I didn’t mind it. The angry wind howling through the trees matched my mood. I’ve been an asshole since I returned from London. Even Baxter told me to fuck off yesterday, and he’s the most level-headed man I know.
In hindsight, I know I deserved it. I was riding his ass after Zack King called to tell me that some of the cameras were down and asked if we could fix them. It wasn’t Baxter’s fault that Mother Nature was a bitch the other night.
It is my fault that this unit’s base is broken in two. I’ll have to order a new one and replace it later this week.
I yank my phone out of my pocket, shoot off an apologetic text to Zack, and take the camera with me. This was the last one that was down, so I get into my car and drive over the field to a nearby dirt road that will lead me past the ranch houses to the highway beyond.
Ever since I got back to town, I’ve regretted leaving England the way I did. I should have gotten my damn head on straight and sat Ellie down for a calm conversation, rather than speaking from a place of frustration and maybe a little fear.
I know, deep in my soul, that I don’t deserve her. She’s far too good for me, regardless of her title. She’s innocent and sweet. Funny. Smart.
And I’m damaged goods. She deserves someone who hasn’t been through hell and back and still carries the baggage from it.
She deserves every damn thing.
But the more I think about it, the more I realize that despite not deserving her, I can’t live without her. I’m a shell of a man, snarling at those around me like a wounded bear.
Nothing like this has happened to me before. I’ve never experienced anything like it in my damn life. She changed me forever, and if being with her means I have to find a way to live with the constant intrusion of the press, the snide comments from strangers, and learn how to compliment Princess Eleanor as well as I do Ellie, well, then…I’ll damn well do it.
Because I’ve been miserable since I set foot on that plane, and this is no way to live.
Now, let’s hope she’ll take me back. Once I grovel, apologize, and kiss her like crazy, of course.
I pull through the gate to the house, park in my usual space, and with the damaged camera in hand, walk down to HQ.
Baxter gives me the side-eye when I walk through the door.
“I’m an asshole,” I say in greeting.
“Yup.”
I nod once and set the camera on the table. “I need to order a new base for this.”
“Were you an asshole to that, too?”
“Yeah.” I open the fridge, pull out an energy drink, rip off the top, then take a long pull of it.
Before I can apologize further, there’s a car on the camera that catches both of our attention.
“Who’s that? Are we expecting anyone?”
“No,” Baxter says, and picks up his phone to call Bartlett, who’s working the perimeter. “Yeah, vehicle at the gate. Who is it? We didn’t get a call. I’ll buzz it.”
He hangs up the phone and pushes a button, opening the gate.
“Well?”
“It’s Prince Callum,” Baxter says with a shrug. “No one gave us a heads-up.”
I frown and walk out the door and toward the main house. But before I can go inside, Callum rounds the building. When he sees me, he waves and jogs over.
“What’s wrong?”
“No emergency,” he says.
“You didn’t let us know you were coming.”
“It was a last-minute decision.” He shrugs and gestures for me to walk with him down to the water. “Let’s talk, shall we?”
“Sure.” I have a hunch I know what he’s here for, but I’m going to hear him out before I ask any questions.
I’m dying to ask him how she is. Surely, he’s seen her in the last few days.
We reach the dock. I can’t look at the boathouse. Too much happened there, and the thought of it is like a knife to the chest.
“I heard you left.”
I level Callum with a gaze that says I’m not saying shit until he tells me what’s on his mind.
“Give me one bloody reason why I shouldn’t kick your arse.”
“I can’t give you a reason.”
“I haven’t talked to Ellie much,” he says at last. “I tried to, but she wouldn’t let me in. I wasn’t aware that anything was wrong until she told me to bugger off through her door. She’d been crying.”
“Fuck.”
“So then I started asking around, and Nick said you left rather abruptly the other night.”
I nod, rub my fingers over my mouth, and wait for the verbal lashing I deserve.
“You know, there’s a small window of opportunity here to win her back.”
“You think I’m right for your sister?”
He shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders. “It doesn’t matter what I think.”