Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
ALICE
That voice pins me in place. I hear Tiffany, and I’m useless.
What are they doing at my museum?
Jason has never liked this sort of thing. He’s grumbled his way through every museum date we’ve ever had, even when those dates were his idea. And Tiffany just announced her anti-museum manifesto to the world. Why have they invaded my new corner of paradise?
Not fair.
They pause outside the mine shaft entrance, and I beg the universe for salvation. Please don’t let them duck inside. Tiffany can have Jason—I’m over it. That man already broke my heart; the damage is done. He can move on all he wants.
But my new favorite museum is off-limits. And that includes this bizarre exhibit with its unholy tommyknocker doll. This creepy little slice of history is mine .
“Don’t get me wrong,” Tiffany says. “I love that you made a special list of stuff we could do on our week off. I’m just not sure why this was on it. Or why it was all starred and underlined like it was some kind of main event.”
I inhale a pained breath. There’s a lot to be upset about in what she just said. My ex made a fun vacation list for Tiffany, and it included a museum trip I would’ve loved . He took the week off. That man couldn’t commit to scheduling a few days off for me—he pretended he was so busy at work, I shouldn’t even visit—but now he can take an entire week?
Except…I’m not upset. Her words sink in, and they don’t sting the way I expected. Charlie thinks I’m upset, though. He gently squeezes my hand to comfort me, and the most pleasant warmth spreads up my arm.
How did I forget I was holding his hand? Why does it feel so good?
Jason and Tiffany take a few more steps toward the mine exhibit. I have to do something—anything. I can’t just stand here like a statue while they walk in, but I’m a lost cause. I’m too busy thinking about Charlie and how nice his palm feels against mine.
My ex and his new girlfriend are going to walk right into me in five, four, three, two…
Charlie scoops his arm around my waist and pulls me out of the way. Ducking around the corner from the entrance, he presses my back against the wall in one fluid motion. Cornering me in our new hiding place in seconds flat.
It happens so fast. His movements are seamless with no hesitation, and I can’t help wondering how many times he’s done this before. How often he’s pinned a willing girl against the rock wall of this mine.
That’s not fair.
I’m as bad as the Victorian. Charlie’s only trying to help, but his confidence makes me so nervous sometimes, the effortless way he moves. I’m a fumbling disaster twenty-four seven, but that man owns whatever space he’s in.
Though that’s an Alice problem. Not a Charlie-and-his-past problem.
Voices echo a few feet away. Tiffany and Jason are still right outside, and I flinch. Charlie leans closer. “Don’t worry, they can’t see us back here.”
“How do you know? Do you hide here often?”
“I used to, with Carl and Roxie when we were kids. We’d play hide-and-seek while our mom went to the laundromat.”
That’s such a sweet, pure reason. Charlie doesn’t talk about his family often. I want to hear more, but Jason and Tiffany won’t stop yammering.
“Listen,” she says, “it’s a nice list, but what about the stuff I actually want to do? I’ve mentioned the hot springs to you a dozen times. And the spa. Why aren’t those on your list?”
“It was a rough draft,” Jason grumbles. “You weren’t even supposed to find that list.”
“A rough draft? It looked pretty final to me.”
They’re having a vacation argument. It’s nothing special, but I think I’m supposed to enjoy it more. I think it’s supposed to make me feel victorious. Except I don’t care.
“We’ll be fine,” Charlie whispers, his breath teasing across my skin. “If they come in here, we’ll just pretend we’re making out.”
Very funny, Blythe.
At least that’s what I should be thinking. If my body wasn’t humming with electricity while my mind whispered yes, please.
A blush flames my cheeks. We’re standing way too close for him to say a thing like that. I know he’s joking—I can hear the smile in his voice—but my body lights on fire anyway, and I wish he wasn’t kidding. I wish a good hiding-place make-out really was our big plan.
Slow down, Alice.
These are not my normal, everyday Charlie thoughts, my normal Charlie feelings. Even yesterday in the guest room, when he was pretending to flirt with me, I didn’t have this many butterflies in my stomach. And the ones I did have made sense—he was pretending to flirt with me.
But he’s not doing anything special today. Whatever I’m feeling, I can’t blame it on him—so I blame our hiding place.
We’re tucked in the tiniest alcove known to man, right around the corner from the mine shaft entrance. If we aren’t careful, Jason and Tiffany will spot us easily. The only way to keep hidden is to stay close. Really close.
