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She tugged the towel around her and moved back to the room. “You gonna go back to sleep?” Charlie whispered, and planted a kiss behind her ear.
“Only for a little. Then I need to get back at it.”
After she finished getting dressed and put her hair up, Charlie leaned against the doorway. She took a moment to marvel at Mack’s bare back and messy, black hair as she lay flat against the stark white sheet.
Mack peeked out of one eye and patted the bed next to her.
“I wish,” Charlie said, and then trotted downstairs to the shop.
The machines warmed, supplies refilled, and her first cup of coffee downed. Ben strolled in with a half-attached apron and a yawn.
“Morning, sunshine.” He patted his hands in his apron with a frown and opened a desk drawer. “What the hell’s happening here? Did you label theinsideof the drawer?”
She grinned. “Who knew labeling would be so gratifying? I’m thinking I’m gonna do my linen closets next. Rows for shampoo, conditioner, and curl cream. Oh! Ponytail holders, fingernail polish, cotton swabs, towels?—”
“What have you done with my bestie? Bring her back, please.” He grabbed a Sharpie for the orders. “By the way, Lena will be here at 8:00 instead of 8:30. She’s super excited.”
Since Mack posted about Sugar Mugs, took over as Charlie’s self-proclaimed social media manager, and started posting regularly on all the channels, business had picked up. Today, Lena officially bumped up from a “once-in-a-while” employee to a “part-time” employee.
“She’s been killing it. Did she talk to her friend last night about picking up leftover hours? I only have a few more months with you here and need to make sure I’ve covered everything.”
Ben laid a hand on her arm. “It’s gonna be okay. You know that, right?”
Charlie nodded but maintained her denial about Ben’s approaching graduation date. For the first time in over a decade, they wouldn’t be working together every day.
“Chucky, look at me.” His voice was firmer than usual, and she paused. “You got this. Iknowyou got this. And pretty soon, you’re gonna realize you got this, too.”
She wrapped her arms around him in a rare, warm embrace. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Pffft, please. I’malwaysright.” He bumped her with his hip and moved to greet the incoming customer.
The beeping-till-and-steam-milk-screeching DJ mix boomed through the shop as customers poured in. Macklemore’s latest track thumped in the background as coffee cake and chocolate cookies flew off the shelf. Nearly three hundred customers served—a record for a Wednesday—and finally, Charlie flipped the signtoClosedand dashed to her loft to shower before heading to Mack’s parents’ condo.
Never in her life would she have thought she’d be this excited to have dinner with parents.
When Charlie stepped off the elevator at Mack’s parents’ condo to find Mack waiting in the hallway, her heart soared.
“You know you’re the best girlfriend in the world, right?” Mack pulled her in for a kiss.
Girlfriend. Gah!She said it so casually, so easily, like it was any other day. And Charlie couldn’t shake the smile.
“I can think of a few ways to compensate for this.” Mack’s low, raspy tone sent a blush through Charlie.
“Movie night with your parents sounds kind of fun. And I brought your dad a goody bag.” She lightly rattled the bag of blackberry scones.
“You’re going to spoil him. You know he’s like a chihuahua. He’ll just keep barking for more.”
Charlie stepped into the condo and took her shoes off on the mat. The space was beautiful, with tall ceilings and a vast stone fireplace. She noticed this when she picked up Mack for their first date, but she was so out of her element at the time that very little of the place stuck. She remembered leaving with a feeling in her stomach, one she couldn’t place. But now, warm fuzzies replacing first-date jitters, it struck her—the place was homey, filled with love. Family photos covered the walls: Mack swinging in a park, eating pizza with sauce over her face, blowing out birthday candles, buried in a book.
Mack’s mom rounded the corner with her arms stretched out for a hug. “Charlie!”
“Hey, Kelli!”
Mack whispered loud enough for her mom to hear. “You don’t have to hug her if you don’t want to.”
“Stop.” Charlie giggled and accepted Kelli’s warm embrace. “I’ll gladly take hugs from your mom any day.”
“Mackey, you should follow Charlie’s example,” Kelli said. “Give it a few more visits, and maybe I’ll convince Charlie to let me French braid her hair.”
