Wyndham Series

CALLIE

I hadn’t made the connection with the name Wyndham, or maybe I had and didn’t want to believe it was true. Either way I was face to face with someone I had hoped to never see again.

We both stood there in complete silence, just staring at one another. Things were beginning to get awkward. Finally, Miles cleared his throat and found his voice.

“So sorry. Nice to meet you, Miss Martin.”

As soon as he began talking to me, it was like I was 17 all over again. My heart began to race and my breathing was shallow.

His deep, gorgeous eyes stared into mine. I couldn’t tell if the look on his face was shock or amusement. I could tell, however, that he was going to play it off as though he didn’t even know me.

That’s perfectly fine by me. I’ll be happy to pretend we don’t know each other—and to never see him again. Except on Mondays, I thought begrudgingly.

“Ah, nice to meet you too,” I said.

I gave a polite smile to appease Mrs. Wyndham, but it dropped as soon as she looked away. He never took his eyes off me.

“Callie here ran a restaurant with her parents in the small town where your parents have that cottage. You and your brothers spent a lot of time there growing up, didn’t you?” she inquired innocently.

“Yes, that cottage has been in the family for generations. I spent practically every summer there. I have a lot of great memories,” he replied with a sly grin.

I narrowed my eyes at him, knowing exactly what he was doing. He was trying to bait me, most likely to try to ruin my chances at this job.

“Wow, I’m surprised you and Callie never met.”

“I can honestly say we’ve never laid eyes on each other, but my brothers and I usually spent our time on my parent’s yacht and not too much time in town.”

I rolled my eyes at his snobbery, which he absolutely saw, but it only deepened his grin.

“Well, I’m so sorry, guys, but I do have to go. It was really nice meeting both of you, and thank you so much for this chance again,” I said, quickly breaking into their conversation.

I had to seriously get out of there. This man was starting to work me up in more ways than one.

“Okay, Callie. I’ll give you a call to make it official and you can come in to sign some paperwork and take a tour,” she called out to me as I slowly walked out, waving goodbye.

The whole time I was leaving, I felt his eyes on me with that knowing look on his face. He was playing with me, just like he’d played with me back home. It had been just one summer, but it would stay with me for a lifetime.

And now everything was confirmed: I was just a piece of ass he’d picked up on over his summer vacation until he went back to his real life—the elite world that people like me didn’t belong to.

I had always known he was rich. There was no hiding that fact when we’d first met, but I’d never known how rich, nor that he was a part of the most established restaurant chain in New York City. Man, I was so stupid.

No matter. ~I’m a different person now.~ ~I don’t fall so easily, and my career comes first. I truly believe that Mrs. Wyndham could have a lot to teach me, and I will soon be able to step out into the world on my own and hopefully have my own restaurant someday. I’m going to wait for that phone call, start my new career, and start making my mark. I’m~ ~not letting any man get in my way—no matter how smoking hot that man is.~

I was bolting down the street after giving myself a well-deserved pep talk when I heard my name being called.

“Callie!”

I turned to see the stud himself, jogging towards me. I stood there, gaping at him, wondering why in the world he was running after me in the rain.

He caught up and stood there, breathing heavily and holding an umbrella over both of our heads. He took a moment to catch his breath while I just stared, not saying a word. Not only did I have no idea what to say, but this man unhinges me in a way that I can’t even describe.

He finally relaxed and continued to stare at me with that same smile on his face. I finally couldn’t take the silence anymore.

“What is it, Miles? Why did you follow me out here?” I asked, quite frustrated.

“I came to give you this.”

He held up the umbrella for me to take. I looked at him, confused, while slowly grasping the handle, at which point our fingers touched, sending an instant shock of electricity up my arm that radiated through my whole body. The feeling I’m sure was only one-sided, but it caught me off guard nonetheless.

“I can’t let a lady walk in the rain with nothing to cover her.”

He let go of the handle once it was in my grasp, then swiped a stray hair that was clinging to my face and gently placed it behind my ear, which caused my eyes to momentarily close at the contact. I was now very much aware of our close proximity and was getting uncomfortable with old feelings that were emerging once more.

With a shaky voice, I replied, “Thank you, I really do have to go.”

I left him standing on the street corner. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking. I wasn’t even sure if he had more to say. All I knew is, I had to get out of there. I lost all of my resolve when he was around and became a shy schoolgirl, and I hated it.

I was never that person, I thought to myself. ~I was popular in high school. I was part of all the clubs. I was prom queen and class president. I got nervous in some situations, but I’ve always been able to handle myself. Now here I am a babbling fool, not able to stand up to the guy who broke my heart the summer after graduation. On the contrary, I act nervous not saying anything. I’m mesmerized at~ ~the mere sight of him and melt at his touch! I’m pathetic!~

I stomped down the street, so angry with myself that I didn’t even realize that I was walking in the wrong direction the whole time.

I turned to my left and noticed I was standing in front of a Starbucks and decided that I needed to get out of the rain, cool my nerves and relax.

I sat at a table with my pumpkin spice latte and was beginning to cool my jets. I stared at the dripping umbrella I now had leaning on the side of the table and began giggling to myself that I had left him in the pouring rain after taking his umbrella.

I pictured him sopping wet in his Armani suit and million-dollar haircut. At first, the thought was completely hilarious, then suddenly flashes of him wet, his tight suit clinging to his body, took a completely different turn in my mind. It didn’t seem so funny after a while. On the contrary, I had to close my legs a little tighter.

I had to shake this off.

Okay, Callie, what the hell! I screamed to myself in my head. My phone began to ring in my bag and I quickly searched it out.

“Hello,” I answered, not sure of the unknown caller.

“Hi, Callie. It’s me again, Mrs. Wyndham,” she said on the other end enthusiastically. “I know you just left me, but my cousin Miles and I were just talking about you and we had the greatest idea.”