Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 93806 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93806 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
I glance at his mother several times. Her face doesn’t show any emotion, but I can’t tell if it’s because of the plastic surgery or the lack of love she seems to bear for her son.
After Charlie finishes, he walks back to me, reaching for my hand. As I take his, he pulls me to my feet and escorts me out. He never looks back, but I do. His mother watches him, disapproving, but turns back to face the minister with her head held high.
When we reach the steps outside the beautiful, ornate wooden doors, I break the silence. “Are you sure you’re ready to leave?”
“I’m ready. I said my goodbye to Grace a long time ago. We had a get-together, just the two of us, and she said her goodbye to me, as well. She was ready and didn’t want her loved ones worrying about her. She wouldn’t let me see her, embarrassed by her deteriorating condition.” We reach the corner, and he stops. “I made peace with her loss already. Today was for everyone else.” A sudden smile appears, breaking the somber moment, when he asks, “Should we catch a cab?”
I nod and watch as he hails one down. We’ll be late, meaning Jim’s premonition will come true. We climb in, and I ask the driver to take us to Saint Thomas Church. The ride is spent in silence, my hand missing his elbow already. I roll my eyes at my silliness.
The cab pulls up to the curb, and we both look at each other. “So we’re here,” I say, remaining tucked in the back of the cab. He waits for me to take the lead on this one, willing to do whatever I need, be what I need in the moment. While staring out at the crowd hovering in the church doorway, I slide my hand across the seat, palm up, and wait.
Chapter 6
Charlie A
A waiting hand—an invitation I can’t resist. That’s what she’s offering me. I don’t care if it’s just as friends. I won’t miss out on this opportunity. I press my hand on top of hers, palm against palm, and my fingers entwine with hers. It’s intimate, but what she needs. She needs comfort. She needs a friend. She needs me, and I’ll be her support, just as she was for me.
I watch as she sits there, stalling, so I take the lead. “Do you want to go in?”
I pay the driver to make it easier. Charlie looks at me, and I see fear overriding the liveliness of her eyes. I scoot closer, leaning over her to open the door. She slides against the vinyl seat and steps out, but her motions are stale and unnatural for how I’ve seen her so far.
As I exit the cab behind her, I say, “We don’t have to go in if you don’t want. I know a good Italian restaurant close to here—”
“No.” With unsteady words, she’s quick to interrupt. “I should do this.”
There’s only one thing I can think of doing to help. I reach into my pocket and pull out the rabbit’s foot keychain. “Charlie,” I say, not knowing how she’ll take this. I’m hoping how it’s intended. “Here, I think you could use this right now.”
She reaches for the luck idol, unsure of what it is at first, but I see the moment she realizes. A small laugh leaves her mouth, and she takes it from my hand. Holding it by the chain, she asks, “Is this a real rabbit’s foot? Like the lucky ones from when we were little?”
“Yep, it’s real. Well, I once read that it’s not a real rabbit’s foot because that’d just be gross, but a manmade one with real rabbit’s fur.”
“It’s orange. Bunnies don’t come in bright orange in nature?” She’s smiling. The charm has worked.
“They also don’t come with a hole and chain.”
“Fascinating.” She holds it in front of her face and giggles. “I don’t think I’ve seen one of these since I was eight or so.”
“That’s what I said.” She tilts her head in curiosity, so I explain, “My friend gave it to me last week. He thought I needed a little luck in my life.”
“Luck with what?”
Damn. I should have thought this through before mentioning it. “Um, it’s kind of embarrassing, but he thinks I need luck in the lady department.”
Wrapping her fingers around the keychain, she holds it to her side. “I can’t imagine you have problems meeting women.”
I chuckle. This conversation will not make me look good, no matter how I explain it. I go with the truth and hope she doesn’t leave me right here on the street. “Meeting them, no.” I shake my head. “But having real chemistry with them? I’ve struggled some.”
Charlie’s smile fades as she listens. Her eyes tell me she believes me, show me she trusts me. I like that I’m able to read her clearly so soon. She hides a lot of secrets in her deep blues, and I intend to find out what they are.