Make Me Whole

by Marguerite Labbe

  Galen didn’t respond as he stared at the statue. It was enough to make him wonder if last night hadn’t been a dream. “Nick’s on his way over. He seems to know something about them. At least he sounded pretty excited, though I’m not sure if he’s going to freak out over the difference or accept it like you did. I don’t know what to do.”

  “Well, you ignored me before, when all you could see was how perfect they were. And I’m not sure if you’re prepared to listen to me now.”

  “I’ll listen. I may not agree, but I’ll listen.” Galen tore his gaze away from the exhibit room. “And they still are perfect. They’re just a bit weird too. I don’t know what to think anymore.”

  Suzane looked thoughtful and patted his arm. “Here’s my advice, because I know you’re not going to give them up now.” She paused, eyeing him, and Galen grinned with a shrug. She knew him too well. “Unless you start thinking they’re dangerous, run with it and enjoy the ride.”

  “Aren’t I normally the one taking risks and you’re the one telling me to step back and think things through?”

  “It’s a little late for that. You’ve already opened the door, and even though it’s more than a little unsettling, I think realistically it’s too late to back off now. Which you won’t, so the point is moot.” Suzane frowned at him, and Galen knew he’d better divert her now before she started thinking about how he hadn’t listened to her warnings at all.

  “In the meantime,” Galen said, “we have to step up our research. Something freaky is going on, and I want it solved before we open this exhibit. It’s your mission to track down the previous owners of these guys. Drop everything else and concentrate on that. Someone has to know something.”

  “I will,” Suzane agreed, “but you’d better swear to me that you won’t hide anything weird from me. If something else happens that doesn’t seem normal, I want to know. And if I ever find you passed out in your office again with the alarms off I… I don’t know what I’ll do, but you won’t like it.” The fierce light in her eyes blazed again, and Galen got up before she decided to get even more outraged on his behalf.

  “There’s no need to glare at me like that. I promise.” Galen paused and considered telling her about the intruder from the night before, but a glance at his watch told him how late it was getting. He’d talk to her later. “I need to get ready for my meeting. I’ll come find you when it’s over.”

  “You’d better.”

  Galen turned and walked out, trying to think of what he was going to tell Nick. From the excitement in his voice he had to know something about the statues, a lot more than Galen did. Would he also not see the difference like Ella and Suzane, or would he think Galen was screwing with him?

  CHAPTER FOUR

  NICK suppressed a little flutter of nerves as he climbed the stairs into Galen’s office. The only reason he came was to see the Collection. However, the sight of Galen, looking so smooth and sexy as he stared out of the window lost in thought, brought a hard punch of old longing to his gut. His dark-blond hair fell in an arc around his face and emphasized his high cheekbones and full mouth.

  He looked away when he found himself concentrating on those lips. Instead he swept his eyes over Galen’s body. The man wore a suit like he was born in it. It accentuated the lean lines of his body. The silvery gray looked good on him, so did the bold-blue dress shirt. It wasn’t fair that Galen could affect him on such a visceral level when he remained pretty oblivious to Nick in return.

  And Nick did not want to be caught ogling. “I brought coffee and muffins,” he said, breaking Galen’s reverie as he set them down on the desk.

  Galen swiveled his chair around and rose, welcome lighting up his warm brown eyes. “It’s good to see you again.”

  Galen stepped forward and hesitated, his hand outstretched in a way that made Nick think Galen couldn’t decide between a hug or a handshake. Nick solved the dilemma by taking his hand briefly before letting it go. Business, that’s it. A dozen little social niceties leapt to his tongue and none of them emerged.

  Of all the people to find the Dexios Collection, why did it have to be too-sexy Galen Kanellis who fucked like an Olympic gold champion? It was a cruel twist of karma that Nick’s body and heart had such vivid memories of him.

  Galen’s eyes swept over Nick once before he gestured to the chair. “Please, sit. Thank you for coming.”

