Callie was used to Leona's intensity. It was part of her whole personality that made her intimidating. But even now, it seemed like it had gone up a notch and it was unsettling to see her like this. Something was definitely wrong. "Thanks. I'll have it returned tomorrow. So what's so important that you look like you're going to tell me that someone died?"

Her serious-set face softened in one of its rare moments that made Leona seem human-like. Leona inhaled deeply, looking almost impatient to admit what had made her act so extreme. "I don't know how to say this but I think Larkin's leaving Jubilee Grove for good."

Callie lost her breath, a range of emotions sent a gust of chill ripping over her. Callie instinctively took a step back, uncertainty tainted her face.

Was this why he wanted to see her? To say his goodbye? Callie couldn't help grimacing, her heart thumping painfully faster than usual. The thought of what he wanted to say made her confused and a little scared, as Callie tried to suppress her doubts. Whatever it was, this was something she wanted to be sure about. "Are you sure?"

"I overheard him telling his lawyer. Apparently that's the only person he trusts right now." Leona seemed more annoyed than she'd always been. Clearly, she had finally warmed up to Larkin, seeing the side of him that made Callie fall deeply for him.

"Oh."

"What are we gonna do?"

Ignoring her panicked question, Callie inquired. "Do you know why he's leaving?"

Leona shot her a scowl. "You know Larkin's not the type to express his reasons."

"That's true."

"What are we gonna do?" Leona asked again, this time with less panic and more firmness settling on her face. Her lips twisted into a deep crease.

Callie sighed. Eyes narrowed, Leona watched her carefully, waiting for what she'd say. Callie wished she had all the answers to her questions but Leona didn't know everything about Larkin. His greatest fears. His troubles. His regrets. His pains. Callie knew all that and it was something much deeper than words could explain. "I don't think there's anything we can do."

★★★

The next afternooon, Callie got to Mimi's diner with her nerves kicking up. She glanced through the see-through glass and felt relief to see Larkin already there, signaling for her to come in. He was unsurprisingly punctual, seemingly carrying of composure within his reach.

Larkin sucked in a sharp breath. The moment their eyes locked, every single thing he prepared to say had started to fly out of his head. His heart pounding uncontrollably when she saw him, keeping him on edge. Seeing her in sexy white shorts underneath a flaming red tank top didn't help his anxiety either. The longer she stayed in his presence, the more reckless he felt. Heat rose in his veins, bringing unwarranted feelings he'd managed to keep in place for days.

Waving at Nyma who was working behind the counter, Callie approached the table where Larkin was now standing in front of. He nervously dug his fingers through his flaxen hair, an action that was enough to cause an intoxicating stir within her. Short locks hung over his eyes for a moment, shielding its rich hues from her sight.

"Hi." Callie said, trying to keep her voice neutral. Definitely not an easy task. Not with how surprisingly good he looked in denim pants and a rare, camou tee-shirt.

Returning her greeting, he sat down with his brow furrowing in thought for a fraction of a second, until he said. "You missed the farewell party at the manor. Maxime and Leona wanted to see you."

"Yeah. Leona told me. Sorry." Settling into one of the seats, Callie finally found the heart to respond. There was a hopeful gleam lighting up his eyes when Callie added. "I didn't know if you wanted to see me."

"I didn't know if you wanted to see me too."

He actually looked pained to say the words. Callie wanted to reassure and hug away his guilt but she knew it was better not to dwell on it. "My dad told me about the reinstatement letter."

"Yeah, I was surprised he turned it down. Is he still mad at me?" Larkin rubbed his arms nervously, not meeting her hooded gaze.

"It's not you. He just found a new path for himself."

"That's great." Larkin did sound sincere. Instinctively, she wore a grin appreciating his response.

Nyma came closer, quipping with a bright, infectious smile. "Hey, fellas. Can I take your order?"

Too nervous to eat, Callie shook her head. "Not yet, but I'll let you know when I need anything, Nyma."

"Yeah, me too."

Nyma said grinning. "No problem. Call me when you need me and enjoy your date."

"It's not a—" But Nyma had zoomed off to the next table before Callie could explain further, ending with a disgruntled sigh. "—date."

Callie could feel the depth of his stare without meeting his eyes. Her gaze moved to her hand, toying with the string of her elastic bracelet. Finding an iota of courage again, Callie's gaze touched his, long enough to notice the drawn expression he wore.

