I give him a pointed look. “You didn’t bring a coat. In December.”
He gets out of the car and joins me at the open boot. “I brought a coat. Just not one warm enough to go walking in.” He rubs his hands up and down his arms and I hurry to grab the one I’ve brought for him.
I hold it out, and Charlie slips his arms in first, then pulls it close and zips it. “Oh my god, that’s so warm.”
It should be, it cost enough when I bought it.
It’s a little big on him but snug enough it’ll keep him toasty. He holds out his hands, fingers peeking out of the sleeves, then looks at me. “This can’t be one of yours. You’d never squeeze those shoulders in here.”
I straighten a little at what I think is a compliment. “It’s an old one. I’ve filled out a bit since then.”
“I’ll say,” he mutters, and I’m not sure if I’m supposed to hear or not, so I let it go.
I pull my own coat on, and fish the hat and gloves out of the pockets. “Have you got some of these?” I hold them up so he can see.
“Oh, yeah.” He reaches around to his back pocket and pulls out a black beanie, followed by a pair of gloves that have me smiling like an idiot.
They’re black wool with little green Christmas trees on them. I gave him those gloves eleven months ago in almost this very spot, and he’s not only kept them, he’s brought them with him.
I’m not sure if that means anything.
I am sure that I want it to.
And also that I shouldn’t.
“You kept them?” I look up to meet his eyes. He holds my gaze for a second or two and my heart skips a beat.
“Yeah.” He shrugs. “They’re my favourites. You’re not getting them back.” As if to prove a point, he quickly pulls them on and tucks his hands in his coat pockets.Mycoat pockets.
I chuckle at him, ridiculously pleased by all of this. “They look better on you.”
He snorts but doesn’t disagree.
“Ready?” I ask, shutting the boot and locking the car.
“Lead the way.”
CHARLIE
I followPete round the side of the pub to the car park at the back. While he’s not looking, I dip my head, burying my nose in the depths of his coat, and inhale.
It smells like him.
Like pine and fresh air and something a little spicy. I take another deep breath, then straighten quickly when he glances over his shoulder.
“All right?” He slows his pace until I come alongside him.
“Yeah.”
I don’t miss the way his gaze drops to my gloves when I take my hands out of my pockets. Or the way his smile makes his eyes crinkle. I don’t know why I kept the gloves. Well, that’s a lie. Meeting Pete that night was the one bright spot in an otherwise shit few days. Despite him telling me to keep them, I could’ve left them with Hailey when I checked out. Instead, I put them in my bag and took them home. They felt a little like a good luck charm.
Seeing his face now makes it seem like the best decision ever.
We walk across the mostly empty car park, the weak winter sun still high in the sky, but the wind has a bitter edge to it. I sink my chin further into the collar of my borrowed coat.
Pete notices and moves closer, blocking out some of the chill. “We can go back if you’re cold?”
I shake my head. “The rest of me is toasty warm thanks to your coat. It’s just my face.”
