“Then what do you call this?” Edward gestured to the house around him. “If planning to move into Hanbury Manor wasn’t a step in running from the past, what is it?”
“Running towards the chance of a fresh start,” William answered and meant it. “A start Archie wanted for us.”
Truth tasted sweet when William didn’t except it. Because there was another reason to come to such a secluded space. A place in which he could sit with himself, his thoughts, and decide if he actually wanted to leave it again.
In that moment, starring into the eyes of a man he had come to trust, he figured out that the option of hurting himself, ending himself, was not how this story would end.
“Feels good, saying that aloud, doesn’t it?” Edward paused, drinking in the answer, chewing on the words to see if he believed them. “And do you know what, I believe you. I believe that’s what you want, becauseyoubelieve it.”
“After all of that?” William barked. “You just told me I was running, and now you believe me?”
“You just need a little push to address the truth that you’ve been so scared to face.”
“How do you think you know me so well after a couple of days?” William asked, voice breaking as he looked at Edward through wet lashes.
Edward shrugged. “Call it intuition. You’re like a book, William Thorn. A good one at that. I think you’re just getting past the middle now, and with a little encouragement, you can decide your ending.”
“Is that so?” William asked, his head tilting to the side to further prove he didn’t believe the words that just came out of Edward’s mouth.
“You came to Hanbury Manor for a fresh start. You came here hoping to leave your past behind and move on, which I think is a well-justified action. Dramatic but justified. But that means you need to do that. Leave it behind, truly. Otherwise, you are just wasting your own time. And I think you deserve more than that.”
“Respectfully, you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”
Because I came here to end it. To endme. In the peace, close to Archie.
“Respectfully, I’m actually rather enjoying getting to know you, regardless of the circumstance. So, stop pushing me away. I promise it’s easier to go with the tide of life than fight against it.” Edward took his thumb and brushed the tears from William’s face. He took care with his actions, moving from one eye to the other, stopping only when his cheeks were dry. “Now, there’s no better distraction from one’s pain than helping someone else through theirs.”
“Whose?” William twitched his nose, sniffling to himself. “Who do we help?”
Once again, Edward looked up to the manor around him, his brows lifting into his hairline, smothering his forehead in established wrinkles. “Whatever spirit is haunting these halls, that’s who.”
“Not this again.”
Edward helped William from the floor. Even when they stood, he didn’t take his hand out of William’s. “Yes, this again. After everything that has happened, do you want to pretend that nothing sinister is going on here? Or shall we solve the riddle and get our answers so you can finally move on with the life you wanted?”
“You make the impossible sound so simple.”
“Anything is possible when you simply try.’ Edward leaned on his hip, flashing an award-winning smile that worked through the cracks of William’s shields. Not that many were left remaining.
“Go on then, Ghostbuster. How do we do… whatever this is?”
“I’m so glad you asked because I’m going to need your permission for what is going to happen next.”
“Why does that sound ominous?”
“That’s exactly what it is.”
“Spit it out, Edward.”
Edward’s grin turned into a smirk that lit a fire in William’s belly… and below. “Not that I could ever turn down the chance to spit.”
“You’re gross.”
“And you’re smiling. I stand the victor.”
William hadn’t noticed it until Edward pointed the obvious out. But the lift of a hand did, in fact, find a subtle smile tugging up at the corners of his lips. “Congratulations, you made me smile with a cheap sex joke. Want a prize?”
“Maybe later. After you permit me to vandalise your very lovely, extremely welcoming new home.”
