Page 91 of If My Wishes Came True
“You can grab the charcuterie board,” Vanessa tells Charlie. “Want to get us some plates, Ash?”
“My pleasure,” he says, winking at her.
The four of us head back to the living room, where we stay until close to eleven, polishing off our second bottle of wine and devouring every last piece of charcuterie. Before we call it a night, we promise to get together again soon.
When we’re alone in front of Vanessa’s building, Charlie turns to me. “How’d you get here?”
“Cab,” I say. “I figured I’d be drinking a fair amount of wine tonight. I was so nervous to tell Vanessa about us.”
“That’s why I talked to her first,” he says, looking down at his shoes. “I hope you don’t mind. I wanted to unburden you of some of your stress. Plus, I don’t have the richest history of being proactive, and…I want to fix that.”
A hopeful smile forms on my lips. Maybe hecanchange. “I don’t mind at all,” I say. “I appreciate it.”
He nods. “I’m parked up the street. I can drive us home—I didn’t drink much.”
“Thanks,” I reply, tempted to abandon my reservations and go all in with Charlie Sutton. I mean, here’s this wonderful man who wholeheartedly believes we’re a fairytale: two artists who were destined to be together. Who had given up on love, then found each other in an unexpected twist of fate. It’s so beautiful,and romantic—and instead of embracing the man I’ve always wanted, I’m asking him for space.
Suddenly he’s not the one I’m doubting. It’sme.
Am I sabotaging this relationship?
Am I expecting too much from him?
Against all odds, Vanessa’s happy that Charlie and I are dating. But I’m hardly able to appreciate it, because I’m so stuck in my head.
“What’s wrong?” Charlie asks when we’re in his Range Rover. He was about to back out of the spot, but puts the car back in park when he sees the look on my face.
“I’m afraid I’m going to lose you,” I say, my eyes welling with tears.
He takes my hand. “Lose me? Jenna, all I want is to be with you. I’d be kissing the hell out of you right now if you hadn’t asked me for space.”
“That’s what I’m worried about. I feel like I’m giving you an ultimatum: leave your job at Sutton’s, or we can’t be together. But Sutton’s isn’t just a job—it’s your family. Not to mention, it’s financial security. And I’m asking you to give it up to be a starving artist with me?”
“You’re not asking me to do anything I don’t already want to do,” he says. “Trust me. And I don’t think we’ll be starving. We both have plenty of marketable skills to fall back on, if need be.”
“But I’m asking you to quit onmytimeline—and maybe that’s unreasonable.” I heave a sigh, my lip quivering. “The thing is, though, Charlie, you’ve been working for your dad for nine years—not nine months. And nine yearsis a long time to be miserable, especially when?—”
My breath hitches.
“When what?” Charlie asks, his eyebrows drawing together.
My lip quivers. “When you never know what’s around the corner.”
Now I understand where this sense of urgency is coming from. I know all too well how short life can be. How quickly circumstances can change without warning.
“Hunter had his whole life ahead of him,” I explain. “He was so young. And he was healthy—until he wasn’t. I felt so guilty after his death that I didn’t think I deserved happiness. Now, I finally believe I do. No one knows how much time they’ll get, Charlie. But I want to make the most of mine. To live life to the fullest. And I want you to do that with me.”
He holds me as I cry. “That’s what I want, too. I’m going to prove it to you, I promise.”
With his heart beating so calmly against mine, it’s impossible not to believe him. Relief floods me, and I smile, feeling the happiest I have all night.
Until a clap of thunder booms from my boyfriend’s pocket.
What ironically perfect timing.
Charlie ignores the hailstorm of texts from his dad at first. But they keep coming at lightning speed. Finally he lets go of me and reaches for his phone.
“I’m sorry,” he tells me. “Just a second.”