  “Thanks for seeing me. I know I pretty much barged in here without thinking about your schedule.” Finally. Words passed Nick’s lips, ones that didn’t make him sound like a bumbling idiot.

  “You’re the one with all the meetings and deadlines. I get to make my own rules when Suzane lets me. I’m glad you came.”

  Nick had the craziest thought that Galen was nervous. He kept rubbing the back of his neck and rearranging folders on his neat desk. It had to be Nick’s own nerves talking. He wasn’t sure what to do or say after all this time. He had been so angry when they last saw each other, and it had taken a long time to let go of that anger.

  Nick covered up his unease by handing Galen one of the bags and paper cups of coffee. “Peace offering?”

  “I like the idea of a fresh start.” Galen glanced into the bag and threw Nick the easy smile that had snared him from the first moment their eyes had met at the bar. “Blueberry. You remembered my favorite.”

  There were too many things about Galen that were seared into his memory. Nick sat back and took a sip of his coffee. Best to get down to business and get out of there before his mind started up on everything he should’ve said or done that might have convinced Galen to give their relationship a fighting chance. “You never said how you got your hands on these statues, and my curiosity is killing me.”

  “This can’t go past this office or my assistant will kill me,” Galen said in a low voice and waited for Nick’s nod while he buttered his muffin. “They showed up in my storage room about a week ago. They were wrapped in wool and stuffed in old crates with rusted nails, craziest thing. They didn’t have any paperwork with them at all. Suzane thinks somebody is messing around with us.” A troubled expression crossed Galen’s face and his gaze went far away again.

  Nick sat forward; his heart beat faster, chasing away the flutters in his stomach from seeing Galen again. It was possible that it could be a hoax, but as often as those statues disappeared, they always showed back up again. And this wouldn’t be the first time they appeared with no explanation.

  “That’s interesting. The Dexios Collection was lost at sea during World War II. Many different salvage companies tried to locate them without any success. I’ve been searching myself for years. Was there any water damage?”

  “No, they look perfect to me. They’re gorgeous.” Galen glanced away as if he didn’t want to meet Nick’s eyes and shuffled some papers on his desk. “Maybe they’re not the Dexios Collection. It would take magic or a miracle for there not to be some damage, and I don’t believe in miracles.”

  What about magic? Nick’s tongue begged to ask. What did Galen believe in? He was acting so oddly. On the phone he’d sounded as excited about the statues as Nick; now he seemed almost hesitant.

  Nick’s hand trembled, and he set down his coffee cup hard, almost spilling the contents. This had to be the Collection. He had waited his entire life to get a real glimpse of them in person instead of scrutinizing photographs and drawings. If they were here, he’d have a chance to study them in intimate detail like his Uncle Stavros had. He’d be able to face his dad with pride and get an acknowledgement out of him. Sometimes dreaming wasn’t a waste of time.

  “Can I see them?” The look of unease returned to Galen’s face, and a hot, hard knot blossomed in Nick’s chest. He wouldn’t let Galen keep him from what belonged to him. “What is it?”

  “The Dexios Collection is four statues that appear to be missing their other half, right?” Galen studied Nick with an intent look.

  “Yes. That’s the way it’s always been.” Nick glanced at the door. He c
ouldn’t get over the impression that Galen was stalling. He needed to see those statues now. To his surprise, Galen’s expression fell even more. “What’s going on?”

  “You’ll have to see it to believe it.” Galen rose and set his coffee down. “Come on, I’ll show you. There’s no way I can explain it. Something’s changed with one of them.”

  Nick followed him down the spiral staircase and held back all the accusations he wanted to say. If his Collection had gotten damaged under Galen’s watch…. He didn’t know what he would do. He’d searched too long to find them. And the sideways glances Galen kept shooting him didn’t help his frame of mind at all.

  When they entered the gallery, Nick’s jaw dropped, and he stared at the whole statue, unable to process at first what he saw. “What the hell? Is this some kind of joke?”

