Fade-out: Take 2 of the Kanyon and Daylen Series, page 25
Daylen slid down the shower wall. She had made a huge mistake letting Kanyon back into her life. Although Kanyon holding her and kissing her had been everything she had wanted; it was a mistake. She had let Kanyon get too close. She needed to protect her like her aunt had done for Jack. She would have to push Kanyon away now. With her mind made up, her heart broken, and her water cold, she stood letting her tears mix with the water raining down on her.
After sending her mother and Blue off to the pool house, Kanyon fixed herself a second cup of coffee then stood listening at her back door for any WWF deathmatch sounds coming from the backyard. Hearing nothing, she assumed that either her mother and Blue had started to get along or they had killed each other quietly. She shrugged, then decided to go up and get dressed for the day.
Two steps from the top, Kanyon’s doorbell rang. She retreated back down and went to answer the door. “Daylen.”
Daylen took in Kanyon, in her perfect fitting tank top and low-riding men’s pajama bottoms. She cleared her throat. “Kanyon, we need to talk.”
Kanyon’s welcoming smile wavered for a split second.
“Can I come in?”
“Oh, yeah of course.” Kanyon stepped back, opening the door wider. “Sorry, blood isn’t running to my brain yet this morning.”
Daylen stepped past Kanyon, fighting the urge to stop in front of her and run fingertips across the two inches of exposed skin right above Kanyon’s waistline. “I’m sorry for the early morning visit. I just thought after last night… we should talk.”
“Right. Okay.” Kanyon shut the door. “Kitchen? Coffee?”
“Yeah, that would be great.” Daylen cursed herself, she sounded like a polite stranger not a woman that had just kissed Kanyon nine hours ago and nearly lit a parking lot up with the connection they sparked. She thought of that moment again for the thousandth time. Kanyon’s lips and touch had felt so right. For a moment, she had felt like the last part of her life had just clicked into place.
In the kitchen, Kanyon filled a mug of coffee and smiled softly as she offered it to Daylen. In that split second, Daylen could see the strong warrior was fighting to keep the vulnerability and fear from her face. Her resolve faltered slightly as her heart pulsed with pain. She loved this woman deeply and knew without a doubt fate had got it right; Kanyon was the love of her life, her soul mate, and she was standing right in front of her.
What caused her to pause was looking at the love returning from Kanyon’s eyes. How could she not have realized that Kanyon felt the same way about her? She hadn’t let herself think it. She simply didn’t believe that the most beautiful woman in the world could feel just as intensely for her.
“You wanted to talk about something?” Kanyon asked, leaning back against the counter with her arms wrapped around herself in a subconscious form of protection.
Daylen looked down at her coffee, her hands clasped tightly around the mug. “Last night, we…” She swallowed hard over a knot that was forming in her throat. “We…” she started again. She didn’t want to do this, she wanted to be selfish. She wanted to stand up, go to Kanyon, and have her wrap her arms around her and tell her everything would be okay. But she knew better, something bad was coming. She couldn’t say how she knew. Her aunt and Isadora hadn’t and wouldn’t confirm her fears, but she knew. That knowledge was what helped steel her resolve. She looked up, prepared to do what needed to be done, only to catch Kanyon wiping something from her cheek.
Daylen’s heart plummeted.
In all the years she had known Kanyon, she had never seen Kanyon shed a tear, never seen Kanyon so fragile. “Kanyon.” She pushed away from the island. She couldn’t do it. She’d just have to figure something else out, some other way to protect her. She knew letting herself go to Kanyon, love Kanyon was selfish but, she stepped in front of her, she would just have to protect her.
“Kanyon.” She took Kanyon’s hand and squeezed it. “I lov-”
The back door slammed. “Kanyon, that young lady, and I use the term loosely, is going to be quite the challenge. Don’t get me started on her wardrobe.” Katherine turned into the kitchen. “But, she is extremely talented,” she finished, coming up short as she watched Daylen step back from Kanyon, as Kanyon spun her back to her. “Hello, Daylen. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were…” she trailed off, eyeing first her daughter’s back then Daylen’s swollen eyes.
