Little White Lies

She said nothing.

Cael leaned over James’s shoulder. “I’m going to leave you two in private. This conversation is going to go somewhere I am not prepared to hear.” He bumped Charley in his hasty exit, but other than a slight shift, she didn’t move.

“He doesn’t want you on the job because he doesn’t want you hurt.”

“That’s a load of-”

James tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His touch, while soft, came nowhere near the intensity of heat that Wyatt’s brought to her skin. “You didn’t see it in his eyes in Montreal once he found out about you because right afterward, we learned about Chase. You’ve missed all the signals since we got back because Chase was gone. And now that he’s back, you’re hell bent on revenge, but Wyatt’s still thinking clearly.”

“And how can you think ‘clearly’ through this now, James?” She folded her arms over her chest. “Why are you all the sudden the voice of reason?”

“Aren’t I always?”

Charley dropped her gaze. Dammit. He is. Always.

“The boy was in love with you. The man is in love with you, but neither of you have had time to talk through the past. You still haven’t told him what’s happening in less than a week, have you?”

“No.” Charley studied the random pattern of the Berber carpet in the office. “It doesn’t matter, anyway.”

“Like hell it doesn’t, Charley. You need him. When we got the call for his case, we jumped at it, knowing you’d stay away. You’re six days from your last change. You need to go to him, tell him, and see what he’s willing to give you.”

He stood before her, so strong and kind, his hands on her shoulders. “You’re waiting for him to find something he can’t deal with and leave, Charley, even though it doesn’t matter at this point. You’ve given him very little about you.”

She sat down on the edge of the desk. “I know. I can’t help it.”

“You need to tell him everything. Start to finish. From scratch. A to Z. Whatever you want to call it.”

“I was planning to, but like you said, everything keeps getting in the way.” She balled her fists.

“You need Wyatt now, and even more for the future, but you have to let him into your life and stop looking at him as someone outside our circle. He already knows what we are, and I haven’t seen that fly across the six o’clock news, so I’m pretty sure he’s keeping the secret. Chase’s disappearance has been a huge hurdle, but we’re over that. We could use Wyatt’s help, his guidance, and his rules with this unknown group.”

James took her hands in his and rubbed. “Remember the night of the dance? I told you it was okay then, and you opted to keep your promise to Lily and not derail his life. I’m telling you… again. Tell him. Make mad, passionate, earth shattering love to him, and next Sunday, on your birthday, shift to his age and make it stick. We’ll all still be here. I know you want that.”

“But what if he won’t have me? What if-”

James stared back up at her, a smile lighting his eyes. “I have a feeling none of that will happen, and if it does, we’ll be here for you.”

“But I won’t be able to help you guys anymore, and you could get stuck with me, not just have to help. My work will be done. I’ll just be like any normal person-”

“It was always going to be over, and you know that. We knew that. We had to bring you two back together. This is it. The last time. Two hundred and thirty-four years is all we get. Isn’t that what you’ve wanted for sixteen of them? You won’t forget us, Charley. He’s not going to let that happen if you take the time to tell him.”

She let out a small laugh. “I kicked him out, James. I told him to leave and have given him no reason, none whatsoever, to stay around me.”

“And that’s going to stop you? You can suck up with the best of them.” He chucked her chin with his fist. “If only we’d shared a birthday, I might have gotten you for myself. But no matter what, I’ll always love you, Charley.”

“Thank you.” Charley put both her palms on his cheeks and leaned in to add a soft kiss to his lips.

***

Wyatt strode back into the room to tell Charley what he really thought about being bullied out of the way when he saw her lay a kiss on James’s lips. The fire within erupted. His fist itched to punch a surface, but he couldn’t bring himself to ruin any of their artwork, the walls or doors. He opted instead to let fury and anger burn as he stormed his way back through the hallway.

If he hadn’t returned, he wouldn’t have known for sure. She should have told him and put him out of his misery since their reintroduction and the kiss that brought forth floods of memory.

He could fight him for her. She might like that, given she was born in what?… Eighteen something or other? No wait, before that. Or, he could give her up. That would be noble.

No matter what, he vowed to finish the job, to help her family get the justice they deserved. Then he’d get out of her life. It’s going to hurt like hell. Wyatt paused at the front door as Stuart caught up with him.

“Lily’s got cheesecake and sandwiches made.”

“No, thanks.” Wyatt leaned his head against the door and banged it once.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Yeah, okay. Liar.”

Wyatt thought, briefly, that he should rip the door off its hinges, but his mother’s warnings about anger and cause and effect came back to haunt him. “Charley kissed James.”

“So?”

Wyatt spun back around. “Don’t tell me ‘So’. They were kissing!” He pinched his fingers together and mock kissed Stuart with them. “I knew it before, saw it in Montreal and ignored it. I’m so stupid to even think there might be something between us again.” He punched a fist into his own palm. It didn’t help.

“Again. So?” Stuart munched on a chip from the pile in his hand.

Wyatt raised his arm as if to hit Stuart but let it fall when Stuart stood still as if he’d take a punch for him-just to help him get it out of his system.

Hushed voices echoed from behind the stairs.

Stuart stepped closer. “They aren’t a couple. I can assure you. It’s not possible.” He disappeared through the dining room.

Charley and James emerged from the hallway. “Wyatt!” Her eyes widened as if surprised by his presence.

“Sorry, just leaving.”

Charley cocked her head at him. “Actually, I-”

Wyatt turned the knob and opened the door without a backward glance. He stepped outside and pulled the knob until the door clicked into place and the wall he’d created wedged between them.

“Fuck,” he said for the second time upon leaving the house at the top of Turner Point.

19

Dazed, Charley walked through the foyer and into the living room, where most of her family sat. The sight of them together warmed her as her heart plummeted from Wyatt’s abrupt departure.

She turned in a slow circle. “I’m… ah…” She waved a hand up the stairs.

“Wait,” Cael called. “What’s wrong? Where’s Wyatt?”

“Um… he left.” She stepped toward her destination.

James caught her arm and spun her around. “What do you mean, ‘he left’?”

“He left, okay? He walked out the door, it closed behind him, and the car pulled out of the driveway? Bye-bye