Page 83
“Man, you’ve been out of the game for too long,” Matt says after a while, wiping the corners of his eyes. “I’m sorry we arrived at a bad time, though.” He nods toward the stairs. “Go on, go get your girl so we can finally meet the mysterious Charlee.”
I throw a worried glance at Lola, who smiles at me reassuringly.
“Best. Behavior,” I say through my teeth. I walk back upstairs, finding Charlee sitting on the bed, her bra and shirt back on, her hair as wild as it’s ever been.
“I forgot you couldn’t walk down by yourself.”
“I forgot I’ve been acting like a princess and made you carry me upstairs without my crutches.”
We both chuckle.
“It’s gonna be awkward,” I warn her. I nod toward the stairs. “They like to tease me sometimes. Don’t read too much into it.”
She shrugs. “It’s okay, I can handle it. Guys are very predictable and not so subtle when it comes to sexual jokes. Don’t worry about me.”
If anybody can keep up with Matt, it’s her. They might rival each other when it comes to their temperament.
“Come on, they’ll give me more shit the longer we stay up here.”
As if it had already become a habit and my new favorite thing to do, I lift her up and take her downstairs.
Three pairs of eyes zoom in on us as soon as we reach the ground floor. “Everybody, meet Charlee. Charlee, this is James, Matt, and Lola.”
I set her down on a chair and bring the crutches to her.
“Hi, everybody.” Charlee waves briefly and smiles. “Sorry about that dramatic entrance.”
“Oh, no, you’re fine,” Lola says. “It’s not every day we see Oliver carrying a woman like that.”
Matt snickers, and I shoot him a warning glance.
“How about a drink and some fresh air?” I ask in an absurd attempt to change the topic.
Charlee looks around until her gaze lands on the back of the couch. “Do you mind if I borrow your sweater? I haven’t unpacked yet.”
I swallow the desire rising in me at the thought of her wrapped in my clothes again, or the fact that her scent will be clinging to the fabric afterward, too aware of my friends watching us like hawks. “Not at all. Go ahead.”
Charlee takes the sweater and pulls it on, and then everybody grabs a beer and their jacket and makes their way to the deck, where the Muskoka Chairs are waiting for us.
It’s chilly out, but with a jacket on, it’s comfortable, and the perfect way to end this interminable day.
“So, Charlee, tell us. What is it that you do exactly?” James asks, crossing one leg over the other.
Charlee tips the bottle to her lips. “Well, that’s something currently up in the air since I just got benched.”
Matt spits out his beer. “I’m sorry,” he says between coughs. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
“It’s okay.” Charlee waves him off. “I’m still in the denial phase. I think.”
I’d say. I’m nervous about how calm she’s being about this, and I wonder when reality will set in.
“What do you guys do?” she asks as she settles further into the chair.
“Matt has a flower shop, Lola owns a bookstore, and I’m the most boring one of the group,” James says with a hint of a smile as he pushes his glasses up his nose. “I have a regular nine-to-five job working as an accountant. I used to handle Jerry’s finances before—”
“Now he does all our taxes,” I cut in, earning me a curious look from Charlee. “Which between the bookstore and the flower shop keeps him pretty busy, right?”
Lola’s narrowed eyes are scrutinizing me, so I just shrug and zip my jacket the whole way up.
