Daylight, a Timeless Series Novel (6 page)

“I’m sorry,” I murmured. “I’m so sorry.”

Warmth engulfed me, and I clung to him. I wanted to cry, but there weren’t any tears left to shed. He pressed me close, crooning softly in my ear.

“Why?” he whispered,
“Why didn’t you come and find me?”

I could’ve given a dozen excuses, but in reality it came down to one
: fear. Fear of all the failures and all the letdowns yet to come. Fear of that unknown
thing
inside of me, feeding off all my hurt and anger. Fear that one day I’d allow myself to be overrun and I wouldn’t care anymore, destroying everything I held dear. “I’m sorry.”

Callon’s soft lips pressed against my ear.

“I’m here for you. I’ll always be here for you, love.”

I moved in closer, wanting to wash away the memories of letting him down once again.

“What am I going to do with you?” He stroked my back.

“I’m more trouble than I’m worth, Callon.” I knew the truth in my words. He’d warned me so many times, and yet I
hadn’t listened, and had paid the price for my recklessness. How could he have so much patience with me?

“No.” He kissed my ear lobe and drew back, gripping my cheeks. “You’re more than worth it. I’m just lost on what to do.” He sighed. “Come on, you look miserable. You need to rest.”

I nodded and followed, my hand held in his. I kept my gaze averted as we passed the terrace. I didn’t need to see any more discerning stares.

Callon escorted me to my room and waited while I changed and cleaned up. He was waiting beside the bed with the covers down. I crawled in.

“Will you be okay if I leave for a while? I can send Lilly up,” he offered.

I
nodded my head.

He brushed the stray hairs from my eyes. “I’ll be back in a few hours to check on you. We have more guests arriving.”

I looked away. The guests Maes had purposely mentioned last night.
Koda
. My stomach began to churn again.

“Sweetheart,
you can handle this,” he assured me.

“I’m not ready for Koda.” I curled onto my side, pulling away from him.

He leaned over me. “You have to face it sooner or later.”

“Callon,” my voice shook.

“There will be more,” he warned me.

“Why?”

“Because we need them. We can’t fight this alone.” He placed a tender kiss on my forehead. “Rest, I’ll be back soon.” He rose, but hesitated. “I love you, Cheyenne.”

I gave no reply as he headed for the door. I couldn’t say the words yet, not when saying them made me
feel like I was betraying Colt, and not knowing if my love were truly toxic. I couldn’t face another painful loss.

“Cheyenne, Colt’s here!” I heard Dad calling.

“Give me a minute!” I yelled back; I was in the kitchen, taking a sheet of cookies from the oven.

“Hey
, Colt, hope the drive up wasn’t too rough?” Dad was talking with Colt in the hall. “What are you two up to tonight?”

“Movies,” Colt replied cheerfully. “The new one that everyone’s talking about,
The Gate
.”

I smiled. We’d been waiting weeks to go see it, and tonight was opening night. Colt had pre-purchased the tickets, in celebration of finishing finals and Christmas break, and I was really looking forward to it.

“Mom,” I said. “The cookies are done. I’m gonna leave them—”

“Did someone say cookies?” Colt rushed beside me, staring hungrily at the baking sheet.

“They’re hot!” I slapped his hands as he tried to pull one off. “You can have them when we get back.”

He pouted.

“Oh, stop it, you know the cute routine doesn’t work on me. Let’s go.”

With a
playful grin, he trailed behind me as I grabbed my gray coat.

“Have fun
,” Dad smiled.

“We will,” Colt grinned, opening
the door.

“Be safe, Cheyenne,” Mom added. “I love you.”

The door closed and I sighed, the taste of snowflakes rich on my tongue. The snow had been falling all day, and I could barely find the driveway. As I stepped towards Colt’s truck, it crunched deliciously.

“Here, let me.” Colt opened the truck door and helped me in.

“I can’t believe you got us tickets,” I said as he climbed into the driver’s seat.

“It wasn’t easy,” he replied, pulling out
onto the highway.

“Yeah right
, it wasn’t easy,” I teased. “All you ever have to do is bat an eyelash, and the girls would fall over to do anything for you.”

“Hey, that’s not true
. I have to smile too, you know.”

I laughed, and he winked.

We continued down the icy roads until we reached the movie theatre. The parking lot was packed, but we managed to squeeze into a space. Colt hopped out quickly and caught me before I slipped on the ice.

“You just can’t do anything right, can you?” he snickered.

“Oh whatever!” I pushed his hand away only to latch onto his arm again as I lost my footing once more.

“Told you so.”

I rolled my eyes. “You parked there on purpose to make me hold onto your arm.”

“Oh yeah, nothing to do with t
he fact this was the only space.”

Once we were on the sidewalk, I let go of him. Ahead, a long line had already formed. We secured our spot and then waited. I began to shake and blew on my hands.

“Cold?” Colt asked.

“I’m fine.”

He shifted a little closer.

