That hasn’t stopped me from stealing glances every chance I get. Even in the intermittent glow of the streetlights, Charlie looks absolutely stunning. Screw this ‘just friends’ business, I’m pulling out all the stops. I decide to start with an attempt at getting her away from her swirling thoughts.
“What ‘cha thinking about?”
Charlie startles. “Sorry, I’m being so rude. Just got caught up in some memories I guess.”
I pull into the parking lot of the restaurant. “Good ones I hope.”
“Ehh, not really. But that’s okay. You’re helping me make new ones.” Charlie dismisses me with a smile. Hopefully soon she’ll feel more comfortable opening up to me, but I’ll let it go for now since we’re here.
Once I’m parked, I rip my key out of the ignition and scramble to get out of the truck. Once I’m out, I hit the lock on my keyfob and make my way over to the passenger door, where Charlie waits with a bemused expression. I hit the unlock button and open the door for Charlie. She snorts a laugh as she takes my hand to hop down out of the truck. I catch the quick rise and fall of her skirt as she does, and I’m silently begging my dick tobe coolwhile we walk to the restaurant door.
Thankfully, my own anatomy shows me mercy as we get inside and get shown to our table. Of course I pull out Charlie’s chair for her and slide her coat off her now tantalizingly bare shoulders before she sits down. I shrug my own off too, and hand both to the hostess who takes them from me, mumbling something about our server before leaving. I don’t really hear her. My attention is solely on Charlie.
I slide into my own seat across from her, and I can’t help my wide grin. She’s so fucking pretty. “You’re so pretty,” I decide to tell her.
Charlie blushes but offers me a small smile back. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
I wink at her and crack open the drink menu. “What do you like to drink?”
“I’m not picky.” Charlie shrugs.
“Charlie, you can have whatever you like. What do you mean you’re not picky?”
“Well, I like wine. I just don’t know enough about it. I usually just get whatever is cheapest.”
The server arrives at our table, introducing herself and asking what we would like to drink.
“Red or white?” I ask Charlie.
“White,” she mumbles.
I look over at the server. “We’ll have a bottle of the house white to share, and a side of 7-up in case it sucks please.”
Charlie laughs as the server walks away. “In case it sucks?”
“I don’t know anything about wine either,” I admit. “Figured we could make spritzers if we don’t like it.”
“What do you normally drink?” Charlie asks as she opens her menu.
“I’m a beer guy mostly. Whiskey too, but it makes me rowdy.”
Charlie tilts her head. “I can’t picture you being rowdy.”
I laugh. “If we keep hanging out this winter, I promise you’ll get to see it. You’ll get to meet Andy and Ben too, and they are the same way. We bring out both the best and worst in each other. Like this one time, the town decided to lock up the tennis courts for the winter instead of turning them into a rink like they normally do. Which was bullshit. So, one night, after sharing a bottle of cheap whiskey, we decided to build the rink anyways.”
“And you guys actually, did it?”
“Yep. Stole some bolt cutters from my dad, snipped the lock on the gate, and stayed up all night setting up the rink.”
Charlie giggles. “That just sounds like you guys did a good deed.”
“Well, we got arrested for trespassing after we were done.” I shrug. “See? Good deed but also committed a crime. Bestandworst.”
“That still doesn’t sound all that rowdy, Max.” I love when she says my name.
“Yeah, that’s pretty mild, I guess. I’ve got a million stories though. Andy, Ben, and I … we’ve been friends for a really long time. They’re like brothers to me.”
Andy is going to adore Charlie. Who even knows with Ben. He’s been different since the accident, but I’m sure he’ll end up liking Charlie eventually too. There is no way he couldn’t.
