Sometimes Moments (Sometimes Moments, #1)(19)

“Morning, Peyton,” he said sweetly before he placed a kiss on her cheek.

She felt Callum’s eyes on her, but she didn’t care. She knew what Graham was playing at. But she did, however, blush at him. If this was how Graham treated women, then they were lucky.

Callum let out a cough, interrupting them.

“Callum, I heard you were back in town. How are you?” Graham asked.

Peyton turned and met eyes with Callum. She couldn’t decipher the almost angry look in his eyes.

“I’m good, mate. How’s the farm?”

Their small talk just adds to the awkwardness of this morning.

“Good,” Graham said, placing an arm around Peyton’s waist. “Have you had breakfast, Callum? I’m just about to make us some. You’re welcome to join.”

Both Peyton and Callum flinched in surprise. Callum shifted uncomfortably in his place. Looking down, Peyton noticed that he was standing on the veranda rather than the doormat, and that made her smile for a moment.

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass. Listen, Peyton, could I talk to you for a moment?” Callum asked.

“Okay. I’ll get breakfast ready before I grab a shower,” Graham said. Then he squeezed her waist and left her alone with Callum.

“So, it’s you and lavender boy,” Callum said blankly. It was a nickname Callum had given Graham when they were kids. It was a nickname Peyton had never really liked.

“None of your business,” she stated firmly. Though there was nothing between Graham and her, Callum had no right to question it.

“You’re right. It isn’t.”

Peyton tucked her hair behind her ear and then crossed her arms, waiting for an explanation to his early morning visit. “Again, can I help you with something, Callum?” she asked with an irritated tone to her voice.

“Will you be at the hotel today? I stopped by yesterday but you weren’t there. Marissa called and sent over some drafts of the dance floor, some selections on silverware, and other ideas,” he said.

“Wait.” Peyton uncrossed her arms. “Why didn’t she just email them to me? Why is she going through you?” she asked, slightly offended.

“I almost lost them The Spencer-Dayle, so I owe it to them to make sure everything is ready. And Marissa wants constant updates and having Oscar up my ass will get her them. So, will you be at the hotel today?”

This time, it was Callum who folded his arms over his chest. She noticed that he was wearing a green, long-sleeved shirt. It was cool out, but she wasn’t sure if it really warranted a long top.

Peyton closed her eyes, knowing that what she said next would affect the next few weeks of her life. She would be working close with the man who had broken her heart and betrayed her trust.

“Yeah. I’ll be there at around eleven,” she answered.

Callum’s lips curved upwards. “Sure. I’ll see—”

“Peyton, where’d you put the bread?” Graham yelled, making Callum stop.

His smile faded. “I’ll see you at the hotel at eleven,” Callum said before she watched him walk down the steps towards the house across the road.

“See you then,” Peyton whispered to herself.

When Callum entered his house, Peyton closed her front door, her forehead pressing on the stained glass. She closed her eyes and reminded her heart to stop the achy throbs it was doing. It was business between them. But she couldn’t help but feel dejected by the events that had occurred over the past couple of days.

He’d said that he’d never let her fall in love with him, that love wasn’t on the table between them. The seventeen-year-old in her died inside. In a perfect world, Callum Reid wouldn’t have left her on that early Monday morning.

“He’s gone?” Graham’s voice had a layer of concern in it.

Peyton took a deep breath before she turned and smiled at him. He was still shirtless. “Quite the performance you gave there, Graham.”

Graham nodded with a victorious smile. “I could do a whole lot better. You tell me when I need to go another level and I’ll have you on a wall, kissing me.”

She burst out laughing.

“What? You don’t think we’d make him jealous if he saw us kissing?” Graham cocked a brow.

She chuckled at his confusion. “I don’t think we’d make him jealous, Graham. Not when he doesn’t care. This is all just for my forgiveness. He doesn’t want me. Now, did you actually make me breakfast or was that part of the performance, too?” Peyton took a step forward and gave him her best puppy-dog eyes.

His hands cradled her face. “Froot Loops are in a bowl, waiting for you, and your tea with lemon is there, too.” Then he kissed the top of her head.

“God, you are perfect! I’m going to marry you,” Peyton said once he let her go.

“You’d make me a really happy man, Peyton Spencer.”

“At least I’d make someone happy to be with me. We still on with that promise of ours?” She looked down at the promise ring on her left hand. A ring he’d given her a year after Callum had left town.

Graham took her left hand and bent down on one knee. “Peyton Spencer, do you still agree to marry me if we both go unwedded by the time we’re forty?”

She let out a laugh as the excitement twinkled in his blue eyes. Then she tilted her head and smiled at him. “You did put a ring on it…so I’m still kinda promised to be married to you.” He got up off his knee and wrapped his arms around her. The feeling of Graham’s solid and strong heartbeat against her ear was one that made her chest warm.