Anyway, since being in a one-week-old relationship, I’d had to come face-to-face with how few relationships I’d actually had. Especially post Charlie. It wasn’t that I’d been a total recluse. But Adleigh had been right. I hadn’t let anyone get close. I hadn’t opened my heart up to anyone.
It was becoming increasingly clear that this was all Charlie’s fault. But not in the way I’d previously thought. He hadn’t destroyed my heart and ruined my trust in all men like I’d thought. Rather, some sick, stupid, but also weirdly wise part of me had been holding out for him.
And now I had him. And... and... I just wanted to keep having him. Not only physically but like this. More of our relationship. More sleepovers. More quick kisses at work. More flirty texts and secret smiles.
I wanted more of the way he brushed his fingers against mine every time we walked by each other. I wanted more of the way he backed me up with employees and his siblings. I wanted more of his late afternoon knocks on my door when he knew I was home from my workout and brought me lunch. I wanted more hugs that seemed to wrap my entire body up in his arms along with my soul and spirit and all the unseen parts of me. I wanted more Charlie. All the time Charlie.
But what was I supposed to do with this?
How did I survive liking someone this much?
What would I do if this didn’t work out? If he showed up to work with another date just to send a message? If he decided I wasn’t as great as he originally thought and would be better off without me?
The thought,just the thought, stole my breath. I wished I had a Steve I could talk to. I wished I had anyone I could talk to. But I was scared to tell Eliza. And Adleigh hadn’t exactly been supportive the last time I brought it up. And my mom had never been able to see someone romantically again after what happened with Chris.
“Does your sister know I’m coming?” Charlie asked as I knocked on the apartment door.
“Nope.”
He turned white. “Does she know we’re dating?”
“Nuh-uh.”
“Ada,” he hissed.
“The wine will help,” I assured him. “It’s good that you brought the two bottles.”
“I’m going to k—”
The door opened, saving me from imminent death apparently.
Adleigh was stunning as she stood in the doorway. She’d done her longest makeup routine and straightened her hair. She looked adorable in her short-sleeved white crop top beneath one of those flowy, stretchy jumpsuit things. She was precious.
“Adleigh, you look so pretty!” I tried to pull her into a hug, which was probably her first red flag. I wasn’t exactly an enthusiastic hugger.
She put her hands on my shoulder, stopping me. “Hi, Charlie.”
He held up the wine caddy we’d picked up at the trendy shop around the corner. “I brought wine.”
Her laser eyes swiveled back to me. “So the date went well?”
“Uh—”
“We’re dating,” Charlie said in a voice that sounded suspiciously like a gloat. “Boyfriend and girlfriend,” he added. In case she didn’t understand what dating meant. Smart.
Her eyes narrowed. “How mature of you.”
I felt Charlie grinning behind me. I forgot the flipside of his extroverted personality was the actual devil. He loved to antagonize. And poke. He generally liked to aggravate people until they wanted to pull their hair out.
Of course, as his girlfriend, I found it adorable as long as it wasn’t aimed at me. But, having been the recipient of that behavior before I was his girlfriend, I empathized with Adleigh’s frustration.
“The date went very well,” I told her, giving her the kind of puppy-dog eyes I hoped would convince her to hold off her full-scale interrogation till we were alone. “And yeah, we’re together now. Hope it’s okay I brought him. I want him to meet Chris.”
Her eyes narrowed further. They were basically slits. Like an iguana. “You want a buffer.”
“Guilty.” I pushed by her. “Can we come in? It smells delicious.”
“I brought wine,” Charlie repeated.
