Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Liddy waited until Kat had scurried Elle away for a photograph to make a beeline for Taryn and Hunter, Elle's best friends, who stood in front of the crepe station. "Liddy!" Taryn said, pulling her in for a hug. "Come here, girl. I am so happy to see you. You look amazing."

Liddy hugged her back. "I can't believe it's taken this long for me to actually see you on this trip." Even though Elle's friends had always been Elle's friends, they'd become a part of the Winnick family over the years, and Liddy felt as though she knew them almost as well as her own friends.

Taryn tossed her long black hair over her shoulder. "I hear you've been gallivanting about the country with a hot new man." She scanned the pool area. "Which one is he?"

"Um. Callum . . . he's that one." She nodded toward him, where he stood with Mason and Rebecca—who kept looking over at Liddy expectantly, as though to say, "Get over here already."

"Nice work," Taryn said with a wink. "He's a ten."

Hunter leaned back just then, holding a steaming hot crepe on a plate. "Oh, which one is he? We've all been curious to find out the secret man's identity."

Liddy glanced around. We? Her aunts and uncles and closest cousins were all here, so that could literally be anyone she was related to. Her love life had never been a topic of conversation before—let alone under the microscope—so this was getting embarrassing.

"The tall one with the tats over by Mason and Aiden," Taryn whispered loudly.

Hunter made an impressed face. "Oh, he is a ten."

"Don't be too obvious." Liddy swatted him. "He's my boss, and he's standing next to my coworkers and the CEO of the company I work for."

He wiped mock tears from his eyes. "I'm so proud. Little Liddy, all grown up, screwing her boss. It's enough to warm my cold, dead heart. By the way, if you were trying to keep it a secret from your company's CEO, you should'a picked someone a little less close to the Camden dons."

I should have seriously thought this fake relationship through better.

But, focus.

"Okay, but seriously, guys, I leave for two days, and what the hell happened while I was gone? Who is this Kat lady, and why is she walking around like she's in charge? Elle seems really, really upset, but she keeps saying she's fine."

Taryn grimaced and aimed a look at Hunter, who was digging into his crepe. "Oh, this crepe is good. There's like a whole crepe menu. This one is called the Italiano and has mozzarella and basil . . ." Hunter cleared his throat. "But I digress."

"No, that's my point." Liddy pointed to the crepe. "What happened to the homemade Costa Rican breakfasts? What's this whole spectacle?"

"Welcome breakfast."

"Brunch," Hunter corrected.

Taryn made a face. "Elle wanted to do a welcome dinner for friends and family the other day, but on Saturday, I was talking to the countess"—she gestured toward Quinn's mom, Ellen, who appeared dressed for a garden tea—"and she said something about how she had a friend who had a daughter who was a ‘world-class wedding planner,' and the next thing we know, Kat showed up yesterday morning and took over."

"How world-class can she be if she flew here at the last second?" Liddy asked.

"I think Momma Camden might have hired her a long time ago without saying anything. I'm not sure."

"Or she doubled her rates. You know, as super rich people do." Hunter shrugged.

A wave of guilt washed over her. Elle had mentioned that welcome dinner. And I completely forgot about it.

I never should have stayed at La Fortuna.

I never should have gone on a wild goose chase for Sergio.

If she had just stayed here and been patient, Callum's mom would have found her phone—which had turned on, though Liddy hadn't been able to inspect it—and she would have found out the truth about Sergio. The entire trip had been pointless.

Except that I got closer to Callum. Who had barely talked to her all morning.

Dammit, dammit, dammit.

"This is all my fault," Liddy breathed, frustration bubbling. "Elle told me how much fuss her mother-in-law was making about everything. If I'd been here, I could have just put my foot down and told her to relax and enjoy her son's wedding—but you know Elle, she'll never stand up to her."

Taryn shared a sympathetic look. "Liddy, I don't know that you could have done much. But if it makes you feel better, Kat seems well-intentioned. She has a whole excursion planned today for all the guests to some butterfly and orchid sanctuary while she makes some adjustments to the accommodations, and then tomorrow, she's shifting us all over to The Four Seasons for the rehearsal dinner and wedding. The only reason we're not going sooner is because we're still waiting on Jasper to fly in tomorrow, and Kat didn't want to risk that the officiant would wind up at the wrong place."

"The Four Seasons?" Liddy's jaw dropped. And an excursion? She still needed to go get the dress from the airport.

"Isn't that Quinn and Elle's favorite hotel chain? They met at one, didn't they?" Taryn asked.

"No, that was the Ritz Carlton," Hunter interjected. "And technically, they met in a closet at Georgetown."

"But that's not the point. The Four Seasons isn't what Elle wanted. I'm sure it's beautiful and luxurious. I read amazing things about it in my guidebook. But she knew it was an option and didn't pick it." Liddy frowned, then looked toward her sister, who stood in front of a tropical photography backdrop with Quinn while a photographer took their picture.