  A young, light-skinned black woman turned toward them and rolled her eyes. “Okay, I don’t get it, Mr. Kanellis. You’ve been pinballing in and out of here for the last hour. What has got you so worked up?”

  “Nothing. Nick here has some information about this Collection. I’m hoping he can solve some of our mysteries. Would you give us a bit, Ella? I’ll let you know when the room is available again.”

  “I’m at a good spot for a break.” Ella wiped her hands on a rag and made quick work of taking care of her equipment while shooting them curious glances. “I’ll be in the studio.”

  Nick paid little attention to either of them as he moved to study the statues, starting with the last three. They took his breath away. The pictures he had didn’t do them justice at all, and he had no doubt in his mind they were a part of the missing Collection. He felt lightheaded; his heart froze and then pounded. Oh, wait till his dad and brothers saw this.

  Nick ran his hand down the statue’s back, and his eyes stung. He’d found them. They were real and right here. He didn’t have to dig into his savings to haul them from a wreck site to the U.S. He didn’t have to search for a museum that would display them while letting the Charisteas family retain control.

  By the time he turned back toward the first statue, Ella had left and Galen stood transfixed, staring at the two men embracing. Nick’s chest tightened. Near the end of their relationship before Galen had left, he had looked at Nick with that same soft, glowing expression. The expression had given him hope and had him saying words that he’d known were better left unsaid.

  “You see it too, don’t you?” Galen asked and touched the shoulder of the new man. “The statue has changed. Everybody else seems to think this is the way it’s always been, except for me.” He met Nick’s gaze, his eyes troubled. “And now you. I was afraid you’d think I was trying to trick you.”

  “I still might.” Nick couldn’t believe it. He’d heard tales of the statues changing, and he’d always chalked them up as fairy tales.

  Nick walked around the statue and examined it closer, but he had to admit it didn’t look like an addition had been tacked on after the fact. The embracing men seemed to be one solid piece, though a test for age would reveal that for sure. “So, are you going to explain what happened?”

  Galen spread his hands and opened his mouth with a shake of his head. “I don’t know if I can. I doubt you’d believe me. I’m not sure I believe it myself.”

  “Try me, you’ll find I’m amazingly open-minded about some things.” A niggling suspicion had Nick taking another look at the statue. Most of his family had been skeptical about the legend surrounding it, but his uncle had been convinced the tale had merit. Nick had spent hours poring over his journals when he’d been a teenager, and the dreamer inside him had been captivated by Dexios’s story.

  Both men looked familiar… however, with the lip-lock they had going, he couldn’t be sure. Nick cast a sharper look at Galen, who shrugged as faint spots of color appeared on his cheeks.

  “This was still a single man when I went to check on them last night before leaving.” Galen hesitated and shook his head. “Oh, never mind. I’m sorry, it sounds too crazy even to my own ears.”

  Last night Nick had dreamt of Galen kissing a strange man in his museum. He’d woken up to one hell of a boner and stirrings of an old jealousy. Until now, he’d passed the dream off as a natural reaction after hearing from Galen, given their unique history. His suspicions returned even stronger, and Nick shoved them away. Galen was right. It was too crazy to contemplate. This was real life, not a fairy tale.

  “Let’s go back to your office and finish our breakfast. I’ll tell you what I can about the statues.” Then he had to decide whether or not he would let Galen keep them at his museum. He wanted them to be seen. They deserved to be on display, especially after so many years of being lost. To give Galen the opportunity meant he’d have to work with him, see him day after day and know that Galen was unreachable. He could touch, Galen wouldn’t mind that, but he wouldn’t be allowed to keep, and that’s what Nick really wanted.

  “Okay.” Galen brushed his fingers across the statue’s jaw. “It’s beautiful as one piece, isn’t it?”

