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Twice.
I’m low on sleep and extremely high on endorphins.
The faire felt like a fantasy sequence, a separate realm than our everyday lives. And even last night in my room flickered, dreamlike, as Charlie and I moved, laughed, gasped in the darkness.
Now, morning light filters in from my back window, and this is just…Extremely my real life. My tiny apartment. My cabinets, which primarily hold half-empty bags of Trader Joe’s snacks. I have some bananas and a few items in the fridge, so shoutout to former me who had no idea she’d have an overnight guest. Obviously, I have a near-limitless supply of tea.
The Mysteaque doesn’t open till ten, so at least I have plenty of time to get Charlie out the door without auntie inquisition.
Yesterday, waking up in the tent to Charlie’s voice note took some pressure off. If we had woken at the same time, it might have been awkward check-ins while both of us got up. Now, I wonder what the protocol is. Should I sneak out and get us a decent breakfast? Is it weird to leave him alone in my apartment?
I figure the least I can do is give him some space to wake up without being stared at – even if he does look entirely delicious, sprawled there on my sheets. I slip out of bed, walking lightly to the bathroom. From the back of the door, I select my cutest robe and brush my hair. Then I run the faucet because, when I say this is extremely my real life, I mean I do not want Charlie Fox waking up to the sound of me peeing.
When I emerge a few minutes later, my contacts lenses in and my teeth brushed, Charlie is sitting up in bed. I take a moment to admire his bare chest in broad daylight, thinking that I would like to keep him here for quite some time.
“Hey,” he says, voice scratchy. I cannot believe this man looks so good even with sleepy eyes and pillow creases on half his face. “Have you been up for long? I was completely crashed out—sorry about that.”
“Just a few minutes,” I assure him. Why is he apologizing? Maybe he thinks I want him out of here, and he was just snoozing while I tried to start my day. “Are you hungry?” I blurt. “It’s more of a continental breakfast than room service around here, but I have some bananas and yogurt. Or—I mean, I totally understand if you want a real breakfast. Elsewhere.”
Great. Keeping it nice and chill, Grace.
“No, that sounds great,” Charlie says. “But… I don’t have to. If that was you politely giving me the boot, I can definitely go and—”
“No!” I cut him off. “I just didn’t want you to feel, you know, obligated.”
There’s a beat, then we both laugh. For someone whose face was buried between my thighs just a few hours ago, this is weirdly awkward.
“Okay,” Charlie grins. “I would like to eat breakfast together.”
I exhale in relief. “I would also like that.”
Then his phone buzzes from his pants pockets—where he left them on the floor. He scoops it up. “But… I have a meeting. Shit.”
“Oh! Okay!” I say, trying way too hard not to sound disappointed. “No problem!”
“I’m sorry, I totally blanked,” he says. “But if you want to come, we can grab something on the way?”
“To your meeting?” I ask, skeptically.
“It’s at our new location,” Charlie explains. “Flynn is showing me the build-out. I’d love for you to see it.”
“Oh. That does sound fun. Let me jump in the shower first—
I’ll be quick,” I add, turning to the bathroom.
Charlie catches me, and tugs on my robe tie. “No need to rush on my account,” he says, as my robe slips off my shoulders.
I smile. “I thought you were late,” I tease.
“True.” Charlie smirks. “But I need a shower too.”
“Then we should probably save on water,” I grin back, pulling him into the bathroom with me. “It the environmental thing to do.”
“Saving the earth.” Charlie kisses my neck. “Sign me up.”
* * *
After a slow,soapy shower and a stop at my neighborhood café to grab breakfast burritos, Charlie drives us into the city. He finds a parking spot a block from the new bar because this is the kind of charmed life this man is leading. “Are you attracting the open parking spots?” I tease. “Manifesting them? Are they simply drawn to your winning energy?”
