Charlie nodded defeatedly. “I’ll walk you.”
I wanted to walk over solo to give my face time to go back to its normal color, but he was already standing up.
Halfway across the bar, I heard Charlie mutter something under his breath and saw a blond heading toward us on her way back from the restroom.
“Was hoping you’d come say hi,” she said as she went in for a hug.
He suddenly looked like a tall, awkward teenage boy, uncomfortable in his own skin.
“We’ve just been camped out in the corner trying not to ruin our Sunday best,” he said, his voice sounding tighter than I’d heard it before.
She looked at me and held out her hand. “I’m Kristen.”
I responded with a short handshake and my best attempt at a polite smile.
“Sorry—this is Samantha,” he added.
I made a dramatic gesture toward the bathroom. “I think I can make it the rest of the way. I’ll let you guys catch up.”
I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized it was a fairly clean single bathroom. I locked the door behind me and leaned against the wall. My face was still flushed.
“Damn tequila,” I muttered.
Stop overthinking things.
Fucking Connor.
I wondered if Kristen thought I was Charlie’s girlfriend, then wondered if that’s what hewantedher to think.
Did I want her to think I was his girlfriend?
I jumped at the sound of a light knock on the door.
“One minute,” I squeaked.
I swung open the bathroom door to see Perry waiting.
“I think he’s welded to the floor over there. He’s been miserable since you went to the bathroom.”
I laughed. “Why?” I asked, trying to sound breezy. I looked over to see Charlie in the same spot I left him.
“Did he tell you that’s his ex?”
“Oh, yeah. I just figured I should give them a beat to catch up.”
Perry shook her head emphatically. “Go save him. I’m sure he’d much rather be talking to you.”
She winked and disappeared into the ladies’ room.
I was a pawn in the chess game of Charlie-sees-his-ex-for-the-first-time-in-forever. But he also looked genuinely happy to see me coming back.
“Hey, you,” he said with a relieved smile that reached all the way to his eyes. “Was starting to worry the dress got caught in a vent or something.”
“Okay, enough dress jokes.”
He pretended to inspect the front of my dress. “Phew.”
Perry caught my eye as she walked back toward the group and winked again.
