Page 73 of The Charm of You

“If you don’t want to show up to this non-date with a swollen eye, you’d better beat it.”

Bo strolls toward the door with a parting wink for Caroline’s benefit.

“Practice safe non-sex tonight,” I hurl one final jab his way. He deserves many more.

I receive a middle finger in response before he shuts the door, leaving me alone with Caroline again.

“If only I knew this Lilian or Jeffrey, I could warn them,” I grumble.

“I don’t know much about Bo, but I think it’s safe to say he’s lucky to have you,” Caroline says.

“Why’s that—because I tease him about girls?” I lift a brow.

She hums her answer, and I dip my head.

“You don’t make sense, Homecoming Queen.”

“Or, I make perfect sense.” She shrugs and saunters toward her car, her coffee cup still in hand. She hasn’t taken a single sip since she arrived, and neither have I. Like we’ve been in some kind of limbo or contest to determine who can hold out the longest.

“I assume it’s ready?” She ends with a raised note on the last word.

“All set for its trek back home,” I mumble and try to ignore the sinking feeling in my chest.

“If Rose is here, I’ll settle up with her, and I’ll?—”

“How did you get here?” I ask.

“My mom dropped me off on her way to work at Harper’s nursery.”

It’s logical. In fact, it’s so logical that I should’ve assumed as much to start with, and I should be able to easily accept it.

But I stare at her and make a piss-poor attempt to decipher some hidden message in her simple statement, but there’s no other layer. I’m just doing a shitty job of navigating my unfamiliar, weird-as-hell feelings.

I’m not equipped to make casual small talk with the women I sleep with, especially not when I actually like them.

And fuck, do I like Caroline. Too much to untangle my tongue to form words.

Too much for my own good.

“Thanks again,” she offers on her way toward Rose’s desk.

And I don’t stop her. I don’t move at all while she and Rose chat.

As she drives off with a small wave, the coffee cup grows heavy in my hand, and I curse myself for botching this long after she’s left the garage.

chapter

twenty-two

CAROLINE

As I pull into a spot in front of Cream and Sugar and hop out, my feet are much heavier than they were an hour ago.

I waltzed into the garage like I was floating on freaking air, only for Austin’s grimace to jerk me back into reality with a resounding splat.

Last night was amazing, right? There’s no way I dreamed it.

His touch was too hot to be fictional.

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