Chapter 16

You would think it would be impossible for two people to live in the same house without crossing paths. But somehow Charlie had done the impossible.

For the past week, I had only seen her in passing. She had to be waiting until I got up and left the house each morning before she came out. The only time I ever saw her was when I came home unexpectedly during the day. She was even eating her meals in her room.

That part probably was my fault.

Stealing her sandwich had been funny but if we were going to live together, I needed to learn to curb my instincts for destruction where Charlie was concerned.

It was probably going to hurt but I was going to have to learn to be nice to her.

Not too nice, I thought.

I shoved a box of nails into a free space on the shelf. That was the real problem, wasn't it? Every time I tried to interact with Charlie, I was derailed by how inconveniently sexy she was.

Whether she was making pancakes in her pajamas or working on her laptop on the couch, she managed to make the most mundane things arousing. I could barely string together a sentence around her because my mind was filled with images of all the things I wanted to do to her. Like pull those miniscule sleep shorts down and bite her right on the curve of that delectable ass. Or bury my face in the abundant cleavage that threatened to spill out of every top she wore. Or lay my head in her lap so she could stroke my hair.

To have her attention when she wasn't mad at me for once.

This sudden attraction was completely inconvenient. It was like my dick had suddenly developed temporary amnesia about anything or anyone else I'd ever been attracted to. And I had tried to think of other people, running through my usual spank bank collection of Hollywood actresses, old girlfriends, and even one of my high school teachers.

Nothing.

Nada.

Apparently, it was Charlie or bust. I was suddenly only attracted to a woman who wouldn't even talk to me.

As if my thoughts had sent out a beacon, the door to the hardware store opened and Charlie stepped inside. Tana followed a few seconds later holding a tray of coffee.

"Hello, family," Tana crowed. "I've brought sustenance."

Mom came from behind the register to hug them both. "We have one of those new coffee machines, but I do love a good latte. It's so good to see you girls. Charlie, welcome back."

"Thanks, Mrs. Evers. I'm glad to finally be back."

"Let me know when Lena comes into town. I'd love to have her over for dinner and catch up."

I tried to tune out their voices, but it was easier said than done. The shop wasn't that big and the only place I could hide was the stock room. I'd have to pass them to get there. Since they seemed to be staying near the front of the store, I walked to the aisle furthest from the door.

I skidded to a stop when I turned the corner and almost bumped into Charlie. "Oh. Hey."

"Hi. I was just looking for a hammer." She dipped her head and the top of her cheeks flushed slightly. "Not a hammer. I don't know why I said that."

It was my first time seeing her today. This morning she'd either snuck out early or deliberately slept in so she didn't have to talk to me. She'd pulled her curls back into two long braids that trailed over her shoulders. The style reminded me of something she would have worn in high school. Maybe that was why I suddenly felt like a tongue-tied teenager trying to think of something to say to her.

Tana appeared at the end of the aisle. "There you are. What are you guys doing?"

Charlie gestured at one of the blocks of sandpaper hanging next to her. "Oh, you know. Just picking up a few things." Her hand accidentally hit one of the blocks and sent it flying.

I caught it before it hit the ground. "You don't need to buy any of this stuff. Anything you need you can take from my toolbox."

"I'm not touching your toolbox." She swallowed. "You're right. I don't need anything. Tana, I'll wait for you outside."

She practically sprinted down the aisle. I shoved the sandpaper block back on the shelf and walked to the stock room. Just as I was opening a box, Tana pushed through the door.

"Well. I was going to ask how things were going, but I guess I don't have to." She climbed on the table next to where I was working.

She held out a cup of coffee and I took it gratefully. At least she'd brought a peace offering. It was the least she could do really since she was technically responsible for this whole mess.

"That woman is crazy," I muttered.

Tana's shoulders shook with silent laughter. "It's funny because you both say the same things. Somebody has to be lying. Although it's not like her to just flounce off."

"She's pissed at me."

"It's barely been a week. What could she be pissed at you for already?"

"Breathing."

"Okay, what is up with you guys? You're being all squirrelly and she was so weird just now."

"Nothing is up. It's a temporary situation and we both need time to adjust to living together."

