Maxwell
“Hello?”Maxwellansweredthe call cautiously.
“Maxwell!” A familiar voice and a very familiar buzz of background noise; glasses clinking, music thumping, voices raised. “How are you, dude? Still working on that curse shit?”
“Tim,” Maxwell recognised the voice. “I didn’t expect to hear from you. After you told me to stay away.”
“Aww, come on, man!” Tim let out an exaggerated sigh. “It wasn’t like that! We just didn’t want to get hit by whatever nasty shit that witch was into. You understand.”
“I do,” Maxwell said, and it was half-true. At the time, he had understood why his friends had abandoned him, even if he had been hurt. But now, he was starting to realise that not all friendships, even among his kind, were so shallow.
“It was nothing personal,” Tim went on. “I mean, if it had happened to anyone else, we would have told them to keep clear until they were safe again. Know what I mean?”
“I do,” Maxwell said again. “I broke the curse, by the way. It was this thing called the Hedgehog Hex, where you get poisonous spines. On your face.”
Tim made a revolted sound. “Gnarly, dude,” he said. Tim had been turned in the seventies and had yet to give up on surfer slang. “I wouldn’t have wanted to get hit by that one. Good thing you took off!”
“I guess it was,” Maxwell said. He thought of Chloe’s reaction to finding out she had been cursed; the way she had covered for him with her brother, even when she barely knew him.
“But you’re fine now, yeah?”
“Yeah, I am,” Maxwell agreed. “Took a bit of breaking, but we managed it.”
Tim didn’t ask who ‘we’ referred to. “Then what are you still doing in Australia? Why aren’t you here? We’re looking at moving the whole crew to Miami for a few years. What do you think? Sure, it’s hot as hell, but the clubs are insane, and there are a whole lot of women with skin like caramel and thighs that would squeeze the—”
“Miami’s a hell hole,” Maxwell wrinkled his nose. He hated humidity; he really did.
“Yeah, but it’s a fun hell hole,” Tim said jovially. “It’ll be a blast. We’ll get a few big houses on the water, right by the nightlife. And the blood supply is great. There’s always people looking to make some extra cash.”
That was probably true, Maxwell thought. “I’m kind of enjoying things here,” he said cautiously. “I was thinking I might stay on a while, actually.”
“Why?” Tim sounded like Maxwell had said he might take up sunbaking. “Why would you do that? There’s nothing to do there.”
“I’ve got a poker game going,” Maxwell said. “And there’s a decent paranormal scene for a small town. I’ve met some…cool people.” He had no intention of telling Tim about Chloe. What could he say, even if he did? He had no idea how to define their relationship or if it even was a relationship.
“Oh yeah, you’d be the big fish with those small-town vamps,” Tim sounded like he was laughing. “But we need our poker shark back! Come on, don’t you miss the action?”
And did he? Did Maxwell miss the action of his old life?
“There’s no rush,” he said finally. “Especially not if you’re going to Miami. I’ll join you when I’m ready.”
“Okay, dude,” Tim said. “But get your arse back here before that small town makes you think hiking and antiques is a good time.”
Maxwell forced a laugh, realising that he had thoroughly enjoyed both hiking and antiquing since he had come to Crowley Lake.
“I will,” Maxwell said instead. “Give my best to the crew, right?”
“Yeah, sure,” Tim said lazily. “We’ll have one hell of a welcome back party when you get here.”
When the call ended, Maxwell sat there for a long moment, holding his phone in his hands and thinking. He had always assumed he’d re-join his friends as soon as the curse was broken, but now? Now, he wasn’t so sure. And the glitter and glamour of his former life didn’t seem quite so appealing as they once had. Besides, he didn’t want to leave while he had whatever he had with Chloe. While she still wanted him, he’d be an idiot to be anywhere but by her side.
But how long would Chloe want him? It wasn’t like there was a future for him in Crowley Lake. Was there?
“So, things seem to be going well with Chloe,” Sean said slyly as he lined up a row of champagne glasses.
Maxwell cleared his throat. “She’s amazing.”
“I’m glad you finally made a move,” Sean said, starting now with a row of whiskey tumblers. They were only expecting the usual crowd, but Maxwell liked to be prepared.
“So am I,” Maxwell said. “I didn’t think she’d really want to…” He shook his head. “But she did.”
“Frequently, by the smell of you,” Sean teased, a smirk on his face. “Look at you, all loved up and happy. I’m pleased for you, you know.”
Maxwell cleared his throat again, totally unnecessarily. “So am I,” he said again. “She does make me happy. I don’t know about loved up, but happy? Certainly.”
Sean nodded with satisfaction. “You do seem happy,” he agreed. “Here in Crowley Lake, I mean. Contented, even.”
There was a long silence before Maxwell spoke again. “I suppose so,” he said. “For now, anyway. When you’re as old as I am, you just have to enjoy things while you can, you know. Nothing lasts forever.”
“You’re talking like it’s already over,” Sean chided. “It’s been what, a week at the most? With Chloe?”
“A bit more than a week,” Maxwell clarified, though it felt like a lot more. It was hard to remember what life had been like before Chloe came into it. “And I’ll take as much time as she’ll give me, I’m not stupid. Until…”
“Until what?” Sean frowned, turning a tumbler over and over in his hands, the scars at his wrists catching the flickering firelight.
“Well, until she decides she’s done, I guess,” Maxwell said, shrugging uncomfortably. “I mean, she is mortal. It’s not like she and I can ever…”
“You mean you haven’t had the conversation about what happens in the future,” Sean said, setting down the tumbler and sinking into an armchair as Maxwell selected a few packs of Tally-Ho’s for the evening’s game.
“What future?” Maxwell pretended to laugh but didn’t do a very good job of it. “What, you think I’m going to mess this up by asking if she wants to turn? Of course she doesn’t!”
“How do you know she doesn’t want to turn?” Sean asked, looking like he’d very much like to put his feet up on the coffee table but was resisting the temptation. “I mean, she seems keen on you.”
“Being keen on me isn’t a reason to give up your human life,” Maxwell said. “You know that. She’s got friends. A brother. And her career! I mean, how could she do property showings all day if she’s like us? It wouldn’t work.”
“You’ve clearly thought about it, though,” Sean prodded. “For someone so sure she wouldn’t want to.”
Maxwell let out a small sound. “I’ve made the mistake of thinking someone would turn before. I’m not going to let myself be disappointed again,” he said. “Look, Chloe is amazing. She’s special, no doubt about it. And I am going to enjoy every moment I have with her until this doesn’t work for her anymore. When that happens, I’ll go back to the States and…” He paused. “Move on, I guess.”
“You thought your brother would turn, right?” Sean asked, and Maxwell nodded. “That must have been rough, but I think you’re selling yourself short by assuming that there’s an end date with Chloe. I know everyone in this town, Maxwell. Chloe doesn’t date. But for you, she changed things. Let you in. That means something.”
“It means I’m lucky,” Maxwell said, flicking through the cards and then shuffling idly. “Very lucky. But not stupid enough to think I could be lucky enough to have a woman like that forever.”
“You’re both happy,” Sean said finally. “Don’t fuck it up, okay?”
“I’ll try my best,” Maxwell promised. “Now, come on, get off your arse and help me get those silver buckets full of ice. Don’t make me serve my guests warm champagne.”