Sandra told me I was scared of Bliss turning on me.
I said that was bullshit, that I wasn’t scared ofBliss.
Sandra stared at me in silence until I glanced away, unable to stand the knowing look in her eyes.
I can’t really say it makes any more sense now than it did all those months ago, but having Bliss firmly out of my life has been like removing a tight noose from around my neck…Except I never even realized it was there.
Bliss didn’t speak to us at all after she made that walk of shame out of her job. For about a month, it was almost as if she never even existed. Until one day, she blew up my phone with all kinds of unhinged texts and threats, fixating on the belief that Charlie and I were the sole reason she lost everything.
Apparently, she had conveniently forgotten about fucking Callum while Marisa was in the next room, but I wasn’t buying into her delusions.
Not anymore.
I blocked her, and when random numbers started messaging me, I just changed numbers completely.
Not long after that, Corey reached out, wanting to invite Jack and me out for drinks. I agreed despite my misgivings, but when I walked into the bar and found Bliss already there, looking smug as shit, I almost left. Jack was the one who forced me to sit down, both of us icing Bliss out like she wasn’t even there.
Everything had been fine until Amber loudly claimed that Jack, Marisa, and I were all overreacting and that Charlie needed to grow a thicker skin. She looked me dead in the eye, telling me it was time to forget the chipmunk and get back to real life.
I didn’t even blink before I calmly told her that Corey was a dumbass because she was obviously a gold-digging bottom-feeder, considering they lived inhisapartment that his parents had bought him, and she had never kept it a secret that she was excited about him inheriting the family restaurant. When Amber got all offended andhuffy, Jack jumped right in to tell her to grow a thicker skin.
We left after that, and as soon as I got home, I blocked Corey and Amber’s numbers too. It took me too long and cost me too much, but I was finally realizing what keeping people like that around said about me—nothing fucking good. I couldn’t let myself be dragged back down into that hole, especially when it had already cost me everything.
Finally settling on a blue dress shirt that just happens to be one of Charlie’s favorites—or used to be—and shrugging on a jacket, I walk down to The Foundry Taproom, wanting to clear my head before seeing her.
I’m about thirty minutes early, so I head for the bar, ignoring the side-eye the grizzled bartender gives me when I order a soda, not wanting to cloud my head with alcohol. Drink in hand, I choose a table against the far wall to give us some semblance of privacy.
When Charlie walks in, I just about swallow my tongue. She’s not dressed up—just in some high-waisted jeans that seem like they’re painted over the curves of her hips, and a soft sweater that makes me want to reach out and touch. She looks soft,warm, and so much like the Charlie who was mine.
I grip my glass tighter, my knuckles going white as green eyes lock with mine. There’s a pause, a slight dip in her brows, and for a terrifying moment, I think she’s going to turn and walk straight back out. But then she drops her chin, resolve crossing her features as she heads toward the bar, leaning over it as she orders a drink.
Charlie’s hair is thick and loose, flowing down her back. It looks lighter than I remember, and I wonder if she’s been spending a lot of time in the sun. I can see the profile of her face and the way her cheek tugs up into aclose-mouthed smile. It’s the polite smile she gives to strangers or people she’s not comfortable with, hiding the gap in her teeth.
When we first got together, that was the only smile I ever got, but I remember, clear as crystal, the first time she really let go. We were at the movies, watching some horror film where it was more about scaring the shit out of people than plot. I got caught by a jump scare and upended my bucket of popcorn over both of us.
Charlie…She laughed so hard that several people turned around to shush us, but then she was just sitting there, grinning at me, showing off that adorable gap between her teeth, her eyes twinkling in the darkness of the theatre.
I grinned, knowing I was sunk. I immediately started thinking of other ways to make her laugh, desperate to see it, tohearit all over again.
A chair scrapes against the wooden floor, jerking me back to the here and now as Charlie takes the seat across from me.
“Hey,” she murmurs, setting her wineglass down in front of her.
“Charlie,” I say, just as quietly. “Thanks for meeting me.”
Her brows furrow again, her eyes not quite meeting mine. “I’m not entirely sure why I did, honestly.” She leans back in her seat, crossing her arms around her body. “I guess…” She swallows hard. “I guess I want closure.”
My stomach drops, but I keep any kind of reaction off my face as I slowly nod. I lift my glass to my lips, like sipping on my soda will help draw this situation out.
“That’s fair,” I tell her when I set the glass down. “Ask me anything. I’m an open book.” My smile is small, optimistic.
“Now,” she corrects stiffly. “Nowyou’re an open book.”
My smile falls away. “Right. Now.”
She watches me, green eyes bouncing between mine, and I stare back, wondering what she’s seeing. What she’s thinking.
“Why didn’t you tell me about Marisa?”
