Broken Truth by Beth Ashworth Page A

touch you. Please, Baby. Tell me what’s going on.” He pleaded with her desperately as he took in her distraught appearance.
    “I worked it out,” Charlie croaked, opening her swollen, tear streaked eyes to look straight at him.
    “Worked what out, Baby?” he asked, his voice shaking with anticipation.
    The way his eyes suddenly widened nervously was enough for the dam behind Charlie’s eyes to finally break and flood. She finally let go of all the emotions she had built and buried over the past few months. Everything came to the surface in one heart stopping moment.
    Sobbing hysterically, Charlie started to rain fists onto Callum’s chest. “I worked it out!” She continued to cry. “I worked it out, you bastard!”
    Blocking her flying fists, Callum gripped hold of both of her hands. “What, Charlie? What have you worked out? Tell me?” he shouted over the sound of her cries.
    “I know I’m not what you want!” she screeched at him, her voice hoarse. “I’ll never be good enough for you, will I?”
    Sinking to her knees, Charlie buried her head in her hands and cried.
    Callum sank to his knees in front of her and placed two fingers under her chin. “Baby,” he whispered, lifting her face to look at him.
    She opened her eyes just enough to see his distraught expression. His lower lip was trembling and his eyes had glazed over with tears.
    “Where has this suddenly come from, Charlie? Is it about yesterday and what that prick said?” Callum asked, running his thumbs under her eyes to clear her tears.
    She replied with a small nod.
    Cupping her face with both hands, Callum pressed his forehead against hers. “I want you to know that you mean more to me than anything on this earth. I would walk to hell and back for you a million times at least.” He paused briefly and took a large breath. “I know we haven’t really discussed what is going to happen in the future, but I want you to know now that you are going to be a part of it. Just trust me when I tell you that there is a plan for us and one day things will work out how you want. You just need to be patient because neither you nor I are ready for that next step yet. Do you understand where I’m coming from?”
    Charlie understood clearly, but she wasn’t sure if it was the answer she wanted. Was he proposing they just continued as normal until the time came that he thought them both ready for the next phase in life?
    She shook her head at him.
    “You don’t get it do you?” she said through soft sobs. “This isn’t just about getting married, Callum. I don’t just want you to put a ring on my finger to make it all better. That is not what I am getting at.”
    “Then what do you want, Charlie?” Callum snapped, raising his hands in question. “I don’t know what else you want me to fucking say. I’ve just laid it all for you on a fucking platter and you’re still not happy. Tell me what you want from me because I don’t know what else I’m supposed to do.”
    She opened her mouth to retaliate, but was suddenly silenced by the loud chimes sounding from Callum’s pyjama bottoms.
    Standing up, Callum plucked his Blackberry from his pocket and looked at the screen.
    Charlie’s hands were shaking with adrenaline and anger as she also got to her feet. “Would you look at that,” she said bitterly. “Couldn’t have come at a more perfect time, hey? You gonna answer it and then fuck off for four hours?” she asked him, her tone laced with spite and fury.
    She saw him about to reply and she lifted her hand to silence him. “No, Callum. You wanted to know what I was getting at and here it is,” she said, her voice wavering.
    Taking a deep breath, Charlie finally let her true feelings out. “I am only ever yours when it suits you. I feel like you don’t give a shit about me when you spend all day in your office on web chats and phone calls. You expect me to act like everything is fine and that it is ok for you to barely spend any time