Doublecrossed Part 21

"She said she was confused when we kissed. She needs to figure out how she feels and she's worried she can't do that with me living with her."

"That sounds...not great."

"Why?" Callie felt her ire rise. Terri wasn't going to ruin her high. "She's being honest. That's good."

"Yeah, it is, but that sounds like what an honest woman would say when she's done something she wishes she hadn't done. I hate to be negative, but it sounds to me like she wants to keep things at the friends.h.i.+p level."

"You wouldn't say that if you'd been in my shoes on Sat.u.r.day night," Callie said, still tingling from their kisses. "She wants me. There's no doubt about it. She just has to flush Angela out of her system."

"Couldn't she want you but still decide not to be with you? I can't guess why someone wouldn't want you, but..." She was silent for a moment. "I love you, and I'm single. But I'd rather be your friend than your lover. Could she be like me?"

"No. No way. You and I have never even kissed. It's never been that way between us. But with Regan... we did more than kiss. She wanted me. Badly. But then something crept into her head and made her pull back. It's temporary. I'm sure of that."

"I hope you're right, 'cause she sounds like a keeper. A mature, honest woman who's good looking is as rare as a virgin in a wh.o.r.ehouse. h.e.l.l, mature, honest women who'd break mirrors are rare. A good looking one is unheard of!"

The next morning Delaney walked into Regan's office to find her leaning back in her chair, feet up on her desk, a large cup of coffee in her hands. "Don't you look like the c.o.c.k of the walk?"

"Hrmpf." Taking her feet off the desk, Regan sat up straight and focused on her computer screen.

"How was your day off, Delaney? Did you do anything interesting?" Delaney asked, continuing to load on the sarcasm.

"Glad you're back. The Fleming-DiFillipos just added another ten people to the guest list. You're gonna have to come up with some creative ideas to shoehorn another soul into the hall."

Delaney sat down opposite her sister. "What's going on with you? You look like your favorite pet died."

"Nothin'." Regan continued to stare at her screen, paging through a doc.u.ment.

"Don't bulls.h.i.+t me. You were upset after you saw Angela, but you got over it really quickly. Now you're down in the dumps again." She narrowed her eyes as she scanned Regan's face. "Did you have a fight with Callie?"

Regan snorted. "No. We've never had a fight."

"You know," Delaney said, propping her feet up on the desk as she settled in, "I never asked how you know Callie."

Now the blue eyes focused even more fervently on the screen. "She used to go out with someone Angela worked with. We hit it off."

"Right." Delaney was still looking at her critically. "If you ask me-"

"I didn't." Regan finally looked at her. "I'm swamped. Can we chat later?"

"No, I'll be swamped later." She gave her the patented superior smile she'd been using since the day Regan was born. "If you ask me, you and Callie should hook up."

With her mouth set in a grimace, Regan snapped, "I didn't ask you. I'm perfectly able to find a girlfriend on my own."

"You didn't do so well last time, but I hate to say I told you so."

Scowling, Regan said, "You love to say you told me so."

"True. But Callie's just your type. She's your age, she's a lot of fun, and she's prettier than you are. You're a solid seven, but she's a nine. She's a step up."

"Thanks."

"I mean it." She sat there for a few seconds. "Oh, I know what's wrong. You want to go out with her, but she shot you down."

"Not true. Not even a little."

"Why not ask her out?"

Regan squeezed her eyes shut and tried to control her temper. "We're friends. Just friends."

"Hmm, there's something there. I can't tell if you want her and can't have her or if she wants you. But there's definitely something there." She took a pencil from the desk and tapped her chin with it. "I wonder which it is?"

"Fine! Here's the whole story. I'm attracted to her, like any sane woman would be. But it's not gonna happen and I'm p.i.s.sed off about it."

"So she shot you down."

"No!" She lowered her voice and repeated, "No. That's not how it is. I'd love to be with her, but we're not looking for the same thing."

"What's she looking for? Another nine?" She snickered when Regan glared at her.

"Do you want me to answer or do you just want to torture me?"

