Chapter Thirteen

“Nathe it’s only us” she called as she let them into her apartment “I’ve just nipped back to get changed.”

“In here” came a voice from the lounge.

“Come and meet Nathe” she smiled at Dave opening the door my room is at the other end of the lounge anyway .

“Hi geek” Nathan welcomed her from the sofa he was lying on watching TV.

Dave frowned at the greeting but Callan only laughed “Hey loser” She glanced at the tv “Oh no I forgot this was on” she sighed realising it was a programme about engineers she’d wanted to see.

“Relax I’m recording it for you Calsie” He grinned glancing up at her, “What… the”

Callan watched as his eyes widened as he took in her appearance “Hey what happened to my fave geek?”

“Nathe” Callan blushed “Nothing I did some modeling today that’s all”

“You look amazing” he whistled softly as he looked at her appreciatively

“Yes she does doesn’t she” Dave answered putting his arm protectively and glaring at Nathan not liking the way he was looking at her and hating the way he kept calling her geek.

“I look ok that’s all and they’re probably not even going to use the photos anyway” she murmured embarrassed “Anyway Nathan meet Dave and Dave this is my friend Nathan”.

“David”

“Nathan” both guys nodded civilly to each other each them eying each other suspiciously.

“So geek what else did you get up today apart from looking sexy and becoming a super model.?”

“Nothing much, since I left you earlier, we’re just going to go for dinner now.” she smiled at him “I’ll just go and get changed are you coming Dave?”

“Yes ok” he shot a small smile of satisfaction at Nathan and followed her into her room.

“Why do you let him call you geek?” he asked as she closed the door behind them.

“It’s just his name for me thats all,” she glanced over at Dave and saw the look of misunderstanding on his face. “Oh no he’s not being nasty it’s his nickname for me that’s all, he’s really sweet he’s not being rude or anything.”

“Ok then”

“Anyway “ she smiled as she walked over to the wardrobe in the corner “I know someone else who called it me earlier today.”

“Who?”

“You did.”

“I did? When?”

“At the photo shoot.”

“Oh sorry.”

“Don’t be, I quite like being called it to be honest, it’s kind of cute.” she pulled a couple of dresses from the rail and held them up for him to see “I’ve only got these two, well apart from one of Jus’s that she insisted I borrowed, but I look like a hooker in that one.”

“I bet Nathan would love you in that.” Dave winked. “You know he’s got the hots for you don’t you?”

“Oh don’t be so ridiculous” she blushed “Nathe does not fancy me, I told you before he only likes girls who are about 6 foot tall and dead skinny. Anyway I’ll just see which one looks best” she headed towards the bathroom “make yourself at home.”

Dave glanced around the immaculate room where nothing was out of place, everything lined up neatly if not a little obssessionally on shelves and drawer tops. A couple of paintings hung on the walls and she had some framed photos placed in various places around the room,” Dave picked up a picture of a little girl taken on a beach and smiled guessing it was Callan when she was a toddler. He was trying to imagine how she would have been when she was younger when the ringing of his phone made him jump, quickly he pulled it from his pocket and flipped it open

“Hello”

“Oh Hi Andy, yeah I’m fine you?”

“Oh you’ve got them for me hang on let me get a piece of paper”

He leant across Callans desk smiling to himself as he noticed she’d left her laptop switched on, something she was always doing whenever she left it at his place, shaking his head he pulled a piece of paper from a small block in the corner,

“Yeah I’ve got one let me find a pen”

Picking a pen from the desk he knocked her mouse making her screen flicker from the screen saver to her homepage, quickly he wrote down the details he needed.

“Ok got that I’ll see you in a few weeks, yeah I’ve got 5 minutes to spare now.”

He sat down at Callans desk and absently moved the mouse around chasing the pattern on her mouse mat as he listened to Andy’s voice. Suddenly the orange msn tab flashed and he automatically clicked on it with out even thinking what he was doing.

Jus…
Calli you there?

Jus..
…. Calli?

“Shit” he swore under his breath as he realised what he’d done, frowning he looked at the screen as another message appeared .

