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20 William
I watched as she walked out of the back door carrying a big bowl of what looked like fruit salad. Beth was standing right next to me, telling me something important I think, but I must’ve tuned her out completely, because I didn’t hear one word after Charlie stepped into the backyard with that big smile on her lips.
She was wearing a dress that I didn’t even know how to begin to describe, but it was almost indecent to wear to a kid’s birthday party. Or maybe it wasn’t indecent at all, but it was just me who thought that. More likely that was the case, because it wasn’t like there was much cleavage going on, but I could see the shape of her breasts. There was fabric against her skin, and that alone made it indecent, because I just wanted to see what was underneath all that fabric.
I kept watching with the orange juice in my hand which Beth had pushed at me a moment ago as Charlie looked over her shoulder and said something to Kay, who was following her out. They laughed at the same time, then kids swarmed around them. How they still had energy to even walk after their Bounce House activities I had no idea.
Charlie let out another laugh and it finally reached my ears through all the kids’ screams. She sounded happy, and just that sound made it worth bringing her here. I took a step forward, feeling a strong urge to go to her and take her hand, so I could pull her to a quiet corner. To talk to her. To have her look at me and smile that little smile she had just for me. To have her tell me more about her list and what she wanted from life, what she needed. I realized I could listen to her talk to me for hours. And not even for a second did I question that I’d have enough of her, or our random conversations.
Shit.
I was screwed because even in my thoughts I sounded borderline obsessed with her.
But then again, I already knew that. Since last night and with that date that wasn’t-couldn’t-shouldn’t-really-be-a-date she went on, I had come to the conclusion that I wouldn’t be an idiot again and wouldn’t let her slip away through my fingers. It didn’t matter that she had a new job and was officially about to move. We would figure it out.
Just as Charlie turned around and her gaze found mine across all the little kids and the adults standing around, Beth came into my view and ruined it. I squeezed the box of orange juice in my hands. I must’ve looked ridiculous.
‘Yes? You were saying?’ I prompted, drinking the rest of the juice and trying to look as if I’d been listening to her all along.
Beth’s lips tugged at the corners and she gave me a knowing look.
‘You were agreeing with me.’
‘About what?’ I tried to look over her shoulder, but her damn hair was flying all over the place because of a sudden wind.
‘About how beautiful Jenny was.’
I shuffled a step to my right and my brows drew together when I caught Elijah looking down at Charlie and Charlie holding onto his forearm while she pulled at the flowing skirt of her dress.
I was right. Completely indecent.
Then Beth was in my face again. ‘When will you go out on the date then?’
‘What?’ I snapped sharper than I’d intended.
‘The date. When will you go?’
I tried to ignore what Charlie was doing or who she was holding onto and tried to focus on my sister. ‘What are you talking about? What date?’
Her brows rose as if it were a surprise to her that I hadn’t been listening. ‘The date you said you’d go on with Jenny.’
I felt a headache coming on. ‘When did I agree to go on a date with Jenny? And more importantly, who is Jenny?’
‘My friend who lives in New York, remember?’
‘No, I don’t. And you know I’m not dating.’ I pushed my empty orange juice box into her hands. ‘You got any more of these?’
‘You aren’t dating?’
It was the sound she made at the last word. That squeaky way she ended the question.
‘I’m gonna take Charlie and get back to work. I got a headache just watching your kid bounce around with all the other kids. What do you want from me?’
‘You aren’t dating?’
‘I’m not going out on a date with whoever Jenny is.’
‘Because you’re dating someone else… or…?’
‘I’m not dating anyone.’
‘Not even Charlie?’
I stopped trying to look over my sister’s shoulder to see what Charlie was doing with Elijah, who I had no idea why Kay had invited along. So what if Ivy liked him? She had just turned seven; she was bound to like anyone who brought a good present.
