“I’m impressed at your use of GIFS. You don’t strike me as a GIFs kinda guy.”
“Who would be?”
“I don’t know, him?” She pointed to a guy in our vicinity wearing a shirt with a famous meme on it. “He totally uses GIFs.”
“Fair.”
We shared another smile, and I felt it low in my belly. Yeah, things had been better with her around. “Have you talked to Charlie? I wonder how he’s doing.”
“Just a couple of texts. He, uh, sent a bunch of stuff again to my place for Lizzie. Probably going to take it to his after this.”
“Oh! Let me help! I love organizing!” She about bolted up from her chair, eyes wide with excitement. She picked up one of the croissants, shoved it in her mouth, and snapped. “See? All done.”
Amused didn’t begin to cover it. Charmed. Obsessed. Those were more the truth. Her expressions and way she tossed around joy were almost contagious. Three months ago, the thought of opening boxes and setting up a girl’s room would’ve been preferred only to a root canal. But now? It’d be fun, probably.
I scratched the back of my neck, squeezing for a second.Of courseI wanted her there, but she might be tired. “You sure? You work tonight.”
“Is the sky blue? Yes, I’m sure. I drew floor plans of having my own space for three years. Room organization is my fav. Have you heard ofGet Organized?The Netflix show?”
“No, that sounds like homework.”
“Calzone, you don’t even know.” She gave me a goofy, almost ridiculous grin. Hearing her say a silly nickname for me made me feel lighter than I had inyears.
“We’re gonna rainbow the shit out of this. You wait and see.”
CHAPTER
THIRTEEN
Elle
My forearms ached as we loaded the ten boxes for Lizzie into the back of the GLO Mobile. Charlie had really gone all out. I loved the fact everything was yellow and pink. Gendered colors were a thing of the past, but pink and yellow were my favorite combo. They were just happy colors, meaning springtime and fresh blooms and summer was near. I’d do my damndest to make sure Lizzie’s room was warm and welcoming when she came back to live with Charlie.
“Regret helping?” Cal asked. I stopped rolling my wrists and doing weird stretches.
“Not even a little. Do I regret not getting into sports? A bit. My muscles are weak. I’m basically cooked pasta. Noodle arms.”
“If you ever need a workout buddy, you know where to find me.”
“Look at us pals,” I said, needing the reminder in the universe to put me in check. We were definitely friends. We balanced each other out, but I wanted romance, and he wanted three nights.
He was emotionally stunted, like plain vanilla ice cream, and I was an extra-large milkshake with whipped cream of feelings. Reminding myself was smart. I should set an alert on my phone to remind me every other day—JUST FRIENDS!
He shut the trunk, and we headed toward Charlie’s house. Having only known the man three minutes, I had no idea where he lived, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful brick house just off of campus. The yard was perfect, grass cut. “Damn, does he have a landscaper?”
“No, I came by and mowed it.”
“Don’t let the hockey guys know how nice you can be. It’ll ruin your terrible rep.”
“I like my rep. People leave me alone,” he grumbled.
“Healthy.”
“Shut up.”
I smiled, biting my knuckle as I admired Charlie’s house. It’d be perfect for a four-year-old. Children’s toys lined the street in the yards, and it really reminded me of our home back up north. Families living on the block and letting the kids play together. My heart burst for Lizzie, hoping she’d find a good life here.
I couldn’t do much to help, but I’d get this room to be the best damn thing ever. “I’m going to need more than one afternoon here. I’m telling you right now.” I undid my seatbelt and hopped out of the SUV. Adrenaline for a new task left me feeling high, almost like a buzz. The wire shelving, a new recipe, the bar. I loved a different focus and to goall in.
