Sometimes Moments (41 page)

The moment she got home, she was too excited for sleep. She worked through the estimated quotes and made a list of all the things she had to prepare and the people she would have to call in the morning. She also would have to call June about next week’s album release party. She’d wanted the singer to stay, but June had insisted that she return to the city to make sure the record company agreed and the right promotions was done.

Peyton sat in bed as she stared at Callum’s blueprints for The Spencer. Her fingers ran across the way he had written her last name. It was all she had of him—a blueprint of her future. No matter how sad she was that she couldn’t be with him, she was thankful for their sometimes moments. They were the most beautiful description of the short amount of time they’d loved again. When she had thanked the stars earlier in the night, she had been thanking him, too, hoping that, wherever he was, he’d heard.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Peyton froze. She missed him so much that her heart had decided she would hear things. Shaking her head, she breathed out and began to relax in bed, looking over the newly designed hotel.

Tap. Tap.

Peyton held her breath as she turned to face her bedroom window.

Tap.

The final tap drew out the air from her lungs. Then suddenly, on her bedside table, her phone buzzed. Without taking her eyes off the window, she picked up her phone and answered it.

“Tell me it’s you outside my window,” she said into the speaker, reciting the words she had told him when she was seventeen.

There a long and slow silence that had her heart accelerating.

“It’s me, Pey. Go to the window,” Callum said, also repeating what he had said over four and a half years ago.

Peyton’s heart relaxed after two days of being twisted. She didn’t hang up as she pulled the covers off her and got out of bed. Then she quickly made her way to the curtains and pushed them back to see him on the other side with his phone to his ear.

“Thank God,” she breathed out before she threw her phone on the bed behind her and opened the window.

Callum put his phone in his pocket and looked up at her. “I couldn’t take it anymore. I can’t be without you, Peyton. I want to stay with you for as long as I can.”

Heavy tears flowed without care. Reaching out, she placed her hands on his cheeks and brought his lips to hers. Meeting, moulding, and mending.

“God, I’ve missed you,” she said against his mouth and between their kiss. When she drew back, she asked, “Are you really here right now?”

He nodded. “Yes. I knew I’d left behind my reason for living here in Daylesford. I couldn’t take it anymore.”

He hadn’t said that his stay would be forever, but she didn’t care. She should. But she didn’t. She wanted as much time as humanly possible with this man.

Peyton stroked his cheeks once. He felt real. His lips felt real. He was here with her again.

“Say it,” she said.

Callum broke into a beautiful and memorable smile. “I love you, Peyton. I can’t leave you again.”

Peyton kissed him full on the lips once before she said, “I love you, too, Callum. Now come to bed.”

She stepped away from the window and watched him climb through it as easily as he had done many times before. Once Callum had closed the window, she didn’t give him the chance to stand properly before she crashed her lips into his and her fingers were in his hair.

“I’ve missed you,” she mumbled over his lips as she made quick work of the thick jacket he was wearing.

Callum broke their kiss as he dropped the jacket on the floor and pulled his shirt over his head, letting it join his jacket. Callum’s naked chest was a sight that left her breathless. His tattoos made him more beautiful since she knew they were for her and about her. Callum stepped towards her when he stopped. The framed pictures of his words caught his attention.

“You kept your promise,” he pointed out as he slipped off his shoes. Then his hands were on her waist, pushing his body close to Peyton’s.

She grinned. “This is why Jenny wanted to save it?”

“She caught me writing it when I first gave you the frame. Guess she wanted you to see them. I’d meant it then the same way as I meant it a few days ago.”

She kissed him once before she took his hand in hers and led him to the bed. “Hold me tonight?” she asked.

It was his turn to kiss her once. “Until my very last breath,” he promised.

Her heart ached at those five words, but his mouth on hers had her forgetting the ache and feeling relieved to have him in her arms again. The life and fire in her had returned the moment he had.

A
lmost a week after Callum had returned to her, Peyton stood outside the remains of her hotel. On Monday, they would start the rebuild. Today was June’s rehearsal album release party. After a day of setting up the stage and making sure the wiring and electricity were working, they were ready. Those in the town were welcome to stop by to see June. Peyton didn’t hate the town or the people. She wanted to be happy with her life and held no grudge on those who had played their part in the demise of The Spencer-Dayle.

Peyton sat on the bench in front of the stage with a smile. The rehearsal concert was perfect. She knew her hotel wasn’t the most picturesque place to have a release party, but it was what June wanted. Turning around, she noticed Graham and Callum talking. They looked defeated and worried as they talked. She put it down to their exhaustion over making June’s album release at the hotel perfect. In the week since his return, Callum had spent a lot of time with Graham. And in that week, undeniable happiness had been shared with him. The hesitation had still been in his eyes as they’d made love, but she was going to help him move past it. They would find a way.