  Nick had to admit it was. As stunning as he’d always found the pictures of the original, this one called to him on a much deeper level. What would they be like if somehow all of them came to be completed? His gaze drifted to Galen, and he snorted to himself. Not if fulfilling the legend relied on Mr. Noncommittal over there. Galen wouldn’t understand commitment if it slapped him in the face. Besides, it was just a story, a wildly romantic, heartbreaking story.

  “Yeah, they’re amazing.” Nick resisted the urge to touch Galen’s shoulder, to cup his face. He couldn’t be so close to him like this and not have such thoughts. He spun on his heel to head back to the office, and Galen fell into step beside him.

  “The quick version of the myth is that Dexios, the solo man in the statues, was in love with a fellow soldier, Lykon. They pledged their fidelity to each other, but when the campaign ended, Lykon broke his promise so he could return to his old life and left Dexios behind. Heartbroken, Dexios went to the island they had planned to make their home and gave in to despair. The goddess of love heard him and, out of pity, changed him into a statue to wait for his fickle lover.”

  “The goddess of love, hmmm? You mean Aphrodite? I’d hoped this tale would be grounded in a little more truth,” Galen said as they climbed the spiral staircase up through the tower.

  “You wanted to hear the story. You didn’t say anything about truth.” Nick sat down and picked up his coffee again. He grimaced as he took a taste. It had gone lukewarm. “Unless something happened last night to make you think there was more to the statues than pieces of art. Belief is power, and the names of gods and goddesses change with the people who follow them. It doesn’t mean that the spirit doesn’t exist.”

  “Let’s not argue philosophy. What happened next?”

  “At some point, Lykon returned looking for Dexios and instead found the four statues of him. The goddess appeared and cursed him to be reborn over and over, searching for his lost love and unable to have him.”

  Nick leaned back and folded his hands on his stomach as Galen shifted with a frown. “You mean there isn’t anything in there about the statues becoming whole?” he asked.

  Nick waged a fierce inner debate over whether to tell him more and decided that if Galen were going to continue to hold out about what happened the night before, Nick wouldn’t spill all of his secrets either. He had a lot he wanted to consider before he let Galen in more.

  “There’s a whole body of research on them that I haven’t delved into for a while. The answers should be there. You see, the statues are more than an area of study for me—it’s family history. The Dexios Collection belongs to the Charisteas family, and I have the paperwork to prove it.”

  He waited for that to sink in, for Galen to realize he could snatch possession of them right from him. Galen’s eyes widened, and when he opened his mouth, Nick held up a hand to stop him. “I have a number of journals from past family members that pertain to the Collection. Most are
in Greek, but my uncle’s mentions, on occasion, some of the statues changing like yours did. It never went beyond three, and they always reverted back to only Dexios.”

  Nick considered telling Galen that the other journals backed that up, but decided not to. He didn’t want to reveal how much information he had just yet. Not until he knew what Galen was going to do. He didn’t want to get any more invested in opening doors with Galen than he already was.

  “The belief is that when all of the statues are made whole, the lost lovers will be reunited. I’ll admit the family has always been rather split on whether or not the statues really changed. Most seemed to think the men who came up with the tale enjoyed a little too much opium, or whatever their personal recreational drug choice was at that time.”

  Galen turned his head and stared out the window. Nick studied his profile in the silence. He used to kiss the long bridge of Galen’s nose when they lay spent in each other’s arms. He wondered if Galen remembered the little things like that.

  Galen turned back toward him and leaned forward. “Which are you, Nick? Are you a believer?”

  “Let’s just say, I’ve always wanted to believe.” Nick paused and leaned forward too. “I had a dream about you last night, of you kissing a man in Greek armor who you called Dexios. If you want to keep these statues as part of the exhibit, you will have to tell me what happened between the time you left me a voice mail and this morning.”

  Galen’s eyes widened, and he frowned as he pulled back. “I seem to remember telling you once I didn’t like ultimatums. You’re basing your distrust on a dream.”

  “No, I’m basing it on our history.”