The Love You Crave

26.

“Can we discuss this later?” Gwen says. She pauses a moment, then adds, “In private?”

Callie and I exchange a look.

I say, “Callie and I are a team, Gwen. Whatever happens, you’re not going to come between us.”

“Is that true, Callie?” Gwen says.

Callie says nothing.

To me, Gwen says, “She doesn’t need you, and I don’t need you. You know what you are?”

“Tell me.”

“A candy ass!”

I frown.

“Maybe you should put some oil around your ankles,” she says.

“Why’s that?”

“To keep the ants from getting to your candy ass!”

Gwen looks at Callie for approval.

Callie says, “Why did you meet Carmine Porrello today?”

“I wanted to ask him something.”

“Go on.”

Gwen looks at me again. “I wanted him to kill someone.”

“Who?” Callie says.

Gwen nods at me and says, “Donovan.”

Callie studies my face.

“You knew,” she says.

“I did. What I don’t know is why.”

We look at Gwen. Callie says, “Why?”

Gwen sighs. “It’s hard to explain.”

“Try,” I say.

She frowns at me. Then says, “I couldn’t choose between you.”

“What do you mean?” Callie says.

“I like you both. I mean, I like you better, Callie. You’re beautiful, you’re stable, you treat me great…”

“But?” Callie says.

“But today when I fucked Donovan, I felt terrible. Not at the time, of course, but…”

“Back up.” Callie says. “You fucked Creed today?”

She looks at me.

“It’s partly my fault,” I say.

“Partly?”

“Mostly.”

“So anyway,” Gwen says, “afterward, I felt terrible. I really like Donovan, but I decided today I love you.”

“Before or after you fucked him?”

“After.”

Callie looks at me. “I would’ve expected better from you.”

I shrug. “You had to be there.”

To Gwen, Callie says, “You love me?”

“I do.”

“How could I ever expect to trust you?”

“If Donovan dies, the problem goes away.”

Callie looks at me and says, “Why is it all your girlfriends want to kill you?”

I shrug. “Some don’t.”

“So far as you know.” She looks at Gwen. “We’re not killing Creed. Pack your things.”

I say, “Callie? She knows everything.”

Gwen says, “Wait. I would never tell!”

“The detectives aren’t done with this,” I say. “They might try to work on her.”

“What about my t-shirt business?” Gwen says.

“It might raise some eyebrows at the next board meeting if she turns up dead,” I say.

“They haven’t approved the reorganization yet though, right?” Callie says.

“True.”

Gwen starts backing up. “Can’t we just forget what happened today?”

“Which part?” Callie says.

“All of it. I want a do-over. No more Donovan. Just you, Callie. For ever and always.”

Callie says, “You sound sincere. But can I trust you?”

“Yes. I swear.”

“If you ever cheat on me again, I’ll kill you. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Okay,” Callie says. “Come.” She holds her arms out. Gwen’s face breaks into a broad grin as she moves across the room toward Callie. I see what’s about to happen, and jump between them.

Callie arches an eyebrow, which is never a good sign. Word of advice: you ever see Callie Carpenter arch an eyebrow at you, run!

“What the hell’s the matter with you?” Gwen says.

“Sorry, I slipped.”

“Bullshit!”

Gwen tries to get around me to hug Callie. I mirror her movements, keeping my body between them.

“Do you mind?” she says.

“Sorry. I seem to be all tangled up.”

I catch Callie’s eye. She says, “Creed. Relax.”

I move away, and Gwen embraces her. Callie watches me over Gwen’s shoulder, completely oblivious to Gwen’s affection. I’d come between them just now for a reason. Callie was about to give Gwen a “loving sister,” a move I created years ago to be used on my ex-wife, Janet. It works like this: if Janet shoots me and claims self-defense, Callie will meet her a few days after the funeral, and put her arms out as if to give Janet a sisterly hug. Janet will move toward Callie to return the hug, but at the last second, Callie will sidestep her, spin around, come up behind her, and break her neck.

Callie says, “I don’t tolerate infidelity. Could it be I didn’t make that clear enough to you when killing Eva in your bedroom?”

“She’ll be faithful,” I say.

“I will!” Gwen says. “I swear!”

“She was willing to have me killed to remove the temptation,” I remind Callie.

“That idea might still have legs,” Callie says, backing out of Gwen’s embrace.

“I’m stepping out. You have my word.”

“I don’t want you involved with Ropic Industries.”

“Good. Because Tony and I haven’t been getting along.”

“Tony?”

“Tony Spumoni. I think he’s planning to file assault charges against me.”

Gwen sticks her bottom lip out. “What about my t-shirt company?”

“I’ll have them buy you out.”

“How much?”

“The company’s worth eight million, but they’re short on cash and this would be a fire sale.”

“How much?”

“Eight hundred thousand.”

“Ten percent? That’s a terrible deal!”

“It’s enough for a t-shirt company.”

“Take it,” Callie says.

Without batting an eye, Gwen says, “Okay.”

I notice she’s looking at Callie with bedroom eyes.

“Are we good here?” I say to Callie.

“You and me?”

“Yeah.”

“For now.”