Callie's lips parted slightly but Larkin spoke before she could begin. "I'm sorry."

I'm sorry. His soft yet sincere words hung in the air longer than she'd planned to.

"I'm sorry too, Larkin." He was quiet, still watching Callie intensely. Holding onto her every reaction when she said those words.

He seemed to look enthralled by everything she did. Any word she spoke left him hopelessly hypotized. Wanting to know more, his voice was warm with affection when he asked the next question. "How have you been?"

Her eyes widened unexpectedly. It wasn't something she thought he'd asked but Larkin just kept on persistently observing all she did with hauntingly, beautiful eyes unusually looking so vulnerable. Callie couldn't keep Leona's words out of her head for the past 24 hours. Larkin was leaving, She was too distracted to think of anything else. "I've been good actually."

Her mind played through events of this week. Her confrontation with Naomi and Damien Pierce. Her dad's new job. Getting closer with her little sister. Despite Leona's news, these past couple of days had surprisingly been good so far. "What about you?"

Was he finally going to admit that he was leaving?

"I've started my shots as you can see. It's not easy but I can't complain. I started seeing a counselor actually." She could detect the annoyance as he spoke, despite how quickly he blessed her with a heart stopping grin. It didn't last long but boy, did it make her heart leap.

"A counselor?" She immediately remembered that he mentioned it once, after his attack with those horrible thugs that beat him up.

"Yeah she doesn't like being called a therapist. Dr. Guilbert recommended her to help with some personal and emotional issues. But then boom, I'm now taking therapy sessions with a woman I barely know. It's like torture." Larkin paused to take a slow breath as she stared at him, visibly puzzled when he continued to explain. "I know you were hesitant to be around me because of my emotional problems and you're right to do so. You're not supposed to fix me. I should have taken professional help long ago but now, I'm finally doing it."

Callie tried to say. "Still—"

Afraid of her possible rejection, Larkin cut through her words. "I know It's messed up for people expect the ones they care about to deal with their emotional problems. It wasn't like I was expecting you to. But I was also being selfish because I still wanted to keep you around. I made that mistake with Becca but you're far more important to me and you deserve better. I know a big speech can't change everything that has happened. But I know that we're gonna be okay if we tried."

Callie sighed, her fingers tugging strands of hair trapped in a high ponytail. "It wasn't like I didn't play a part in all of this. I messed up too. And you've been through a lot—"

"Yeah, but everything that happened to me led me to you. I've been looking at life at a glass-empty kind of way, instead of seeing the glass-full scenarios. I lost my parents but I built a better version of myself. I found you and I surrounded myself with amazing people that I can call friends. My parents aren't perfect and they've done things that people have hated them for on many occasions and I've come to accept that." The raw desperation sang through him. Larkin could feel his pulse thudding swiftly, the enfeebled effect brought realization to him. Something he couldn't bear to withhold. "I also accept that I don't want to lose you again, Callista Blanco. No one knows me like you do and I don't think anyone could tear down my walls, like you do."

He paused again, his face softening as warmth flooded his beautiful visage. "And I can't believe I'm saying this out loud, but I like you so much that it makes me afraid if I'd ever feel the same way with someone else."

"Lately, I've found out from a bunch of people that I'm pretty selfish. I only think of myself instead of how my actions affect people around me." Callie's lips pressed. It wasn't hard to forget what others thought of her. It took a lot to admit that part but it didn't change the fact about how it made her feel.

He too admitted with an understanding expression swelling on his face. "Join the club. Apparently, I'm very selfish too. With my ex-girlfriend. With my inability to let go of the company despite not being qualified to run shit. With my whole accident. I'm pretty sure I'm topping the list."

Callie's demeanor turned serious once more. It crept deeper lines on her forehead, making Larkin feel tempted to uncrease the stiffness that had overtaken her whole body. "Do you think two selfish people can be a couple? We've argued more than most people do and we don't like to admit our mistakes cause we're a pair of stubborn eggheads."

"Eggheads?" His lips twirled up.

Callie scowled. "You know what I mean."

Something dark splattered in his eyes. It was hard enough to decipher what it meant. "Honestly like I said before, that was why I let you go. I didn't think you would want to be around me."

