Sometimes Moments (Sometimes Moments, #1)(70)

She could never trust Jay again. She’d believed in him. Believed he was a good person. Tonight revealed that he wasn’t. He was a selfish man full of pride. Realising that they’d never be friends again, she walked into Callum’s waiting arms and let his heartbeat distract her from her own stalling ones.

“Peyton.”

Jenny’s voice had her pulling away from Callum. She noticed Jenny covered in ash, and in her hand, she was holding something.

“It’s the only thing I could save. I couldn’t get farther. The flames and the smoke were too overwhelming. I’m sorry I couldn’t save some of your parents’ things.”

Peyton saw that it was the picture Callum had taken of the lake. And that’s when she burst into tears and hugged Jenny tight. “I would rather the hotel and everything in it burn to ash than lose you, Jenny. You shouldn’t have risked your life for the picture.”

Out of anything that could have been saved, Peyton was glad that Callum’s picture was it. The moment he had taken it, she’d known she was madly in love with him. It was a picture she’d always want, no matter how much pain he had caused her with his leaving.

Callum took the framed picture and said, “Thank you for saving this, Jenny. I appreciate it more than you could possibly know. I’m going to take Peyton home now. You go home to your husband. We’ll survey what’s left in the morning.”

Peyton let go of Jenny and wiped at her cheeks.

“There was no one inside during the fire. I’ll call those with bookings tomorrow morning and explain the situation. I’ll handle everything, Peyton. I’ll deal with the Reynolds’ wedding, too,” Jenny said, trying to reassure her.

“That’s okay, Jenny. I’ll speak to Oliver in the morning. Come on, Pey. I’ll get you home.” Callum’s hands entwined with hers, his thumb caressing hers. “Graham, you mind dropping us off at Peyton’s?”

“Yeah, I’ll take you both. Madilynne, do you want me to drop you off at home?” Graham asked, leading them to the ute.

Callum opened the car door for Peyton, and she got in the backseat. Then he clicked her seatbelt in place before he got into the backseat with the picture sitting in his lap.

Madilynne got in the front seat and said, “No. I’ll stay at yours for the rest of the night. I don’t want to hear what my dad says about tonight.”

Peyton watched Graham nod and adjust the rearview mirror so that his reflection met her eyes.

“You ‘right there, Peyton?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

Lie.

The only thing she could feel was Callum’s hand in hers.

“Okay,” he replied, no doubt seeing through her lie, and started up the car.

Peyton didn’t look back as the car reversed away from the burning hotel and towards her house.

I am helpless.

I am hopeless.

I am a failure.

I have nothing,

I am fading.

I am dying.





Peyton shivered at the cold air that touched her skin. She hugged the blanket tighter and reached out for Callum’s warm body. When she felt the cool mattress, Peyton sat up and rubbed her eyes, searching the room for him. She noticed the door open and his muffled voice trailing in from the lounge. Pulling the blanket aside, she swung her legs over the bed and stood up. Then she made her way out of her room and walked down the hall, but she stopped when she heard him speak.

“What do I do now, Oliver? How do I do this to her?”

The worried tone in Callum’s voice had Peyton pressing her hand on the wall to keep herself on her feet.

“I don’t want to say goodbye. I don’t want to leave her. It was hard the first time, but now… How do I do it now?”

Breathing failed her as her heart burned within her chest. He was discussing their ending. Hearing that he didn’t want to say goodbye broke her heart. She found the concept as difficult as he did.

“I love her, Oliver. I can’t do it to her. I can’t tell her the truth—not after tonight. I can’t do it,” Callum cried.

Peyton closed her eyes and let the tears roll down her face, hitting the nightdress she was wearing. She counted each slow beat of her heart. Time was catching up to them. Time would separate them. Time would end them.

But the truth was that Peyton didn’t want to hear the truth. Not when it meant that the ending had reached them. She didn’t want it. For, as long as she could prolong the truth, she’d still have him. So she’d stopped asking for the truth. She hadn’t asked why.

“I shouldn’t have come back. I should have just let her be here and hate me. Right now, I hate me. I want her to hate me. It would be easier. Her life would be easier. She’s lost everything because of me. I should have stayed in the city. I should have never suggested Daylesford for your wedding. I should have just let her live her life.”

Peyton pushed off the wall and walked into the lounge. The moment her eyes landed on him, she saw Callum holding the phone in one hand and the other covered his face.

“Stop saying I should hate you, because I don’t. Not in the slightest,” she said.

Callum moved his hand from his face and looked up at her. The defeated expression on his face made her heart ache. Dropping to her knees in front of him, her hands rest on his thigh. Then he leant forward, allowing his forehead to touch hers.