Chapter 20
Act II, Scene XII: Basilic, London
Titan
I should have spoken to Kalina last night.
I should have kissed her on the dance floor under the blue lights.
I shouldn’t have let Karl’s voice play in my head like a broken record.
As she stood at the bar and looked up at Charlie, nodding at something he said, my chest ached.
Her dimple deepened in one cheek as her lips curved into a small smile.
‘Is this family made of beautiful women?’ Nick said.
Not him as well.
It wasn’t Kalina he was looking at. His gaze followed Scarlet as she walked our way.
‘That’s my sister,’ I grumbled.
Rowan cleared his throat and Nick coughed profusely.
‘Come on, let’s get you a drink for your throat,’ Rowan said to Nick.
They both disappeared as Scarlet came to a stop.
‘Hello hello,’ she said with a megawatt grin. ‘Who’s the guy with Lina?’
Kalina laughed nervously, and she spun the beads on her ring.
‘That’s Charlie.’
‘The co-founder of SLY?’ Scarlet’s eyebrows shot up.
‘The very same,’ I said.
‘How did that happen?’ Scarlet crossed her arms and watched them.
I shrugged. ‘I don’t know.’
Which wasn’t a lie. I don’t know how I let the moment slip from my fingers, and now Kalina and Charlie walked toward us, the event’s signature pink drinks in both of their hands, and a flush on Kalina’s face to match.
‘This must be Scarlet,’ Charlie said, and extended a hand toward her. ‘You have almost the exact same face.’
Obviously hadn’t occurred to Nick.
‘And hair,’ Kalina added.
‘Titan, we should catch up this week. And Lina.’ He lifted Kalina’s hand and kissed her knuckles. ‘Lovely to meet you. I’ll save you a seat.’
‘Thank you.’ Kalina’s cheeks were still tinged pink.
She sipped on her drink and watched him walk away.
‘He’s cute.’ Scarlet exclaimed.
‘He is,’ Kalina murmured. Her eyebrows knitted together and her lips pulled into a thin line.
Savi and Ted sidled up to us before I could say anything. Talking to Kalina alone proved harder by the minute.
‘So…’ Savi started, ‘we see you’ve met Charlie.’
‘You knew he was coming?’ Kalina’s surprise mirrored my own.
Savi smirked. ‘He called Ted, but he wasn’t sure he’d make it. Luckily, he managed to finish some projects in time.’
Ted shook his head with an amused smile on his face. ‘Charlie is a wild card; we never know when we’re going to see him.’
Kalina’s eyes were hazy as she processed the information.
Scarlet got dragged away by Savi’s mother, leaving Ted, Savi, Kalina, and me alone.
‘Charlie is the romantic one.’ Savi wiggled her eyebrows at Kalina. ‘He wanted to meet you. Asked if you were single.’
‘I wish I’d known he was coming.’ Kalina spun the beads on her ring at an alarming rate.
I wanted to reach out to grasp her fingers and caress her palm until the tension in her shoulders eased.
Instead, I flexed my hand then stuck them in my pockets.
‘I thought you’d get too in your head if you knew. I’m sorry.’.
Kalina stopped her anxious movements, and she shook her head. ‘It’s okay. I think I’m fine.’ She took slow breaths, but the little wrinkle between her brows didn’t budge.
‘He’s harmless. Promise.’ Ted reassured her.
‘His parents are amazing, Ted told me all the guys would visit them during the holidays. And he was in a six-year relationship, so you know he’s not afraid of commitment.’
Savi looked over at me for a brief moment, but it was so quick I wasn’t sure if I imagined it.
‘Why did it end?’ Kalina asked.
‘He wanted to get married, and she didn’t.’ The way Savi spoke about Charlie was like she was his PR agent.
‘Come on, Lina. Give him a chance.’ She was getting close to begging Kalina at this point.
‘He asked me out and I’m considering it.’
‘Titan, would you please tell Kalina Charlie is perfect for her?’
Kalina turned to me, chewed her lower lip, met my gaze, then straightened her features.
Savi was right.
Karl was right.
Charlie had the perfect family. His parents were as amazing as Savi’d said. They’d practically taken all of us in during the festive season. He was the co-founder of a billion-dollar cyber security company, and he really was the most romantic one of us all.
Kalina deserved it all. She deserved the best.
‘Charlie is perfect for you,’ I said.
What had happened between us was nothing more than a test run. An agreement to help her find the perfect person.
I shook my head, as if to rid myself of the thoughts I’d had earlier.
Nothing could happen here.
Charlie and Kalina would be happy together.
This is the way things were meant to be and Kalina and I would remain friends.
I excused myself and walked away before I looked at her face and changed my mind. I wasn’t going to get in the way of Kalina and her greatest shot at happiness.