"But you came back." The sudden softness in her voice made him melt. Something twisted Larkin's chest at her reassuring sight. It was numbing every morsel of dispair burdening him tentatively.

"That's because I realized that being with you isn't selfish. It's actually selfless. You make me selfless. You make me want to be better." It didn't feel like he wanted to admit the last part, judging by the frustrated growl tearing through him before aimlessly running his fingers through his hair. It looked like he was having an inner battle within himself. Something she had an idea what it was about.

"And now you're leaving again." Callie said in a matter-of-fact tone. His eyebrows creased roughly but he didn't ask how she knew. It wasn't what was important right now. All that mattered was the truth.

Larkin stated, his voice strained with pure emotions welling up the profound timbre he carried. "To figure out myself. I don't know who I am beyond this mopey, sad boy who drags people down with him. The counselor approves. You know I'll be back soon. Just a couple of months. 2 or 3 tops. But I really need this. For me. For us." And then he smiled. It was genuine. Much more sincere than most ones she'd seen.

"Where would you go?" Her stomach began to churn. He actually looked happy. Callie envied that. She'd wish for a moment to find something passionate to talk about.

Larkin's expression turned wistful. His fingers danced in the air while he spoke. "Anywhere. I'll like to travel the world. Appreciate cultures. Define myself and come back to you when I'm whole again."

Whole again. As much as Callie didn't want to admit it, she knew she couldn't fix him. She couldn't fill the void that left him the way he was. The fact that he realized the truth made her hopeful. Hopeful that he'd find what he's searching for, no matter what it was.

"I know you may not believe this but I'm so proud of you. You're out here in public and you're finding yourself. I wish I could do that. Make that amount of progress in my life."

"But you have found yourself, haven't you?" Callie couldn't respond. Had she found herself? "You're now able to depend on other people without worrying. You're no longer carrying the weight of the world on your shoulder. You're now sharing the burden and you look happier. Much more happier than the first day I met you." Callie blinked. She hadn't actually thought of those at all. But he was right. Everything felt lighter now. Callie went still when his tone turned bitter. "This happened because you let people in. Just like I tried to do." His hands balled into fists, digging himself deeper in his thoughts until it left an emotion stiring on his face. Frustration.

"But I guess it's not enough for you." Callie caught his gaze. It wasn't accusatory but it sure as hell made him feel guilty to say it.

He answered, leaning back into his chair and frowning deeper than before. "Not by a long shot. You've always known what you wanted in your life. To protect your family and be a filmmaker. I don't know who I am beyond the Hammell successor. That's what I need to figure out."

"I understand." She took a moment to stare into his eyes, afraid of losing her one true love. "I'll miss you like crazy."

The tender smile on his face didn't ease Callie's apprehension. "I'll miss you too. Like crazy." She offered a tight smile back. Sensing her anxiety, Larkin interlaced his fingers with her shaking ones. His touch eased through her hands trailing throughout her body like burning flames. "I'll be back. I promise."

"I know. It's just so scary. I-I-" Callie couldn't find the words to say what she wanted.

"You what?"

Callie clutched his hand tighter. She wanted to say. "I think I love you." She really did but the words couldn't slip out seamlessly. Instead she said. "I want you to be happy, Lar."

He searched her eyes for a second, then cupped a side of her cheek gently. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

★★★

"This is my new house." One corner of his mouth twitched. Larkin pressed his weight on the cane he carried around, tilting his balance while he spoke in a melancholic tone. "It's a bit smaller than my other house but I really like it."

"Are you nuts? This isn't in any way small." Callie's eyebrows shot up instantly. Calling this flamboyant two-bedroom apartment small made her brain almost explode at the thought, annoyance biting at her unexpectedly. It was still at the heart of one of the most expensive areas in Indiana, just merely ten miles away from his previous house.

Larkin cocked his head, trying hard to stifle a grin. Teasing her was easier than he thought. Apparently Maxime was right. "Really? That's a relief."

Callie wacked his arm not-so-lightly, her eyes shimmered with lines of laughter. "You're an ass."

"Probably. Maybe I'm beginning to feel like the old me."

Her voice had turned an octave lower when she responded. "I thought you hated the old you."

"I'm learning to embrace parts of it." He glanced at her with an unwonted gleam in those emerald flames.

