Part 25 (1/2)

Cam gave a gallant attempt at a smile. 'I was trying to get you naked.'

'Oh.'

Gwen saw a wave of irritation pa.s.s across his face. 'Magic powers don't exist. You can't believe that you have them. Not really.'

Gwen gave a small laugh. 'Look, what about cooking? That's a kind of magic. You take eggs and flour and b.u.t.ter and produce something that doesn't look like any of them.'

'That's called chemistry, Gwen.'

'Now, yes, because we know about it. In the future, science will probably explain why I can find things, too.'

Cam shook his head. 'I don't want to talk about this. You're better than this. Magic is a word used by children and by adults as a way to scam the vulnerable and stupid.'

'You think I'm faking this to make money?' Gwen's face was white, her lips a narrow line. She placed her wine gla.s.s on the coffee table with exaggerated care.

'I don't know. I hope so, because the alternative is that you're a gullible half-wit-' Cam stopped. 'Sorry. I didn't mean that.'

'Yeah. You did.' Gwen picked up her fleece and made for the door.

Cam caught her arm. 'Don't go. I'm sorry.'

'It's fine.' Gwen avoided his eye. 'I'm fine. Thank you for the drink.'

'Look. It's a touchy subject for me. I don't like people being taken advantage of and you have to admit there are a lot of charlatans out there.'

'I'm not one of them,' Gwen said tightly. 'I'm going home now. Thank you for the drink.' She shoved her arms into her fleece.

'Let me drive you back at least,' Cam said.

'No. The walk will do me good. I need to cool off. Let the house cool off, too,' Gwen added and opened the door.

'I'm really sorry.' Cam had crossed the room. 'I believe you.'

Gwen blinked. 'Do you?'

'I believe that you believe it. Yes.'

'Well, that's not the same thing at all,' she said bleakly.

'It's the best I can do,' Cam said, looking wretched.

She knew how he felt.

'Please let me drive you back,' Cam said after a pause.

'I'm sure it's perfectly safe. As everyone keeps telling me, this is a nice town.'

Cam frowned. 'Why do you sound so bitter about that?'

'You wouldn't understand.' You belong here.

Cam looked at her with total frustration. 'Why do you keep doing that?'

'What?'

'You go quiet. Or you give a bit of an answer. Or you evade the question. Or you change the subject. You used to do it all the time, too. I'd forgotten because I think I'd idealised everything about you. About us. But it's really f.u.c.king annoying. Why can't you just talk to me?'

Gwen realised she was pausing again. Going silent. Whatever. 'You don't want to hear about what I'm going through,' Gwen said. 'It's difficult to talk when I know you think half the things I say are insane.'

'What about other stuff? Real stuff?'

'But that stuff is real. I know you don't believe it. I know you think-'

'I think you use it to hide behind,' Cam said. 'Like when you left. You couldn't handle things so you just ran away.'

'You have no idea what you're talking about.'

'Probably not. That's exactly my point.'

'Do you remember your dad's fiftieth birthday party?'

Cam frowned. 'What's that got to do with anything?'

'You told me about it, but I didn't know if I was going or whether your father even knew I existed or what.'

'I don't see-'

'Your mother called me beforehand. To make sure I wasn't attending. She also told me I was no good for you.'

Cam smiled a little. 'That sounds like her. She didn't mean it; she's just very-'

'She said that I was holding you back, that if I cared for you even a little bit, I should leave.'

Cam stopped smiling.

'She said I was going to ruin your career and your life.'

'And you just left.' Cam's face was hard, his expression a closed door.

'I was eighteen. She's pretty scary.' Gwen knew that was a cop out. She'd been eighteen years old, not eight.

'But you didn't say anything.'

Gwen chose her words carefully. 'Things weren't brilliant with you and your parents. I didn't want to make things worse and, besides, I thought she was probably right.'

'What are you talking about?'