She watched them hug before she walked over to them both, curious of their interaction. Then they stopped immediately once she approached them and Callum gave her a smile that quickly faded

“Hey,” Peyton greeted, stopping in front of them. “What you guys talking about?”

Callum let out a soft groan, so soft that she’d almost missed it. But she didn’t miss the way he clenched his fist so tight that his knuckles turned white.

“Nothing,” he finally let out in a breathless whisper.

“I’m going to go help Madilynne with the food. I’ll give you guys some time together,” Graham said, excusing himself.

For a second, she caught a flash of sadness in Graham’s eyes as he walked past her.

“Peyton, do you want to go for a walk?” Callum asked.

She nodded. “Okay.”

He took her hand, his grip on her not as strong as it had been a few days ago, and the cool touch of his skin almost had her jumping. He raised their joined hands and kissed the back of hers as he led her towards the pier.

Callum’s fingers were loosening, and every once in a while, he’d stop and try to hold her hand more firmly. And when he did he gave her a smile. Once they reached the pier, they walked across it to the sight of the setting sun. The sky filled with oranges, purples and reds, just like his photograph. Then Callum leant on the wooden railing as he looked out at the horizon as a sad look consumed his face.

When he let go of her hand and looked back at her, the honest fear in his eyes frightened her.

“Peyton,” he said breathlessly.

“Yes?” she asked, not taking her eyes off of him.

“You’ve always deserved better than me.”

She shook her head to object. “That’s not—”

He stopped her by taking her hands in his. “We don’t have a lot of time left, my love. You still promise to live a good and happy life once I leave?”

He’s still leaving…

“No,” she confessed, her eyes tearing.

He sighed. “Please don’t cry, Peyton. It makes this so hard for me to say.”

“Then don’t say it. Please don’t say it.”

Tears ran down his face. They weren’t like the ones she had seen him shed before.

“I love you. Don’t you ever forget that. I love you so damn much. I’ve fought hard to try to hold on long enough to grow old with you. I’ve tried so hard to breathe enough to make tomorrow with you. I’m sorry I’m failing you, Peyton. I’m sorry we don’t have a tomorrow within us.” He struggled to take a deep breath. “I’ve been trying to tell you all week. I just…don’t know how to tell you.”

Peyton’s heart ached as tears continued to fall. “I don’t understand. You’re not making sense. We’ll figure out a way to be together. I swear we’ll be together. If I have to leave this town, I’ll do it. Please let me be with you!” she cried.

Callum let go of her hands and cupped her face. “It’s not me that’s stopping us. It’s the universe. All I want is a lifetime with you. I love you, Peyton. You are my forever, never just my sometimes.”

He kissed her, his lips not as strong and firm as before. They were soft and not quite making movement. And that’s when Callum let out a groan as his hands slipped. He almost fell on top of her, and Peyton had to hold him up.

“Callum!” she cried.

He shouted in pain as his body started to convulse. Peyton wasn’t strong enough to keep him on his feet, so they fell onto the pier, his body shaking violently in her arms.

“Callum! What do I do? Callum!” she screamed, her tears landing on his face.

She wrestled his weight to pull her phone out of her pocket, screaming his name as his body trembled.

“Stay with me, please,” she pleaded as she dialled triple zero.

Callum’s convulsion started to slow down until he breathed out, “Peyton.”

She held him tight. “Please don’t leave me. Please stay!”

“I—” he started to stay as his eyes slowly closed.

“No! No!” she shrieked as the operator answered.

“Peyton!” Graham’s voice screamed.

She raised her head to see Graham racing towards the pier as Peyton held Callum tightly, trying to stop his thrashing.

“Help me, Graham! Please help me!” she shouted from the top of her lungs. Then she looked back down at Callum as his hands trembled.

When Graham reached them, he took the phone from her and started talking into the speaker, Peyton unable to hear a word he said.

“Tell me you love me again,” she whispered as she stroked his face.

Callum’s shaky hand reached up and rested on top of hers. “I love you forever,” he said. Then his breathing became shallow.

“Just know you found redemption the moment you walked back into my life. I love you, Callum,” she sobbed.

“Peyton, the ambulance will be here in seconds,” Graham said.

Callum’s hand fell away from hers, landing against his body. His body relaxed in her arms, and she felt him inhale one last final breath before he breathed it out.

“No!” she cried and placed her hand over his chest.

No
heartbeat.

“No!” she cried again. “Come back to me.”

She wailed harder than she had ever before as her grasp on him tightened. Then she whimpered into the top of his head, her tears wetting his hair.

“I love you. Come back,” she begged softly. “Come back to me, Callum.”

Tears dragged themselves across her face as she looked at his pale face. She felt it. Every last Callum Reid breath experienced, she felt.