Colton Family Bodyguard
highlight_author
Jennifer Morey
highlight_reads
19,0K
highlight_chapters
16
Experience the romance and adventure in The Coltons of Mustang Valley series! He's sworn off protecting women and children, but this latest case changes everything! Ever since tragedy struck years ago, bodyguard Callum Colton has avoided working with families. Yet when little Evie Hart becomes a witness to a kidnapping, Callum puts aside his fears to protect Evie and her mother, Hazel. That means moving in with the single mom and her adorable child β just temporarily, he insists. But can Callum keep the Harts safe while protecting his own heart?
Chapter 1
Why did every woman he met and thought might be the one always announce at the worst possible time that she wanted babies? Callum Colton walked along a street at the edge of Mustang Valley, Arizona, on a sunny, early spring day. He had just left his now ex-girlfriend, Cindy, in tears because heβd had to tell her he was never going to have any children. Heβd explained that to her at the beginning but she must have thought she could change his mind. Heβd had to remind her he meant what heβd said. In truth, he felt so rotten, ending the relationship like that. Sheβd told him she understood and held no animosity toward him, but she was obviously very hurt.
Callum stepped into Executive Protection Services, LLC still lamenting what had happened. What else could he have done? He would have hurt his ex-girlfriend more had he continued on with her. When Cindy sat him down for The Serious Talk, sheβd told him she wanted children and she wanted them with him. She loved him, and her biological clock ticked on and she felt she had to move now. That convinced him they werenβt right for each other. She had hoped he felt the same as her and that he would give her children. She hadnβt anticipated how unbending he was on the matter. And the truth was that he did not love her. They would have ended their relationship eventually, since she wanted a family. Why drag it out? He never had serious relationships with women he dated. How had she gotten the impression he would with her? He had told her as much. He almost shuddered as the door closed behind him and he walked through the entry with its vacant reception desk toward an office in the back.
He had enough going on without having to now feel guilty for hurting Cindy. He was still reeling from the news that his half brother, Ace, had been switched at birth and wasnβt really his biological sibling. Not by blood. Who would do such a thing and why? The why of it really twisted his mind. Charles, the owner, chief executive officer, president and whatever other titles a guy like him liked to have, looked up from behind his metal-and-glass desk. The lack of clutter and nearly bare walls pretty much described him. Focused. Nothing personal. Good business head. Thatβs why Callum had agreed to work for him. Callum had no liking for paperwork. Charles did.
βItβs about time you got here.β Charles stood and moved around his desk.
βI had to take care of something.β Cindyβs tear-damp cheeks flashed through his mind. Chaos had reigned recently in his life, ever since an email had made the rounds of his familyβs company, Colton Oil, saying that his oldest brother, Ace, was not a biological Colton. Since then, his father, Payne, had been shotβand now the cops even suspected Ace.
Charles stopped before him and cocked his head. βWell, that sounds like you. When you need to take care of something, nothing keeps you from doing itβnot even your boss.β
βI broke up with my girlfriend,β Callum said.
βAnother one? The hot blonde? Whatβs wrong with you?β
Callum put his hands up. βShe wanted kids.β
Charlesβs brow creased a little. βWhat is it with you and kids? Theyβre harmless and adorable. Who wouldnβt want them?β
βNot me.β
βWhy not? They can be challenging sometimes but the rewards far outweigh that.β
Charles had two young kids. He had a wife and a nice house. A real family man. βWhy did you call me here?β Callum asked in irritation.
After considering him awhile, Charles said, βYou never talk about anything, do you realize that?β
Callum angled his head in silent warning.
βKeeping things bottled up is unhealthy. I worry about you.β
Callum said nothing and continued to look at him.
βWhy do you think I called you here?β Charles asked.
Callum had a pretty good idea why. And he also thought this was going to be a waste of time. βI got the job done and the client is alive.β Heβd done a job as a bodyguard for an executive who had a stalker.
