I came here for my writing and wouldn’t miss this opportunity.
* * *
Charlie
Emma and Harrisonwere waiting for me in the living room when I came out of one of several guest bedrooms in Harrison’s massive LA home. Emma and I could have stayed at the fancy-schmancy hotel, as Kate called it. But the three of us had made a pact long ago that when we were in town together, we’d stay together. At least until we had partners and it got weird.
Lucky for us, all three of us were shite at romance.
“Ready?” I asked my two best friends.
I flicked out my wrists to fuss with the cuffs of the dress black jumper I wore. I had done well on the flight out here. Maybe it was the promise of seeing Kate that distracted me, but I hadn’t been nearly as itchy to numb myself this time.
“Damn, Charlie.” Harrison let out a low whistle.
I glanced down over the dark jeans and shoes, worried I’d forgotten something crucial. Like trousers. I hadn’t slept well since … well, since I found out I’d be meeting Kate tonight. At least seeing her. Around three months?
I wish I hadn’t said that last line in the email. The stupid comment about wishing I were there too. Not only was it too close to revealing my feelings for her, but it was also the closest to a lie I’d come in our chats because I would, in fact, be there. But I had been jet-lagged and anxious, and I had wanted to soothe her. Her anxious energy was palpable throughout her last several emails. Every single time she was excited about something, that prat would find a way to diminish her light. God, I hoped he would be there tonight so I could punch him in the face. I’m sure my publicist would love that.
Former Child Star Punches Stranger at Dinner for No Apparent Reason.
I wouldn’t touch him. It wasn’t my business. Kate’s relationship was her own. All I could do was show her support as a friend would. But still. I shouldn’t have said that. That must have crossed one of those unspoken boundaries we’d been so great at skirting. I needed to reel myself back in. Being this close to meeting her had made me sloppy. I wouldn’t do it again.
I checked my phone to see if she had responded to my last message. She hadn’t. But she was probably already at the hotel.
She washere. I couldn’t think about that right now.
Harrison and Emma were looking at me.
“What is it?” I asked, pushing my sleeves up after debating if they looked better down. Pushed up, definitely.
“I think he’s referring to your …” Emma gestured up and down with a casual wave of her hand. “Physique.”
“Oh.” I turned to grab my wallet off the table, hating that my ears burned like I was twelve again.
I had beefed up a bit more since I last saw him at the funeral. Only because I had a lot of free time. And alotof pent-up energy.
“You’ve gained a stone of muscles easily, mate.” He poked my bicep and pretended it hurt his fingers. “You’re about to bust through this shirt.”
“So dramatic,” I grumbled.
“Stop talking about his body. You’re making him blush,” Emma chastised Harrison before coming in for a hug from me.
“It’s fine,” I grumbled and squeezed her tight.
She wore a sleek silver romper thing that made her look even more lithe than normal. Her red hair was done in perfect waves, and her green eyes were piercing under sharp flicks of eyeliner.
“You do seem a bit bigger since January,” she whispered with only a hint of concern.
“Emma,” I warned.
She held her hands up in surrender after releasing me.
Admittedly, my body always was a sore spot. Since being dubbed the glow-up of the last century, I was a bit cheesed off to even have it brought up. Every magazine or online news rag had run at least one article about my transformation from chubby child star to pumped-up beefcake or whatever charming vernacular they used. At first, it had just been due to puberty, sharpening my jawline and filling out my muscles. Then after I quit drinking, I really started to take pride in my health. But it wasn’t anybody else’s damn business.
Harrison walked close to me, eyes narrowed. “You’re not using anything are you?”
“Bloody hell, Harrison, are you trying to get a black eye before we even go?” Emma cried.
