It was a fucking inferno.
We both got out of the car in a daze. Charlotte held her hand over her mouth as she stared at the flames rising from the building.
“Charlie.” I looked over the roof at her. She must have been in shock, because she didn’t even react to me. “Charlie, look at me.” She didn’t. Her eyes were fixed on the towering wall of flames a few hundred metres away. I could feel the heat on my face.
I rounded the car and leaned down, looking into her eyes. “Charlie.” She finally focused on me. “Stay here. I’m going to see if I can find out what happened.”
She nodded faintly, her hand still over her mouth. I turned and bolted, past the rows of fire trucks, squeezing through the crowd milling around outside, trying to find someone who looked official. There was a man in a cheap, battered suit talking to a police officer in a dark uniform.
“Hey.” They both looked at me. “What the hell happened?”
The guy in the suit just stared. The officer turned to me.
“Is there someone in there?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Not as far as I know,” I said. “But my girlfriend –” The word was out before I knew what I was saying. “She has an apartment here. In the basement.”
The cop nodded. “Yeah, we’re thinking that’s where things started.” He frowned at me. “Good thing she wasn’t home. There was an explosion. Boiler, is what they tell me.”
I took a deep breath and looked back at the building. “Everyone get out okay?” I asked. I was wound tighter than one of Tyler’s fucking guitar strings. Any residual drunkenness on my part had vanished.
The officer nodded. “As far as we know, yeah.” He studied the guy in the cheap suit. “Unless you have something to add, sir?” The way he said sir reminded me of the way Natasha said Charlotte’s name.
To rhyme with bitch.
The guy in the suit shook his head and shuffled his feet nervously. “No, nothing,” he mumbled. I had a vague idea that he was the manager, or maybe the superintendent. And I hated him instantly.
“Thanks for the information,” I said to the cop, and he nodded. I raced back to Charlotte. She was still standing next to her piece of shit car, but she’d dropped her hand to her side.
“What happened?” she whispered, lifting her eyes to me as I stopped in front of her.
I shook my head. “There was an explosion. In the basement.” Her eyes widened. “Come on; I’m taking you home.” I led her to the passenger side and opened the door. She made a small noise of protest, but I shook my head again. “Charlie, you’re not fucking driving in this state.” I slammed her door and slid behind the wheel. It had been ages since I’d driven an automatic, but I managed to get us home in one piece. She didn’t even complain when I broke the limit the whole way back.
I sat her on the couch in the office and dragged a bottle of bourbon from the bottom drawer of the desk. I was about to go for a glass when Arthur appeared at the doorway and handed me one of the crystal tumblers from the dining room.
How the fuck did he do that?
I poured a healthy measure of booze and sat down next to Charlotte.
“Here.” I pressed the glass into her hands. “Drink.” She looked dumbly at me, and I lifted her hands, bringing the edge of the glass to her mouth. “Please, doll,” I said softly. “Drink.” She did, wrinkling her nose at the taste. “Again.” She hesitated, then finished the bourbon. I took the crystal from her and set it on the table, then turned her towards me.
“You’re staying here,” I said. She slowly shook her head. “Yes, Charlie. You’re going to stay in the spare room.”
“Hotel,” she whispered. There were tears in her eyes, now. The shock was wearing off.
“Fuck that noise,” I said, and pulled her against me. “I’m not letting you stay in a fucking hotel, Charlie.” I held her tightly, and she slowly slid her arms around my waist, her face buried against my chest. I could feel her tears through my shirt. “I’m so sorry, Charlie.” I kissed the top of her head, and she burst into painful, wrenching sobs, her whole body shaking. I could feel my own tears pricking the backs of my eyes, but I clenched my teeth against them and just held her tightly.
When her tears finally slowed, I pulled her onto my lap and wrapped my arms around her waist. She rested her head against my shoulder, still trembling. I kissed her forehead, and she burst into tears again. I rocked her gently, murmuring softly to her: her name; my apologies; that everything would be all right. I don’t know if she even heard me through her sobs.
We sat there for a long time, my heart breaking for her. Her phone chimed. She had her arms around my neck, so I slipped a hand into the pocket of her blazer and pulled it out. It was half-past two.
“Charlie, I’m going to call Walt and tell him I can’t make rehearsal.”