Daylen forced a smile to her lips as she greeted their ill-timed guest. “Good morning, Katherine.” Daylen moved back around the kitchen island and to her mug of coffee. “I can only assume you are talking about my precious goddaughter, Blue?”
“Yes,” Katherine responded, moving toward her daughter with a need to comfort and protect. “She’s quite unique.”
“She’s a whole lot of bad attitude crammed into a little body.”
Kanyon filled a third cup of coffee; though she didn’t think her heart could take any more kicks to the ass. If she wasn’t mistaken, she believed Daylen was going to tell her she loved her, contrary to the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ vibe Daylen had first walked in with this morning. Of course, it could be the ‘I love you but can’t be with you’ spiel? Her head was still ping-ponging the what if’s when she felt her mother come up behind her and lay a hand on her back.
“Kanyon, sweetheart?”
Kanyon shot her a look over her shoulder and gave her a reassuring grin, although Kanyon was feeling all but reassured at the moment. “I told you she was talented,” Kanyon said as she finished making her prop cup of coffee. She turned, the picture of composed and calm, leaning her butt against the counter as if two seconds ago Daylen hadn’t been about to say either “I love you, Kanyon” or “I love you Kanyon, but…” Kanyon took a sip of coffee, unable to keep her eyes off Daylen.
Katherine didn’t miss the exchange of looks between her daughter and Daylen. “Right. You did and I have to agree. She is amazingly talented. We will have to work on the menace to society thing, but I have beaten that out of other children.” Despite her poking words, she laid a comforting hand on Kanyon’s arm. “So that shouldn’t be an issue.”
Kanyon gave her mother’s hand a calming pat. “Just try not to leave any bruises.”
“You really know how to take the fun out of things,” Katherine scoffed playfully. “So Roz told me that you’re giving your answer to that role today? I don’t need to remind you that this is the exact opportunity you have needed to prove all the critics and industry wrong. You are perfectly fine and that little incident before was an unfortunate one-time deal; you’re a professional and the best the industry has to offer.”
Daylen’s heart sank. She didn’t know Kanyon had been offered an opportunity to get back what she had lost after the fallout on the set of the Dark Savior.
Kanyon glanced at Daylen to see how she was reacting to the news about a role offer. She hadn’t mentioned it to her because it had been a non-issue. She hadn’t planned on taking it because she wanted to continue to work with Daylen and Ruby. For once, she finally felt like she was doing what she truly enjoyed. Acting was okay, the pay was certainly better, but it wasn’t what she loved to do, it was simply what she was good at.
“Kanyon?” Katherine drawled out.
“No mom, you don’t need to tell me,” Kanyon answered flatly.
“Good. Then I trust you will give Roz the right answer when she calls.”
“Right,” Kanyon agreed, knowing her mother’s definition of ‘right answer’ was the exact opposite of her own.
“Okay, then.” She gave Kanyon a quick hug then moved toward Daylen with her arms outstretched. “Daylen.”
Daylen stood and stepped into Katherine’s embrace.
“It was good to see you as always,” Katherine stated as she released Daylen, holding her out to arms reach. “Please talk to my child about doing the right thing.”
“I will do what I can,” Daylen said through a smile, though her heart was screaming in protest.
Katherine gave Daylen a quick kiss to the cheek. “Thank you.” She addressed them both, “I have a spa date. Then I think I will stop by and talk to an old friend about our little… project.”
“Thank you for that by the way,” Daylen said.
“No need to thank me, I love a good challenge.” On that note, Katherine left.
They both waited until they heard the front door close. “Sorry about that. I should’ve told you she was here,” Kanyon offered.
“It’s perfectly fine. I’m glad she’s willing to take on Blue.”
“Yeah, I knew when she saw Blue’s creations she would be all on board. My mother respects true talent.”
Daylen nodded absently, not knowing exactly where to go from here. She had walked in this morning ready to break away from Kanyon then she had started to backpedal. Now with Katherine’s words playing in her mind, do the right thing, she was so confused on what the right thing truly was at the moment.
“So you had something you were about to say?” Kanyon asked, the fear and fragile tone back in her voice.
