Page 13 of Storm Bound
Oh crap. He was going to introduce him to me, wasn’t he? And I was going to have to pretend like I hadn’t been drooling over his boyfriend for the past day.
“I guess this is goodbye,” I said as soon as he was close.
“What?” Charlie asked.
“I guess I’ll see you around?” I gripped the handle of my suitcase tighter and looked at the other guy.
“Well, that’s not going to happen unless, you know, you give me your number or something.” Charlie chuckled.
“Huh?” I said and turned to look at Charlie.
The other guy stepped in front of him and picked up his suitcases. What a gentleman. I did hope they were happy together.
“How am I supposed to see you again if I don’t have your number?” Charlie asked and tilted his head to the side.
I was confused.
“Uhm…” I said and looked at the other guy who was staring at me now. “What about…”
The guy laughed. It was a loud laugh that crept under my skin and made me shiver.
Sure. Laugh at my pain, dude.
“Charlie! Charlie, Charlie. Did you not tell this hunk of a man about your much more handsome brother?” the guy said to Charlie, then turned to me. “Hi. I’m Luke. Charlie’s brother.”
“Olderbrother,” Charlie added with a bit of sass.
“Pfft. By one year. It hardly makes a difference,” Luke said, and I shook his hand.
Well done, Adam. Jump to conclusions, why don’t you. See? There’s a perfectly good explanation. Idiot.
“Nice to meet you,” I said.
“I can’t believe you thought this douche face was my boyfriend.” Charlie laughed and pushed his brother’s head away.
Luke retaliated by trying to push Charlie's head away, too.
“Grow up, little bro,” Luke said. “Do you need a ride anywhere?”
The relief that washed over me was intoxicating. It didn’t mean much, for sure, but I got to live in the fantasy that there was a future between Charlie and me a little longer.
“Oh, no. It’s okay. I don’t want to inconvenience you.”
“You wouldn't,” Charlie said.
It was sweet of them to offer, but I was way off route, and it was the middle of the night.
“It’s really okay,” I said. “Well, nice to meet you both, and I’ll see you again soon, Charlie.”
I turned around and started to walk off when Charlie came up in front of me and put his hand on my chest to stop me.
“Hey,” he said. “You forgot my number.”
Of course I did. I was such an idiot. What was wrong with me? How could I be both a doctor and an idiot at the same time?
“Oh yeah. Of course,” I said, and Charlie put his hand out.
I fished my cell out of my pocket, and he typed his number. Then, he did a drop call before passing my cell back.
