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Empty eyes stare back at me. I reach up, stroking my face, feeling the smooth skin. Other than looking younger, I don’t hate it.
“I sent flowers,” I say.
She stares down at her feet as she gently swings them, shaking her head. “It’s not enough, Callum.”
“I wrote a note.”
“Did you apologize in the note?” she asks.
“For what?”
“For telling her to leave, you ass!”
“Funny. She called me the same name before she left.” I think of her words and the tightness in my chest. “Do you know what else she said?”
She eyes me. “What?”
“It’s not me, Callum. It’s you.”
“Och!” Freya breaks into a fit of giggles. “That’s great. Good for you, Fiona?—”
Seeing my face cuts off her laughter. She goes back to examining her toes. My final, harsh, ugly words plague me, the memory filling me with guilt and disgust. “That’s not all I said to her, dear sister.”
“Callum…” she says. “What did you say to that poor girl?”
“I said…” My throat closes up. I clear it, running a hand over my beard, but it’s not there. I stroke my way down the now smooth skin. “I told her she was free to leave, yeah?”
“Yeah?”
“I didn’t think she’d do it.”
“But she did. Imagine that. You tell a woman to leave your house, and she does. God, you are an ass.” She gives me a massive eye roll.
“I deserve that.”
“I know.”
“Then I said, if you walk out that door, don’t come back.”
“Och! Are ye kidding me? And ye wonder why she’s not come back?”
My hand is empty. I want my beard back. “I fucked up.”
“Royally. But you can get her back. I know you can.”
It crosses my mind that Freya may have contacted Fiona behind my back, tried to play matchmaker, and gotten into my business. How else could she be so sure that Fiona would be willing to forgive me?
“Did you call her?” I ask.
“No. Of course not.” She shakes her head. “I was tempted to, but I knew you wouldn’t want that. You know me. I’m loyal. And you’re loyal, too. But you know…”
Her voice trails off.
“What?” I ask.
Sheepishly, she eyes me. “I feel loyal to Fiona, as well. You know? She’s become my little Fi-bee. I love that girl. And…I have something to confess to you, Callum.”
“What? You did call her?” I ask.
