Somewhere Only We Know

by Beverley Hollowed

  “Nice to meet you Finn,” Kate said reaching out her hand.

  “The pleasure is all mine Kate,” Finn said, his eyes locking with Kate’s, as he took her hand, and Kate knew she was blushing once again, as he held her hand a little longer than he should have. She quickly pulled her hand from his. “A real pleasure.”

  Chapter 8

  Callum sat at his desk and stared out over the New York City skyline. It had been three weeks since Kate had walked out of their apartment. Seven days since she had called him. He missed her so much, it was killing him. He missed her smell and her voice. He missed waking up with her next to him. He missed the feeling of safety and security she gave him simply by just being there. Mostly, he missed the hope he had that someday, they could both find happiness together again.

  Callum knew he had done this to them. One stupid moment and the longing to feel like he was still wanted, like he was still alive, had pulled what they had apart. He had hurt her in a way that he never thought he ever would. And the worst part was, he knew he had no one but himself to blame for what had happened.

  That morning, when she walked out of their apartment, he honestly didn’t believe she would go. He thought she would blow off some steam, but then she would come home and they could make this right. However, when one day turned into two, then into a week. Callum knew he had totally fucked everything up. He should have never let her walk out.

  He should have made her stay and fight for what they once had. He should have fought for both of them.

  He stood up and walked to the full length window and pressed his head against the cold glass.

  “Where are you, Kate?” he whispered, as he pinched his eyes shut. He had no idea where she was or where he should even begin to look. He had no idea what he should do next.

  The buzzer on his desk sounded, making him jump. He turned and walked to his desk, reaching over, he pressed the intercom on his phone.

  “Yes,” he replied a little sharply, feeling in no mood to talk to anyone.

  “Mr. Greyson,” Alisha, Callum’s new assistant’s voice chimed through the intercom. “I have a, Ms. Doyle on line one for you sir. Shall I take a message or are you available to speak with her.”

  Callum sighed deeply, he had avoided talking to Olly, one of Kate’s best friends, since she walked out. He knew he couldn’t put it off for much longer, but he really wasn’t in the mood today.

  “Tell her I am in a meeting,” Callum replied, knowing this was only going to piss Olly off more.

  Thirty seconds later, the intercom buzzed once again. Callum sighed in irritation and pressed the button once again.

  “Sir, she said to tell you,” Alisha continued. “If you didn’t take her call, she was booking a flight this evening.”

  “Fine, put her though,” Callum replied, knowing he didn’t have a choice. He took his seat behind the desk, taking a deep breath before he picked up the phone. “Hi, Olly.”

  “Hello stranger,” she said, sounding pissed off. Callum knew she wasn’t happy he had refused to take her call for the last two weeks. Each time she called, he instructed his assistant to inform her, he was either out of the office or in a meeting. “You are becoming harder and harder to get hold of. Must be nice to be so important in your big office, at the top of your ivory tower.”

  “Sorry, Olly,” he replied with a half-hearted laugh. “The past two weeks have been really hectic.”

  “What’s happened?” Olly demanded, seeing straight through his lie and sensing something bad had happened. Callum never said sorry so quickly and his apology sounded rehearsed. “Is it Kate, is she okay?”

  “She is good,” he lied and cringed because he hated lying to those who cared about them and he knew Olly loved him and Kate more than anything.

  “Now I know you are full of crap,” Olly replied bluntly. “We both know she is anything but good. Now how about you start with the truth.”

  “Olly, she left me,” Callum replied, unable to believe he was actually saying these words out loud. He choked back the tears that were almost strangling him, but he refused to cry.

  “WHAT?” Olly exclaimed. “When? What the hell happened?”

  “I fucked up,” Callum replied honestly. “We had this huge argument, I did something stupid and she walked out.”

  “When?” Olly asked, completely taken aback by what she had just heard.

  “Three weeks ago,” he closed his eyes and prepared himself for the fallout from his revelation.

