Page 89 of Mr. Charming

This is going to be interesting. I hope I can handle the slow pace. Time will tell.

Forty

Tweetie

The gang is meeting at the usual breakfast place because Bodhi loves to watch the pancake guy make the pancakes through the window. Plus, they know us now and have a table reserved for us every Sunday. It’s become our tradition as long as we don’t have a game.

The rideshare stops at the curb, and I’m still in shock that Tedi’s with me. But there’s one thing we haven’t talked about, and that’s what we’re telling the people inside this restaurant.

So after we climb out, I pull her to the side, out of the foot traffic. “How do you want to play this?”

“And here I thought you were going to kiss me before we went in there.” Her back is to the wall, and I’m standing in front of her.

I lean in. “Do you want me to kiss you?”

“That would really give it away when my lip gloss is all over your lips.”

“I’d go in there with red lipstick stained on my lips.”

She playfully shakes her head. “Okay, well, I have to tell them about Decker, I suppose. So, why don’t we just tell them we’re testing the waters?”

I groan. I don’t love this whole “let’s go slow” thing she’s set on, but I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it. There is still so much up in the air. My contract. Her job in New York. And all the bullshit drama from the past that we need to work past. So I understand why she wants to tiptoe into this thing. But I’m not idiot enough to let any of that stuff get in our way again. Not a goddamn chance.

Hell, I loved getting her to fall in love with me the first time, so I’m excited to do it all over again. Although I didn’t have so many rules to work around the first time, and sex was already on the menu on day one.

“Okay. Testing the waters.” I hold up my hands. “No hand holding.”

I swear a flash of disappointment lines her face before she steps around me, opening the door to the diner.

“Tweetie,” the hostess, Marla, greets me.

I stop, although I know where the gang is. “Hi, Marla, this is Tedi.”

Marla purses her lips. “Hi, Tedi. They’re in the back.”

“Thanks.” I move to grab Tedi’s hand but stop myself. We start in, and I stop outside the glass window. “This is the pancake man. Bodhi’s favorite.” I search the area, but he’s not one of the kids watching.

“Oh fun.” She steps closer. “He does shapes.” She points, and I laugh.

“Come on.” I lead the way, and she follows. I’m going to have to work on this hand-holding rule. I don’t love having her behind me without me guiding her. That, and I just want to keep touching her.

We reach the table, and the usual crew is in attendance, but I tilt my head when I see Easton and Decker there. What the hell?

“Hey, guys,” Jade says. “So happy you could make it.”

Bodhi climbs off his chair and heads right over to me. “Where have you been? The pancake man already made mine.”

I ruffle his hair. “Sorry, I slept in.”

The adults at the table laugh.

Tedi makes the rounds, saying hello to everyone, and slides into one of the only two seats left at the table. Conveniently right next to one another at the end, across from Decker and Easton.

“How are you?” Tedi asks Decker.

“I still have my vision.” He eyes me. “I see you two have figured things out.”

Easton laughs, rocking back on the two rear legs of his chair.

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