But even as I said the words an image flashed through my mind of when Charlie walked in on me naked. My face must have given away something because Tana gasped.

"Oh my god. You like her? Also, please never make that face again."

"I don't like her. This isn't grade school."

"Are you sure? Because you looked like you were two seconds away from pulling her pigtails earlier."

When I didn't say anything, just attacked another box, she shifted. I looked up to find her watching me intently.

"It's not the worst thing ever if you like her. Unless you screw things up. I really don't want her to leave again."

The vulnerability in Tana's voice tugged at my deepest insecurities. We weren't so different, after all. We both knew what it felt like to be in Charlie's rearview when she moved on to bigger and brighter things.

What could I really offer a woman like Charlie?

"Don't worry, I'm not going to scare your friend away. We just need to adjust to sharing space, I guess."

Tana took a noisy slurp of her coffee. "I told her we were having a bonfire tonight. You should give her some moonshine. That might help your cause."

"Is there a reason that you're here?"

"You mean besides spreading joy to my dear sibling? I'm feeling distinctly unappreciated around here."

I nudged her aside so I could have more room to open boxes. She finally got the hint and hopped down.

"Fine. I'll go. But if you ever need advice, I'm here. Despite being gross you're somehow an amazing guy."

The unexpected approval meant more than I could say so I just nodded. "Thanks, Tana."

She grinned wickedly. "Plus, you might actually have a chance. Charlie is used to an absent father, a criminal stepfather, and a boyfriend who ghosted her. Her expectations of men are not that high. If you like her you should go for it. You're not completely hideous."

Mom was coming in just as she said it. "Santana, be nice to your brother!"

"What? That was nice."

As the sounds of their arguing followed them from the room, Tana's words rolled through my brain. She thought I had a chance, but I wasn't so sure. That was assuming Charlie didn't shove me out the door just for suggesting it.

I smiled imagining her reaction. That might be reason enough to try it.

Angry Charlie was endlessly amusing.

However, my common sense finally kicked in and told me to leave well enough alone. I finally had a place to stay and definitely didn't want to start the great apartment hunt all over again. Starting something with my roommate would be the dumbest move ever when we had to live together for the next three months. Plus, this random attraction was likely to disappear as fast as it had arrived.

But despite all of those excellent reasons, I couldn't stop thinking about it.

* * *

An hour later I was checking an order of Phillips head screwdrivers when I looked up to see Mom watching me with a strange look in her eye. Usually that look meant I'd broken something, cursed where she could hear me, or eaten something she was saving for dinner.

"Van did it."

"What?" Her brow crinkled.

"Nothing. That's just my go-to line if I think I'm in trouble. It's usually true."

"You're not in trouble."

"Then why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"

"Yes. A smile." She grinned as she said it.

Oh god.

If I'd tripped the Mom-dar and she thought there was something going on with me, I would get no peace until she'd asked a million questions. After the breakup with Janelle, she'd been relentless in her quest to get me to talk about my feelings and unburden myself.

"It's a nice day."

She waved that off. "I was thinking. You should bring Charlie to dinner on Sunday. We've barely seen her since she came back."

"Why would I bring her to dinner? She's probably got plans."

"Maybe I want to spend a little time with the woman who has my son smiling. I've waited a long time to see you sweet on someone."

"Mom, we're just friends. Not even friends. Roommates. I'm not sweet on her just because we're living together."

"I don't think you're sweet on her because you're living together."

"You don't?"

"No."

She waited, her smile growing bigger by the second, knowing I couldn't resist asking. Ever since I was a child my curiosity had always gotten me into trouble. I was the kid peeking in closets trying to find my Christmas gifts and the quickest way to drive me crazy was to hint that you had a secret. You'd think I would have conquered that by now.

Apparently not.

"Okay, tell me. Why do you think that?"

"Because of the way you moon after her whenever she walks by." She whistled as she left the stockroom.

I hung my head. Even as a grown man I could still be outmaneuvered by my mother. Because I'd definitely set myself up for that one.

I wasn't mooning after Charlie, was I? My face recoiled instantly at the thought of being like Van who followed his girlfriend around like a dog after a bone. I wasn't some junkyard canine begging for scraps.

That would make me pathetic.

That would make me desperate.

That would make me … Meatball.