She lifted her head, her cheeks stained with tears. “No,” she whispered. “You can’t do that.”
“Of course I can.” I tossed her phone onto the table and looked into her eyes. “I’m not leaving you here.”
She shook her head and wiped her face on her sleeve. “Kyle, the concert is next Saturday.” She sniffled. “You have to go.”
I was reminded of Wendy, who was always so concerned with everyone else’s happiness, never her own. “Charlie, I...” I clenched my teeth in frustration. Charlotte was right. We had less than a week before the concert, and I needed all the rehearsal time I could get. But leaving her alone...
She shook her head again. “I’m okay,” she said softly. “I’ll make a few calls, find a place to stay –”
I cut her off. “No.” I took her face in my hands. “No, Charlotte. You’re not going anywhere. You’re staying right here with me.” The look on her face made my chest ache. “I’m not letting you stay in a fucking hotel. Are we clear on that?”
She nodded slightly, and it took everything I had not to kiss her. Not really appropriate right now, man. Instead, I tilted her head forward and dropped a light peck on her forehead. “If you really want me to go to rehearsal, I will.” I gave her a faint smile. “I don’t want to, but I will.”
She smiled back; a small, weak smile that lit something inside me. Fuck, I just wanted to take her away and keep her safe from everything.
“Please,” she murmured. “You need to go.”
I sighed and pulled her against me, hugging her tightly. “All right, doll,” I said into her hair. “But if you’re not here when I get back, I’ll –”
Chase you to the ends of the Earth.
I swallowed tightly. “Please don’t go anywhere, Charlie.”
She nodded against my chest, then slipped off my lap, settling on the sofa again. She looked so small and lost, and my heart ached for her. I knelt beside her and took her hands in mine. “You’re sure you’ll be all right?”
She gave me that weak smile again. “I’m sure,” she said softly. I hesitated long enough that she pulled her hands from mine and gave me a push. “Go on.” Her voice was a little stronger. “I’ll be fine.”
I stood up, then bent down and kissed the top of her head. “I’ll hurry back,” I said, and she nodded once more.
In the doorway, I looked back at her. She was staring into space, her hands in her lap, her fingers twisting together. I nearly pulled out my phone to call Walt, but she was right. We had less than a week, and we still hadn’t decided exactly what we were playing at the concert. The timing couldn’t possibly have been worse.
It was going to be a long fucking week.
“Where’s Reid?”
Everyone was looking at me. Even Natasha, though she pretended to be interested in something over my shoulder.
“There’s been an accident at her place.” Four voices started talking at once, and I held up my hands. “She’s fine,” I said. “The building is burnt to a crisp, but she’s fine.”
Joey whistled softly, and Tyler raised his eyebrows. Natasha’s expression was somewhere between smug and pleased. I’ve never hit a woman in my fucking life, but I wanted to slap that look off her perfectly-painted face.
“You sure she’s okay?” Dan asked. He was holding his drumsticks so tightly, I thought they might snap.
I nodded. “Yeah, she’s...” Well, okay was something of an overstatement, but it was close enough. “She’s at my place. She’ll be staying there.” I looked directly at Natasha, daring her to say something. She lifted her chin and turned away, but not before I caught the flash of hate in her dark brown eyes.
Walt shook his head and sighed. I’d never seen him without some kind of scowl on his face, but now he actually looked sympathetic.
“Poor girl,” he said, and all four of us guys stared at him. “What?” That scowl was back. “I can’t feel bad for her?” Tyler smirked, and Dan gave him a sting and a rim shot. “Oh, fuck off, you twat,” Walt snapped, and the twins laughed. “How’s she holding up?”
I shrugged helplessly. “About as well as you’d expect. She’s pretty shaken up.” I looked up at the digital clock on the wall. “But I’d like to hurry this up so I can get back to her.” Natasha snorted softly. “You have a problem, Tasha?”
She turned around and smiled. “Not at all,” she said sweetly, but there was poison behind it. “You’re so sweet to offer a place to stay for a few days while she finds a new apartment.” Her emphasis on a few days made me want to tell her that Charlotte was staying for longer than that. But I didn’t have the time to get into it. I just wanted this afternoon’s session to be over as fast as possible.
“Yeah, you’re a real hero,” Tyler said, and I almost laughed at his sarcasm. It wasn’t a dig at me, and I knew it. We all did.
