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“Nice to meet you, Charlie.”
He lets go of Paige and accepts my hand, his friendly eyes morphing into something more calculating as he studies me. I return his inspection.
Yet another guy in Paige’s life that’s tall enough to meet me eye-to-eye, Charlie still gives off a relaxed air despite his size. He’s all wide smiles with white teeth. I hate to admit that the two of them look good standing next to each other. Where Paige is pale and blonde, Charlie is dark and ebony. They’re like yin and yang.
And I don’t belong anywhere near them.
“Charlie, this is Dash. He’s the hot guy I refused to tell you about.” She steps into me, wrapping a possessive arm around my waist, settling my feet on firm ground. Suddenly, I don’t have to force a smile anymore. From her spot at my side, Paige grins up at the guy. “I took your advice.”
“Paige?” I ask. She returns her gaze to me. “Not to be rude, but who exactlyisCharlie?”
She frowns. “Charlie. Come on. I told you about Charlie.”
I shake my head, and a guilty blush pools over her cheeks as the guy gives a scoff.
“Really, Paige? I leave the country and you just forget about me? I’m wounded. Deeply.” Charlie clutches his chest, but humor flashes in his eyes.
“I’m a dunce. I can’t believe it. Charlie is my best friend. We’ve known each other since we were five. His parents live a few houses down. He’s been living in Germany, but now he’s back!” Paige does a little happy jig, her body pressing up against mine in the process.
“Speaking of my parents, they’re inside,” Charlie says.
“Inside?” Paige sounds just as confused as I am.
“Yeah. It’s a Keller/Herbert reunion.”
And apparently, I’m crashing it.
“My mom is probably already at work mixing up cocktails.” Charlie takes a step toward the doors that lead back inside only to be met by a furry blockade. At some point during introductions, Pumpkin wandered her way up to the porch.
Charlie holds out his hand for the dog to sniff. She does, briefly, but then brushes past him to push her head against my thigh until I scratch behind her ears. Another burst of satisfaction streaks through me. Seems I’m petty enough to want Paige’s dog to dismiss everyone but her and me.
It almost feels like I won something.
Then Charlie has to open his goddamn friendly mouth again.
“You two coming? Papa Herbert’s been on me about sharing travel stories, and I doubt you’ll want to miss them.”
Papa Herbert?
I don’t know whether to be jealous or demand a sit down with Charlie, so he can explain how he won over the grim reaper.
PAIGE
On a scale of one to them realizing they’re long lost brothers, I think the first meeting between my boyfriend and my best friend hits somewhere in the middle.
As we stand in my parents’ kitchen, I only half listen to Charlie’s flight horror story, something about two drunk girls that needed a cold shower. My concentration is too focused on trying to decipher how Dash is fitting in with the group.
The Kellers are some of the most loving people I’ve ever met. They travel the world and collect friends in each country they visit. My only worry comes from Momma Keller’s futile hope that I’ll still fall in romantic love with her son. But she and Mr. Keller gave Dash smiles and handshakes, so I try not to stress over it.
Then there’s my parents, two people who can get a little prickly. I’m pretty positive that Dash’s love of cars has fully solidified him as acceptable in my Mom’s eyes. My Dad, though, still puts on his icy judge face whenever he looks at my boyfriend. Luckily, I don’t need his approval when it comes to the men I sleep with.
Or fall in love with.
Not that I’m in love with Dash. But if I was, that’s my choice.
Currently, Charlie holds the majority of the attention, gesturing wildly with his hands as he gets to a high-tension part of his story. The display from my friend is funny because when we’re not with family, he tends to sink into silent, observant mode. My hope is that his energetic display is a point in Dash’s favor. I want Dash to have all the points.
Charlie was never a Martin fan. He only told me once, in high school, when he got back from a trip to find out the two of us were dating.
