Pierce rubbed his chin as he thought it over for a moment, then nodded. “Alright, I’m in. But only if coffee goes well tomorrow.”
“Awesome,” Ray said, giving him a thumbs up. “I’ll let Jess know. And hey, no more thinking about Brittany, alright? You’ve got better things ahead of you.”
“Yeah, I know,” Pierce agreed, a grin spreading across his face again. “Thanks, Ray. Tell Jessica, I said thank you as well.”
Ray grinned. “Hell, I think Jessica is ready to start planning yours and Charley’s wedding.”
Pierce choked on the water he had just taken a sip of.
“What the fuck? We haven’t even been on a date yet,” Pierce exclaimed, a look of shock crossing his face.
Ray laughed. “Hey, man. You know how these women can be.”
Pierce shook his head, a smirk tugging his lips. He wanted to tell Ray that he was like the pot calling the kettle black. Ray himself had been trending into the matchmaker field, pushing Pierce and Charley together. But he decided to keep that to himself.
“Anyway, I’ll catch ya later. I need to go deal with those two assholes who put their crew in danger during that boat exercise yesterday.”
As Ray left the office, Pierce leaned back in his chair. The memory of Brittany might still sting, but it was clear that his future had a lot more promise, and he was ready to embrace it.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Charley stepped out of the elevator into the morning sunshine, pausing for a second to breathe in the fresh air. It was a perfect day. The low seventy-degree temperature was welcomed, along with the light breeze rolling from the coast. And since the coffee shop was only a few blocks away, she decided to walk and take in the fresh air.
She had kept her outfit simple on purpose. Dark gray capri sweatpants, a white long-sleeved T-shirt, and her white sneakers. It was casual, comfortable, and appropriate for a casual coffee date. She had left her hair down, letting the blonde waves fall naturally over her shoulders.
The thought of seeing Pierce sent a rush of excitement through her, warm and undeniable, even as a flutter of nerves followed close behind.
She was halfway down the block when she felt that subtle prickle at the back of her neck. The same one she had felt earlier in the week when leaving work, and the same one she experienced yesterday while hauling the broken-down boxes to the dumpster behind her building.
Without slowing her stride, Charley slipped on her silver aviator sunglasses, grateful for the way they hid her eyes as she casually scanned her surroundings, careful not to make it obvious. But there were too many people out enjoying the day to pinpoint anyone who stood out as suspicious.
Her phone buzzed in her hand, pulling her attention away from the unease that lingered. She glanced down and saw a message from Jessica.
Jessica:Any chance you’re free for dinner next Friday? I’m making tamales.
Charley smiled at the screen and typed back.
Charley:Tamales? Say no more.
The reply came almost immediately.
Jessica:Good. I figured it’d be nice to actually talk without all the chaos this time. The cookout was fun, but between kids, dogs, and everyone else, I feel like we only got about three sentences in.
Charley laughed softly.
Charley:I’d love that. I really enjoyed meeting everyone, but a calmer night sounds perfect.
Jessica:Exactly. No crowds. No interruptions. Just food and real conversation.
Charley:Count me in.
Jessica:Perfect. Friday night it is. And fair warning—once you eat my tamales, you’re officially family.
Charley’s smile lingered long after she set the phone down. She thought about Jessica’s words,“family.”Besides her aunt and uncle, Alex, Ace, Irish, Bailey, and Sienna were the only others she really felt close enough to consider family.
Maybe that was the real gift of this new chapter of her life. She was finding pieces of family in places she hadn’t expected, and realizing her circle didn’t have to stay small forever.
She slipped her phone back into her purse just as the coffee shop came into view.
