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“You really know how to repel women.” Drew chuckled.
“New to me.” I chanced another glance over to Charlee and caught her just as she was blotting her eyes with a napkin, making my heart ache.
“Leave it alone, Levi. It’s becoming increasingly obvious that she wants nothing to do with you, or anyone else for that matter.”
Sighing in defeat, I followed Drew outside, not daring a look back, knowing it might tempt me to go over to her and she made it very clear the other day that she didn’t want me around.
“Maybe we should check out that other beach.” I think, maybe, it was time to move on.
The surf had been epic as promised. Aside for some hydration breaks and a quick sandwich, we stayed out until just before sunset. It kept me from doing something I might regret, like knocking on Charlee’s door. After dinner, Drew arranged for a campsite at the other beach. They didn’t have availability for a few days, so Charlee was going to have to deal with seeing me around just a little bit longer. Maybe that would give her time to come around.
Out of pure boredom, I wandered up to the café after dinner. Drew had a business meeting and would be gone the rest of the evening, which was code for drinking more and talking less. He invited me along, but I declined, needing some dude-free time. The guy could seriously get on my nerves sometimes.
The café was packed even though it was well past dinnertime. Beverly and another girl were running around helping guests, so I made my way to the back by the windows to seat myself. As soon as I saw Charlee sitting in her booth, I froze. Seeing her here at night was unexpected. Drew and I frequented the café at most meal times because neither of us enjoyed cooking and I had never seen her here, and now that she was right in front of me, I had no idea what to do or say. Did I turn around and walk away quickly, or would that make things more awkward? I didn’t want her to think I was stalking her either, though, especially after the sendoff she gave me the other day. Before I could decide, she turned to me and smiled.
Seeing her amber eyes light up with her smile melted away all the tension from my muscles, except for one. My heart was palpitating out of control and I wondered if I could speak without my voice shaking.
“Sorry, I—.”
“Sit,” she commanded gently.
Apprehensively, I slid into the booth opposite her, resting my hands on the table and nervously spinning a tour band on my finger.
We watched each other silently for a moment until she dropped her chin and stared at her lap and said, “I’m sorry for being such a jerk the other day. You didn’t deserve that.”
Shocked by her admission of guilt, it took everything in me to hold back my relief. She hadn’t written me off yet.
“Charlee, are you okay? I know you don’t know Drew or me, and I may be out of line asking, but you don’t seem okay.”
She shifted uncomfortably in the booth and sat up a little straighter, tugging on what I could only suspect was a necklace that was hidden under her shirt.
“I haven’t been okay for a very long time. So long that sometimes I forget what it’s like.”
Her eyes peeked through her thick lashes, and the sight of her in that moment stole the breath from my lungs. She was so beautifully broken, and yet, in her gaze there was a glimmer of light hidden behind whatever darkness was trapped in there. I was close enough now to see how radiant her eyes truly were. The color was a crystalized amber that I had never seen before, and they sparkled against the stark contrast of her rich, dark brown hair that was cascading loosely over her shoulders.
Charlee quietly cleared her throat and smiled shyly, breaking me from my trance.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. Has anyone ever told you how beautifully unique your eyes are?”
“Maybe once or twice,” she replied somberly as she looked away to the window.
After a pause, I said, “It’s okay to not be okay, and you may feel lost right now with whatever you are grappling with,” I was being presumptuous and I hope I didn’t offend her, “but at some point, I hope you find your way back.” It was something I had repeated to my mom over and over, until eventually she forgave herself. It was a long road, though, as I could see it would be for Charlee, too.
“You sound like you’re speaking from experience,” Charlee said as she took a sip of her tea and peered up at me.
This was the first time I had her full attention and I wanted to soak it in. “Yes, but not from my own experience, but from someone close.” I wasn’t ready to share the details of my past, as she wasn’t either.
She turned to the window again, her presence fading just a little. “I don’t have anything to come back to.” Her words were brutally honest and gut-wrenching.
“It might not seem that way right now, but one day things could be different.” Instinctively, I reached my hand across the table and rested it on hers, but she startled and jerked her hand free. Shame immediately engulfed me. “I’m sorry,” I said quickly as I tucked my hands under the table.
She started to scoot out of the booth. “I should get back to Midnight.” She stood up. “I’m sorry, again,” she said off to the side, avoiding eye contact, and then rushed between the sea of people.
“Dammit!” I gritted between my teeth.
“I told you to leave it alone,” Beverly tsked, “but don’t be so hard on yourself.” Beverly appeared at the booth. “That’s the first I’ve seen her talk to anyone. I would call that progress, darlin’. Do you want something to eat?”
“No, I’m good. Do you need the booth?” I started to slide out.
