Page 9 of When You Smile

“Sorry. I should have led with that. I’m Taryn Ross. Don’t laugh, but I think you were my babysitter.”

“No.” Charlie’s jaw dropped, and she covered her mouth. “Stop. You’re Taryn? Little Taryn from Dyer? Uh-uh.” She reached out and gave Taryn’s hand an affectionate squeeze, a smile blossoming.

“Not exactly little, but yes.” She laughed because she now had two inches on Charlie. This was surreal. She attended a frat party and ran into Charlotte-the-babysitter, who she used to worship? The world was strange and wonderful. She wanted to ask a million questions, to stand in that kitchen and catch up with Charlie, stare into those blue eyes a little while longer, because what were the odds of this run-in actually happening? Something about the whole thing felt…ordained. The night had definitely taken a turn for the better.

* * *

Charlie was floored. She’d noticed the brunette to her left when she’d walked across the gathering room of the frat house. Mainly because the girl was incredibly striking and wearing an outfit that most people couldn’t pull off. Except she had. And looked amazing, like a model right off Instagram. Now, as Charlie stood in that kitchen, she was supposed to believe that this truly attractive, sophisticated-looking young woman was actually Taryn, that energetic, silly kid from all those years back? It seemed almost laughable. The two simply couldn’t merge in her head.

“Do you go to school here?” Charlie asked.

“Are you at Hillspoint, too?”

They’d spoken at the exact same time and laughed. Taryn motioned for Charlie to go first. But Charlie was knee deep in catch-up mode, all the while trying to keep her eyes on Taryn’s and not on the very noticeable neckline on that vest. Her cheeks went warm at the acknowledgment, her stomach tight. What was that about? Certainly an unfamiliar response, but she was human, mature, and could certainly appreciate a beautiful woman. Nothing to write home about, right? Who wouldn’t notice Taryn when she looked so amazing?

“I am,” she said, trying to regain her line of thought. “I’m in my last year of graduate school. Danny, my, um, boyfriend, is one of the TKE advisors, and I told him I’d swing by and pick up a book we share.” And now it felt strange talking about her boyfriend in the very next breath. Best to just press forward. “There’s a reading due for class tomorrow, so no time to waste. I just had no idea it would be such a scene here.”

“Not a frequenter of frat parties?” Taryn asked with a sideways grin that took Charlie back in time. There she was.

Charlie shook her head, grinning at the chaos around them. “It’s been a few years.” A round of loud cheering erupted from nearby, so Charlie leaned in close and raised her voice. “You’re, what, a second year?”

“Third. But a new transfer. My first semester here.” Taryn smelled like vanilla and honey. The ends of her long, dark hair tickled Charlie’s shoulders, due to their proximity.

“Which would explain why I’ve never run into you. You’re a junior? No. How is that possible?”

“I don’t know what to say. I am. Time is a constant.” Taryn’s brown eyes seemed even bigger and more expressive than she’d remembered. Suddenly, she looked thoughtful.

“You said you’re a grad student. What are you studying?”

“Creative writing. If all goes well, I want to write books until I’m an old woman who can’t see the words on the page anymore. There are a few other steps between then and now, of course.” She looked around. “I feel like I should knock on something.”

“Somehow I don’t think you’ll need it.”

“Thank you.” Charlie nodded her head in the direction of Taryn’s cup. “Careful with that stuff, okay? It sneaks up on you.”

She tilted her head. “Aww, still looking out for me.”

“Old habits and all.” She looked around, realizing her original mission, yet Danny was nowhere to be found. “Enjoy yourself, okay? But not too much.” Charlie passed Taryn a smile and squeezed her hand. “I’m gonna go find that book.”

“Good to see you, Charlie.” Charlie could tell she meant it. Taryn was glowing, and Charlie likely was, as well. This was too fantastic a discovery.

“Campus isn’t that big. I’m sure it won’t be the last time.” Charlie paused for a moment, not really wanting to walk away just yet, feeling the loss of a moment that seemed important. She shook herself out of it, offered a wave, and headed into the backyard.

It didn’t take her long to locate Danny. He stood in the back corner with three undergrad girls gathered around him in awe. Typical. She smiled and covered the short distance, waiting a few feet away, arms folded.

“What’s it like having Monica McHenry for a mother? It’s so cool that you’re a writer, too,” the first girl said. Bleached blond hair with a full spray tan in late September.

Danny shrugged. “I think I probably picked up some of her talent, but our styles are quite different.” He ate this kind of attention up, always had. Harmless enough. She knew she had nothing to worry about. Danny very much valued their relationship and Charlie as his partner. Yes, he got a lot of attention because of his last name, but Charlie honestly wasn’t the jealous type. If anything, they fed his ego so she didn’t have to.

He caught her eye and held up a finger to his adoring crew. “If you’ll excuse me.”

“Having fun?” she asked with a knowing look.

He had the decency to look sheepish. “Shooting the breeze with the kiddos. New first-years.”

“I could tell.” She unfolded her arms. “I’m here for the reading.”

He pulled the tattered textbook from the backpack he’d stashed a few feet away. “It’s pretty dry stuff, and you can skip the last five pages because it’s all a retread.”

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