Page 180 of Smooth Sailing

Charlie recovered, tipped her head to the side and asked, “So…Denver?”

I shook my head. “We haven’t gotten that far. We’re going to have the big chat on Sunday. But until he knows I’m safe, he’s not going anywhere.”

“Sweet,” Charlie whispered.

“And when’s that gonna happen?” Bernie asked. “You knowing you’re safe?”

“It’s doubtful I’m not, they just want to make sure.”

“So…Denver?” Mel brought us back around.

“I don’t know. I don’t want him to leave. I’m not fired up about a long-distance thing. I don’t want to think about moving, because I love my life here, and before you say anything, I know it’s way too soon for a decision like that. So it’s going to sound wild when I say, I just know whatever happens, we’ll figure it out.”

“You really know that,” Charlie said, watching me closely.

“Know what?” I asked her.

“Know you’ll figure it out,” she explained.

I smiled. “Yeah, that’s one thing in all this mess I definitely know.” I took them all in. “He’s my guy. I can’t explain it, because there’d never been an explanation for it. I just know it.” I patted my hand over my heart. “Deep in here.”

Charlie put both arms around me and gave me a fierce squeeze. “I love that for you.”

Bernie and Mel were giving me soft, happy faces.

Shoo!

They got it.

Then again, if I thought about it, I knew they would.

“Do you all want another cocktail?” The server was at our table.

Bernie looked at her watch. “Damn, our time is almost up.”

You got allotted timings at 36 Below. You had to drink up and go.

“I don’t want another,” Charlie said.

“Me either,” Mel said.

I shook my head.

“I’ll get your bill,” the waitress mumbled and walked the single step to the server station.

I grabbed my glass to suck down more drink.

“I think we need to go someplace where Hugger can sit with us,” Bernie decreed.

“I’m in,” Charlie chirped.

“Totally,” Mel said.

“He’s not going to drink. When he drives, he doesn’t,” I warned them. “But he’ll probably have a Coke.”

“I love him already,” Bernie decided.

And I loved her.

---