“Meet you back here in thirty?” Callum asked, reaching for his discarded underwear and pants.
Peyton’s eyes lingered below his waist. If she didn’t have to work, she’d jump him right then and there. Instead, she nodded and said, “Thirty.”
His arm brought her closer to him, and Peyton rested her head on Callum’s shoulder. Peeking up at him through her lashes, she saw him staring out at the lake. The sadness that swept his face had replaced the carefree one he’d had while they had been in bed. Something was always hanging over him. That same something had him guarded.
With a deep breath, she turned her gaze back out at the water. She would always love Daylesford. All her favourite memories had happened in various parts of town, especially the ones that were made within the walls of The Spencer-Dayle. Peyton looked over at the hotel. It was beautiful. She would do everything in her power to keep it standing.
“Graham messaged me this morning, Peyton. He said that Jay’s pub terminated their relationship with the hotel. He’s worried that Jay could affect the rest of the town.”
The blame could be heard in his voice, but all she did was nod against him.
“I still have Graham’s farm,” she said.
Callum was silent for a moment before he sighed. “You lost the pub’s business relationship because of me, didn’t you?”
Peyton sat up, lifted her legs from over the edge of the pier, and turned her body to face him. “It’s not your fault, Callum,” she tried to assure him.
His eyes gave her the attention she wanted. Reaching over, she took his hand in hers and pulled him to face her.
“It is not your fault,” she repeated.
His posture slouched. “No, it is. You would have never seen that notice of termination if I had just stayed away. God, Pey, I never wanted this to happen to you or the hotel.”
She smiled when he said Pey. Callum was becoming more comfortable around her. Squeezing his hand once, she grinned before she threaded her fingers with his, loving the feel of his touch. Peyton brought their joined hands to her lips and kissed the spot where their hands connected.
“The hotel will be okay,” she said.
“And what about you?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“And us?”
She stilled at his question. Then she turned his wrist over and stared at where he had marked his skin with her name. Sometime after he’d left, he’d cared enough to tattoo her name on him. It gave her hope, but when she met his eyes, she saw the goodbye in them.
“I’m not sure, Callum,” she answered truthfully.
“You can’t be unsure,” he said softly.
She gave him a tight smile. She didn’t know if they’d be okay when they got to goodbye. Deep down, she had been delusional and believed it would never catch them.
“Sure I can. Just like how grey isn’t sure what colour it should be. If it should be black or white. So, it decides to be unsure. It decides to be grey. I am grey. We are grey.”
She believed they weren’t sure how to get to goodbye. The moment they did, the future would blend with the past and the present. They had less than two weeks left.
Callum’s mouth pressed into a fine line. “That’s a beautiful way to mask our ending, Peyton Spencer.”
Letting go of his hand, she turned and let her legs dangle over the edge of the pier. She looked out at the lake, enjoying the purity in the image. “It gives me enough denial to make it to the ending, Callum Reid. I tell myself that we’ll be okay and part ways with a mutual understanding, but honestly, I’m not sure. There are no bright lights waiting for us at the end.”
Softly swinging her legs above the water, she kept her eyes on her lap. The sound of a camera shutter had her turning her head and Callum held the Polaroid in his hand.
“There are always bright lights waiting for you, Peyton. I know it.”
She looked at the photo as it started to develop. Seconds later, she saw that it was an image of the hotel. Callum handed it to her and she clutched it, knowing that, no matter what happened, she would always have The Spencer-Dayle and all the memories that had been created in it and around it.
“This is the brightest light that’s waiting for you. You don’t need any of them. You’re a survivor and you will be something great.”
Her heart throbbed at his belief. Peyton turned and saw the way that he looked at her. Love. It was love that filled his eyes. A love so beautiful and unattainable. A love she couldn’t keep.
“Want to go lie in the boats until I have to start work with Jenny?” she suggested once she stood up.
Callum chuckled and picked up the camera and the pictures they had taken on their way to the pier. “Like old times?”
She nodded her head. “Like old times.”