Her shoulders drop an inch, like she was braced for me to say yes.
“I just…” I scrub a hand over my face. “I haven’t done this in a long time, Charlotte. And I have Maisie to think about. I cannot afford to be careless with this.”
“I know,” she says. “I get that. I don’t take it lightly either.”
She steps around the table, closer now, but she still gives me space.
“I don’t regret it either,” she says. “At all.”
Those last two words hit deep.
I exhale slowly. “Okay.”
“Okay,” she echoes.
“I like you,” I say, the words feeling clumsy and huge at the same time. “More than I planned to. More than I meant to. And faster than I probably should.”
Her eyes soften in a way that makes my pulse stutter.
“I like you too,” she says. “And I like Maisie. A lot.”
I nod. “She likes you, too much, maybe. She asked if I’m going to marry you.”
Charlotte’s eyes widen. “Already?”
“She moves fast,” I say.
“She’s efficient,” Charlotte agrees.
“I know you’re only here for the festival,” I say. “I know this isn't your home. I’m not asking for promises you cannot give. I just… needed to know where you stand. If that kiss was a one-time thing or if you want… more.”
Her expression shifts, and I see the raw fear in her eyes.
“I want more,” she says simply. “If you do.”
The relief that hits me is so strong I nearly sit down.
“I do,” I say. “I want more. I just need to go slow enough that my kid does not end up caught in the fallout if it goes sideways.”
“That is fair,” she says. “And I’m not looking for casual, Liam. I don’t sleep with people I cannot picture having breakfast with.And in your case, that includes a six-year-old who loves sparkles and cookies.”
A strange, unexpected warmth spreads through my chest.
“So we try this?” I ask.
She nods. “We try this.”
“Carefully,” I add.
“Carefully,” she agrees. The silence spreads between us, this time a little awkward. “Now that we have established we both want to kiss again, can we… you know… do that?”
I choke on a laugh. “You’re very direct.”
“You came all the way over here,” she says. “Seems a shame to waste it.”
I take a step closer. “You sure?”
“Yes,” she says. “Very.”
