Page 42 of Hope for the Best

Chapter 14

Charlie Morgan

It was understandable that Hope would need some time to think about what had happened with her and Charlie. That was why he hadn't called. He also didn't want her to come back over to the house while AJ was visiting. He saw how his cousin looked at Hope.

Charlie had decided to give Hope time to think about everything, but he wished she would have reached out to him this week. Max ran into her at the burger place in Graham Springs today, and he told Charlie that Hope seemed like she wanted to talk to him. He had been busy with his family visiting, but he still had time to miss her. Charlie was excited when his dad came home saying that Hope seemed interested.

He hadn't planned on asking if he could go to her house. He did that by instinct when he realized she was over at Landon's house. He had feelings about it, and they weren't good feelings. He knew the two of them were just friends, but he felt weird about her being over there, and that was what made him ask if they could see each other.

Charlie arrived in Graham Springs a few minutes early, and he parked near Hope's apartment building and walked over to the white gazebo. He could clearly picture the scene they shared last time. He could imagine the feel of her skin against his.

Charlie had done a lot of soul searching in the last three months, and Hope had been a gigantic part of it. Spending time with her was how his healing had begun. He had been in a pit before that. She was innocent and kind, and she saw the good in everyone. And she was beautiful.

He thought of Savannah. If you had asked him, he would have never said that he would be ready to love again this soon after losing Savannah. But he had no other choice but to love Hope. He had fallen in love with her, and it was beyond his control. He knew if he didn't try to keep her he would regret it. So, there he was, sitting in a gazebo, waiting for her to come home. She would be coming from another guy's house, but he wasn't going to think about that.

Charlie sat there for fifteen minutes before Hope pulled into a parking spot. He watched as she got out. She was focused on his truck, but she turned to her apartment when she didn’t see him inside. Charlie gave a sharp, quick whistle, and Hope turned his way, smiling when she realized where he was.

He waited inside the gazebo for her. His leg was still sore, and he didn't want to hobble to get to her. He waited, sitting in the round wooden structure.

There were others in the parking lot, but no one was nearby, and Charlie kicked his feet out in front of him and sat back like he owned the place. He watched her approach. She had her hair in a bun and she was wearing shorts and a t-shirt with tennis shoes She had a duffel bag over her shoulder, and her face and chest were still pink from exertion.

Charlie reacted to her on the inside, but he tried to play it cool, watching her with a smile.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," she said, rushing to him. She went straight over to the far side of the gazebo where Charlie was sitting. He stood up as she approached. "And I'm sorry I'm all sweaty," she continued. "How long have you been waiting here?" She set her bag down on the bench nearby and then she leaned in and hugged Charlie before she sat down.

"Not long," he said, answering her question.

"I'm a few minutes late. Landon and my brother were doing their best to convince me to go to Nashville."

"Is he just going for a few days? Do you think you would regret it if you don't go? I don't want you to go, I was just thinking you should if you think you'd regret missing it."

"I've asked myself that. He's going for six days, but part of it's a weekend, and technically it could work out for me to go, but sleeping arrangements aren't great, and we have a nurse at work who's out this week."

He looked at her. He wanted to kiss her right then. He wanted to take her—to have her agree that she was his and he was hers and they were together forever.

"I want you to be able to see your brother, but for what it's worth I'm glad you didn't go. I'm glad you're here right now."

"Even if I smell a little bit?" she said, smiling at him.

She had the hint of a dimple on her cheek, and Charlie stared at it thinking he wanted to look at her face for the rest of his life.

"You do not smell," he said.

He leaned over like he wanted to sample her scent, and she leaned toward him, not shying away. Charlie put his nose next to her neck and shoulder area. He smelled some kind of fresh scent of her deodorant or detergent, and then he smelled the slightest hint of sweat. It drove him wild.

"You don't stink," he said. He kept inhaling, running his nose up her neck, up her jaw and onto her cheek. "Nope," he said with certainty. His mouth was near her ear. "I'm still not smelling anything bad." He could see her chest begin to rise and fall at a quickened pace, and she put her hand out, letting her palm rest against his arm as she shifted to face him.

"Ms. Bridgette told me some of the Morgans were in the restaurant earlier, and I got all excited when I went back there thinking it was you, but then I didn't see you. I was missing you. How's your leg?"

"It's fine. It's really no big deal. I've had worse injuries."

She looked down at his leg. He had on shorts and she saw the elastic brace on one of his legs, sticking out of the shorts a little. "I was about to ask which leg it happened to, but I see it's wrapped up."

"Yep," he said. "I'd like to hear about how much you wished it was me at the restaurant."

Hope laughed and shook her head as she looked at him. "I did wish it was you, Charlie," she said. The certainty yet vulnerability in her tone lit some kind of fire within Charlie, and he did his best not to react outwardly.

"I would have probably gone with Landon tonight, honestly. He and my brother were giving me such a hard time that I almost got talked into going."

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