Charlie has his forearm braced above me on the stone wall, his body hovering over mine, and I swear I’ve written scenes like this a million times. I just didn’t know how good it would feel in real life. How much I’d enjoy having him surround me like this, the heat of his body radiating over every inch of my skin.
He’s not even touching me, but I can feel him everywhere. My mind goes on an entire journey, but that man hasn’t taken a single step. He’s too busy being as respectful as possible.
Charlie keeps his head turned to the side, his face angled away from mine, giving me as much space as he can in our tiny little hideaway. But I wish he wouldn’t. That man isn’t playing a single dangerous game today, but I’m feeling pretty dangerous all on my own.
“And you know what else is strange about your list?”
I don’t care, Tiffany. I. Don’t. Care.
“Half of it is stuff we’ve already done. Why would you put places we’ve already visited on our vacation to-do list? And why did you wait so long to tell me I needed to take the week off? I asked in the resort office, and they said you had your vacation days scheduled for over a month.”
Not my problem.
Some quiet part of me has a hunch about all those questions Tiffany’s asking. Old me—the girl who existed before Charlie cornered her in this mine—would’ve at least been curious if that hunch was correct. But that girl doesn’t exist anymore. New me only cares about one thing right now, and it isn’t my ex.
The barest sliver of air separates me from Charlie. That’s all that matters now, the tiniest fraction of empty space that runs the length of our bodies. It feels like it isn’t enough room, but it also feels like too much.
Play a dangerous game with me, Blythe. Just this once.
Now I’m really blushing. That thought pops into my head, and there’s an inferno under my skin. Thank goodness he isn’t looking at me. Thank goodness Charlie can’t see the inappropriate thoughts written all over my face.
Then he turns his head.
Time stops, and Charlie’s looking right at me. Studying me.
Hide.
I duck my head, but there’s nowhere to go. Our hiding place is too small, his body too close. All I can do is bury my face in the front of his shirt like the awkward wallflower I am, and I’ve made a terrible mistake .
He smells incredible. A rich, spicy scent folds around me, sandalwood and cloves with a hint of oranges, just enough. It’s an intoxicating combination, and getting closer to this man was a bad idea. How is any one man allowed to smell this good?
I’d retreat if I could, but there’s no turning back now that I’ve gotten this close. Lifting my head and meeting his gaze is not an option. Especially once I start shaking.
I’m not sure where those tremors come from, but my body has betrayed me once again, and this is one hundred percent an Anxiety Girl problem. I get so overwhelmed being that close to him, having all those feelings crop up out of nowhere, and then I’m trembling uncontrollably. Like a weirdo.
I couldn’t stop if I tried—I do try. But it’s no use.
Charlie keeps his arm braced on the wall behind me as I shake and tremble and die of shame. Slowly, carefully, he moves his other hand to cradle the back of my neck, his voice gentle as he tries to comfort me. Because that poor man thinks I’m upset. About Jason.
“It’s all right,” he says softly. “If they come in here, I’ll handle it. Just follow my lead.”
Anywhere. I would follow this man’s lead anywhere . Ten minutes ago, we were just friends, but now the sound of his voice makes my knees weak, the way he murmurs those words. The feel of his fingertips as he strokes the side of my neck to soothe me.
It doesn’t make sense. This man isn’t my type. I have said that and meant it multiple times. But if Charlie isn’t my type, why is this happening?
I try to focus on something else. The rock wall is cold behind me, and a chill seeps through the thin summer fabric of my t-shirt, but I barely feel it. All I really feel is him. The weight of his palm against the back of my neck, the gentle graze of his chin above the top of my head. We’re cramped and crowded and two seconds away from getting caught, but I’d stay in here with Charlie forever.
“Don’t worry,” he whispers, and then he says more. His voice growing so soft, I think I’m imagining it. Everything’s going to be okay, Carrots. I promise.
There’s no way he actually said that out loud; I’m having a fever dream. Yet I hear it so clearly, those words whispered so sweetly, my legs wobble.
Outside, Tiffany and Jason keep arguing before they finally give up and go home, but I barely notice. All I can think about is Charlie, and how maybe I was wrong about him. Maybe he’s been my type all along.
I’m just not sure what I’m going to do about it.