The snow is still falling, and it seems to have gotten heavier. “Hot chocolate?” I ask her.
“Sure. There’s a cafe across the street if you want to get out of the cold?”
“Yes. That sounds great.”
At the coffee shop, I tell her to grab a table while I order the hot chocolate and bring it over to her. I sit down. “That was fun.”
Charlotte’s eyes crinkle as she smiles. “You’re a good sport.”
“Hey, I only fell once. I consider that success.”
“You did good.” She takes a sip of hot chocolate.
We are sitting by the window, and the snow is coming down even harder. “Are we supposed to get a blizzard tonight?”
“Not sure.”
“So, what are you doing until Monday?”
She blows on the drink and takes another sip, whipped cream decorating her upper lip. When the tip of her tongue emerges to swipe it off, I almost lose my shit. She can’t know how sexy she is.
“I don’t know. I wasn’t planning on having all this time off.”
“Me, either. What is there to do in Chicago in a blizzard?”
She waves around us. “Stay inside.”
“Well, that will be boring in my hotel room.”
She looks like she wants to say something but stops.
“What?”
She quietly says, “Nothing.”
The atmosphere has shifted a bit, and I’m not sure why.
“I saw Vivian today.” I wonder if Vivian called Charlotte the minute I left her.
Charlotte blinks at me, surprised. “Why?”
“I checked out some apartments.”
A brief look of sadness passes her face, but as quickly as it comes it goes. “Did you find one?”
“No. I kept thinking you were supposed to be there with me.”
Charlotte turns and looks out the window.
I stroke her hand, and she sighs and faces me. “I’m sorry I’ve hurt you.”
“I know you are. I’m sorry I kicked you out of the car. Not my best moment.”
“It’s okay.”
“And my house at two thirty in the morning.” She nervously gazes at me.
I squeeze her hand. “Charlotte, it’s okay.”
