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 look to her right just as her next conquest turns. Our eyes meet, but not for the first time. My mind flashes to the subway when Rachel introduces him. “Charlie, this is Charlie. How funny is that?”
“Very,” I say, distracted by the sweetness of his smile and his handsome face. His brown hair is tousled, kind of wind-blown, but definitely not styled like most of the men in this city. I like that. His hair looks touchable, but I resist the temptation. A small laugh escapes me, and my real smile reveals itself before slipping away.
“You made it off the subway?” he asks.
“What?” The music is louder now, and the bar area is noisy.
“The subway?” He leans closer, and his warm breath hits my cheek. I detect a hint of whiskey. “I see you made it off the subway earlier today?”
“Oh, yes. Barely.” I smile, wanting to blush and giggle like a schoolgirl, but I’m too intrigued that he remembers me. I look into his kind eyes, recalling the color from the train. They’re light bluish-gray. His pupils are dilated in the darkness of the bar, but I can see the sincerity in them. “I got blocked and had to jump off at the next stop and walk home.”
“Sorry that happened. People can be rude sometimes.”
“No worries. I’m getting used to it.”
“The rude people or walking home?”
“Both.” I laugh.
He laughs, too. “That’s a pity. You’re not from New Yo—”
“I’m ready for that drink you mentioned. Are you, Charlie?” Rachel interrupts, redirecting his attention back to her.
“Yes,” we reply in unison, then look at each other and burst out laughing.
“Jinx! You owe me a martini.” I state this as if everyone knows this game.
He smirks, waving over the bartender. “I thought on jinx it was always a Coke?”
“I don’t drink Coke.”
He chuckles just as the bartender signals he’ll be over in a minute. Without missing a beat, he says, “Martini it is, then. So your name really is Charlie?”
“It’s Charlotte, but I prefer Charlie. It’s what I’m used to. Is your full name Charles?” Did I just ask that stupid question? I blush this time, the alcohol not helping. This doesn’t faze Rachel but doesn’t go unnoticed by Charlie.
He smiles again, tilting his head as if trying to figure me out. “Yes, but I don’t feel old enough to be called that.”
Rachel laughs too hard to sound natural, and she leans toward him, putting her hand on his thigh. “Charlie here tells me he’s interested in dogs.” She makes it sound as if a dog is some rare animal found in Siberia.
He nods, giving her his attention again before turning back to me. I also nod to show a courteous interest in the topic, though I have none. Looking at her, I finally clue into what all of her odd expressions and bulging eyes mean.
I’m enjoying myself for the first time in what seems like forever, but I’m reminded she met him first. I’m the one who interrupted, so I should go. I should go before I get invested in a guy who has already been marked by my friend because I don’t screw over my friends. “As much as I’d love to stay and chat more about dogs, I’m really tired after the day I’ve had. I think I’m outty.”
“Audi, like the car?” he asks.
Rachel is rolling her eyes behind his back, so he can’t see. She hates my lingo. It’s a bad habit left over from my more frivolous college days. I look at Charlie and smile again. “No, outty. It’s just a stupid way of saying ‘out of here.’ My college roommates and I used to say it.”
“I’ve never heard the word before.”
Rachel steps forward and laughs nervously. I’ve embarrassed her. She rests her hand on his shoulder, staking her claim. “She always says the silliest things.”
“I think it’s cute,” he says with a gentle smile on his face.
I look away quickly, thinking there is more to his words than the basic meaning.
“Silliest, as in adorable,” Rachel says, her tone overly dramatic. “I meant she always says the most adorable things. I don’t know how she comes up with them.” She tilts her head toward the door, signaling me to leave.
“Well, I really should get going—”
Rachel’s hugging me before I finish my sentence. “Yes. I’ll see you Monday.”
“Yeah, Monday,” I mumble. The sudden and rapid goodbye is disorienting.
Charlie takes my hand and says, “It was really nice to meet you, Charlie.”
“You too, Charlie.” I emphasize his name for fun. What am I doing? I start to back up, now embarrassed by my own ridiculousness. He doesn’t release my hand right away. Just when our arms are stretched as far as they can go, he tugs me forward again, both of us enjoying the moment. After another dirty look from Rachel, I drop my hand to my side and walk away. One more glimpse back, and I see him shift his hand to his lap.