Chapter 20 #3
Charlie’s voice softens as she addresses the cat.
“Hear that, you little chonk? Daddy’s coming back soon and then you’ll be restricted to two meals a day instead of the four I’ve been spoiling you with.
” There’s a faint meow in the background—that distinctive raspy sound Black Cat makes when he’s mildly inconvenienced.
I can almost picture his glowing eyes narrowing to slits, his midnight coat puffed slightly at the spine, tail twitching in what could either be contentment or the prelude to a playful swat at Charlie’s hand.
“Four meals?”
I smile despite everything, letting her voice wash over me. Even her rambling about the cat feels like medicine—something to soothe the raw places the day has left behind.
“What are you wearing right now?” I ask, then immediately backtrack. “Wait, that sounded like a line. I genuinely just want to picture you. The full scene.”
She laughs. “Elmer Fudd shirt, as established. Fuzzy socks with little avocados on them. Hair in what can only be described as a chaos bun. No makeup. Probably some chip crumbs on my shirt from stress-eating earlier.”
“You’re beautiful.”
“I literally just described a gremlin.”
“Rose-colored glasses, baby. All I picture is perfection.”
“Smooth.” But I can hear her smiling. “What about you? Paint me a picture.”
I look down at myself. “Jeans I’ve been wearing for two days. A T-shirt that’s seen better decades. I haven’t shaved since I left Miami, so I’m rocking what can generously be called ‘scruff’ and realistically called ‘homeless chic.’”
“Hot.”
“Really?”
“I mean, I’m picturing it, and yeah. It’s kind of working for me. Is that weird to find your disheveled exhaustion attractive?”
“Concerning, maybe, but flattering.”
We fall into easy silence again. I can hear her breathing, soft and steady, and I close my eyes and pretend she’s here—curled up on the couch beside me, her head on my shoulder, both of us too tired to move but too content to care.
“Taio?”
“Hmm?”
“When you come back…” She trails off, and I hear a shift in her voice. A new vulnerability. “I want all of it. With you.”
“Sex?”
“That too. But all of it. Is your heart available, too?”
“For you it is.” I smile into the phone, the tension in my jaw releasing for the first time all day, the corners of my mouth lifting so wide they almost hurt. The screen grows warm against my cheek as I listen to her breathe. “We can try. You mean exclusive, right?”
She’s quiet.
“Tweety, if you’re nodding, I can’t see you.”
“Oh,” she squeaks. “Yes, exclusive. Is that even possible? Can you stay with me for the tour instead of going back to—”
“Escorting?”
“Yeah. Just while we’re dating. Which hopefully isn’t short, but also—”
“Charlie, just ask for what you want.”
She lets out a deep breath. “You to myself. I want you to myself.”
“So you don’t want your boyfriend sleeping with his clients?” I suck the air in between my teeth. “Tricky, tricky.”
“Yeah. Faithfulness would be preferable,” she deadpans.
“Coming from the girl who’s actually dating another man.”
“Fake dating,” she says in a tone that makes me picture Forrest’s daughter, Koda, in the middle of an indignant tantrum. “He’s coming to the Tampa show, by the way.”
“Oh good. Can’t wait to meet him,” I say dryly.
“It’s just for the tour, Taio. It’ll be over soon.”
“Right.” I nod along, jaw clenched so tight I can feel a muscle twitching beneath my skin.
Every cell in my body rejects the idea of her with another man, even for show.
My fingers grip the phone until they ache.
But I swallow the jealousy burning like acid in my throat because Charlie’s peace matters more than the primal voice inside screaming that she’s mine.
“I guess it’s not fair of me to ask you to quit your job when I still have to do mine.”
“You don’t have to ask, Charlie. I’ve been thinking about other things I can do.
Actually, I’ve been thinking about asking Forrest a little more about the publishing industry.
I have a minor in literature, believe it or not.
He’s on the agent side which isn’t for me, but I was thinking I could get into editing.
I read his girlfriend’s Sora’s early drafts and she says it’s really helpful.
I don’t know if there’s a lot of money in it, but there’s a lot of joy. ”
“Taio…that’s amazing. And such a good fit for you. How long have you been thinking about that?”
“Unofficially, since Forrest fell in love and moved out. More officially since we met.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Her laugh floats through the phone, soft and warm as honey in sunlight. “You’ve got it bad for me, Taio. Don’t you try to deny it.”
“It’s not a secret.” I smile back, picturing her—those lips that curve into a perfect Cupid’s bow when she’s pleased with herself, eyes the color of sunshine-filled blue skies, wide and expressive, framed by those unruly lashes she’s always batting at me when she wants something.
I can almost see the tiny freckle at the corner of her mouth that I’ve memorized like a secret constellation.
She reminds me of all my favorite romance books rolled into one. She’s all the best parts.
“When I get back, how about neither of us sleeps alone anymore?”
“That sounds really nice.” She yawns, the sound muffled like she’s trying to hide it. “Sorry. It’s not you. It’s just been a long day of rehearsals and emotional processing.”
“You should sleep.”
“I don’t want to hang up.”
“Then don’t.” I walk to my bedroom, turning off the hallway light as I pass. “Stay on with me. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
“You need sleep too.”
“I’ll sleep. We’ll sleep together. Separately. You know what I mean.”
She laughs softly. “Phone sleeping. Very modern romance.”
“We’re trendsetters.”
More rustling on her end. I picture her burrowing into the blanket fort, pulling the covers up to her chin, Black Cat curled against her side. God, how I wish I was there.
“Taio?” Her voice is muzzy now, sleep pulling at the edges.
“Yeah?”
But her breathing has already started to even out, the slow rhythm of someone slipping under.
“Charlie?”
Nothing. Just soft, steady breaths.
I stay on the line for a long time, listening to her sleep, wondering what she was trying to tell me.
“Goodnight, Tweety,” I whisper to her sleeping breath. “I’m coming back soon. I promise.”