βIβm not telling you to change your ways.β Charles scoffed. βI couldnβt anyway. But for the welfare of this company, I am telling you to be more careful. I almost couldnβt convince the police you didnβt break the law.β
The stalker had gotten too close to his delicate female client and Callum had given him a clear...message. Someone must have called 911 because the police had arrived after Callum and his client left.
βYou were lucky the stalker was wanted for sexual assault on another woman. If they hadnβt been able to arrest him, they probably wouldnβt have let you go with just a warning,β his boss said.
Callum walked over to the window and passively watched cars go by and a man walking his dog on the sidewalk.
βSeriously, Callum, you canβt make up your own rules as you go.β
Why was Charles rambling on so long about that? Hopefully Callum had knocked some sense into him. Charles was just uncomfortable about employing a man who wasnβt afraid to cross boundaries.
βIβll be careful, Charles,β Callum said.
βWhy does that sound so half-baked?β
Callum glanced back with a rueful grin. βBecause it is. Stop worrying so much. Youβre not the one who would have been arrested, and protecting our clients wonβt damage our reputation. If anything, it will get us more business.β
βYou canβt protect anyone if youβre in jail.β
Turning back to the window, Callum said, βI didnβt cross the line. We advertise elite services, donβt we?β The view distracted him a moment. Charles had rented an office in an attractive one-story mall with a restaurant and a gas station beside the parking lot. The back of the building faced a quiet, tree-lined road. Across the street an upscale subdivision sprawled.
βOkay, but just donβt get caught.β
βI knew that stalker was wanted for assault. I found out two days ago.β
βYou still could have been arrested, Callum. Even criminals have rights.β
βIβll keep that in mind.β Or not. Callumβs first priority was protecting his clients. He had a strong conviction about that. Victims didnβt deserve to be forced into being victims. The menace that threatened them was a cancer that had to be carved out and stopped. Thatβs what had led him to a career as a bodyguard, and back home to support his family in a time of crisis.
βIt turns out thatβs not the only reason I asked you to stop by. Iβve got another case for you. Ever hear of the country singer Blake Reynolds?β
βNo.β Callum liked country but didnβt pay attention to the artistsβ names.
Outside, a black Mercedes SUVβone of the more economical versionsβpulled to a stop on the side of the street. Callum caught sight of a woman with long dark hair in the driverβs seat. She had a fantastic profile. At the same time, a car stopped on the side of the street about two houses down.
Callum listened to Charles explain the new case while he turned back to the woman, who climbed out of the SUV and opened the back door. She worked to free a little girl from a car seat. Normally this was when he would have turned away from the sight of a mother and her child, but something about the woman made him keep watchingβand stop listening to Charles. Maybe it was that tight body in those dressy black pants, or the curve of that slender waist, or the way her those perfectly shaped breasts strained against the white blouse.
She lifted the girl from the seat and lowered her to the ground. Holding a stuffed Cookie Monster in one arm, the child looked up at her mother and said something, to which the woman shook her head. The little girl didnβt appear to like the answer, an adorable pout forming beneath scrunching eyebrows, and she hugged the stuffed toy against the white top of a cute flaring black skirt. He felt an automatic pang at the adorable mother-daughter duo.
The mother went to the back of the Mercedes and lifted the hatch. Callum got a really nice view of her frame as she leaned in and retrieved two recyclable grocery bags. Setting those on the pavement, she reached in again and handed a plastic container to the little girl, who still frowned and continued to argue with her mother.
The beautiful woman crouched before her, her facial features striking him to the core. She spoke to the girl, whose frown finally smoothed.
Standing, the woman closed the hatch and lifted the bags, talking with the young girl. The child walked with short, clumsy steps beside her mother up the driveway to the front door of a house. When they disappeared inside, Callum realized how immersed heβd become in watching the woman and child. His stomach fell.
Then he looked down the street and saw the car that had pulled over was still there, with someone sitting in the driverβs seat. A man. He appeared to be watching the womanβs house, though he was too far away to get a good look inside. Out of habit, Callum checked the license plate but it was too far away to make out.