Jus…
Are you mad at me? I know you don’t believe me, I really thought you should know that about him thats all. Especially as…well you know why.”

Jus…
“I’ve done some more research I think you should see this it’s some footage of Dave in 1994, I’m sorry honey but it’s obvious he’s on something in it.

Dave froze as the words appeared on the screen, no, no, momentarily he closed his eyes… she knew. Now he knew the reason she’d been looking at him so intently earlier at the studio she’d been looking for some clue to the truth that it looked as if she couldn’t she couldn’t bring herself to believe.”

Jus…
Calli are you there? I’m just worried about you that’s all, if you are talk to me.

“Andy I need to ring you back” he managed realising Andy was still talking to him on the other end of the phone, “I’m in traffic I’ll speak to you later.”

“Ok mate speak soon ?”

“Yeah bye”

Silently he got up from the desk and tapped on the ensuite door “Are you ok Calli?”

“Yeah I’ll be about 5 minutes is that alright Dave?”

“Ok sweetheart.”

He sat back at the desk and guiltily clicked open the other msn window and scrolled back up the page skimming the words, certain lines seemingly jumping out at him.

Cal…
I still think you’re wrong Jus, I don’t think he was a junkie.

Cal….
No Jus he wouldn’t hide anything like this from me I know he wouldn’t, you haven’t spent time with him, it’s not true, I know it isn’t, it’s just some rumour the press started.

Jus…
Baby I hate telling you this and please don’t hate me for it, but Dave’s an ex junkie

Dave scrolled back down the page his eyes drawn again to the last line that Callan had sent

Cal….
I still think you’re wrong Jus, I just can’t believe he was like that, I’d know if he was…..

He was puzzled by why she refused to believe he had once been like that, maybe it was fear or she was scared of something happening, what frightened him more was the fact that if he told her she’d decide she couldn’t be around him any more, the one reason he hadn’t told her the first day they’d met.

Quietly he clicked back to her homepage replaced the mouse before closing his eyes once again and whispering, “I’m sorry Callan, I’m sorry.”

Hearing the lock being pulled back on the bathroom door Dave jumped up and was standing by the window by the time Callan had come back into the room.

“Sorry I took so long but I couldn’t decide which one to wear”, she looked up at him apologetically, “It’s not very often that I wear a dress. Does this one look alright?”

“It looks fine honey” he managed somehow keeping his voice level.

“Do you think so, I was worried that it might be a bit short.” she said softly smoothing the skirt down over her legs.

He glanced at the pink dress he was wearing, the simple style making her look even more vulnerable than she normally did, looking like that was going to make it even harder to tell her that Justine was indeed telling her the truth “No you look too beautiful.”

“Mmm if you think it looks okay” she looked at him strangely surprised by his choice of words, carefully she applied some lipstick and then squirted some of her perfume onto her neck and wrists the light floral scent filling the room. Picking up her bag and slipping into a pair of pink sandals she smiled across at Dave who was staring unseeing out of her window.

“Dave I’m ready to go.”

“Dave?”

“Sorry did you say something?”

“I said I’m ready.

“oh yeah fine, ok let’s go.”

“Dave are you alright “ she asked as she watched him toy with the food on his plate. “You’ve hardly said two words all evening.”

“Sorry what was that?” he looked up at the sound of her voice.

“I asked if you were alright?” she’d placed her knife and fork gently down onto the table and took his hand looking up at him concerned “I’m worried you’ve barely spoken to me or touched your meal.”

“I’m sorry hon I’ve got stuff on my mind”

“Anything I can help with?”

“No” he snapped at her

“Ok” she looked at him puzzlement clouding her face

“Callan sweetheart I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok it doesn’t matter.”

“It does, that was uncalled for.”

He looked at her and tried to smile “I’m just tired I guess that’s all.”

“Ok it’s just….it’s just that it looked more than that, you seemed fine until you got to mine and then I don’t know something seemed to change with you before we left .”

“I’m just being a moody bastard that’s all.” His head shot up as he heard a sound and he looked out onto the street that their table overlooked. “Shit.. shit.. fuck it.”

“Whats the matter?”

