Page 63 of Floored (Frenched 3)
“Good.” He paused. “You make me want to be more open, too.”
“What do you mean? More open to what?”
“Just…more open. About myself. About anything.”
I dropped my jaw in mock outrage. “Charlie Dwyer! You’re not saying you want to date me are you?”
He smiled. “Of course not.”
“Good. In t
hat case, would you like to be my non-date for Coco’s wedding on Saturday?”
His brow furrowed. “This Saturday? Like, in two days?”
“Yeah, sorry. I know it’s late notice.”
“What, your first choice backed out on you?”
“No, silly.” I slapped his chest. “I wasn’t going to bring a date, but we always have fun together, so I was thinking…”
“It would be another chance to get me out of this suit?”
I smiled sweetly. “Exactly.”
“I’d love to, but I can’t.”
My smile faded, and disappointment ached in my stomach. “Oh. OK, no big deal.”
“I mean it, Erin. I really wish I could. I just…have plans I don’t think I can get out of.”
Oh my God, he’s got another date. Jesus. “Seriously, it’s not a big deal.” I sat up, taking the ribbon from where it lay on the spread and circling my waist with it. Charlie sat up and took the two ends, retying it where it was. “Thanks.”
When it was tied, he dropped his hands in his lap. An awkward silence fell upon us, during which I berated myself repeatedly for asking him about the wedding. “Are you a bridesmaid?” he asked, probably just to fill the void.
“Yes. So it’s probably better you can’t come. I’ll be busy the whole night, and you wouldn’t know anyone.”
“Where is the wedding?”
“They’re getting married at Holy Family, which is downtown, and the reception is at their house. They have a beautiful old home in Indian Village.”
“Nice.”
More awkward silence.
“Well, I have to teach class to three-year-olds in the morning, so I better get back. Get my car.” Hurt but trying not to show it, I stood and walked to the mirror over the dresser and removed the rest of the pins in my hair.
“You don’t want to stay?”
Surprised, I caught his eyes in the mirror. “Stay the night here?”
“Well, yeah.”
“No. I don’t think so.” I twisted my hair back up and repinned it with fumbling fingers, conscious of the way Charlie watched me.
Then he stood, fastened his pants, and slowly walked over to stand behind me. I kept my hands busy in my hair, redoing perfectly placed pins just to have something to do with them. What happened next was the second surprise of the evening.
Exhaling, Charlie put his hands on my hips and dropped his forehead to the back of my shoulder.