Natasha’s eyes flashed again, and I stepped up to my music stand. “Can we just get this over with?” I said shortly. “I have shit to do.”
Rehearsal had never dragged on as long as that one did. When it was over, Natasha tried to stop me from leaving, but I ignored her attempts to talk. As I headed for the door, Walt called to me.
“Kyle, if she needs anything, let me know.”
I glanced over my shoulder, my eyebrows raised. Grumpy old Walt was turning into a soft touch. Even the guys were giving him curious looks.
“Thanks, Walt,” I said, and heard Natasha snort again. If I hadn’t been in a hurry, I’d have pulled her into the hall and torn a strip off her. Instead, I just growled softly and bolted out the door.
I don’t think I’ve ever pushed the Jag as hard as I did that evening. When I got home, Arthur was waiting for me in the foyer.
“How is she?” I asked.
He gave me an almost imperceptible shrug. “As you’d expect, sir.”
I sighed and glanced towards the stairs. “Tell Pris I need her to pick up some stuff.”
Arthur shook his head. “Everything has been arranged, sir,” he said smoothly. “The spare room is ready for your guest. There are clothes and toiletries in the closet.”
I stared at him. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
He smiled drily. “I am not, sir.”
I just shook my head. “You’re something else, you know that?”
“It has been remarked, sir.” He inclined his head. “Would you like dinner in the office this evening?” He raised one eyebrow slightly. “Or should I prepare the dining room?”
“Office,” I said over my shoulder, taking the stairs two at a time. When I stepped into the room, Charlotte was still sitting in the same spot, still staring into space. She glanced up at me.
“How was rehearsal?” she asked. Her eyes were dry, but it was obvious that she’d been crying while I was gone. I crossed the room and sat down next to her on the couch.
“Fine,” I said, then rubbed my chin. “Shitty.” I gave her a crooked smile. “Everyone wants to know if you’re okay.” She smiled faintly. “And Walt says if you need anything to let him know.”
She blinked at me. “Really?”
I nodded. “Yep. You should have seen the look on his face. It was like watching the Grinch at Christmas.” I grinned at her, and she actually laughed. Weakly, but it was still a laugh. “Charlotte...” I looked down at my hands and scratched idly at my bandage. What could I say? “You know you can stay here as long as you need to, right?” I glanced up at her. She was biting her lip. “What?”
“I was thinking about Wendy,” she said softly. “You should go get her.”
I stared at her. “Are you trying to get rid of me, Charlie?”
Her eyes widened. “No! No,” she said, lowering her gaze. “I just don’t want to get in your way.” She gestured vaguely to the room. “I’m... I’m not really sure what you do with your evenings.”
I chuckled. “I write. Listen to music. Play my –” I stopped. A fucking lightbulb went on in my head, and I stood up. “Come on.” I pulled her to her feet as she blinked at me again. “We’re going downstairs.” I eyed her. “No. First, you’re going to change. Let’s see if Arthur was bullshitting me.”
“Huh?”
I dragged her to the spare room. “Yeah, he says...” I threw open the closet door. He hadn’t been bullshitting me. The closet was full of skirts, blouses, and blazers. I left the closet and turned to the dresser, pulling open the drawers. I couldn’t contain my laughter. “That son of a bitch. How the fuck does he do this?”
Charlotte came up behind me and peered into the dresser drawers. I heard her soft gasp, and I glanced back at her and grinned. “You wanna slip into something more comfortable, doll?” She giggled softly, and I turned to her, hugging her tightly. “Meet me down in the music room, okay?”
She pulled away and nodded. “Okay,” she said softly. “Kyle, I...” She bit her lip. “Thank you. For everything.”
I smiled as well as I could past the ache in my chest. “Don’t thank me until you know if this shit fits you, doll,” I said, waving at the dresser. A few strands of hair had come loose from her braid, and I tucked them behind her ear. “If you need anything, just ask.”
She nodded again. “I will.” Her smile was small, but genuine, and I wanted to kiss it. I wanted to hold her and ask her to stay, not just for the week, but for the rest of her life. She was looking at me like I’d hung the moon, and I wanted to give her everything.
But for now, I’d give her what I valued most: my music.
