Magic's Mark

Chapter 23

"Hi. I have a photo shoot today. I was thinking maybe I should just tell you where it is to save you time on stalking?"

A small smile twitched at the corners of my mouth as I pressed send. Someone is going to tell me more about these matches. If I have to threaten to suck all the magic out of Lucas, he'll tell me.

~*~

James lent against the iron fence surrounding the small graveyard as I held up the camera to him, clicking through the photos on the monitor.

"Looks great," he smiled.

"Thanks. I'm happy with the outcome. I just need to touch up the photos when I get home," I replied, feeling relieved that the shoot had gone so well.

"So how's everything with you?" he shot me a telling look.

"Things are good," I replied automatically.

"How's those distractions. Finding a way to get rid of them?" the tone in his voice was equal measures gentle and probing.

I started to pack away my camera, my mind flashing back to our last conversation, which felt like a million years ago.

"Sort of..." I started

"But?" he raised his eyebrows to underline the question.

"Once I fix of one part of my life, I feel like something new has cropped up."

He gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze, "It's like that sometimes."

"Yeah," I agreed. "I went to see Josh. He had left some things behind, so I went to hand them back."

"Oh really," James replied, looking over at the other two guys, who were packing away the guitars.

I picked up my handbag from the floor, looking over at him.

"He mentioned that he's back doing things with his band?"

James couldn't hold back from scoffing. I knew that Josh had been spinning me some bullshit when I saw him, but seeing James' reaction confirmed it. If he had been back pursuing music James would have known about it. The music community in east London is not that big.

"You probably already know what I am going to tell you?"

I nodded at his question, letting the subject fall to the floor like a lead balloon. As I was racking my mind for something else, anything else to talk about I could feel the familiar swell of magic creep towards me.

James furrowed his brows, looking at Lucas approaching us in a tailored grey suit and a polite wave.

"Why is that guy waving at us?"

"He's my friend," I admitted, feeling like I had to force the words out of my mouth.

James chuckled, "I was not expecting you to say that."

"We all make mistakes," I replied jokingly.

"Hello there," Lucas greeted us.

James gave him a light nod of the head as greeting.

I turned to James and gave him a quick hug, "So I'll send you the photos later?"

"Sure. Always good to see you Cara," he smiled warmly.

"Bye," I waved the guys, who seemed more interested in the guitars they were playing with than anything else.

As we walked away from the band and the graveyard, Lucas stayed silent.