  “THREE FUCKING WEEKS?!” Olly shouted angrily.

  “And the worst part is,” he continued deciding it was probably best to get everything out on the table and face whatever crap he got, because he deserved it. “I haven’t a clue where she is.”

  “She has been missing for two weeks and you have told no one,” Olly said, reaffirming the facts in her own head and getting angrier by the second. “You idiot. She could be lying in a ditch somewhere. She could be dead…”

  “She isn’t dead,” Callum quickly interrupted Olivia mid-rant. “She called a week ago.”

  “What did she say?” Olly asked, the relief was clear in her voice.

  “She said she was okay and she was safe,” Callum replied, as he remembered how happy he was to hear Kate’s voice and how he longed to hold her. He missed her more than he would have ever thought imaginable. He just wanted to see her, talk to her and try to make things right between them.

  However, he knew this was deeper than his one moment of stupidity. If he was honest, he knew she had been slipping away from him and he had let her, but he always thought that they had time and she just needed a little space. How had he gotten it so wrong?

  “Did she give you any clue where she was?” Olly asked, still completely taken back by what Callum’s told her. She knew that Kate and Callum were going through a tough time, of course they were. They lost their little girl and their life fell apart. But Olly never believed they would end up like this. They were Callum and Kate, the perfect couple. She was completely stunned.

  “Olly, believe me,” Callum sighed. “If I knew where she was, I would go and bring her home.”

  “What the fuck where you thinking, Callum,” Olly said unable to get her head around what she just heard. “She loves you so much, how could you hurt her like that?”

  “It was a mistake,” he replied defensively. “I know I fucked up and I am trying my hardest to fix it.”

  “I am booking a flight,” Olly announces, much to Callum’s horror. That was exactly what he didn’t want. And he knew if Kate found out Olly was in New York, she would never come home.

  “Why?” Callum asked. “What is the point, don’t you think I have tried everything to find her. I promise when I find out anything I will let you know.”

  “I could help…” she began to protest.

  “Olly, please,” Callum begged.

  “Fine,” she agreed reluctantly. “What about Harry, does he know?”

  “Yes, Olly,” Callum replied sarcastically. “The first thing I did, was ring Katie’s father and told him I cheated on his grieving daughter and that she’s left me.”

  “Fine, Callum,” Olly replied sounding a little hurt and Callum instantly regretted his tone. “I was just trying to help. But you did this, so there is no point in snapping at me.”

  “I know, Olly,” Callum said, feeling more ashamed of himself. “I’m sorry, I really am. And I promise. The minute I hear something, I will let you know.”

  “Morning, noon or night, you ring me immediately,” Olly replied. “And if I hear from her I will let you know too.”

  “Thanks, Olly,” Callum said, gratefully. When they said their goodbyes, Callum hung up the phone and stared at the photo of him and Kate on his desk.

  He closed his eyes and said a silent prayer, he would hear something soon.

  His intercom buzzed again. Callum rubbed his tired eyes and pressed the button once again.

  “What is it now, Alisha?” Callum said and
waited expectantly for his assistant to answer.

  “Your brother is on line two, sir,” the girl said, nervously through the intercom. For the past two weeks Callum had been like a bear with a sore head. He was never the most talkative man in the world, but the last two weeks it had been like walking on egg shells with him. “Are you available to speak to him or shall I take a message.”

  “You can put him through,” Callum said, as he pinched the bridge of his nose to try and relieve the tension headache he had for the last two weeks. He took a deep breath and picked up the phone, pausing briefly before he pressed the button. “Hello, James.”

  “Little brother,” James’ deep voice boomed down the phone and Callum cringed, as he did every time James called him little brother. James was three years older and was their parents pride and joy. James, like Callum, graduated from Princeton with first class honours, but James went on to Harvard to study Law, just like their father had. He was now a partner in a high profile practise in Boston.

