Page 53 of That Emerald Vow

She giggles as she waves, and we hang up.

“Oh my God! Were you FaceTiming? You kinky fuck.”

I clench my phone tightly in my hand as I head to curse my best friend out for interrupting as he continues to laugh at me.

After ending dinner early with the gang, neither Charlie nor I want to end the evening yet, so I suggest we go to the diner for some milkshakes.

Sliding into the booth across from her, I push the menu to the side. “So, your next answer will make or break this relationship. Choose wisely,” I tease.

Charlie’s eyebrows perk. “Oh, yeah? I guess I finally found my way to ditch you. Bring it, big boy.”

I shake my head at her, laughing as I ask, “Whose milkshakes are better, mine or the diner’s?”

Right then, the waitress comes to take our orders. “Two strawberry milkshakes please.” As soon as she leaves, Charlie turns to me with a grin on her face. “Definitely this place.”

I place my hand over my chest where my heart is. “Charlie, you wound me.”

Her eyes twinkle in delight. “Not a chance with your big fat ego, sir.We both know yours are better.”

“Thanks, Char.” I smile at her but take the opportunity to lean in across the table and take her hand.

“No, thankyoufor sharing it with me,” she says, her voice hitching at the touch. Her eyes dart to the bathroom and back at me as she takes her bottom lip into her mouth.

My, oh my. Is she thinking of our last bathroom adventure?

“Where is that head of yours tak—”

“Damon!” I hear a familiar voice call out for me.

“Hey, Dani!” I quickly get out of the booth and smile at my sister as I pull her in for a hug. “What are you doing here?”

She squeezes me before nodding towards a beautiful girl with bright pink hair sitting a few booths over from us. “I’m on a date with Thea.”

I wave at Thea with a smile, and she does the same. My sister has been telling me about her for weeks now—absolutely smitten. “You must be Charlie, or should I call yougemtoo?” my sister jokes.

Charlie just laughs. “I guess Damon’s been talking about me. It’s so nice to meet you, Dani.”

“Sorry! Charlie, this is my sister, Dani. Dani, this is my . . .” I squeeze the back of my neck awkwardly, not knowing what to say. “This is Charlie.”

Both of them start laughing, but I see the curious gleam in Charlie’s eyes.

“How about you and Thea join us? I would love to get to know you better, share war stories of your irritating brother.” Charlie winks at me.

“Oh! I haveallthe tea. Let me go ask Thea if that’s okay.” Dani heads over to where she’s sitting.

“Damn it!” I exclaim.

“This is going to be fun!” Charlie says mischievously.

We spend hours at the diner, swapping stories. Ain’t no way I wasn’tgoing to embarrass Dani—just a little—in front of her girl too. My cheeks hurt by the end of the night from how much I laugh and smile. I look around the table, and my heart feels full.

This is what happiness feels like.

I think I’m finally ready to take that leap of faith with Damon. Our relationship has been a whirlwind of fast falling; although we didn’t want to just jump into it with our emotions still running high from other things.

He’s going to pick me up in about two hours to grab a drink at the bar, so I clean up around the house; this is a date I definitely plan to bring home. I know he won’t care about the mess, but a cluttered space equals a cluttered mind. And I want my full attention on Damon and not the dirty laundry piling up.

I dance around my living room as I vacuum with Taylor Swift’sReputationalbum blasting. There’s a beeping going off, which I assume is my dryer telling me it's done. I lower the volume of my music to realize it’s actually my cell phone.

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