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"No, not massage. Are you still dating my cousin?"
He was just making conversation.
We were not flirting.
"No one's ever really dating your cousin," I said, talking about AJ.
"I knew you went out with him a time or two last year," he said.
"We hung out a couple of times," I agreed. "Honestly, I'm probably closer to dating this other guy. Goodness, gracious, Charlie, your back. I'm feeling a bad patch of knots right here."
He laughed at the fact that my thumb could not penetrate the solid block of brick on his back.
"How long are you planning on staying here?" I asked.
"Why? It's numb right there."
"It's unbelievably tight." I continued by digging my fingertips into his back, trying to be gentle with him but get some blood flowing to his tight back. "I'm really sorry about what happened, but…" I trailed off because I didn't want my words to come across as insensitive, and I was relatively sure they would.
"But what?" he asked when I didn't continue.
"Nothing. I shouldn't… it's not my place to say anything."
"What were you going to say?" Charlie asked, turning to look at me from over his shoulder.
I had been rubbing his back, but I paused and put my hands down, focusing on his face. "I was just going to say that you're out here with nobody. You're all alone. It's not like you're out here on vacation. You're being a hermit, which is fine if that's what you need to do, but I was just wondering how long you were going to do that because I like you and I want to see good things happen in your life. And even as I say these words, I know they're offensive because I would be offended if someone was saying them to me. You can do whatever you want. It's your house, and your job, and your life in Miami. You can do whatever you want. I was just… I care about you as a person."
"I didn't really see myself as being out here alone. I'm just using the house because I wanted some peace and quiet. I'm also out here making sure the work is getting done that my dad contracted."
"Where are you staying?"
"In the guest house closest to the pool."
"I'm surprised my dad didn't tell me you were here."
"He didn’t tell anyone," he said. "I'm just trying to be left alone."
"That's what I'm saying. For how long?" I asked.
"What? Why does that matter?"
"It doesn’t. You can do whatever you want. I just wondered if you had a plan."
"Not really."
"Well, regardless of what you choose to do with your time, or what state you choose to live in, you should really try to make yourself understand that what happened is not your fault."
He gave me a little smile that was full of all sorts of emotions. "Thank you," he said quietly.
"I know it's easier said than done, but ultimately you have to figure out a way to make yourself believe it's not your fault. We all have our own path, and Savannah was choosing that path before she met you. God knew all this would happen."
"That is not a fun thought. Let's talk about something else."
"Okay, like what?" I asked.
"Who's the other guy you're cheating on my cousin with?"
"One, I'm not with AJ. We went out a couple of times when he was in town. I don't even talk to him when he's in Chicago. I'm sure he's seeing other people in Chicago. But the guy is a friend. He was my brother's best friend, but then my brother followed a woman to Tennessee, and Landon and I… we didn't really hang out all that much before Eric left, but now that he's gone it's like we sort of needed each other to fill that void. I hang out with him a lot more than your cousin."