“I’ll be glad to have a huge bag of popcorn though.” I grinned. “I can warm my hands in it.”

He chuckled and the line moved. Now I could see the posters, and I rubbed my hands together. The movie was based off a novel that Colt had given me as an early Christmas present. He’d laughed because I’d read it so fast he said it made his head spin. Even the movie trailers I’d seen looked awesome. I couldn’t wait.

“This is going to be so great, Colt. Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for this?”

“Forever.” He smiled down on me. “Hope it’s as good as they say it is.”

“I sure hope the male actor lives up to my imagination.”

“Well, don’t get your hopes up. He looks nothing like me.”

I
hit Colt’s arm playfully and he laughed.

“Here’s to hoping,” he chuckled.

The line began to move quicker. We were next to be admitted, when Colt reached into his coat pocket. Suddenly his eyes widened.

“You’re kidding me…”
He trailed off.

“What?” I looked up.

Colt swallowed.

“Cheyenne, um, you’re so
gonna kill me.”

I frowned.

“Nice try, Colt, but you’re going to have to do better than that to pretend you forgot the tickets.” I continued moving with the crowd.

“I’m not pretending!”

I stopped in my tracks.

“You’re serious?”

He burrowed into every pocket, removing his keys, his wallet, his cell phone, but the tickets never appeared. Then he snapped his fingers. “I know. I changed jackets before heading out, and I left them in my other coat.”

My heart sank.

“Aw, that’s a bummer.”

The line began to grow anxious since Colt and I hadn’t moved. He took my arm and pulled us aside
, muttering apologies.

“I’m really sorry, Cheyenne.”

I blew out a breath. I’d been waiting to see this movie for ages, but there was no point getting angry. It was just a mistake.

“Should we go back?” Colt asked.

I shook my head. “You know, on the way here we passed the botanical garden, and it was all lit up with Christmas lights. How about we go there for a walk?” I suggested.

Colt grabbed both my hands.
“I’m sorry. I know you really wanted to see the movie.”

“It’s okay,
” I told him. “We can see it later. Besides, it’ll be more fun hanging with you and the lights.”

He nodded, and we headed back towards his truck. The drive to the gardens wasn’t long
. Even before we stopped, I was spellbound. Every tree, shrub and trellis was covered with colored lights, and it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

“Wow,” I whistled. “Check it out!” I dashed out of the truck, eager to see more.

“Hey, slow down!” Colt laughed, stumbling after me.

“But there’s so much to see!” My feet took over again
, and we walked briskly through the whole garden. At last we came to a bench that offered a perfect view, and we sat down.

“I’m glad you forgot the tickets, Colt,” I smiled. “This is amazing.”

“Yes, you are,” he said quietly. “Thanks for sharing it with me.”

He leaned down and placed a warm kiss on my cheek. A shiver escaped me, but it wasn’t because of the cold. I looked up into
his icy blue eyes.

He’d never kissed me before…

“Cheyenne,” Callon’s voice broke through my oblivion. “Sweetheart, I need you to wake up.”

The hazy room came into focus, and I rubbed my eyes. The afternoon had waned
, and the cool hush of the evening shadows blanketed the furniture. Goosebumps rose on my arms. I’d been dreaming of Colt again.

“Hey.” He moved closer, rolling me to my back. “I let you sleep as long as I could.” A faint smile rose. “But the guest
s are getting restless. They want to meet you.”

Guests
?

My body tensed
, and my heart began to pound.

“Cheyenne.” Callon gripped my shoulders firmly. “Calm down. They’re here to help.”

“But I can’t…”

“Stop!” he growled. “Enough of this
.” His voice lowered, “Do you think that for one moment I don’t think of that day? That I don’t have my own regrets for allowing what happened?”

“But you weren’t the one who ran away.”

“I was the one who pushed you away. I was the one who caused to you run in the first place. I’ve made mistakes too, mistakes that can’t ever be taken back.”

He pulled my chin
up. “Look at me, Cheyenne. Do you think I won’t feel pain when I see Koda, knowing full well it’s not Colt?”

I lifted my heavy lids and stared into his hazel eyes. Usually so bright and intense, now they were replaced with the same misery I heard in his voice.

“I think about Colt every day. Koda’s presence will bring back memories, loads of them, but we have to move on. Colt would have wanted us to.”

I inhaled a shaky breath
and nodded my understanding.

“Go wash up. I’ll be waiting.”

My bare feet touched the cold floor, and a shiver ran up my spine. I headed to the bathroom, knowing what I was about to face head on.

Callon was waiting near the terrace doors, staring out in
to the darkening sky. I’d never noticed before, but he didn’t stand tall like he used to. My heart ached. I was being selfish. Callon was trying to push me forward, push
us
forward, and move towards recovery, while all I wanted was to stay in my misery and mourn my Colt. Yet it was worse for me, because it was my fault he was gone. If I hadn’t run away, if I hadn’t insisted I knew better, hadn’t been so hungry for answers I never found anyway, he’d be here, waiting for me downstairs.