  James and Callum were always close, but Callum truly hated when he referred to him as little brother and James knew that too, which is why he always did it.

  “James,” Callum replied shortly unable to hide the irritation from his voice.

  “Sorry, couldn’t resist,” James said with a bit of a laugh. He knew it drove his brother nuts, but he did it anyways, just in the vague hope he could make him smile a little. “So how are things with you?”

  “Oh, you know,” Callum said unsure if he wanted to tell him about what had happened between him and Kate.

  “Yeah, I know,” James asked. “I tried calling you a few days ago, but it just kept going to voice mail.”

  “I was in meetings,” Callum lied. He saw the calls, but didn’t feel up to talking to James at the time, so he had let them go to voice mail. “Things around here have been really busy, sometimes I feel like I live in this damn office.”

  “Oh so it wasn’t Kate I saw then,” James replied much to Callum’s surprise.

  “You saw Kate?” Callum asked, sitting up straight in his chair. James had his complete attention now. “Where?”

  “I was in Seattle on business last week,” James began confused by his brother’s reaction. “I thought I saw her I was in the Grand Hyatt, I was in the restaurant and I thought I saw her walking through the lobby. Guess she has a double. I thought maybe you and she had taken a few days away together like I had suggested the last time we spoke. That’s why I was calling. I thought we could have met up for dinner or even a drink.”

  “What day was this exactly?” Callum demanded, his heart racing with the possibility he might be closer to finding Kate.

  “Last Thursday,” James replied, sounding a little confused. “Callum, what’s wrong? Has something happened?”

  For a moment Callum didn’t reply, he didn’t know what to say. He really wasn’t ready to tell James everything, but he didn’t see as he had much of a choice now.

  “Cal,” James pushed his brother a little. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”

  “Kate left me,” Callum replied in a quiet voice, still unable to believe he was saying the words out loud. “She walked out three weeks ago and I have no idea where she is.”

  “Why didn’t you phone me? Tell me what happened?” James asked with a sigh. “I have people that could have helped you. You know this. We could have found her together and gotten her help…”

  “James, she left because I cheated,” Callum admitted felling angry that James assumed it was Kate in the wrong here. Saying the words made him feel sick. “She isn’t crazy or had some sort of a break down. I fucked some nobody from a bar and broke her heart. I didn’t tell you because you would have told Mom and Dad. I knew that they would blame her. Just like they always do.”

  “Cal, they don’t blame her,” James replied surprised by his brother’s response.

  “Don’t they?” Callum snapped back. “They blamed her when I gave up working for Harpers and remained in Ireland. Dad said I would never be happy in a small pond like Dublin, but I was. And I know Mom blamed her for what happened to Emily.”

  “They just wanted what they thought was best for you,” James insisted. “And Mom never blamed her, she was just grieving.”

  “Kate was what was best for me,” Callum replied angrily. “And Kate was grieving too, she blames herself for what happened to Emily and Mom made it clear, she thought Kate should have been able to get Emily out of the car. How do you think that made Kate feel, James?”

  “Callum,” James said, his voice suddenly calm. “Does any of this really matter right now? I think all that matters now is we find your wife. If that is what you want to do?”

  “Of course it is,” Callum sighed deeply. “I love her James, I have loved her every day since the first time I saw her. I need to make this right. I need to bring her home.”

  “Then let’s find her,” James replied sounding determined and Callum couldn’t help but smile. “I know this guy, we use him in the practise from time to time. He is one of the best, he will find her for you.”

  “Thanks James,” Callum replied, genuinely grateful. “Tell him he can reach me on my cell, I am booking a flight and heading to Seattle tonight.”

  “Maybe you should wait,” James suggested, but he knew his little brother, and he knew his mind was already made up.

  “How can I wait?” Callum replied. “If she is there, then I need to be there too. James, I love her. I can’t lose her too.”

  “Okay little brother,” James smiled knowing there was nothing that could change Callum’s mind. “I will call Felix and get things moving.”