Sensing the aura revolving around the topic, she decided to ask something else. "What's going to happen to your other house? Will you sell it?"

The change of topic seemed to lighten his mood again. Clearly, Larkin didn't want to press on the subject any longer. It was too painful to relive. "It's my family house. It's always going to be something I own. I can't sell it. But this is also mine. I guess I needed to grow out of the manor. Though I'll miss living there."

"Here's gorgeous anyway." She breathed, turning her gaze around the lovely, new home. It was at least half the size of his previous living room, she had to admit that, but it still had an expensive taste rolling over its interiors—from its immaculate white walls, along with the sapphire chesterfield sofa filling up the room and even down to the small scarlet rug at the centre. It suited him. Everything here was well furnished, she knew it must have cost quite a fortune.

"You're officially the first person I'm inviting to this place. No one else has been here. Not even Mrs. Esther." Larkin brushed his fingers over her exposed arm lightly. Goosebumps exploded a rush of pleasure at his touch, longing for more.

"Am I supposed to be flattered?" Callie taunted, poking his chest. Except he didn't look amused, all she could see was lust. And she wanted him just as badly—if not more than he did.

He yanked Callie nearer against him, his free arm clutching her waist lightly. "Yes." He ravaged her mouth passionately while Callie grasped for his body, clawing at Larkin's back hungrily. He dug under her blouse, fingers dancing over her skin and squeezing delicately all he could touch. Callie's surprised whimper died down at the meltingly, sensual passion raging through him, lunging deeper into his kiss.
She drowned him with her dominating moan, breathless through each pulsing fondle and demanding more from him. Her subtle magnolia scent teased his nose as it always did, Larkin knew how much he wanted more of its addictive scent and he loved that she wore it around.

She abruptly broke away when Chip scampered next to Callie's foot, licking her right leg. The wet drool stuck close to her bare ankle, feeling slightly yucky while staying glued. "Ew. Bad dog."

"Go play in the backyard, Chip." The dog seemed to understand Larkin's command and scurried out. "She's just excited to see you."

"I know." Wrapped in his arm, she lifted her gaze to meet his for a quick second and asked the one burning question in her head. "When are you leaving?" Just saying it out loud made it difficult for her to look at him. Any possible thing he'd say would always end up breaking her heart no matter what.

"Tomorrow." He replied simply, his hand slowly twisting his cane. Even he couldn't find the courage to meet her eyes.

"Oh." He'd end up missing the fall formal in a week. Callie shook off the thought. It didn't matter. He needed this and she was ready to support him through that.

"It's not a problem, is it?" His unrelenting gaze had finally fallen upon her. Concern had captured the lengths of his emotions, inspecting Callie carefully.

Larkin always had that effect on her. It was as intoxicating as a drug that had her bound to his will. She insisted, after catching her breath for a moment. "Nope. Everything's perfect."

Despite it all, she meant everybit of that. Being with him was perfect, no matter the circumstances.

For a lingering second, Callie scanned the surrounding and caught something familiar from a distance peeking through his kitchen's transparent, sliding door where Chip played in the backyard. She turned to ask. "You're gardening again?"

A small smile crossed his scarred, handsome features. "It's basically the only thing I'm good at right now. I got bored all day so I had them shipped here."

Callie took a long whiff of something that instantly caught her attention. "Why does this smell familiar?"

"Magnolia denudata. Imported from china."

"Show off." Callie paused for a moment. "Magnolia? Wait, isn't that my—"

"Yep. Loved the scent from the moment I saw you. In fact they're now my favorite flowers aside from roses." He mused humorously. A soft kiss landed on her bare shoulder, delicious lips teased her skin that hummed desperately under his touch.

Buried in torrid lust, Callie's voice was deep in uncertainty, still struggling to accept his words. "I didn't realize I had that kind of effect."

"You've always had that effect on me." His gentle voice never ceased to shatter all the fears that came crashing down on her head. Though she loved being around Larkin, Callie knew it was time to let him go find what he needed the most.
As crazy as it may sound, she was sure he'd always find his way back to her.

★★★
Two chapters to go, people. My anxiety is already picking up. Just doing all I can to wrap up this book as beautifully as I can cause Callie and Larkin deserve a heartwarming farewell as two deeply flawed yet humane starcrossed pair.

Xoxo
Jasmine