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“Hey,” I said.
“Hey. Do you have a minute?” Her voice was soft, tentative. That last word was not one I’d ever associated with Charlotte.
I’d done that.
My abrupt exit, the complete lack of communication the last couple of days. I’d planted that seed of hesitancy.
“Yeah, of course.”
“How’s your niece?”
“Good. Tansy brought her home a little bit ago; she’s sleeping.”
“Good.”
I opened my mouth to say something but pinched the bridge of my nose instead. What was I supposed to say?
I should probably apologize for kissing you, but I don’t actually want to.
Do you want me to apologize for kissing you?
It was still a matter of wrestling the strength of my feelings for her, which had been building in such a slow, subtle way that I’d hardly been able to admit it until it smacked me in the face.
In that uncomfortable beat of silence, I wondered what I’d do if I were someone who didn’t struggle in moments like this. If I’d say something inappropriate because I was now existing in a space where I missed her. Where I wanted to be around her.
Naturally, I settled on “Plumber come out yet?”
Fucking hell, I was bad at this.
Charlotte cleared her throat. “Yeah, thankfully we were home when it happened. There’s no damage to the floors or cabinets. We do have some fans running in there now; a bit of the drywall along the back of the kitchen got a little damp. Shouldn’t need to be replaced.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Huh.”
“We were ... distracted. We didn’t get the water before it hit the wall.”
I closed my eyes and tried to imagine what she was thinking. “We were.” Ford gave me an impatient look, waving the controller in my direction. I pulled the phone away from my face. “Give me a couple more minutes, bud.”
“Do you need to go?”
I walked into the kitchen. “Soon. My nephew is impatient to slaughter me inMario Kart. Again.”
Charlotte exhaled a laugh. “I can’t imagine you playing video games.”
“I think that’s why he keeps wanting to play me,” I admitted.
I heard the low hum of William’s voice in the background. Charlotte answered him in a muffled tone.
“Sorry,” she said. “William wanted to know if we were okay making last-minute decisions in your absence if we can’t get in touch with you.” She paused. “I wasn’t sure when you’d be back, and some of this stuff needs to be decided right away.”
“Yeah, of course.” I fought a wave of frustration. “I haven’t talked to Tansy about Felicia’s recovery, but I’m sure I’ll be here for another week to help out.”
“I assumed,” she said quietly. “I’m glad you can be there for her.”
“Me too.”
And I was. But I couldn’t stop the clawing sense of weariness.
It seemed like I was destined to be ... not where I wanted. When I was in Michigan at the beginning, all I wanted was to be back in Florida. Now I was in Florida for at least a week, and I wanted to be back north.
