“Next time I want better details. But I’m here at Dad’s, so I’d better go.”
“Love you,” Charlie said, missing her friend desperately.
“Love you back. Text me a pic of the mystery man. I want visuals.”
Charlie was laughing as she clicked off the phone.
Lizzie had certainly given her something to think about. She was right. Charlie had never done anything spontaneous. Plus they were attracted to each other. It could work.
Or … not. Things were rarely that straightforward, were they? Besides, as alluring as the idea was, Charlie wasn’t sure she knew how to go about having a “torrid affair,” as Lizzie put it.
Chapter Seven
It was all going fine until Friday at eleven o’clock. Routinely she and Josh closed up shop on Friday afternoons, with one of them remaining reachable during the afternoon through the answering service in case of a patient emergency. That rarely happened, since anything urgent automatically went to the closest hospital or the nearby walk-in clinics. Today their last appointment was at eleven thirty, which meant they might actually wrap things up by twelve thirty or one. She’d thought to do some Christmas shopping at the town shops, maybe grab some decorations for the cottage. Instead Josh poked his head inside her door when she was between patients.
“Hey. It’s Robin’s birthday today. I said we’d take her to lunch once we wrap up here.”
Charlie liked Robin. She was even impressed that Josh knew it was her birthday and was making an effort. But she really, really didn’t feel like going to lunch and having to make small talk.
“Where?” she asked, knowing she couldn’t really say no.
“Breezes?”
Right. And she’d find herself watching the waterfront, looking for Dave. He hadn’t called or texted again this week. Whatever interest he’d had, it had clearly waned.
“We always go there. If we’re knocking off for the week, what about the pub?” At this time of day, the pub catered to the lunch crowd, and she could take Daniel along with her.
“I’ll ask. There’s something to be said for Friday-night nachos and wings.” He smiled at her. “So you’re in?”
How could she say no? “Yeah, I’m in.” She’d just go do the dutiful lunch thing and then her shopping. On Fridays the stores remained open until nine. She’d have lots of time, even if she had to stop and give the baby a bottle somewhere. Truthfully, she could really use some sleep, but she could stand to get out a little too. How did new moms manage?
But fate stepped in once more, with a last-minute appointment that Josh felt he couldn’t put off. And indeed he couldn’t. The patient was all of five years old, and her mother didn’t have a car for driving to a hospital. While Josh waited for them to arrive and then treated the child for bronchitis, Robin got out the small box of holiday decorations and spruced up the waiting area a bit, adding a small rope of lights along the front of the reception desk, putting a tiny bottle-brush tree on the magazine table in the corner, and hanging a battered synthetic evergreen wreath on the door. Meanwhile, Charlie supervised from the comfy chair in the waiting area, feeding Daniel his bottle and sitting with her feet up for a few minutes. It put them behind schedule, but it was relaxing just the same.
By the time Josh had sent the patient’s prescription to the pharmacy, Charlie and Robin were waiting, stomachs growling. It was nearly two o’clock.
The weather had been cold the last few days, but today it had turned sunny and milder, a welcome reprieve from the bitter, raw wind that seemed to seep through the bones. Charlie parked the car in the lot next to the pub, in one of the last available spots. She put Daniel in a borrowed stroller before they all made their way inside, into the welcoming warmth of the bar.
Their food had just been served when the door swung open on a gust of wind and a group of five blew in with it. Five big, burly men in heavy jackets and thick knitted hats, one with a particular set of dark eyes that immediately found Charlie and made her traitorous body respond with a jolt of pure electricity. What was with the crazy physical attraction, anyway? All Dave had to do was show up and she got this jacked-up, excited feeling racing through her veins. She had to get a grip.
It had been easier to put off the impact of her attraction when he was out of sight, to pretend it was all in her head. Not so easy when he was standing there, larger than life, reminding her of exactly what it was like to be in his arms. He kissed like a freaking angel, that’s what. Made her forget all her good intentions.
“Charlie, you okay?” Robin nudged her arm. “I just asked you to pass the ketchup.”
“Oh. Sorry.” She offered a weak smile and reached for the squeeze bottle. Her wrap and sweet potato fries smelled delicious but she wasn’t sure she could eat.
For heaven’s sake. He was just a man. Mortal. Imperfect.
She looked up. Caught his eye. Held her breath.