Charles appeared beside him, looking from the house across the street to him. βHave you heard a single word Iβve said?β
βSorry, no.β Callum turned away from the window.
βThe singer had a girlfriend whoβs gone off the deep end. Heβs afraid sheβll go after him.β
βAnother one of those cases?β Only this time it would be a man he protected.
βThey were together for six months and she started to get too clingy, so he ended it. He said he noticed other things, too, like catching her in lies. She told her friends they were getting married. She also told him she was pregnant but she wasnβt. He made her do a test and it was negative. When he asked why she lied, she said she was afraid she was going to lose him.β
βDoes he have any kids?β Callum asked.
βNo. Youβve made it perfectly clear you donβt want those kinds of casesβwhich you still havenβt told me why.β Charles looked out the window again. βI meant what I said about keeping things bottled up, Callum.β
βWhen do I go?β He didnβt like talking about why he never took mother-child cases. Charles tried to get him to every once in a while and Callum believed that Charles was concerned about him. He had become a good friend, aside from being Callumβs boss.
βHeβs local. Thatβs how he heard of you.β
βMe?β
βYeah. He asked for you by name. Youβll be working with his usual security team.β
βHe doesnβt think his own team will be enough?β What kind of woman had this new client broken up with?
Charles walked back to his desk and picked up a folder. βI printed these out for you. I also emailed them. Youβll understand more after you read it. Heβs out of the country right now, but asked if you could stay at his place next month.β
Callum took the file. βThanks.β Charles knew he liked studying cases on paper more than on a screen. Some things were still better offline, like holding a book instead of a tablet.
βAny news on your father?β Charles asked.
βHeβs still in a coma. Iβm heading over to the hospital after I go see my brother.β Payne Colton had been shot after receiving a bizarre email containing the shocking news about Ace. He didnβt say which brother he was going to see, since Ace was still a suspect in Payneβs shooting. When Callum and his twin sisterβcurrent Colton Oil CEO Marloweβhad visited Mustang Valley General Hospital last month, they were told that a fire broke out the morning of Aceβs birth and destroyed all records.
With one more look out the window that told him the car and the man were still there, Callum bade Charles farewell and left the building. But he couldnβt stop thinking about that parent and child. He couldnβt explain why he needed to make sure she was all right. A sixth sense told him something was off about the stranger in the car. Even though he had sworn off guarding families, he couldnβt ignore this. Heβd make sure the woman and her daughter were okay and then heβd be on his way.
Hazel Hart took her now-cheerful daughterβs hand and walked with her toward the SUV. Earlier Evie had fussed about being told she could not go for ice cream today. Hazelβs schedule was far too busy. But Evie liked passing out cookies to Hazelβs clients. Hazel had told her five-year-old she could sample one with them. That had taken care of the ice cream tantrum.
Hazel glanced around. The street was quiet. This area of town didnβt get much traffic. On the edge of Mustang Valley, there was a lot of new development and not much commercial business. The back of the strip mall across the street hid most of the activity there, though landscaping along the sidewalk made it more palatable for residents. The client sheβd just left enjoyed the convenience of Hazelβs home deliveries, especially since she had been taken ill with breast cancer. The woman was going to be all right, but had hired Hazel to provide her meals while she recovered. The woman had family but they all lived out of state and she didnβt like the food her neighbors prepared.
Hazel had left her job at an upscale restaurant several months ago to go off on her own as a personal chef. She preferred the independence and not having to work under someone elseβs thumb. Plus, she could always be with Evie, which was her most favorite thing in the world.
Reaching the SUV, Hazel unlocked it and had her hand on the back seat door handle when Evie said, βMommy, what is that man doing?β
Hazel looked in the direction Evie pointed and saw a man in a blue sedan, wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap.
βWhy did he hit that man over the head with a rock and put him in the car?β
Hazel turned sharply to Evie. βWhat?β She looked around and didnβt see anything.
