“Man, these couples in Hell are really something.” The woman with the toddler came up to me and patted me on the back. “This town has a rich history of publicly announced affairs of the heart. You fit right in, Finnie. I can call you Finnie, right?”
I smiled and nodded. “I’d love that.”
She tipped her head to her friends. “I’m Lucy. These ladies, Lenora, Amelia, and Hazel, befriended me a few years ago and now we want you.”
I pulled my head back, not used to the ready acceptance of a small town. “Um. Sure?”
“They call us the Hell Raisers, but don’t let that scare you. We mostly get together and bitch and drink and try to outpace Yedda with her matchmaking. You in?” The dark-haired woman asked.
I nodded, a warm glow filling every sad little empty pocket of my soul. This was my new home. If I could help it, I’d never leave. “I’m all in.”
They rushed me in a group hug that nearly knocked me over. We chatted a bit as they waited in line with me, getting to know each other and exchanging phone numbers. By the time I sat down with coffee and food for Charlie and I, it was almost lunchtime. Charlie never let my hand go, the whole time we ate, his thumb stroking my skin. When I asked him about it, he said he was touching me because he could. Because he wanted to remind himself I was really there with him.
I knew what he meant. He’d lived the last decade thinking people always left him, just as I’d thought no one was trustworthy. It would take time and practice for us to drop the old habits and trust in what we had, but we were off to a good start.
“How about we go out to eat tonight? A real date?” I blurted, wanting to show him starting immediately that us being together was something I intended for the rest of our lives.
Charlie smirked. I could stare at his handsome face for days and not get bored. He pulled our hands to his face, our fingers laced together. He kissed each of my fingers, his meticulous nature not confined to simply woodwork.
“It’s a date. I’ll pick you up at your place, neighbor,” he said.
We stood, and I kissed him quick, excited just thinking about dating him for real. “And what are you doing this afternoon? I have plans to go over, but I could do that at your place.”
He shrugged. “I have a new project I’m starting. Just a lot of sanding to start with.”
I lifted on my tip-toes so we saw eye to eye. “Perfect. Promise you won’t wear a shirt and I can wipe the man glitter off you afterward?”
Charlie’s eyes lit up right before he bent at the waist and picked me up, hauling me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I squealed, and he laughed, the big booming type of laugh that meant I couldn’t be mad at him even if I tried. He ran us down the street to my car, catching curious glances from everyone out and about.
Yep, my Charlie was crazy. Crazy in love with me.