Oh, hell no. I was not panting after her like that ungrateful little pug.

"Rix!" My mom stuck her head in the room, breaking me out of that unfortunate train of thought. "Can you bring some more paper bags up?"

After I found the recycled paper bags Mom had insisted we switch to, I brought some up front. She gave me a grateful smile before pulling one out and bagging items for Mr. Donald.

The older man loved starting home improvement projects but hated finishing them. He'd hired me to finish many of the items on his wife's honey-do list and always tried to haggle me down on my prices. I usually cut him a deal just because I could tell the negotiating gave him a bit of a thrill. He lived with his wife but all their children had moved away as soon as they grew up so I got the feeling he wanted the conversation just as much as the deal.

I was barely paying attention to what they were saying until something stuck in my head.

"What's that about a dog?"

Mr. Donald shifted the flowers he held under one arm. "One of my pups went missing. I'm putting up flyers."

He held it up and I cursed softly. It was a picture of a pug mom and a bunch of babies.

"That was the only picture I had of them. They're still quite young."

If I didn't say anything there was a chance no one would know Charlie's dog came from that litter. Once Meatball got a little bigger, everyone might think she'd brought him with her from New York. But as usual my conscience got the final say. Charlie would never want to steal someone's dog. As a matter of fact, she was usually the person going out of her way to make sure everyone else was happy. Often that meant that her feelings got ignored in the process.

Who was looking out for her?

Charlie liked to pretend that nothing got to her but if she had to give that puppy back it would break her heart.

"So I've been staying out at the Everett place," I mentioned.

"I heard about that. It's a damn shame what's happened to it. Beautiful house. Grace took a lot of pride in it. I noticed the steps were rotting."

"Don't worry, I'm working on it. Anyway, it's owned by Grace's granddaughter now."

His face lit up. "I remember little Charlie! She used to help Grace with her roses every summer."

"That's right. Well, she found that missing pup. At least I think it's the same one."

"Is that right?" His expression didn't change.

I had to be impressed. The wily old codger really didn't give anything away.

"You've been married a long time haven't you, Mr. Donald?"

"It'll be forty years this September."

"An expert, then. Maybe you can give me some advice. The thing is, Charlie's taken a bit of a shine to that little greml—uh, puppy. I thought I could get him for her as a gift. Think you can give me a deal on the pup? Maybe that'll win me some points."

He scratched his beard. "Well now, those pugs are expensive. The mother is purebred. We've even got her papers."

I scowled. He expected me to believe that little meatball-stealing gremlin was some kind of show dog? Plus, he didn't even look like a purebred pug. His body was too long. Not to mention the wild fluff on his ears.

"Purebred?"

"Well, the mother anyway."

"And the father?"

"Can't be too sure about that," he hedged. After I gave him another look, he admitted, "Probably the cocker spaniel two doors down."

"A cocker spaniel."

"Yessir."

"So he's a cocker pug."

I laughed. This was too good.

You couldn't even make this shit up.

"Well, I'm not sure what the market value is for cocker pugs?—"

"Those dogs fetch a good price! I looked it up. On the internet." Mr. Donald held up his phone in triumph as if I might have thought he meant something else.

I decided to try a different tack.

"Look, I'll cut you a sweet deal on that deck you've been meaning to build if you let us keep him."

"Done." He looked down at the flowers in his arms. "Maybe you should take these, too. You need them more than I do."

After he collected his bag of purchases, he whistled softly as he left. My mom looked over at me.

I sighed.

"So can we expect you for dinner?" she asked finally.

"We're not a couple. Sorry to disappoint you, Mom. I just said that because I figured he'd be more likely to let Charlie keep the dog."

She nodded along as if everything I said made sense. "Right. Not a couple."

"Definitely not. Charlie really loves that dog and I know she'd be sad to give him back."

"Mm-hmm."

Her knowing stare felt like it was burning holes in the side of my face so I picked up an item from behind the counter and took it back into the stockroom. Once the door closed behind me, my shoulders dropped. After that little performance it was going to be harder than ever to convince my nosy family that there was nothing going on between me and Charlie.

However, most alarming was that I wasn't entirely sure I'd fought so hard to keep the dog just for Charlie's sake.