Daylen’s thoughts were spinning in her mind as if she had drank a bottle of cheap tequila and took fifty spins on a Merry-Go-Round. And not the cute, ride on a pony, two miles an hour kind of Merry-Go-Round either, but the old-school metal and wood one that the mean kid always spun too fast, despite the threats that you were going to puke, kind. “Right. I was just going to say…” What was I going to say? I love you? We need to end this? I want to be with you? We can’t be together? Choose Kanyon? Choose Kanyon’s life? God, it all felt wrong now. She should tell Kanyon to take the role and get back to her life, the safe life, but she wanted more time. She wanted to have Kanyon just a little longer. “I was just going to say that we have a case we need to solve.”
Kanyon eyed her suspiciously. “Right. Okay, then.” Confused, but she’d take what she could get. She was just glad that Daylen hadn’t tried to say good-bye. “Where should we start? We’re kind of running out of leads.”
“I keep feeling like we’re simply missing something.”
“You can’t zone in on the articles like with the Blood Ring? You totally psychic stalked that thing.”
“If only, that would make this whole case a tad bit easier,” Daylen said, finally taking a sip of her now lukewarm coffee. “And I only got that one bad vibe. Well, that and the whole Rodney incident. I just didn’t get any other overwhelming feelings like I did on the patio.”
Kanyon smiled at that, remembering what she had been feeling on the patio.
Daylen caught the look and flushed a little but wouldn’t let herself go there, not now anyways.
Kanyon refocused on the case in hand. “You know I don’t have your spidey senses, but out on the patio I couldn’t help but feel someone was watching us.”
Daylen’s brows knitted. “But you said Billy was the only one you saw looking at us.”
Kanyon moved around to stand next to Daylen. “Right, he was.” She remembered the prickle of unease and her senses telling her to search the dark windows for the intruder. “But I’m thinking now, they may have been looking down on us.”
“From above? They weren’t at the party but they were somewhere else in the museum?” Daylen contemplated.
The back door slammed again and a few seconds later Blue entered the kitchen. “It’s like Grand Central Station in here,” Kanyon commented.
“Wish it was more like IHOP. I’m hungry.” Blue beelined it to the refrigerator.
“Weren’t you just in here eating my food like an hour ago?”
“I just had coffee and a bagel. That’s like pre-breakfast, now I’m here for the real deal.”
“Oh, well, in that case…” Kanyon waved a hand toward her refrigerator.
“Hey, Daylen,” Blue said as she passed.
“Good morning, Blue,” Daylen returned.
They watched as Blue made herself a plate consisting of two slices of cold pizza, a peanut butter and non-brain matter jelly sandwich, a slice of watermelon, and three dill pickles.
When Blue sat the plate on the island and pulled up a chair in front of them she hesitated at their raised eyebrows. “What?”
“Please tell me you aren’t pregnant,” Kanyon replied.
“And that it’s not the Son of Satan’s love child,” Daylen added.
“Whatever. Like I would get knocked up by the Son of Satan.” Blue scoffed then took a big bite of pizza. Over a mouthful of pepperoni and cheese she added, “I’d totally go for the big man himself.”
Daylen tapped her forehead. “Duh, what was I thinking? So, I saw Katherine and she was very impressed with your creations. She thinks you’re very talented.” Daylen got a shrug of a shoulder in response. “What do you think of Katherine?”
Blue swallowed then took a bite of her sandwich. “She’s kind of popsicle, I guess.”
“Popsicle?” Kanyon asked.
Blue gave her an exaggerated eye roll. “Cool.” Blue took another bite of her peanut butter sandwich and continued after she dislodged it from the roof of her mouth. “But I’ll tell you right now, if she tries to get me to dress in one of her, pastel-y, matchy-matchy outfits, then we’re going to have a serious issue.” Blue took another bite, used her tongue to dislodge the peanut butter, and continued, “I refuse to be turned into Boring as Hell Barbie. I am not to be messed with, I’m me and she’ll just have to deal.”
Within Blue’s ramblings, Kanyon had it. She smiled widely. “How about beige? What would make you wear beige or navy?”
