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Probably remembering who was standing right next to her and what she was actually saying, she bit her lip, met my startled gaze then turned back to Melinda again.
‘Umm, anyway,’ she mumbled waving her hand aimlessly as if she could just brush away what she had just said.
‘Charlie?’ I called, softly and waited until she met my gaze with uncertain eyes. Even I wasn’t sure if I was just following her steps and acting as if we were a couple to these strangers, but I was too curious not to ask. ‘You watch me?’
She laughed, started coughing in the middle of it, patted my arm then stopped. ‘What kind of question is this? I always watch you, you know this… dude.’
Breaking character, I threw my head back and laughed. Couldn’t hold it in anymore. ‘Did you just call me dude?’
She shifted in place, giving it a thought for moment. ‘My man?’
I held back my smile, raised an eyebrow and thoroughly enjoyed watching her get flustered. ‘Try again.’
‘Love? Babe? Baby?’ When I didn’t give her a quick enough answer, her voice slightly rose. ‘Pick one already!’
I stared at her eyes for a few seconds, making her wait. Then I lowered my voice and said, ‘I like it when you call me baby, love, babe, sweetheart… I like everything you do or say, Charlie. And I definitely like it when you tell me I’m your man, too.’
Charlie just stared at me with a slightly parted mouth.
Melinda chuckled, helping Charlie out of her bewilderment, and hugged her boyfriend.
The line moved forward again, getting me one step closer to freedom. Not thinking about it I put my hand at the small of Charlie’s back, helping her move along since she was still stuck in place and too quiet.
‘Finally,’ Melinda’s boyfriend murmured and I nodded in agreement.
Somebody must have heard us because the next person in line ordered a simple black coffee and was gone in a moment.
‘You think we should share a table and have a quick morning coffee?’ Melinda asked.
Charlie was nodding when both the guy and I said no at the same time. They looked at us in surprise.
‘We have a meeting…’ I checked my watch. ‘… in fifteen. Does that ring any bells my dear love?’ I said as Charlie’s eyes bored into me thoughtfully.
The couple placed their order, we said a quick goodbye and finally it was our turn.
Charlie turned to me.
She was slightly flushed, her hair falling in big waves around her face, her eyes happy.
‘That was fun, wasn’t it? We should do that again.’
‘You mean it was fun pretending we were a couple when we are not?’
‘Yes! And do you get now what I mean about clichés. It’s the best thing. I’m up for scoops.’
I waited for an explanation with interest, but it never came.
I chanced a guess. ‘Are we talking about ice cream? Because of the cheese and passion fruit, is this ice cream and I’m missing it? Are you the ice cream? Or do you want him to buy you ice cream?’
She thought about it. ‘I don’t think I’m the ice cream, but maybe I am? I want to be scooped up as in I want someone to come along and just scoop me up. I’m up for scoops.’
I narrowed my eyes. It was too early, period. ‘You want him to carry you?’
‘No!’ She laughed and I just watched. ‘I’m just ready to have someone notice me for who I am. And to have that someone wanna take me off the market, scoop me up. Makes sense now?’
‘Just as much as the cheese and passion fruit. Thank you.’
Before I could open my mouth and make another comment, she continued. ‘Okay. Enough dilly-dallying. How do you want to handle the meeting? Let’s share our thoughts on how we want to handle her.’
Her face was full of smiles through the entire meeting and I found that I couldn’t stop staring even for a second.
* * *
Later that night, after I had wrapped up some work I had brought home, I decided to head out and take a quick walk towards the little pizzeria Charlie had mentioned. With my hands in my pockets, my mind going in all different directions, I tried to remember Charlie’s directions to the shop and enjoyed my late-night walk in the crisp April weather.
I sent a quick text to Lindsey, since I had ignored her emails and latest calls, but then quickly forgot about her.
I walked for ten minutes till I spotted the pizzeria’s blue and yellow sign over the door that said Johnie’s. I went inside and realized I was one of the only customers, apart from one couple who were sitting in the very small corner. I met and chatted with Johnie and his wife, Emilia, as he worked on my pizza dough in front of me and placed the toppings very generously. When my mind had finally cleared from work thanks to Johnie’s and Emilia’s engaging conversation and my pizza had cooked, I paid and said my thanks and was putting my credit card back in my pocket when someone opened the door and started yelling for their order.
