TRENTON
Calliope always knew. Even when we were kids she could tell when I was lying or hiding something. She had this way of looking at you that made you want to confess everything.
I watched her unpack in the guest room and felt that same old anxiety creeping up my spine.
"Need help?" I asked from the doorway.
"I'm good." She hung a dress in the closet and turned to face me. "So. Bronwyn."
"What about her?"
"She seems nice."
"She is."
Calliope sat on the bed and patted the spot next to her. I stayed where I was.
"You remember that call we had last week?" she asked. "During the storm?"
I remembered. I'd been stressed about work and called her to vent. We talked for almost an hour.
"Yeah."
"You mentioned this girl staying with Eudora. You said her name was Bronwyn. You talked about her for a while."
"I was just being polite."
She gave me that look. The one that said she saw right through me.
"Trenton."
"What?"
"You used to do this thing when you were twelve. Whenever you lied you'd cross your arms. You're doing it right now."
I uncrossed my arms. "I'm not lying."
"Okay." She went back to unpacking but I could feel her watching me from the corner of her eye.
I left before she could ask anything else.
---
Christmas Eve dinner was chaos in the best way. Mom had everyone in the kitchen cooking something. Eudora made mashed potatoes. Bronwyn helped with the salad. Calliope worked on dessert. I got stuck carving the turkey.
"Bronwyn, how long are you staying?" Calliope asked. She was measuring flour but her eyes were on me.
"Through New Year's," Bronwyn said. "If that's okay."
"Of course it's okay," Mom said. "We love having you here."
"That's a long visit," Calliope said. "It must be nice getting away from Boston for a while."
"It is."
I focused on the turkey. The knife slipped and I almost cut myself.
"Careful," Mom said.
Calliope smiled. "Yeah, Trent. Be careful."
Dinner lasted two hours. We ate and talked and laughed. Mom told embarrassing stories about us as kids. Eudora kept refilling everyone's wine. I tried to relax but every time I looked at Bronwyn I caught Calliope watching me.
After we cleaned up Mom went to bed early. Eudora wanted to watch a movie. Bronwyn said she was tired and went upstairs. I said I had work emails to check and headed to my study.
I was at my desk going through contracts when Calliope walked in without knocking.
"You're sleeping with her."
It wasn't a question.
"What?"
She closed the door and leaned against it. "Don't. I've known you for forty seven years. Don't insult me."
I set down my pen. My heart was pounding but I kept my face neutral.
"Cal."
"The way you look at her. The way she looks at you when she thinks no one's watching. That thing in the kitchen where you both reached for the same glass and practically jumped away from each other." She crossed her arms. "You're sleeping with her."
There was no point lying, not to Calliope.
"Yes."
She closed her eyes for a second. "Does Eudora know?"
"No."
"Does Mom?"
"No."
"How long?"
"A few days."
She walked over and sat in the chair across from my desk. "This is going to explode, Trenton. You know that, right?"
"I know."
"Eudora's going to find out eventually. And when she does it's going to destroy her."
"I care about Bronwyn."
"I don't doubt that. But you're her best friend's father. There's no version of this that ends well."
I rubbed my face. "I didn't plan this."
"I'm sure you didn't. But now you're in it." She leaned forward. "I won't tell Eudora. That's your mess to handle. But you need to be smart about this. End it now before someone gets hurt worse than they already will."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't want to."
She studied me for a long moment. "You really care about her."
"Yes."
"Then you're an idiot." She stood up. "Just be careful. Eudora's stronger than you think but this? This could break her trust forever."
She left and I sat there staring at the wall. Everything she said was true. This was going to blow up. But I couldn't stop.
---
At midnight I went upstairs. Everyone was asleep. I stood outside the guest room door for a full minute before opening it.
Bronwyn was awake. She sat up when I slipped inside.
"What are you doing?" she whispered. "Someone will hear."
I locked the door and crossed to the bed. "Calliope knows."
Her face went pale. "What?"
"She figured it out. She's not going to tell anyone."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because I know my sister."
Bronwyn pulled her knees to her chest. "This is bad. This is really bad."
I sat on the edge of the bed. "She promised she wouldn't say anything."
"But she knows. What if she changes her mind? What if she tells Eudora?"
"She won't."
"You don't know that."
I touched her face and she looked at me. Her eyes were scared.
"We're safe," I said.
"Are we?"
I kissed her. She tried to pull back but I held her there until she stopped fighting it. Then she was kissing me back and pulling me down onto the bed.
"We have to be quiet," she breathed.
"I know."
I pulled her shirt over her head and she worked on my belt. Everything felt urgent, like this might be the last time.
When I pushed inside her she gasped and I covered her mouth with my hand. Her eyes met mine and I saw everything I felt reflected back at me.
We moved together in silence. The only sounds were our breathing and the quiet creak of the bed. I kept my hand over her mouth and she bit down on my palm to keep from crying out.
Afterwards we lay tangled together. I pressed my face against her neck and whispered the words before I could stop myself.
"I'm falling in love with you."
She went still. Then her arms tightened around me.
"Don't say that."
"It's true."
"It makes everything harder."
"I know."
She kissed my shoulder and I held her until I couldn't risk staying any longer. Then I got dressed and slipped back to my room.
---
Christmas morning started early. Eudora knocked on my door at seven.
"Wake up! It's Christmas!"
I dragged myself out of bed and went downstairs. Mom was already making coffee. Calliope sat at the table looking amused. Bronwyn came down a few minutes later looking tired.
We opened presents and ate breakfast and pretended everything was normal. I gave Bronwyn a book she'd mentioned wanting and she gave me an expensive pen. Nothing that would raise suspicion.
Around ten my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number but answered anyway.
"Merry Christmas, Rhiggs."
Stellan Grayson.
I walked into the hallway. "What do you want?"
"We need to talk about Pinehaven Crossing. My office, day after Christmas. Don't be late."
"There's nothing to talk about. The deal's done."
"Things change. See you Friday."
The call ended.
I stared at the phone. Stellan never backed down this easily. He always had an angle.
Something was wrong.