Page 133 of Hold Me Instead
“I don’t want to.”
“That’s the spirit. Brush your teeth.” Amber shoved Charlie out of the room.
“‘Brush your teeth,’” Charlie mumbled, stumbling into her bathroom to do just that. The lingering taste of onion in her mouth was from dinner…the night before.
She rinsed her face, ran a brush through her hair, then pulled on leggings and her favorite sweatshirt, berry pink with little paw prints embroidered over the heart. She wouldn’t admit it out loud, but by the time she returned to the living room, she felt an ounce better.
“Here,” Amber said, handing over a glass of red wine. “Sit.” She shoved Charlie onto the couch, then sipped from her own glass and waited. She stood in front of her, as though to stop her from thinking she could get up and leave.
Charlie scooped Toothless off the back of the couch and into her lap, and dutifully drank.
“They’ll be here any minute. Want to just wait for them?” As soon as the words left Amber’s mouth there was a knock at the door.
Charlie watched as her cousin let their friends in, watched as they bustled about, shoving clutter underneath the coffee table so they could cram it with drinks and snacks. A business card fluttered to the ground in the process,Neptune Corpfacing up. Then all too quickly, the women stared at her expectantly. Amber sat on the couch beside Charlie, Cleo in the arm chair, and Magnolia cross-legged on the floor.
“No Sasha?” Charlie asked Cleo, trying to fill the silence.
“Nope,” Cleo said. “She’s out dancing with friends tonight. No Zachary?”
Charlie scowled.
“Oh, nice,” Amber said.
“Thank you,” Cleo said with a smirk.
“I told you guys what happened on Christmas Eve.”
“And since?” Cleo asked.
Charlie shrugged. “Nothing.”
“How could there be nothing? You work with the man!” Amber cried.
“He hasn’t said anything to you about that night?” Magnolia asked.
“I’ve been busy.”
“You’ve been avoiding him,” Cleo said.
“I found out the practice is his, then I told him how I felt about him! Just blurted it out like I was running out of time. He doesn’t feel the same, in case anyone forgot that detail. He made that clear. What else is there? The practice isn’t mine,heisn’t mine.” She stuttered out a breath and pet Toothless, who had lifted her head at Charlie’s despair. “I’m looking into other clinics.”
“What?” Amber smacked her hand on the couch cushion, then reached to give Toothless her own pat as an apology for startling her. “You’re going to leave?”
“I don’t know what to do right now.” She shook her head. She glanced at the business card again. “I was offered a chance to run one.”
“What do you mean?” Cleo asked.
“One of the nearby clinics was purchased, and they’re hiring.”
“Wait, who purchased them?” Amber challenged.
“Neptune,” Charlie mumbled.
“Charlie, you can’t be serious! You hate them! You were adamant that Daniel not sell!” Amber exclaimed.
“Maybe the dust needs to settle a bit? It’s like you’re recovering from shock or something,” said Cleo, her voice even.
Charlie stroked Toothless’s silky fur as she blinked away tears. Magnolia scooted closer to pat her knee.
