Page 53

Those look like 20 date activities to me.

If anything, we’re friends with benefits who don’t have sex.

Yet.

Personally…

I think Operation Get the CEO of Sex on Legs to Be Your Real Girlfriend is going well.

I’m suddenly nervous.

Don’t be. You’re kinda the greatest.

You are friends. She does like you and I know she cares about you. Just have fun. Things will work out how they are meant to.

Thanks, Birdy.

You’re pretty great yourself.

Don’t forget it! Take pictures!

Doing as instructed, Ali documented the entire day. Charlotte in the botanical garden. Charlotte getting on a random bus she seemed in rather a hurry to drag Ali off of as they went in search of ice cream only to get side tracked when they stumbled upon a food truck park. Ali even managed to capture the wide smile when she suggested they try something from each one and Ali pointed out neither of them had been to any of these places. A delighted smile spread across Ali’s face when someone started busking within earshot.

“We have found live music!” Ali exclaimed, performing a happy little dance before grabbing Charlotte’s hand and twirling herself under her arm.

“Does this also count as a park?” Charlotte mused, joy glittering in her eyes.

“Fuck yes, it does! Hold on, let’s see if there’s a geocache in this place.” Ali pulled out her phone and grinned. Knowing Charlotte had likely never done this, she let her put together the clues, offering assistance when she got stuck. Charlotte beamed when she found it, proudly waving it about. Ali handed her a pen from her little backpack after she unrolled the tiny piece of paper to sign their names on it.

One of the food trucks served churros, which Ali was aghast to discover Charlotte had never tried before.

“Oh, you poor, unfortunate soul.”

Ali released a dramatic sigh as she dipped her dessert into the little vat of melted chocolate before lifting it to take a bite, the scent of warm cinnamon and sugar delicate against the more robust scents coming from the trucks.

Matching her energy, Charlotte hung her head, looking rather disheartened. “I know. I’ve truly not lived until this moment.”

“Don’t fear,” Ali reached across the bench to pat Charlotte’s hand. “I’ll teach you how to live.” Ali teased before finishing off her churro, brushing the grains of sugar from her fingers.

Charlotte watched her, fondness swimming in her gaze. But she didn’t say anything. Just savored the rest of her own dessert. Time came to roll the dice again. It tumbled across the table as Ali chanted number one, over and over.

15. Escape room

Charlotte got far more into it than either of them expected. They escaped with only minutes to spare.

“Remind me to take you to a rage room some day,” Ali noted the look of curiosity in Charlotte’s eye. “You get to just go nuts and break stuff.”

“Sounds therapeutic.”

“Exactly!”

Next came the playground. Over the course of their friendship, she witnessed Charlotte as uptight, a little guarded, and unwavering from her routines. Now, she was swinging as high as possible, a look of peace on her face as the wind caught wisps of her hair. Ali pulled out her phone, taking a video and a few blurred and fuzzy images, capturing the magic of the moment. She hadn’t had a day this fun in years.

When they had enjoyed all the equipment, Ali still feeling a bit dizzy from her turn on the merry-go-round, they watched the dice tumble and land on number one.

Ali let out a shriek of excitement and danced like she scored a game-winning touchdown.

But Charlotte paled and looked half a second away from throwing up. Following her instincts, Ali threw her arms around her.