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“He was on the flight that ended with you doing the stupid thing?”
I look around, feeling paranoid, and then nod.
Auggie peeks over at the guy again. “He’s awfully far away to be deciding he’s some guy you only saw once and didn’t speakto. Up close, maybe you’d realize that’s not him. Actually, I think he’s here with that little girl there.”
“No, I think the girl is here with that woman in blue.” I point my chin about ten yards from where the man is sitting on the bench.
Auggie throws the ball and peeks again. “Would a paid killer get himself an ice cream cone before doing his job? That seems like a weird thing for a professional to do.”
“Unless he’s trying to blend in. And maybe he’s not here to kill us. Maybe he’s here to beat the crap out of us, as a warning.”
“A warning about what? We know our deadline, and we’re working hard to meet it. What’s there to warn us about?”
“Maybe he’s that nosy guy Carlo warned us about. Maybe he’s got a hunch, so he came here to watch us and see what we’re up to.”
“Or maybe he’s just some guy who reminds you of the sleeping guy on the plane. Maybe you’re just . . .”
“Paranoid? Yes, I am. I’ve been insanely, intensely paranoid, since the minute I got to my hotel room in New York and counted that money and realized what I’d just done. But just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean that’s not the nosy guy.” I shake out my hands to ease the sudden torrent of anxiety flooding me. “What if Mr. DiMarco found out it was me? What if he knows Carlo looked the other way, rather than immediately reporting me, and now he’s sent that guy—”
“Let’s not jump to conclusions here,” Auggie whispers hoarsely. “And let’s not panic. At least, not visibly. If that’s one of the bad guys, which isn’t for sure, then we don’t want him knowing we’ve seen him. It’ll be easier to ditch him on our way to Tessa’s house, if he thinks we’re totally clueless.”
“I’m scared, Auggie.”
“It might not even be him. In fact, I’d bet anything it’s not.” He hugs me and kisses my cheek, while I try to get my breathingunder control in his arms. I feel Auggie’s lips press against my ear. His sweet, soothing voice says, “Pretend to laugh. I’m telling you a joke.”
I follow instructions, and I’ll be damned, the simple act of faking laughter relieves a bit of my stress. Or maybe it’s simply Auggie’s strong arms around me that’s calming me down. Whether that’s one of Mr. DiMarco’s goons or not—and at this point, I truly don’t know—having Auggie here with me makes all the difference. I’m deeply sorry I’ve dragged him into this mess; but now that he’s in it and I can’t undo it, his presence at my side is a balm for my ragged, tortured soul.
Auggie takes my face in his hands. “I’ve got you. I’m going to peck your lips now, like we’re having a great ol’ time. And then, you’re going to smile and laugh again.”
He kisses my lips, exactly like he said he would, and I do my part. Actually, I do more than my part: I smile broadly at him in return.Genuinely. Simply because looking into Auggie’s ocean-blue eyes makes me feel genuinely safe and grounded again.
Auggie takes my hand and we start walking back to our building with Lucky hopping along happily behind us. “He’s not following us,” Auggie murmurs after a few minutes of walking. He stops in the middle of the sidewalk, so I stop, too, since he’s holding my hand. “Whether that was him or not,” Auggie says, “I want you to know I won’t let anyone hurt a single hair on your beautiful head, Charlotte McDougal. That’s a promise.”
“Thank you. I won’t let anyone hurt you, either.” We’re not bulletproof, so I’m not sure how either of us could possibly make good on these promises, if push came to shove. But if Auggie can make promises that can’t be kept but feel amazing to hear, then so can I.
To seal our pact, apparently, Auggie leans down and kisses me tenderly, causing my heart to flutter in my chest and butterflies to ripple inside my belly. I slide my arms aroundhis neck and deepen our kiss, feeling swept away by the energy coursing between us. When we pull apart, my legs feel wobbly. My heart is pounding.
“I’m so sorry I dragged you into all this, Auggie.”
Auggie slides his fingertip underneath my chin. “Don’t apologize to me anymore. I wouldn’t change a thing, Charlotte. I’ve never felt more alive, or had more fun, in my whole fucking life.”
21
AUGGIE
“Do you have any photos of Billie?” Charlotte asks, referring to Ryan and Tessa’s brand-new niece who arrived today. We’re at Ryan and Tessa’s dinner table, having just finished a great meal, and Ryan’s making everyone laugh with the story of Billie’s birth, as it was relayed to him earlier today via FaceTime by his younger brother, Keane, Billie’s smitten new daddy.
“I’ve got a bunch,” Tessa says excitedly. She swipes at her phone. “Here’s a cute one of all three of them, right after Billie was born. Look at Keane’s face. He looks equal parts elated and terrified.”
“Sounds about right,” Ryan says, and we all chuckle.
Tessa hands Charlotte her phone, and Charlotte gasps and coos at the photo. “What a gorgeous family. Oh my gosh. Billie’s beautiful.” To Claire in her lap—Ryan and Tessa’s adorable two-year-old—Charlotte says, “Are you excited to meet your new cousin tomorrow, Claire Bear?”
The little girl nods enthusiastically. “I’m going to teach her how to draw.”
“Well, she’s not big enough to draw just yet,” Tessa says. “But you can certainly give her a gentle hug and tell her about how you’re going to do that with her when she’s older.”
“You’re coming, too, right, Auntie Charlotte?” the little boy, Zachary, asks Charlotte. He’s seated next to her at the table, at his request.