Ugh, cheesy.

She winced. "Elle wanted something like this place. She's not the best at always speaking up for herself, and she asked me for my help, but then I left and—" Liddy rubbed her eyes. It's funny how, between the two of them, Liddy was the "assertive one." Maybe she was—with things that weren't intensely personal to her. "And now I come back to a Four Seasons wedding and omelet stations and all this. "

Hunter slowly lowered his fork from his mouth, then wrinkled his nose at the crepe. "So you're telling me I'm enjoying traitor crepe?"

"It's fine, just eat it." Taryn rolled her eyes at him. "It's already been paid for and made."

"I can't eat it. It violates my principles." Hunter set the plate down on a nearby cocktail table.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Taryn asked, drawing closer to Liddy. "Elle didn't tell me any of this. Do you think maybe she's relieved on some level?"

"I doubt it. I'll talk to her. If I can get her away from that damn wedding planner." She glanced back toward Callum. And I need to talk to Callum and find out what to do about getting the dress.

"Okay, well, you know you can count on us for anything," Taryn said with an emphatic nod.

"Operation Sabotage the Momzilla has begun." Hunter placed his hand out toward them both, palm down. "All for one . . ."

Liddy and Taryn just stared at him with raised brows.

"You know, you two aren't any fun," Hunter said with a shake of his head.

Liddy left them and started toward Callum, her neck tight with tension.

This just keeps getting worse and worse.

She'd almost reached Callum when Rebecca intercepted her. "Oh no, you don't. Liddy Winnick, what on earth am I hearing? Mason says you've been dating Callum for months and you didn't tell me?"

Her words were almost a relief. At least that means Miranda hasn't told her anything.

But it was also only a matter of time until Miranda and Rebecca compared notes, and then Rebecca would find out. "It's a bit more complicated than that." Liddy squeezed her hand. "But I'll tell you everything when I have a chance."

"I thought you hated Callum," Rebecca hissed, sidling up to her.

"Well, there's a thin line between love and hate."

Rebecca grabbed her arm, jerking Liddy to a stop. "Are you telling me you're in love with him?" She raked her fingers through her dark hair. "Oh my gosh, you must be, considering you just went away with him for days." Then she gave Liddy a softer look and smiled. "Honestly, good for you. And for him, too. Callum is rough around the edges, but I don't know, once I started dating Mason, I got to know a different side of him. He's come to a few of the Camdens' parties."

Funny how Rebecca had that insider's perspective on the Camden family now—one that Liddy had thought she shared in. But really, she didn't. She was one step removed. The sister of the "in-law."

It must have been a hard line to walk, going along with Liddy and their friends' complaints about Callum, probably feeling as though she'd be ostracized from their group if she revealed her departure from their viewpoint.

The realization had the double-sided effect of making Liddy want to confide more in Rebecca—yet.. .it might not be the best timing right now, too.

"I'll find you on the excursion later. We can sit next to each other or something on the bus. I just need to steal Callum away for a minute." Liddy blew a kiss at her, then hurried over to Callum's side.

"Hi." She slipped her hand into Callum's and nestled against his arm, doing her best to look like a doting girlfriend. "Can we talk for a minute?" Then she glanced at the person Callum had been speaking to—Quinn's father, Arthur.

Arthur nodded a hello at her. "Hello, Lydia. So good to see you."

A pang of guilt went through her gut. She liked Quinn's father. She liked his mother, for that matter. They were kind and welcoming. Maybe not like her own crazy and loud family—she'd done her best to evade Granny, who was chatting loudly in the center of a group of her uncles—but still wonderful people.

But that doesn't mean they get to take over my sister's wedding.

"Good to see you, too." She stepped back from fawning over Callum, though.

"I was just telling Callum that it was such a lovely surprise to hear that you two are attached. Callum has always been one of our favorites."

"Well, he's obviously one of my favorites, too. Is it all right if I steal him away for a few minutes?" She tugged at Callum's hand.

"Of course." Arthur smiled broadly, shaking his head as they turned away. "So lovely."

Callum's eyebrows drew together, and Liddy practically yanked him toward the path that led to her room. "What's going on?"

She pulled out her room key. "The wedding has been taken over, that's what. Quinn's mom brought in some outside planner who's trying to move everything over to The Four Seasons for the wedding."

"Do Quinn and Elle know?"

"Of course they do." Liddy shot him a look of disbelief. "But have you met them? They're both so nice and polite that neither of them has spoken up against the takeover. For God's sake, Callum, they nearly didn't get together because they both share that tendency to keep their mouths shut when they shouldn't."

"But if they won't say anything, then isn't it better if we just all go along with the new plan?"

