Only We Know by Victoria Purman Page B

it.’
    â€˜All I know is that he’s somewhere on the island. As I said, Sam. Family bullshit.’
    Sam watched Calla drink her coffee. He threw an arm on the backrest, turned towards her. ‘It’s a big place, you know. Bigger than people think.’
    â€˜I’ve got a map. Can’t read it but it looks pretty.’ She smiled at her own lack of spatial awareness.
    â€˜Where are you going to start looking, then?’
    Calla shrugged. ‘I started today but look how that turned out. I’ll think about it tomorrow, I guess.’
    â€˜Tomorrow … yeah. Good idea. Speaking of tomorrow …’ Sam’s expression had become serious. ‘I was supposed to go to my old man’s but I don’t think that’s going to work out. After today and the wine … I don’t think I should drive to Roo’s Rest tonight.’
    Calla giggled. ‘Roo’s what?’
    â€˜The old man’s place. The property where I grew up. It’s called Roo’s Rest.’
    â€˜It has a name?’
    â€˜Of course. You are a city girl, aren’t you?’
    â€˜Born and bred,’ she said.
    â€˜Every place here has a name.’
    â€˜I thought it would just be called the farm, or something.’
    â€˜Hell no. Not here. So, what do you say? Can I crash here? I know you don’t know me but, to be honest, I can’t face sleeping in my car for two nights running.’
    Calla sat bolt upright. ‘Hang on. You slept in your car last night?’
    Sam mouth’s creased in a rueful smile. ‘I had one too many beers at the pub.’
    â€˜Well, that sounds sensible of you. Freezing-your-arse-off cold but sensible.’ It was entirely what she expected of him, given the responsible way he’d handled everything else since she’d met him. He was cautious for others and considerate — not just of others, but of himself.
    â€˜Yeah, well, I don’t think I can turn up to the old man’s this late.’
    â€˜You want to crash here?’ A shiver skittered up Calla’s spine and made her head pound just that little bit more.
    Sam rubbed a hand through his hair. ‘I wouldn’t normally ask but … today’s been pretty fucked up.’
    â€˜I guess I owe you. I did crash into your car.’
    â€˜And my shopping trolley, don’t forget.’
    Calla rolled her eyes. ‘I have an excuse for that one. I wasn’t wearing my glasses.’ She hesitated. ‘Yeah, sure. You can stay.’
    â€˜I appreciate it.’
    Calla swallowed. ‘Make yourself at home. I’ll just …’ And then Calla couldn’t think about just what she was going to say. ‘I’ll just have another cup of coffee.’
    Was she nuts?

CHAPTER
    13
    It was a small thing, but having her own pillow with her always helped her sleep. Calla tried to relax into it, needing the comfort of the familiar when so much about the day had been completely off the rails. It was a powerful thing, a piece of home. But it wasn’t working tonight.
    Sleep was elusive. There was too much going on in her head to drift off. Maybe she shouldn’t have rested earlier; it was now midnight and she was wide-eyed and fried. After she’d agreed to let Sam stay the night, she’d made up a lame excuse about a headache and hidden inside her bedroom. She’d found a book in her suitcase, pulled the blankets up all around her and tried to settle in to the warmth and the words.
    She desperately wanted to escape into another world to help her forget what a mess she’d made of her own, but reading wasn’t providing that escape tonight. Calla closed the pages, dropped her novel on the floor and flicked the switch on the small bedside lamp. The darkness was the best place to get melancholy and relive all her failures.
    And there were lots.
    First there was Josh and her terrible decision to fall in love with him. By wanting him,