Chapter 41: False Hope

Naomi gave him a tight smile. "Uh... hi."

"Is something wrong?"

Yes.

His sudden personality transplant. She drew in a breath.

"Uh... I don’t have much time. I really have to get back home. I just needed to talk to you real quick, and it didn’t seem like something I should say on the phone."

"Is everything alright?" Callum asked.

"No! You have to stop!"

"I don’t follow."

"With the flowers and the calls..." Naomi waved one hand between them. "All of this."

His expression tightened slightly. "Naomi, come on. I’m trying here."

"That’s exactly the problem. You shouldn’t be trying. You really shouldn’t. It’s... it’s weird. All of this. Don’t you think so?"

"No."

Naomi frowned. "No?"

"No." Callum stepped closer. "I like you, Naomi."

"You like me?"

"Yes."

"You barely know me."

"I didn’t think I would like you." He exhaled and looked toward the street for a moment before turning back to her. "My father came up with the idea along with your uncle. I went along with it because..." He shrugged. "It made sense."

Naomi nodded slowly. That part she understood. The Sterling marriage had never started as some sweeping romance.

Richard needed money. Victor Sterling wanted whatever arrangement benefited his family. Callum needed a suitable wife.

And Naomi had apparently been placed on the table.

Callum continued. "But then I saw you and... I don’t know. Something changed. It hit me that I really do want to try with you."

There was enough sincerity in his voice that Naomi almost felt guilty. Then she remembered the first time they met and how much of a snub he was.

"Callum, I’m married now. And I intend to take it seriously."

"You said yourself it was a mistake and the situation is temporary."

Naomi’s brows pulled together. "I said that?"

"Yes."

She searched her memory. She probably had. Especially during those first days when everything had been absolute chaos.

Callum added, "Your uncle said the same thing. Look," he said, softening his tone. "I want to try. I’m not asking you to leave Heathcliffe tomorrow. I understand you have an arrangement. When this arrangement ends, then maybe we can get to know each other a little bit more. And see where it goes."

There was something reasonable about the way he said it. Maybe that was why she didn’t immediately argue.

"Will you stop with all the calls then? And the millions of messages?"

"It wasn’t millions."

"It felt like millions."

"I may have overdone it." Callum rubbed the back of his neck. "I shall behave less desperately."

Naomi nearly sagged with relief. "Thank you!"

Callum looked down at the items in his hand and held them to her. "I brought these for you."

"Callum..."

"Please. Just take them."

"I really don’t think—"

"Spare me some pride."

Naomi sighed. She reached out and took them. "Thank you."

Callum nodded. "You’re welcome." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "I’ll call you tomorrow?"

Naomi gave him a warning look. He corrected himself quickly.

"Once. Twice tops."

"Okay. I really have to go."

"Of course."

She turned and walked toward the Range Rover. She unlocked the vehicle, carefully put the flowers and gift bag inside, then climbed behind the wheel.

Callum remained standing at the curb until the Range Rover disappeared down the street. The pleasant expression vanished immediately. His jaw hardened. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

There had been nothing romantic about tonight. He had swallowed enough pride already. Acting like a lovesick idiot while Naomi looked at him like he was some irritating obligation she had already dismissed.

He was Callum Sterling. He did not chase women. Women usually made it embarrassingly easy for him. His father had told him to make an effort because the marriage to Naomi remained important.

Richard had assured them Dorian Heathcliffe was temporary. He scrolled through his contacts and selected Richard’s number. Richard answered quickly.

"I am done being insulted, do you understand me?" Callum paced toward the Bentley. "I refuse to moon over anyone. You either get her to behave or I swear I will get my father to make life extremely difficult for you." He ended the call without allowing Richard say a thing before moving to his waiting vehicle.

Naomi arrived home carrying enough things to qualify as a small moving company. A bouquet of roses was trapped beneath one arm, Callum’s gift bag dangled from her hand, her handbag was sliding dangerously down her shoulder, and she was balancing a fully packed dinner for two from the restaurant against her hip.

She only had one goal. Get to her room without seeing Dorian. The flowers and gift currently in her hands would complicate the visual. She looked like she’d returned from a date. She shifted the dinner container bag higher and headed for the elevator. She pressed the button.

The elevator rose. The doors slid open. Dorian was standing there. She nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Dorian!!!"

That sounded guilty.

"Hey..."

Dorian’s gaze moved downward. She swallowed.

"I..." She looked down at the bouquet. "I just wanted to put this in the trash." She lifted the roses as proof.

Dorian stared at them. I didn’t ask. The words almost came out but he stopped himself. Besides, he wasn’t interested in who had given her flowers. He didn’t care.

Not even slightly. The fact that she intended to throw them away certainly did not create a weird little burst of satisfaction in his chest.

He turned without saying anything. She watched him walk away.

"Okay..."

Had he heard her? He just disappeared down the hallway. She adjusted everything in her arms again.

Maybe that was it. Then Dorian returned carrying a bin. He walked toward her, placed the bin neatly against the wall beside her and stepped back.

"Oh... That’s efficient." Naomi looked at the roses.

They were really pretty. A tiny part of her felt guilty throwing them away simply because flowers had done nothing wrong.

But she wasn’t keeping flowers from Callum in Dorian’s house. She sighed and lowered the bouquet into the bin.

Naomi rearranged the dinner containers. "Okay. Good night."