"Both, but I'll take the answer."

Regan stood up and fussed with her hair for a moment, checking it out in a mirrored sign on the wall. Then she sat on the edge of the desk and looked down at her boat shoes while she swung her feet back and forth. "I'm ready to settle down, and Callie's shown that she's not there yet."

"How has she shown that?"

"I don't wanna get into it, but trust me, she's made some choices that show she isn't looking for the same kind of commitment I am."

"You're looking for perfection, Regan. You'll never find it. If you're into her, go out with her. You can work around most problems."

"Not ones like this." Regan didn't say anything else, but her statement had such authority to it that Delaney got up and quietly walked out of the office, knowing when she'd heard the last word.

Callie spent the next couple of weeks talking to family and friends about her plans. When she called her father, he let the news sink in for a moment. "I want to be on your side and congratulate you, Chicklet, but I'm really gonna miss you. I've loved having you here in Texas."

"I've loved being close to you, Dad. But I know I'm going to be happier in New England. It's the right place for me."

"Then I'll get over my disappointment and look forward to you visiting me. How's that?"

"That's good. How about you coming to Boston?"

"In the summer. I'd definitely come in the summer. But you won't get me out there in the winter. Don't even try."

"I wouldn't ask. I know how you hate the cold."

"Now, you'll probably tell me it's none of my business, but I still think there must be something between you and Regan."

Callie paused a second. There was something, but it didn't have a name yet. It felt like it might jinx it to talk about it before things were clear, so she kept it vague. "There might be something between us. But it's nothing concrete."

"I've seen your pictures from the Bahamas, honey. If you're going to be with women, I can't see why you wouldn't want to be with her. She's really cute."

"I think she's hot," Callie said, chuckling.

"I was gonna say that, but I didn't want to make you mad." He laughed, sounding a little embarra.s.sed. "I haven't had a lot of time to get used to you being a lesbian. I'm still not sure of the rules."

"I'm not either, Dad. But I'm going to move to Boston even if nothing happens between Regan and me."

"Is she...does she...do you want another relations.h.i.+p like you had with Marina?"

"No. Not in any way."

"That was decisive. You defended your lifestyle pretty adamantly the last time we talked about it. Second thoughts?"

"I still think an open relations.h.i.+p can work. But it can't work with a liar. And a cheater. And a self-involved jerk. And a cheapskate. And a moody b.i.t.c.h."

"Got that out of your system?" His smile was so familiar she could see it in her mind.

"No, I have a lot more ways to describe her. But I'll save some for later. I like to have some gems to pull out when I need them."

A month later, Regan left a message and as soon as she had a minute, Callie called her back. "What's this I hear about a life-changing opportunity?"

"It's epic! Here's your new address." She started to rattle off a street number when Callie stopped her.

"Hold on there. Aren't you going to tell me about it?"

"I could, but wouldn't it be easier if you just started to pack?"

Callie lowered her voice and sounded like a chiding schoolteacher. "Regan..."

"Okay, but we're wasting valuable time. A guy who lives close to where I lived in Cambridge got a grant to do research in China. He has a very nice apartment, but he doesn't want to sublet it since he needs to come home every couple of months for a few days. So he's willing to rent it to you for well below market rate. He just wants to be able to use it a few times over the course of a year."

"He's going to be gone a whole year? That sounds ideal."

"It is. And it's well within your budget. When he wants to come home, you can come stay with me. Now will you start packing?"

Callie laughed. "I started as soon as you told me to. I just didn't want you to see how malleable I am. Now give me the address again so I can start sending out change of address notices. I'm coming home to Boston!"

Over the next few days Callie learned that Alana was the conduit that provided the information about the apartment via Angela. But Regan insisted that didn't bother her, and that she'd be very happy to visit Callie in Cambridge. Callie took her at her word and after exchanging e-mails and a few phone calls with Bruce, her new landlord, she got down to business and started making firm plans. Since she had no furniture to speak of, and the apartment was fully furnished, all she had to do was pack her personal items and clothes. To save money, she started sending one or two boxes a day to Regan at the restaurant. It was a fairly expensive way to move, but she figured it was cheaper than renting a truck or buying everything new.