Blue’s whole face cringed in disgust. “Umm, maybe if I wanted to blend into June Cleaver’s underwear drawer.”
Daylen furrowed her forehead then it hit her. “Bea. We didn’t see Bea last night. Miranda said everyone showed up, so she had to be there somewhere. I totally forgot about her.”
“She has that effect on people,” Kanyon confirmed.
“What are you guys talking about?” Blue asked.
Daylen jumped from her seat. “You just gave us our lead.” She stepped around and gave Blue a kiss on the top of her head. “Thank you.”
“Geez!” Blue ran an arm over the top of her head, wiping off Daylen’s appreciation. “Try paying me with cash or... waffles next time and leave the slobbering for your girlfriend.” She gave a head nod toward Kanyon.
“What? We’re not…” Daylen shot a look at Kanyon who just lifted an unhelpful eyebrow. “I mean, we aren’t…” The edge of Kanyon’s lips quirked, adding to the unhelpfulness. “Whatever. Geez. Go change so we can go find Bea.”
Kanyon was behind the wheel of Daylen’s car as they headed back up to the museum.
“So Roz has a role for you? They want your answer today?” Daylen asked, trying hard for nonchalance.
“Yeah,” Kanyon answered flatly.
“What kind of role?”
“I don’t know… some femme-fatal, double agent thing,” Kanyon replied.
“Sounds right up your alley. The femme-fatal part at least.”
Kanyon took her eyes off the road to examine Daylen’s face since the blank tone of her voice wasn’t giving any her any clues about Daylen’s feelings on the matter.
Daylen glanced away quickly, finding the scenery suddenly very interesting outside her passenger window.
“Daylen, I haven’t said yes.”
“Maybe you should,” Daylen offered weakly. “Your mom thinks it’s a good opportunity for you.”
Kanyon was getting a little tired of the up and down, push and pull, roller coaster ride. “Seems like everyone knows what’s best for my life regardless of the way I feel about things.”
Daylen looked at her. “Kanyon, this is different.”
“Is it? Seems to me it’s very much the same.”
She didn’t offer an immediate argument knowing Kanyon was right, at least partially. But there were differences too. The major one being taking a role or not wasn’t a life or death decision and the one she needed to make very well could be. She sighed heavily and was just about to explain herself when her phone rang. She grabbed it out of her bag, thankful for the distraction. “Theo, it’s Sunday. Today is supposed to be your day off.
“We get days off?” Kanyon asked, trying to lighten the mood in the car. She didn’t want to fight with Daylen. She just wanted to give her time, them time, to figure things out. Together.
Daylen gave her a quick smile. “What’s up?” she asked Theo.
Kanyon saw Daylen adjust in her seat, her posture stiffen, her tone turn serious. “She is?” Pause. “You’re sure?” Pause. “Oh, geez.” Daylen put a hand over her eyes. “Seriously?” Sigh.
“What?” Kanyon asked.
Daylen waved her off, listening. “That’s exactly what we need.”
“What do we need?” Kanyon asked again, glancing over to Daylen as she drove.
Daylen pointed at the road. “Drive,” she mouthed as she listened. “Theo, you’re the best. Excellent work.” She paused again and chuckled. “Yes, I will tell her.” Pause. “And that too.” Pause. “Okay, okay. Yes, I promise.”
When Daylen finally clicked off the phone, Kanyon asked, “So what did Boy Wonder do now?”
“Apparently, he got bored with D&D last night, whatever that is. Never mind, I don’t think I want to know.”
“Dungeons and Dragons,” Kanyon inserted.
“Not what I was thinking, but still disturbing. And just a bit disturbing that you know that,” she said giving Kanyon a playful look out of the corner of her eye. “Closeted geek?”
“I just know my fans,” Kanyon countered. “Surrrreeee. Stick with that story.”
“Annyways…” Kanyon prompted.
“Anyways, he decided to go ahead and start a more in-depth background check on the museum’s finances, which lead him into finance checks of employees and Social Security number checks. Insert some impressive geek speak and guess what he found?” When Kanyon only shook her head, Daylen continued. “Miranda apparently has a long-lost cousin. Who just also happens to be conveniently employed at the museum.”