I’d grabbed a stool from the kitchen and was sitting on it, tuning my Gibson, when she walked in. She hovered in the doorway for a minute, and I looked up. She was wearing a pair of black yoga pants and a long-sleeved shirt that said I’m Not Arguing; I’m Just Explaining Why I’m Right. I couldn’t help but laugh. Arthur knew her too well.
“Do they fit?” I asked. Charlotte smiled and nodded. As she settled on the sofa, I made a mental note to give Arthur a raise. Or a bonus. Or both.
And then ask him how the fuck he did that shit.
I plucked out a few notes and tilted my head. Charlotte looked curiously at me, and I grinned at her.
“You wanted to know what I did with my evenings, huh?” She nodded again, and I picked out a tune. Danny Boy. She laughed lightly. “Mind if I play?”
“I don’t mind at all.” She tucked her feet up on the couch and looked up at me. “I’d like that, actually.”
The ache in my chest turned into a warm feeling, and I swear I could feel my cheeks getting hot. I played a few of our older songs, ones she might not have heard before, but she knew them all. When she sang Natasha’s part, I remembered what Walt had asked me.
“Hey, Charlie?” I played a few riffs, and she smiled curiously at me. “You ever think about taking singing lessons again?”
She chuckled. “I’ve considered it.” She tugged idly on her braid. “I just never seemed to have the time.” She smiled wryly. “Or the money.”
I snorted. “The money is no problem.” I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. I really needed a shave. “Why don’t I –”
“No.” She shook her head firmly. “No, Kyle. I don’t need you to pay for lessons. And I really don’t have the time.”
“The hell you don’t.” I leaned over my guitar. “You’ve got nothing but time now, doll.” I nodded at the doorway. “You don’t have to cook, clean, or do any of that other shit. That’s why I have Pris and Arthur.” She eyed me sceptically. “And hey, I’m doing pretty well with the whole scheduling thing.” I grinned at her, and she snorted softly. “Okay, apart from a few little hiccups. But that’s over as of tomorrow, when I get Wendy moved in.”
Charlotte sighed. “Kyle, just because I’m spending a few days here, it doesn’t mean I can stop my life.”
The warmth I’d been feeling turned to ice.
“I’d never ask you to do that, Charlie,” I said softly. I looked down at my guitar. I felt like an idiot, assuming she’d want to stay. The tattoo on the back of my hand started to itch. “I just wanted to give you a chance to...”
I trailed off and looked up. She’d stood up and was standing in front of me. Sitting on the stool, we were almost the same height. She leaned forward and kissed me lightly, and my heart started to pound.
“Kyle,” she whispered, brushing her fingers against my cheek. “You’re very sweet to offer.”
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “But?”
She smiled, a little sadly. “I just don’t think it would be appropriate. I’m your assistant, not your...” She blushed and looked away. “Anyway. I appreciate the offer. I really do.”
I nodded slowly. “What if you weren’t my assistant?”
She raised her eyebrows. “You’re not going to get me fired, I hope,” she said, and smiled wryly. I grinned, and she laughed. “You’re a brat.” She kissed me on the cheek, and that warm feeling came flooding back.
“Yeah, but I’m your brat,” I said, and winked at her. She blushed deeply, and if she hadn’t had such a shitty day, I would have dragged her up to my room and fucked that blush right out of her cheeks. Instead, I nodded at the couch. “Sit down, doll. I’ll play for you as long as it takes to change your mind.”
She smiled gently and shook her head. “I think I’m going to go to bed. I’m...” She sighed. “I’m really tired.”
I reached out and cupped her cheek. “If you need anything, you know where to find me, yeah?”
She nodded, turning her head slightly and kissing the base of my palm. “Thank you, Kyle,” she murmured. “I can’t begin to tell you how much better I feel already.”
I got up and put my Gibson back on its stand, then swept her up in a warm hug. “Any time, doll,” I said, as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I never wanted to let go, but of course I had to. “Sleep well, Charlie.”
“Sweet dreams, Kyle.”
I dropped myself onto the couch after she left and lay back, promising myself that I’d pick Wendy up first thing in the morning. That got me thinking about the amazing place Charlotte had found for her. And that got me thinking about the conversation in the diner. The ends of the Earth, huh? I smiled to myself.
I wouldn’t even have to go half that distance.