  “Thanks, James,” Callum said. “I really do appreciate this.”

  “We will find her,” James assured Callum. “That much I can promise, everything else is up to you after that.”

  “Just do me one favour,” Callum added knowing he was already asking so much of James. “Don’t tell Mom and Dad, not yet. I am barely keeping it together, I don’t need their drama too.”

  “Okay,” James replied with a laugh.

  When Callum hung up the phone, he instantly pressed the intercom button.

  “Yes, Mr. Greyson?” Alisha’s voice nervously squeaked through the intercom.

  “Alisha, I need you to cancel all my appointments for the rest of this week.” Callum instructed her. “And book me on the next available flight to Seattle.”

  “Seattle?” she repeated, surprised at his request.

  “Yes,” Callum replied abruptly, as he grabbed his laptop and cell phone from the table, quickly stuffing them into his bag, before he headed for the door.

  Chapter 9

  Kate was on her knees on the back porch, painting the beams of the deck. She found some old paint, as she rummaged through the shed at the back of the garden and decided to freshen up the back porch. She was almost finished and it was looking good. She smiled, as she looked at her work, feeling very pleased with herself.

  Then she realised what she had done. She was so focused on painting the deck of the back porch, lost in her own thoughts, she hadn’t noticed she had painted herself into a corner and she was stuck.

  “FUCK!!” She exclaimed, as she stood up and tried to figure out how she was going to get herself off the deck without walking on the wet freshly painted porch. She had no idea what she was going to do. She was stuck. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

  Suddenly, the front door bell rang.

  “You have got to be kidding me!” Kate cried, as she stared down at the freshly painted boards, they were perfect, she refused to stand on them and ruin them. Then she looked down and realised she was in her bare feet.

  “Fuck!” she screamed.

  “Hello,” she heard a familiar voice call over her side gate. She was fairly sure it was Finn, Jacks son.

  The day she brought Jack home from the grocery store, she ended up spending the whole afternoon with Jack and Finn. Jack was a joy to listen to, as he told both Kate and Finn stories abou
t when he and Kathleen first met and when they first got married.

  Jack’s face lit up, as he spoke about his beloved Kathleen. Kate was a little surprised when Jack showed her a photo of Kathleen, she did resemble her slightly. They had the same long auburn hair and deep chocolate brown eyes.

  Finn and Kate had really hit it off well, too. He was just as charming as his dad and even a little bit flirty, but for the most part he was just really friendly and good company.

  When Kate finally said it was time for her to be heading home, Jack insisted Finn followed Kate home in his car as it was getting dark.

  When they reached her house, Finn climbed out of his car and hurried to open Kate’s car door. He then walked Kate to her door.

  “I had a great time today,” Kate said, as she shifted nervously from one foot to the other. It had been over ten years since she had been single and she had no idea how to act around men. She felt awkward and clumsy.

  “Me too,” Finn said, his eyes never leaving Kate’s. “I think my dad really likes you.”

  “Jack is a very sweet man,” Kate replied with a smile. Finn stepped closer and Kate knew he was going to kiss her and her heart began to race.

  “He has great taste in women too,” Finn whispered and moved even closer.

  Kate blushed and laughed nervously.

  “I was wondering,” Finn continued. “If maybe you might come to dinner with me sometime?”

  “I…eh…yes,” she replied, surprising herself a little. “That would be lovely.”

  “Great,” Finn said, stepping even closer to Kate, his eyes locked firmly with hers. She could feel his breath wash across her face and her skin tingled with excitement. Her gaze dropped to his prefect mouth and all she could think of was how it would feel to kiss him, how different would it be from kissing Callum.

  Callum! She screamed in her head, as she jumped back from Finn, almost like she had been hit by lightning.

  “I…I should be getting inside,” she said, suddenly unable to look him in the eye. Her face flushed with embarrassment, as she turned quickly to try and open the door.