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"Charlotte!" I shout again. "Where is she?" I ask the girls out loud, my voice breaking at the end as my eyes keep scanning the place. As time passes, my panic rises to alarming heights.
"Emma, we need to call the police."
I turn and stare at Bella, who's holding a phone in her hands.
"She isn't here. We've been looking for over twenty minutes."
"Bella's right, Emma," Alisha says, holding my gaze.
My heart rate increases at the thought of calling the police, but it's necessary. I grab the phone out of Bella's hands, press the buttons, and hold it to my ear. I turn my back towards the girls while waiting anxiously for the police to answer.
"Oh my God, Emma. It's Charlotte," Bella yells.
"Charlotte!" Alisha shouts.
I spin around and search for anything familiar in the direction Alisha is pointing. Kids are playing with a ball, and a mother is walking with a stroller. A little further, a tall man is running towards us, a little girl on his back. Relief washes over me, and I cover my mouth with my hands when I recognize my baby's face.
The phone slides out of my hand as I sprint towards them. As I run, he stops and squats. Charlotte jumps off and sprints my way. I fall on my knees, and when she crashes into my arms, tears stream down my cheeks.
"Charlotte!" I whisper, inhaling her sweet coconut scent and rocking her back and forth in my arms.
"I'm sorry, Mommy," she says, her voice muffled as I press her face against my chest.
"Where were you, sweetheart? Where did you go? You can't leave without saying where you are going."
Charlotte's eyes have a cautious, nervous expression as she glances up at me.
"I was on the swing when I saw him and ran after him to say hello," she explains, pointing to the man standing a few feet away from us.
When my eyes raise to thank him for bringing my girl back, my breath catches in my throat. Nick's eyes that are sweet as chocolate and as solid as the oak are staring straight at me, a faint smile on his face. His brows are moist with sweat and his shirt sticks to his chest.
"Hi," he breathes out.
Charlotte's eyes go back and forth between Nick and me. I wipe the remaining tears from my face and stand.
"Mom, this was my fault, not Nick's. He didn't know I was running after him. Please don't be mad at him." Charlotte is fumbling at her shirt, her eyes wary.
"Charlotte, why don't you go to Bella and Alisha and apologize? I'm going to talk to Nick real quick.”
Charlotte's eyes glimpse at Nick for a moment.
"Listen to your mom, Smarty."
She nods her head and walks towards Bella and Alisha. Halfway, Charlotte turns and glances at Nick. "Thanks for the back ride, Giant," she says with an oversweet smile.
"You’re welcome, Charlotte," he replies before she runs towards Bella and Alisha, who pull her in their arms.
My eyes turn back to the man next to me. They wander over his sweaty shirt, sticking to his chest, and my tongue darts out to moisten my dry lips.
"Thank you for bringing Charlotte back. I'm sorry for interrupting your workout."
"You're not interrupting," he replies while his gaze surveys my body. "I want to ask you something, Emma."
My eyes dart up. "Uh... what?" I say, fidgeting with the hem of my sweater.
"Would you like to go to dinner with me this Saturday?"
"Wh—What?"