Evie pointed. βThat man put another man in the trunk, Mommy.β
Hazel felt a wave of apprehension sweep through her as she stared at the sedan. If the driver had struck a man unconscious and put him into the trunk, he could not have any good intentions. He started pulling out into the street way too quickly for Hazelβs comfort.
Hazel memorized the license plate as the man began driving along the street, right toward them.
Reaching for Evieβs hand, she went to pull her daughter onto the sidewalk. Evie dropped her Cookie Monster and bent to pick it up. Horror flared up in Hazel. She glanced up and saw the car was almost on them! Theyβd be run over!
βEvieββ Just then someone swooped Evie up and grabbed Hazelβs hand, yanking her backward.
The stranger in the sedan continued to race for them. Hazel screamed, as did Evie, as a man hauled them behind her Mercedes and up onto the sidewalk. The other car whizzed past, taking out her Mercedesβ driver-side mirror.
βAre you all right?β
Hazel pulled her hand from the manβs, heart flying and struggling to catch her breath. A car had just tried to mow them down! The sound of the Mercedes mirror being torn off kept echoing in her mind.
She reached for a crying Evie. The heroic man handed her daughter over and Hazel held her tightly. βItβs okay, baby. Weβre all right.β She looked at the man as she answered his question.
Hazel checked up the street and saw no sign of the driver. Then she turned back to her hero. βThank you.β
He took out his phone and called 911.
Her adrenaline began to abate as Evieβs crying softened. Smoothing the few tendrils of brunette hair that had fallen free from the two ponytails sticking out from the sides of Evieβs head, she wiped her daughterβs cheeks.
Looking over the childβs shoulder, she saw the man as more than her rescuer. His reddish-blond hair was slightly wavy and he had strong facial features. He wore dark slacks with black leather loafers that had thick soles, and between the lapels of his black jacket she could see he had on a white shirt with the first two buttons undone. He finished telling the operator where they were and disconnected. Towering above her, he was probably six-three and had an athletic build.
βIβm Callum Colton,β the handsome man said.
βHazel Hart, and this is Evie, short for Evelyn.β
Evie turned her head, still pouting, and looked at Callum.
βHi, Evie. Are you okay?β Callum asked.
Evie nodded.
βThatβs an awfully cute stuffed monster you have there,β he said.
βHer name is Cookie,β Evie said, brightening.
He chuckled and glanced at Hazel, who became transfixed by his smile. βThatβs appropriate.β
Well, whether he was a kid person or not, his tactics worked. Ever since Ed ran out on her after hearing she was pregnant, Hazel always wondered whether or not a man who caught her eyes liked children.
βI think Evie saw something,β Hazel said. βShe said a man hit another one over the head with a rock and put him into the trunk.β
The faint sound of sirens joined the gentle hum of distant town movements. Hazel put Evie down and held her hand, needing to have contact with her. Having nearly been run down by a car had rattled them both. To think Evie could have been hurt, or worse...
βDid you see him, too?β Callum asked.
She shook her head. βHe was in the car already when I saw him. I didnβt get a good look at him. I did get the plate number, though.β
βThatβs great.β Then he asked Evie, βCan you describe the man?β
The little girl nodded. βMm-hmm. He looked really mad.β
βMad?β Hazel asked, prompting her to elaborate.
Evie crowded her tiny eyebrows over eyes that were greener than her motherβs. βYeah.β Evie nodded. βHe looked like the man at the mall, Mommy.β
Hazel met her daughterβs round, innocent eyes, heart melting as usual at Evieβs adorableness and also searching for the memory. Then she recalled a homeless man they had encountered at the edge of the parking lot. He had been dressed in heavy clothing and had a beard, a dark beard.
βWas the man you saw as hairy as the man in the parking lot earlier?β Hazel asked.
βNo, he was not skinny. And no hair on his face.β
The homeless man had been slim and had a beard. βThe man she saw was average in height and weight,β Hazel said.
The sirens were now a blaring howl and seconds later, fire trucks, police cars and ambulances converged upon them.
