscar and Marissa’s wedding.”
“Sounds good. Meet you here in fifteen? I’ll just go back to my parents’ place and shower. That’s enough time for you?”
Peyton took another bite and shook her head, placing the apple on the bench. She raised three fingers of her left hand and formed an ‘O’ with her right.
“Thirty?”
She swallowed and nodded. “Thirty.”
Peyton hugged the towel as she opened her bedroom door. She hummed along to the song that played through the speakers of her phone. It was June’s song. One that had been Peyton’s favourite. She remembered June singing it by the lake, strumming her guitar. Peyton had been on her way to town when June had called her over. The moment she’d heard it, Peyton had felt like it had been written about her. But what heartbreaking song wasn’t?
She walked to her bed and stared at the Polaroids that sat on the covers. Then she picked up the picture of them sitting on the pier. Callum looked happy, and that’s what was so deceiving about him. He looked happy to be with her, but she wasn’t sure if he really had been. Staring at her former self, Peyton could see the differences from then and now. Seventeen-year-old Peyton had had a twinkle in her eye and a smile that twenty-one-year-old Peyton had forgotten how to make. The teenager had looked carefree and happy and…in love. Present Peyton didn’t know how to be any of those. Slowly, one by one, all of those things had disappeared. Death had become her.
What she missed most was the glow on her face. That was something she’d lacked since Callum had left.
After placing the Polaroid back down with the others, Peyton took a deep breath and walked to the wardrobe. When she set her fingers on the knob, she stared at the promise ring that Graham had given her. She knew deep down that it was a promise they’d break, but in that moment, she wanted the possibility of being someone’s future. But Peyton knew the truth; one woman would make Graham fall desperately in love. It was just a matter of time.
Turning around, she leant on the wooden wardrobe and looked at the diamond. It was beautiful. If she weren’t a backup plan, she’d love it more than she did. She lifted her left hand up and ran the thumb of her right hand over it. Then she stopped her movements and held her breath. She always knew the day would come when she’d take it off, but she hadn’t thought it would be for a long time to come. It was constantly in the back of her mind, but today, it felt right to do so.
A knock on the bedroom door didn’t distract her from the way the ring glittered in the light.
“Peyton, it’s been thirty minutes,” Callum said from the other side of the door.