My best friend is probably one of the most genuine people I know. He will go out of his way to help not just me, but anyone. Charlie’s big heart is one of the reasons it was easy to say yes to him. To this thing with him.
If it was anyone else, I don’t know if I could explore this side of myself. I wouldn’t have the courage to do so. To feel safe to do so.
“Stop looking at your feet.”
Charlie’s eyes snap to mine as I guide us around a group of toddlers using orange cones to help them learn to ice skate.
“It’s easier to look down.”
“Look at me.”
Charlie’s deep brown eyes lock onto mine. I loop us around the ice. I can feel Charlie’s confidence growing as wekeep moving. We’re not going fast by any means. The ice is too crowded for that. But as his hands loosen, I let him go and move to skate by his side.
Our shoulders bump as others fly by us, and I grab Charlie’s hand to keep him close. As the snow keeps falling, it gets thicker on the ice.
“Should we call it?” I ask Charlie.
“I think so. Maybe we can have some eggnog at home to warm up.”
I nod at him and we skate off toward the side through the throngs of people. Finding the bench where we left our boots, I plop down.
“Is it bad my legs are killing me?” Charlie moans as he takes his seat next to me.
“Poor baby. Do you need me to rub you down and make you feel better?”
I press a kiss to his cold cheek.
“No fair. We can’t do anything about that now.”
“I can take care of you at home.”
Charlie rests his head on my shoulder. “I like the sound of that.”
The two of us stay like this for I don’t know how long, watching the skaters go around the ice. The cool air fills my lungs and a peace settles over me.
I want every day to be like this. With Charlie. Just the two of us and Comet. There’s no pressure at all to do or be anything other than who I am. Maybe that’s why my marriage ended. I always felt like I had to be someone other than myself.
Not with Charlie.
Charlie accepts me for who I am. He always has.
“Thanks, Charlie,” I tell him. Because I don’t know if I’ve ever told him that before.
“For what?” He shifts, resting his chin on my shoulder.
“For being you. For accepting who I am.”
“You’ve always done the same for me.”
“Through these last few months, you’ve been there for me, Charlie. I don’t know if I’d be here without you.” I press a warm kiss to his lips.
A soft look washes over Charlie’s face. One that I see more often than not when he’s looking at me. The feelings it stirs up inside me have me questioning a lot of things right now. Things I shouldn’t be questioning when we’re supposed to be taking this slow.
The way Charlie is looking at me makes me want to throw slow right out the window.
Instead, I do the sensible thing and pull back.
“C’mon. Let’s head home and get into our pjs and turn on a Christmas movie.”
