Page 81 of Off the Mark
My grandmother stood, and I rose with her, taking her elbow. “Are you okay? Want me to walk you back home?”
“Nonsense, Tabitha will do it,” she said. “We watched one of those home improvement shows together last night, and I’ve still got opinions on the furniture they chose.”
Tabitha slid over and took her hand with a wink. “Spoiler, it was super-duper ugly, and we’re both mad about it.”
I dropped a kiss onto my grandmother’s cheek. “You’re not still mad atme,are ya? I’m sorry you had to find out about Charlie from your hairdresser’s son’s friend.”
She smiled, sly and secretive. “Now isn’t it a good thing that I’ve never been able toreallybe mad at you, dear?” She waved at me from over her shoulder as she and Tabitha shuffled down the sidewalk. “Don’t forget to call your Charlie and tell her to bring her appetite.”
I watched them go with a lump in my throat. Not because of the lying thing. Because of the way my heart had reacted toyour Charlie.
Dean appeared next to me. “Are you okay?”
“I felt better when Coach Reid would make me run the bleachers as punishment for being ‘such a goddamn smartass every goddamn day.’” I smirked. “That’s a direct quote.”
“Sounds about right,” he said. “The smartass part. And feeling awful after what happened with you and Charlie.”
I bit back a sigh. “Who I now need to call and invite to a surprise family dinner.”
“She’ll come.”
“Are you sure about that, big guy?”
“I am.” He cocked a thumb at his chest. “I’m the romance expert now, remember?”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You’re right. What do I know? I’m not even in a real relationship and I’ve already fucked it up.”
“All the heart stuff…it’s weird and confusing. It was to me at first. So when you’re trying to talk about your feelings but it seems like you can’t get it right, it’s frustrating. I’ve been there. You saw how it went down with me and Tabitha that summer.” Dean scuffed his shoe along the dirt, dislodging a stone. “When we drove home after the race, and you told me what happened, it sounded like two people trying to be honest with each other. But the honesty doesn’t mean the conversation will be easy.”
I turned to look at him, the man who’d always been more brother than friend. “What should I do then?”
“Be honest with her again,” he said. “You owe her that, at least.”
19
ROWAN
Isat on the edge of Elaine’s desk, staring at the printout that had been left by my laptop.
It was the email notifying us that we’d be receiving a $10,000 wire transfer shortly from the bank account of Steve Duncan. And the note, addressed to me.
Rowan—it was nice seeing you again at Charlie’s race the other day. I know we didn’t get to chat in detail, but Charlie spoke with me later and her passion for this cause was so undeniable, I wanted to send a little something to show my support.Would love to talk more when you’re free.
I rubbed my forehead, scanning further. I would never get used to rich people describing $10,000 as “a little something.”
But I wasn’t here to judge. I was just stunned that Charlie had been able to convince him, since she’d only been here once. Hell, I was still stunned that she’d made this happen at all.
A soft knock at my door had me turning to face it.
“Is this a bad time?” Charlie asked, leaning in the doorway.
I blinked, speechless. Though even from here I could see that the past forty-eight hours had been about as kind to her as they’d been to me. She wore sweatpants, sandals, and a worn black T-shirt a couple sizes too big. It didn’t look like she was wearing any makeup, and there were big, thumbprint-sized shadows under her green eyes.
“Hey there, Maddox,” I said. “And, uh…no. I’m just surprised to see you is all.”
Her smile was almost timid. “I didn’t think you’d pick up if I tried to call.”
I winced. “Was I that bad?”