“We’ve just been got at by the press fuck it ” he cursed knowing that there was every chance of his past being referred to now that he’d photographed with her, but he still had no idea how he was going to tell Callan about everything, he just wasn’t ready to tell her right now, but he knew if he didn’t there was every possibility she’d see the story in the paper for herself “Fuck Fuck fuck.” he cursed

“Oh” she said in a small voice, once again that hurt looked came into her eyes.”I take it that’s a bad thing then”

“Yes.”

“I see”

“No honey it’s not that” he looked at her knowing exactly what she was thinking “It’s not us being photographed together.”

“Ok” slowly she pushed her plate away and folded her napkin, tears pricking at her eyes.

“Callan I swear it isn’t” he looked at her unable to find the right words to explain,

“Tell me what it is then”

“I’ll handle it myself.”

“If it’s bothering you why not let me help?”

“I said it’s ok”

“Try me” she tried taking his hand but he brushed it away.

“David what did I do?”

“Nothing, I told you I’ll sort it out for myself alright, now stop fucking going on about it” he swore at her.

“Ok perhaps we should go home instead?” She whispered blinking back her tears.

He looked up at her nodding “that’s probably the best thing you’ve said all night.”

“ok”

Awkwardly they sat in silence neither of the looking at each other as they waited for a waiter to bring their bill and Dave’s credit card to be accepted before they could finally leave. Once out on the street they waited in silence for what seemed like an eternity before Dave was able to hail a taxi for them.

“Are you not coming too?” she asked as Dave closed the door after her.

“No Calli I’m going to walk, I need to sort my head out.”

“David” she whispered taking a deep breath “Did I do something wrong, did I do something to upset you?”

David looked at her noticing for the first time the tears brimming in her eyes with a look of total hurt and confusion on her face and shook his head “No Calli it’s nothing you’ve done.”

“Ready Miss? ” the driver asked and Callan nodded her head watching as Dave turned away from her.

“What did I do Dave” She whispered to herself “What did I do.”

“You’re home early” Nathan said as she walked in the lounge “I thought you and Dave were going to dinner.”

“We were, I mean we did.” she sighed and dropped her handbag on the floor before flopping down on the sofa next to him.

“What’s wrong Calsie?” he frowned watching as she did so, she never ever left her bag just lying around “Why are you back early then?”

“Dave was in a foul mood I must have done something to upset him.”

“Why what did he say?”

“He didn’t say much to be honest, in fact he hardly spoke two words to me all night”

“So how do you know you upset him?”

“It’s obvious isn’t it I mean he was fine when we got here so that I could change. Then by the time we get to the restaurant he’s not talking to me.”

“Honey it could be any number of reasons why, did he take a phone call or something whilst you were getting ready?”

“I don’t know, I got changed in my bathroom,” she sat and thought hard for a moment “Thinking about it I think I did hear is voice whilst I was in there.”

“Maybe that’s it then”

“Perhaps but…”

“But what hon?”

“I asked him in the restaurant if I could help, you know talk it over with him and he just bit my head off completely, it must have been something I did.”

Nathan slipped his arm around her and pulled her head against his shoulders “You don’t know that for sure so stop worrying about it”

“No it’s something I’ve done, I know it is and you didn’t see his face when a photographer snapped the two of us together.”

“Calsie it’s done now, I’m sure it’ll be fine just give him time to calm down and he’ll phone you tomorrow I bet.”

“Maybe…”

“Do you know what you need?”

“What?”

“Some TLC, “ he kissed her cheek and stood up “How about you put on a dvd or something and I’ll find us some chocolate and chips, we might even have some mint choc chip ice-cream in the back of the freezer.”

“I’m not sure, I think maybe I’ll just go to my room instead.”

“Come on geek it’ll do you good, it’ll make you feel much better than being shut up in your room” he said sensing how upset she really was “In fact how about this I’ll make the ultimate sacrifice, I’ll even let you watch NCIS if you want and I promise I won’t tease you about your love for McGee, what do you think?”

“Ok, yes I’d like that Nathe” She leant over and kissed his cheek “Thank you.”

“That’s what I’m here for you know.”

“I know but thank you anyway”

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