βI hope this doesnβt take long.β Hazel had to prepare meals for tomorrowβs deliveries.
βYou witnessed a crime,β Callum said. βThe man got away. What if he comes after you again? We need to catch this guy.β
Hazel hadnβt considered that. Police approached and, filled with intensifying apprehension, she had to turn away from Callumβs unmistakable concern. Her meals could wait. She could get up early tomorrow and prepare them.
A woman in a tan blazer approached, her strides graceful, auburn hair flowing.
βKerry,β Callum greeted her. βGood to see you again.β
βCallum, what are you doing here?β Kerryβs blue eyes were direct and exuded confidence.
βMy office is across the street. I saw a man in a car and thought it was suspicious.β
He had? Hazel looked across the street at the one-story strip mall. One of the spaces must be where Callum worked.
βThis is Hazel and Evie Hart,β Callum said. βThis is Detective Kerry Wilder. Sheβs also my brother Rafeβs fiancΓ©e.β
Hazel shook the pretty womanβs hand.
βEvie here saw the man when he got out of the car,β Callum said.
βYou did?β Kerry asked in a lighthearted tone, crouching before the girl. βWhat did you see?β
Evie huddled closer to Hazelβs leg, bringing Cookie up to her face. She got bashful sometimes.
βShe saw the driver of the car hit another man on the head and put him in the trunk,β Hazel answered for her daughter.
Kerry straightened and began writing on a small notepad.
The detective with Kerry went to take photos of Hazelβs broken mirror while Hazel described the man who had almost run them down. Then she gave the detective his plate number.
βAll right. Weβre going to talk to neighbors and tenants of the commercial building to see if there are any other witnesses,β Kerry said. βWhy donβt you stop by the station later so we can have a sketch artist draw the man you saw?β
Hazel nodded.
βCallum, you should come, too. You can probably help with the description.β
Callum nodded once.
Detective Wilder put away her notepad. βMeanwhile, weβll have officers on the lookout for this car.β
And whatever he had done with the man in his trunk. Hazel warded off a shiver. If he could hurt someone like that, what would he do to Evie?
βYou should be careful until we locate him. Are you or your husband armed?β
βIβm not married,β Hazel said, then saw Callum glance at her at that revelation.
βMaybe you should stay somewhere else,β Kerry said. Then to Callum, βI donβt think they should be alone tonight.β
Callum looked a little startled by the suggestion, or that Kerry had directed the declaration at him, as though he should be the one to take care of them for the night.
βDo you have any family you can stay with?β Kerry asked Hazel.
They were all far away except her brother, but he was a two hour drive from here. She shook her head.
βFriends?β
All out of state. She didnβt know anyone well enough here to impose on them like that. Again, she shook her head. βAll my close friends are in Colorado and I havenβt had time to make any here.β She looked down at Evie, who consumed every spare moment she wasnβt working.
βThat man could have gotten your plate number the same as you got his. He might have a way to find out where you live,β the detective said. βMaybe Iβm being overly paranoid, but Iβd rather you be safe.β
That certainly unsettled her.
Detective Wilder smiled. βIβll let you be on your way. Think about staying somewhere other than your house tonight after we finish up with the sketch, okay? Maybe get a room at the Dales Inn.β
βOkay.β
βWhat about letting Evie go to the station with Kerry for her safety? In the meantime, Iβll take you home to pack bags for both of you,β Callum said.
Oh. Hazel hated being separated from Evie under such dire circumstances, but her daughter seemed entranced by Kerryβs shiny badge and getting her own detective shield sticker.
Hazel hesitated. βDetective Wilder is the one with the gun...β
Kerry chimed in, βMaybe Callum can help out. Heβs an ex-Navy SEAL turned professional bodyguard.β
Evie looked at Callum. βAre you going to catch the bad man?β
Callum didnβt respond, just stared at Evie as though flustered. What about her question had caused such a reaction? He seemed to be frozen.
