Colters' Daughter (Colters' Legacy #3)(15)

“The words. I want the words.”

She licked her lips nervously and then slowly nodded. “All right.”

Chapter Seven

Callie stumbled from Max’s hotel room, her mind and senses reeling. He hadn’t wanted her to go. He’d wanted her to stay with him. But she needed time to process what had just happened. And her parents were expecting her. Lunch tomorrow. She’d told them she’d be back tonight.She hadn’t invited Max. Maybe that hurt him. But she simply wasn’t ready to introduce him to her family. She first had to come to terms with and resolve herself to the abrupt change that was her relationship with Max.

How could she go from deeply wounded to suddenly happy? Her family would smell a rat a mile away. Then they’d want an explanation, and she wasn’t ready to spill what had transpired between her and Max.

They would be angry. Understandably so, and their relationship with Max would forever be tarnished by the fact he’d hurt her so badly. They wouldn’t forgive so easily.

She got into her SUV and drove. No direction. No clear destination. She circled the small town and pulled up to the bar. Dillon would be working tonight since he’d ordered her to take the night off. Which meant that Lily was home with only Michael and Seth.

She’d promised her mom she’d be back, but she couldn’t go yet. Not without talking to Lily. Her mind was about to explode and she needed to unload. Lily was the only person who knew the whole story.

She backed out of the parking lot and turned in the direction of Dillon’s cabin. It wasn’t a far drive from town, but it was down a winding private road that dead-ended at his house.

Her hands shook on the steering wheel, and she took her time, not trusting herself not to wind up in a ditch. When she finally pulled up to the cabin, she breathed a sigh of relief and shut off the engine.

Before she was fully out of her truck, Seth appeared on the front porch and leaned against one of the posts, his gaze sharp as he watched her get out.

She smiled or at least she thought she did. Her entire face felt frozen and her lips were still swollen from Max’s kisses.

“I thought you were staying with Mom and the dads tonight.”

“I was. I am. I had to meet a friend in town. I’d totally forgotten. I told Mom I’d be up later.”

The lie fell clumsily from her lips and she hated it. She never lied to her family. She never held anything back from them. Until now. Until Max.

Seth pushed off the post and held out his arms. She went into his embrace and hugged him tightly. As she pulled away, she glanced up at him. “What was that for?”

“You looked like you needed it.”

It was all she could do to hold the tears at bay. She bit her lip and tried to gather her scrambled senses.

“Is Lily busy? I wanted to see her.”

If he thought it was nuts that she was back to see Lily again, he didn’t comment.

“She’s never too busy to see you. She’s inside. Go on in.”

Callie pushed open the door, leaving Seth on the porch. Lily was on the couch, her feet in Michael’s lap while they watched a movie. When they looked up and saw Callie, Lily swung her feet to the floor and sat up.

“Callie! I thought you were up at your parents’. Is everything okay?”

Callie smiled. “I’m going later.” She glanced over at Michael who suddenly stood and took a step toward the door.

“I’m just going out to see if Seth needs any…help.”

Grateful that both her brothers had taken the hint, Callie plopped onto the couch beside Lily who was looking at her with deep concern in her eyes.

“It’s him, isn’t it?” Lily said in a low voice. “Max. He’s upset you again. I really think we should tell Seth so he can get rid of him.”

Callie leaned her head back against the couch and closed her eyes. “Oh Lord, Lily, I don’t know what to think.”

Lily scooted closer on the couch until her knee was touching Callie’s thigh. “What happened?”

Callie opened her eyes and turned her head in Lily’s direction. “I saw him after I left here this morning. Outside the grocery store. He insisted I see him. He wanted to talk. He threatened to show up at Mom and Dads’ if he had to.”

Lily’s mouth dropped open. “He can’t do that! He can’t get away with threatening you. I’d like to see him try to show up at your parents’ house. Your dads would kick his ass and if there was anything left, Seth, Michael and Dillon would finish the job.”

Callie held up her hand. “He wasn’t threatening, like menacing or anything. He wouldn’t hurt me. God, I’ve made him sound like a deranged stalker or something. It’s complicated. I told him I’d meet him at his hotel room after I dropped off Mom’s groceries. I made excuses to Mom and the dads about why I couldn’t stay for supper.”

“Oh Callie.” Lily’s mouth turned down into a sympathetic moue. “Tell me you didn’t go see him.”

“I did.”

“And?”

Callie sighed and rubbed a hand through her hair. God, she was tired and emotionally spent.

“He wants to get back together.”

“Over my dead body!” Lily said fiercely. “Did you tell him that ship had already sailed?”

Knowing Lily needed the entire sordid tale, Callie recounted everything Max had said in the hotel room. From start to finish. When she was done, Lily sat back, a pensive frown on her face.