"No." Liddy scowled at him. Fuck, no. "Quinn and Elle picked La Hacienda. Maybe they didn't realize it would be as rustic as it is, but also, I know my sister. This is completely up her alley. She just can't relax enough to enjoy herself, which she should be able to because it's her wedding. And I'm not going to let the countess of . . . whatever Quinn's title is, take over the wedding."

She unlocked the door and pulled him into the room. As she shut the door, she caught the amusement in Callum's gaze. "What?"

Callum smirked. "Nothing."

"No, tell me. What is it?"

Callum shrugged, crossing the room and flipping on some lights. "I just like this side of you."

That's the second time he's said something like that today. Callum clearly liked women who weren't wallflowers.

He dropped onto the bed as though they were still sharing one. "What's your plan?"

"Well, that's why I need your help." Liddy dropped her bookbag. She wanted to shower and change after their car trip, but this was more important. "You know this place. You know the types of things they'd enjoy doing." She thought about what Hunter had said. "I want to sabotage the takeover. Let's start with this excursion thing. I don't think Quinn and Elle were hoping for butterfly sanctuaries, do you?"

Callum discarded his flip-flops and leaned his forearms on his knees, clasping his hands. "Probably not."

"Great. So I need some ideas for things they would enjoy. That and a bus. I'm thinking we could tell whatever tour bus we book to pick everyone up at one, and then you and I go around and tell everyone the time's been changed. Hopefully Kat will be too busy breaking down this brunch that she won't find out. By the time we're supposed to meet at her excursion pickup, we'll be long gone."

"And the point would be?"

Ugh, do I have to spell everything out for everyone?

"That Quinn and Elle have some real fun and relax. To get Quinn's mother off her high horse and to just see how magical this place can be if you let yourself enjoy it—like I did when we went to La Fortuna. Maybe once they all realize how much fun the wedding could be here, Elle and Quinn will feel like they can speak up."

A few seconds ticked by before Callum bowed his head. "You don't need me. You need my e—Sophia. She handles everything like that around here. And unlike my mum, she's young and probably goes out. Does more interesting things than lead yoga sessions."

"Oh." Shoot. " You're right. She probably does have a lot of connections with local tours." Liddy approached him and sat beside him. She didn't want to seem selfish, especially considering how much she had asked of him. "Would you ask her?"

Callum kept his gaze straight ahead. "To be clear, is this a new favor or just an extension of the old one?"

She laughed, then looked over at him and saw his deadpan expression. "Wait. You're serious?"

Is he still mad at me over the whole thing with Sergio?

"Callum . . . you know I'm not actually planning on going on that date with Sergio, if that's what's bothering you."

"You can date whoever you want. That's none of my business."

Oh my God, he's so infuriating.

His choice of words is interesting, though.

Just like when she'd told him his family issues were none of her business.

Enough of this.

"So we're just going to pretend that kiss in the hot springs never happened? Is that it?" She stood, prickles going up her spine. She wished there was more room to pace in here. "You're angry. I get it. But I refuse to believe you didn't feel anything or that it was some sort of casual peck to you. I'm not going to keep skirting around this when an honest conversation could solve this tension between us."

"What would you like for me to pretend it was? Four days ago, you couldn't stand me, Liddy. That's the truth. And another truth is that it was just a kiss. Nothing more. I'm not looking for a relationship. I don't do them."

Oh, ouch. She took a quick breath, realizing her mistake as embarrassment shimmied its way through her. This is why I shouldn't have said anything. She crossed her arms. "I didn't say I was looking for a relationship, either, did I?"

"Then what should it matter if you go out with Sergio? You liked him before you thought he was a thief, right? And now he's not. Sounds like a straightforward decision in my book." Callum leveled his chin with her.

Wow, he really doesn't give a shit, does he?

He didn't need to spell it out any more clearly.

"All right, fine. I'll go." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Glad we had this talk. Now are you going to help me save my sister—and your good friend's—wedding? Or do I have to do something in return to make you pretend to be a decent human being and help me again?"

"I don't know. I kind of like the idea of you owing me. Could come in handy." Callum went over to his suitcase and peeled off his shirt, with a comfort level that had clearly come in the last few days. He flung his used shirt into the corner of the room, his well-muscled back taut and rigid with tension.

Asshole.

Pulling out a short-sleeved, button-down shirt, he put it on, then turned back toward her as he buttoned it. "But I'll help. Even if it means going and asking for the help of the person I was hoping to avoid."

Anger surged through her. "Don't worry, you're such a peach. I'm sure she feels the same way."

Callum's eyes flicked toward hers, and his lips drew to a line. "I'll find you later and let you know what Sophia comes up with." He strode past her, irritation in his every movement, then went out the door.

Unexpected tears pricked her eyes.

"I'm not looking for a relationship." His voice rang through her head.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

That was so stupid of me. Of course, he's not. And even if he was, he's not looking for someone like me. He's too busy letting events that happened forever ago continue to wound him.