βWhat if he comes after us, like you said?β Evie asked.
βI shouldnβt have said that in front of you,β Callum said.
βHoney, Callum isnβt a policeman. He is a bodyguard,β Hazel said.
βWhatβs a bodyguard?β Evie asked.
βSomeone who protects people from bad men,β Callum said.
Evie smiled big and again Hazel noticed a change in Callum, the way his body stiffened. βThen you can protect me and my mommy.β
He smiled down at her. βIβll try.β
Evie glanced down at her toy. βItβs okay, Cookie,β she said. βYouβre all right now. Just remember, itβs wrong to hit and push. You should always be nice to other people.β
Hazel reached over and put her hand on Evieβs. βNow youβre going to the station and I will go home and pack clothing for us.β
βOkay, Mommy.β
It was getting late, past six in the evening. βAll right,β Hazel said. βLetβs go.β
Detective Wilder joined her partner and Evie as they walked up the street.
βLetβs go to your place,β Callum suggested.
The abruptness stopped Hazel short. This man was a complete stranger.
βIβd like to talk a little more,β he said. βAnd Kerry has a point. Iβm worried that man will come after you. You got his plate number. He probably got yours. He could find you.β
Why was he so concerned about her? He didnβt even know her. βIβm a newbie with all this. What kinds of people do you usually work with?β
βMy next client is Blake Reynolds.β
βThe country singer? Really? You must be some bodyguard. Are all your clients celebrities?β
βOh, all right. Letβs go.β
The police were still working the neighborhood but the emergency vehicles had left a while ago. Callum drove Hazel in silence to her apartment, located above a bakery. Callum had arranged for someone to take her car in for repairs. She had left a key under the mat. She might drive a Mercedes but it was the lower end model and she had saved for a long time for a decent down payment. The money she made was just enough for her and Evie to get by. So far, being a personal chef didnβt earn her huge income. Her business showed signs of picking up but she wasnβt quite there yet.
When they arrived at her apartment, Callum passed the front and turned to go around to the back.
The first floor of the older building was a charming little bakery with a neon Open/Closed sign on the door, four old-fashioned, small round tables in the dining area and two booths against the window. The main feature was the display case...and, of course, the kitchen. The owner of Jasmineβs Bakery let her cook her biggest batches there for a modest fee.
After Callum parked, Hazel walked from the rear parking space up the iron stairs. Unlocking her apartment door, she flipped on a light and entered, Callum behind her. βIt isnβt much. Just two bedrooms and not very big.β She didnβt know why she felt the need to explain that.
Callum didnβt say anything as he stepped inside, looking around.
βWhen my ex, Ed, walked, I started saving for a house, but I also want money tucked away for Evieβs college education.β
Hazel found herself looking at him, his rugged, stubbly jaw, his thick, reddish-blond hair. Her gaze moved to his bright blue eyes...and stayed. He had been watching her study his face and now his eyes flared with something more than friendliness. A spark of heat flashed inside her.
How could just a look do that to her? Did he feel it too? Granted, he was hot, but she had seen other attractive men, and none of them had caused this reaction.
βSo, youβre an ex-Navy SEAL and now youβre a bodyguard,β Hazel said by way of breaking the awkward moment. βIf youβre going to protect me and my daughter, I should know more than that about you.β
βIβm surprised thatβs all you know about me,β he said. βI am, after all, a Colton.β
The name did sound familiar but not familiar enough. βI may have heard the name before. I havenβt lived here my whole life.β
βGiven the news lately, you probably have. Payne Colton is my father.β
Hazel searched her memory but still nothing stuck. βIβm sorry. I donβt watch the news. I try to keep it away from Evie. I donβt think itβs healthy for a five-year-old to hear about murders and lying politicians. And besides that, I have a very busy schedule. We do watch a lot of family movies and listen to country, though.β She smiled. βYou might have to introduce us to Blake Reynolds.β
He chuckled. βI canβt believe it.β
What couldnβt he believe? That she didnβt watch the news or that she didnβt know him by name? She couldnβt detect conceit. He wasnβt bragging about being a Colton, just surprised she hadnβt heard of them.