Ready to go by the first of July, she'd taken Regan's advice and sold her car and was eagerly looking forward to using the money to buy a new computer when she got to Boston.

Delaney caught Regan on the way out the door of The Scituate Inn. "What's this I hear about Callie moving to Cambridge?"

Regan kept walking, making Delaney follow her out to her car. "She's coming on Friday," she said, looking very happy. "I can't wait."

"So, you're gonna stop being so hard-headed and start dating?"

Regan stopped and looked at her for a few seconds. This was dangerous. Delaney loved to get involved but she didn't know the whole story. And she didn't need to. "I don't have any plans to go out with her."

"What? Then why's she moving here?"

Regan shrugged. When she got to her car, she tossed her briefcase in the back and slid her long frame into the low-slung car. "She likes Boston."

Delaney stood so Regan couldn't close the door. "Is she into you?"

Sitting stock still, it took a few seconds for Regan to answer. "Uhm, yeah. Kinda. But I was as clear as I could be that we didn't have a romantic future."

"Regan." She dragged the name out, reverting to her "I'm gonna tell Mom" voice.

"I did," Regan said defensively.

"What did you say? Exactly."

"I don't remember. Something like we both had to want the same thing and have the same goals. Things like that."

Delaney thumped her on the head. "That's not being clear! She's probably moving here to be with you."

"No, no, she really loves it here. She's a big history buff and she loves the weather."

Crouching down so they were at the same level, Delaney said, "Don't screw around with her. Tell her you're not interested if you're not."

Lightly banging her head against the wheel, Regan moaned, "I can't do that. I am interested. I'm very interested. And if there's any chance that I'm wrong about her..." She trailed off, almost crying when Delaney patted her gently on the head. It would have been so nice to be able to spit it all out. To tell how much she cared for Callie, how wonderful it felt to be close to her, how she thought about her hundreds of times a day. But Delaney had zero tolerance for cheaters, and she'd think Callie was just that if she knew the truth. And Callie was too good a person to have Delaney think badly of her.

"I don't think you're over Angela yet. Just take it slow."

"I will." It would have been nice if that had been true. But Angela was in the past. Now Callie was all she thought of. She looked up as her older sister stood. "Thanks. I know I don't make it easy, but I love that you care about me."

Delaney tugged on her dark hair. "I care about Callie. You're on your own."

Chapter Nineteen.

On her flight to Logan Airport, Callie was giddy with freedom. That was a funny word to use, but it was the right one. Just the thought of making a conscious choice about where she lived was ma.s.sively freeing. This wasn't about Regan. It wasn't solely about Regan. Living in Cambridge was going to be great. A world-cla.s.s university, lots of tech people, history, seasons. Everything she'd ever wanted in a home. And being there would help keep her mind clear. Regan wouldn't be in the next room, clouding her mind with thoughts of forbidden fruit. She'd have her own life, make her own plans, eat dinner when she wanted to, and not depend on another person for the roof over her head. This would be her first experience living completely on her own. It was about time.

The apartment was actually nicer than Regan described. Bruce either had the skills of an interior designer, or he had hired one. Callie followed the rather meek-looking economics professor around the small apartment as he pointed out all of its features. From the way Regan interacted with him, Callie could tell that they had not been close friends. But they seemed at ease with one another and he never mentioned Angela's name, which Callie was happy about. Bruce was leaving the next morning, so Regan invited her down to the South Sh.o.r.e for the night.

They were both hungry, and as they left Cambridge Callie said, "Let's go someplace fun. My treat."

"Uhm...I was gonna go to the restaurant. My sisters want to see you."

"I can see them tomorrow, right?"

Regan's eyes s.h.i.+fted uneasily, the way Callie noticed they did when she was unsure about forcing an issue. "Yeah, you can, but...if you don't mind I'd rather go there. I like the food there better than any place else."