Page 12 of Wilde About You

Lyle blinked his brown eyes a few times. "I don't think so. Has anyone ever said anything more reassuring than I don't think so? I'll take my pepper spray just in case. Lock this behind me. I've got keys."

"Have a good run and thanks again. You're the best."

"Yep, seems like I'm a damn good sport." Lyle walked out. I bolted the door and headed to the cellar door in the kitchen. There was a light on the top of the door that signaled whether or not someone was down below developing film. I flicked it on and headed down the steep, creaky stairs to the bottom. The faint, earthy smell of developer and the vinegary odor of fixer hit me as I turned toward the work area. I hadn't learned much in community college but learning how to develop film the old-fashioned way, with time and smelly chemicals, was a skill I'd picked up. I was pleased to have the skill. Digital photography was top dog now, but those of us who loved the thrill of standing around waiting for a photo to come to life under the watery surface of the developer were keeping the old way alive. I still preferred it to digital.

I'd processed the film and then hurried the drying along a bit with a low temperature hairdryer. Normally, I let my film dry overnight, but I didn't have that luxury this time.

Once the negatives were sufficiently dry, I found the image and made an enlargement.

I always liked the smell of the chemicals, mostly because they told me that my work was about to come to life. I could see the vague outline of the picture. Grayish blobs at first, but as I moved through the process, my heart pounded. I'd caught a human moment between two people that could not be misinterpreted. I hung the large print up to dry and leaned back against the worktable as it became more vivid. It was passion, pure and simple. It made me ache knowing I'd never found that kind of connection or passion with anyone. I'd had my share of boyfriends and lovers, but looking at the way these two men held each other, the way their mouths devoured each other, the expression on Buck's face that was a mix of love and heartbreak, I'd never experienced anything like that, and I doubted I ever would.

I heard Lyle walking around upstairs. He'd returned from his run. Eventually, he knocked on the door but didn't open it. "You all right down there?"

"Yes, almost finished. Uh, do you have an envelope?" I called up from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes, gee, anything else I can do for this clandestine operation that I know nothing about?" he asked wryly through the door.

"Thanks, Lyle. You're the⁠—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm the best. Just not good enough to be part of your secret circle."

He handed me a large envelope through the door. I hurried back down the steps and slid the photo and the negative inside. I stuck the rest of the negatives in the trash. There wasn't anything else worth printing. There was only one shining star on that film, and it was sitting with its negative in an envelope. From there, it would be placed inside a safe deposit box where it would sit until I decided the best route to go.

I walked upstairs. Lyle was covered in sweat and sucking down his water bottle.

"Jeez, how far did you run?" I asked.

"I didn't get past the end of the block where I met up with possibly the hottest delivery driver on the planet. His name is Roger and we⁠—"

I held up a hand. "Don't need to know, but I wish you and Roger good luck."

Lyle waved his hand. "Nah, it was just an afternoon quickie. He's hot but not too bright. Dull, in fact, would be a good word. Hot and dull, like a baked potato without any toppings."

I laughed. "Speaking of potatoes, do you have anything to eat?"

"Sure, why not feed you, too, good friend who keeps big secrets." He walked to the kitchen and grabbed a box of cheese-flavored crackers from the cupboard. "I haven't been to the store for a week, so I'm afraid I don't have much." He pulled some cheese out of the fridge to go with the already cheese-flavored crackers.

I looked askance at the suggested combo.

Lyle put his fists on his slim hips. "Seriously?"

"You're right. This is perfect." I grabbed the crackers and the cheese and sat at his table.

"I'm going to go wash all the package lint off my—" He paused and smiled back at me. "Well, you get the point."

"Yes, more than I'd like to, and I will be using latex gloves to open my packages from now on."

I sat with my extra cheesy snack and came to the conclusion that the combo actually worked. I checked my burner phone. It had been silent. No calls, no threatening texts, I considered the possibility that I'd lost my pursuers. I hoped that was the case.

Lyle came out a few minutes later smelling like fresh lavender. "Are you heading home after this, or are there thugs waiting to ransack your place and take you hostage?" he asked jokingly. When I didn't answer, his shocked expression turned my way. "No way? Are there really thugs?"

"Well, let's just say my apartment is off my list of safe places to stay, but that's all right, I've got another place."

Lyle wrinkled his nose. "Your parents?" Everyone knew about my crummy parents. I supposed I'd complained about them enough to give them a bit of a reputation. But it was all deserved.

"No, not exactly. I'll be fine. I should be on my way. Make sure to lock up after me."

Lyle sighed loudly. "Now I'll be worried about you."