Page 116 of The Charm of You

“Aren’t you leaving tomorrow?” Addie scoots to the edge of the bed and sits next to me. “Well, you don’t have to leave tomorrow since you no longer work at your big, stupid agency. I’m still pissed you never told us about what’s been going on, by the way. I had to learn of it alongside Annabelle, Sapphire Creek’s gossipiest gossip, and that’s just rude.”

I avert my gaze to escape the pointed stare she levels me with. “I know. I’m such an asshole, and I’m sorry.”

“You kind of are, but we love you, anyway.” Addie pokes her finger into my arm, and she manages to pull a small smile from me.

“We wouldn’t have judged you, Caroline,” Maren adds softly.

“We wouldn’t have!” Addie says. “We might often rave over your sparkling city life, but we never intended to give you the impression that we wouldn’t love you no matter what. You could live in the sewer, and we’d still have a place for you in this little threesome.”

Maren playfully scrunches her nose. “We might toss you into the shower before letting you sit at the table with us, but we’d definitely save a spot for you. Always.”

My throat constricts around a growing lump. Guilt festers and fuels the lump like this nauseating feeling is its power source.

I should’ve been honest with them from the start. They’re not Emily or Yvonne, who have always waited for me to screw up. They chomped at the bit for it.

Not Addie and Maren. They’re real friends. They’re the kind that stick with you for life. And I haven’t been a good friend to them in return.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “I just wanted to hold onto the shiny picture of my life a little longer, especially since I have no plans for the future. It was easier to live in the past five years than admit I’m a failure.”

“Caroline Summers, you are not a failure,” Addie asserts and squeezes my hand.

“I know that now,” I whisper.

“You’re not a quitter, either,” she continues. “This is just the beginning of something so much better for you. I don’t know exactly what happened, but I’d go out on a limb and say your shitty boss did you a favor.”

I smile. “She did.”

“So, you’ll stay a while longer?” Maren asks. She’s not much for emotion—she and Addie are total opposites in that regard—but I read between the lines. She wants me to stay, and the sentiment tugs at my freaking heart.

“Yes,” I say instinctively, even though I hadn’t given it much thought before this moment.

“And Austin knows this, right?” Addie cuts in.

I shake my head. “We haven’t talked about anything, which shouldn’t surprise you. The man is practically incapable of anything past a grunt and a grumble. All week, I have fought tooth and nail for each full sentence he’s spoken to me.”

They giggle, and it’s obvious they know exactly what I mean.

“But I want to talk to him,” I say, dropping my previous amusement. “I want to get on the same page and figure this out. At first, we agreed this was all for fun, but it’s felt like more than just a way to pass the time.”

A long, drawn-out aww bursts from Addie, and Maren clutches her chest.

“It’s crazy, though. Right? It’s only been a week, and he didn’t even like me during the first half of it.” I laugh nervously, and my palms suddenly sweat.

“He doesn’t like anyone,” Addie jokes. “But he’s different you. I think he’s actually happy, and he might even want something more with you, for once.”

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“Austin hasn’t been in a real long-term relationship since… um… ever.”

My mouth hangs open. “Ever?”

“But if anyone can convince him to change his ways, it’s Caroline Summers.”

“Absolutely,” Maren agrees.

My pulse spikes, and my palms are officially so clammy, it’s cringeworthy. I need some baby powder or something.

I rise to launch a search for it, but my mom returns with a new tray. This one holds steaming cups of coffee, plus a tiny white creamer pitcher and sweetener packets.

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