She pulled out her rescued cell phone and swiped it open. Relief flooded her as her home page picture—one of Elle, Kyle, and Liddy at Christmas—swam before her watery eyes.

She swiped the tears away.

God, I am so mad at Callum.

And myself.

Kissing him at the hot springs had felt so natural, so easy. Then Sergio had come along and Callum had completely shut down. Gone right back to putting up all those walls he'd had when they'd arrived.

She didn't need this. Didn't need to get involved with someone like Callum. But she was also fooling herself if she pretended not to have some level of emotional investment in him now. He was pushing her away, but she'd gotten too good of a peek at what was underneath all that armor.

And dammit, but I give a shit about him.

Her phone rang, and she looked down at the incoming call. Miranda.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she swiped to answer the call. "Hey, how's it going?"

"Oh, you sound terrible. Did I wake you?"

Liddy sniffled. "No . . . you just caught me having an awful moment."

"Oh, sweetheart. What happened? Did the dead soul we know as Callum Scott strike again?"

Ugh. Liddy rolled her shoulders back, then went over to her bag and pulled out a bottle of pain meds. After the last few days, she needed some relief. The massage had helped a ton, but even her tailbone hurt from sitting so much.

"It's nothing like that. Well, not exactly. He's . . . different from what I thought. I spent the past few days in a car with him and got to know him and, I don't know, Mir?—"

"Oh my God. You've gone and developed feelings for him, haven't you?"

"No. I mean . . . gah, I don't know." She sucked in a breath, then filled a glass of water at the sink. Swallowing her pills, she set the glass down and scanned her own reflection in the mirror.

He made me feel so beautiful. So wanted.

"Did something happen?"

Liddy chewed on her lower lip, then turned away from the mirror. "We kissed. And it was amazing. Not like a peck, but this really sexy, incredible kiss. And you can't tell anyone. Promise me you won't tell a soul."

The silence on the other line was oddly disconcerting. "Callum kissed you?" Miranda said at last. "Were you drinking or something?"

"No, nothing like that. He's been really, I don't know. Different. Mir, he helped me scour the whole countryside for the guy I thought stole my sister's dress. And we ended up at these hot springs and went waterfall rappelling and got a couple's massage, and then it just happened while we were at the springs. And it was such a good kiss." Liddy's throat tightened. "But now that we're back at the hotel where my family is, he's acting like it was nothing. He still wants us to go on pretending we're dating, but this is just getting too complicated emotionally."

"That's because Callum is a fucking arsehole, Liddy," Miranda snapped, her vitriol surprising Liddy. "He's using you when it's convenient. Sure, he'll shove his tongue down your throat, but then he'll turn the whole thing around and make it like you're the slut who was just asking for it."

Uhh . . . what?

"I honestly didn't mean that. He's a lot nicer than any of us give him credit for?—"

"Did he tell you he almost had sex with me the day before you two flew to Costa Rica?"

The air in the room seemed to dissipate, her gut dropping. "What?"

"Yes, Liddy. I ran into him at a pub, and he was sloshed. We snogged for a while, then he had the audacity to treat me like I was a whore that had come on to him. Like he's got a golden prick, and I just couldn't stay away. He completely humiliated me."

A sick feeling stirred in her stomach.

Callum and Miranda?

Miranda was still speaking, but Liddy's ears had started ringing, and she blinked, numbly, as she sank wearily down to the tile floor.

So much for drawing a hard boundary at members of his staff.

This shouldn't hurt. Callum had been clear. The kiss had been meaningless to him.

And just like that, we're right back at the same dynamic we've had from the beginning. He dishes out actions or words that cut deeply and shrugs his shoulders, claiming it isn't personal.

But it was personal to me.

That kiss had been the definition of personal. Intimate.

And apparently, she was just one more woman who he kissed and had zero interest in.

Liddy drew a sharp breath. "Mir, I've got to go."

"Oh . . . are you all right?"

No, I'm not.

"Fine. I'm fine." She was mostly trying to convince herself. "I mean, it's nothing. We had some deep conversations, and I thought I had seen another side of him. But I was obviously wrong."

"I'm honestly shocked the bastard tried something like this on you. But don't feel badly. Callum is persuasive. That's why he's so good at his job. He finds weaknesses and exploits them."

Liddy shook her head, thinking of their kiss in the hot springs. "He told me I was beautiful," she whispered, her heart clenching. "Said that he wanted to find anyone who'd ever made me feel like I was less and punch them."

Miranda was silent for a few beats. "Wow, he really said that?" Miranda's voice grew angrier. "He's such a sod, Liddy. I'm sorry."

"I really have to go." Liddy said another goodbye, then hung up, holding the phone to her chest.

I should have known Callum was nothing more than a manipulative faker.

. . . but then why had it felt so real?