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My mind strays from the gorgeous surroundings and back to Charles.
I wonder if he’s all packed for Italy.
I never had time to look at his itinerary. I was too busy closing out the week and preparing for tonight with Ash.
I grab my phone to pull it up quickly and flush when I see I have a text message from Charles.
Charles: I hope you’re relaxing.
Me: I’m out to dinner with a friend.
Charles: You’ll have to tell me all about it later. Have fun.
Me: Thanks for the text.
Charles: I found myself thinking of you.
“What has you smiling like a loon?” Asher asks.
My head snaps up to him. I stuff my phone back into my bag.
“Sorry about that. It was... my mom. She’s being her typical self.” I lie because I’m not ready to share Charles with anyone. Especially Asher. “She says hello.”
He smiles.
“I’m not sure your mom likes me.”
I frown, hating that he picked up on my mom’s skepticism surrounding him.
“What makes you say that?”
“I don’t know,” he says. “It’s just that she always looks at me like she doesn’t trust me.”
“She does not.”
Another lie, but one to avoid hurting his feelings.
“She’s just an overly curious woman. I’m sure you’re misreading it.”
“Let’s hope,” he says. “But in the end, as long as you trust me, that’s all that matters.”
I know he’s referring to Summer, and as angry as I was, I said I was over it, and I am.
“I do.”
Asher smiles, but it drops quickly, and he suddenly looks nervous.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
I have a feeling he’s going to bring up the whole situation, which I really don’t want to talk about anymore. But he doesn’t.
Instead, he clears his throat and looks down at his plate. He can’t look me in the eye.
“The thing is, Raven... uh... I know we’re friends. We’ve been friends for a very long time. And right now, it might not be great timing, considering we just had a fight, but there’s something I need to tell you.”
No. No. No.
My mom and Lily’s warnings ring loud and clear, and my stomach sours. I know without a doubt he’s going to tell me he likes me.