βMy father is chairman of the board of Colton Oil and owns Rattlesnake Ridge Ranch just outside of town. But we do all work hard for our money,β he said.
Then it dawned on her. She had heard of a man who had been shot and was now in a coma, a prominent local rancher and businessman gunned down for no apparent reason. She hadnβt paid any further attention to the story. Until now.
βOh, Iβm so sorry,β she finally said. Callum came from lots of money, then. Hazel felt herself stiffen and erect a barrier. She was from a very humble background and her last encounter with a rich guy hadnβt turned out so great.
βDonβt be.β
βI grew up in a small Colorado mountain town where everyone knew everyone and there were no conveniences, no big-box stores, no chain restaurants or movie theaters. We lived outside of town on several acres in a small colonial. I spent my childhood reading or watching satellite television and going to community events with my older brother and our parents.β
βSounds charming.β
His handsome grin disarmed her a moment. She should go pack but she didnβt feel she knew enough about him to stay with him yet. And if her daughter was going to be near him for the unforeseeable future...
βIn some ways. But growing up that way made me a little naive. I met Evieβs father, Ed, when I went to college and moved to Arizona with him. When I got pregnant, he left.β
βHow does that make you naive?β
Edgar Lovett had lied to her about almost everything about himself. The only thing he hadnβt lied about was his college degree. βI should have known he wasnβt reliable. I had never met anyone so experienced at duping people. He wasnβt at all what he pretended to be. He told me he came from an average family and that his parents were dead.β
He also told her that he had never been married before. βI didnβt find out until after he left that he was the son of a wealthy Arizona senator and his parents were very much alive. He also was married before we met in college. He divorced his secret wife before I met him and we moved to Arizona.β
Hazel didnβt know why he had lied. She could only guess he had done so because he was afraid she was using him for his money. The last she had heard, he was living in Florida off his trust fund. Hazel had tried to get child support but he always evaded the attempts. Eventually she gave up and chalked him up as a deadbeat dad, albeit a wealthy one. She didnβt have to be told he had abandoned her and Evie because he was incapable of accepting any real responsibility. She wanted to thank him for leaving instead of putting her through a life of struggle with a man like him. She also held a lot of animosity toward him, a man who could have easily afforded to help her out but had not. What kind of person did that? And how had she never seen that about him?
βYou werenβt naive,β Callum said. βI bet he liked you, maybe even loved you, but he must have known you had higher expectations than he could deliver on when it comes to making a family. He misled you because he was probably tired of being identified as a senatorβs son.β
Of course, she thought the same, except her expectations were pretty simple. She didnβt require anyone rich or anyone with specific personality traits. She only wanted someone decent. She had told Ed she wanted a good and honest man like her father had been, like so many other men she had grown up around.
βWhy bother lying, though, about who he was and about his ex-wife?β Hazel still wanted to know, to this day. βHe must have known the truth would come out eventually.β Hazel would have left him after learning about his deception.
βYouβre a beautiful woman, Hazel. Any man would be a fool not to want you.β
Ed had lied in order to have her, even if for just a little while. He had never talked about marriage with her, a fact sheβd only thought of after he was gone. Then she realized what Callum had just said. Did he want her?
βWhat about you?β she asked, flirting back.
βIβve never been married,β he said, βand Iβm not lying about that.β He grinned.
She laughed lightly and briefly, believing him. It was easy to talk with him. Feeling much more comfortable with him, she stopped herself from enjoying this too much. Hadnβt she just finished telling him about the biggest mistake she ever made with a man? She would never regret Evie, obviously, but Evieβs father was nothing to brag about. Sheβd rather not wind up having to say the same thing about Callumβor any man. And despite knowing she was biased, she didnβt trust anyone wealthy.
βYou better get packing,β Callum said.
Yes. Theyβd better packβrather than play on their attraction to one other.
