Page 56 of Hold Me Instead
“I don’t care,” Charlie said. “The girls brought me fudge because they know how much I love it.” She reached for another piece, then thought better of it and grabbed the entire plate from Levi and ate over it. “They can see Toothless anytime. I told you, I don’t care if you let them in.”
As owner of the duplex, Levi had a key to Charlie’s place. Actually, as one of the few in his trusted circle, she had a key to his. Still, he took his landlord duties seriously. While Charlie would argue that fudge counted as an emergency worthy of unscheduled entry, he’d disagree.
A slight smile quirked as he shook his head at her obsession with the treat. “Yeah, they’re thoughtful, those two. I’m pretty lucky.”
“Mm,” Charlie said with a sticky mouthful. She swallowed the peanut butter chocolate goodness and grinned. “I want Paul to bemybrother.”
“He’d be happy to have you.” Levi thumped his hand lightly against the couch. “He and Damion keep bugging me about dating again. They’re using the girls as an excuse, saying they want an aunt but… Well, guess it’s better than them asking for cousins.”
Mid-chew, Charlie’s shoulders dropped. Levi had been single for as long as she’d known him. They’d bonded over their shared avoidance of romantic relationships, and over time, she’d slowly gotten him to open up, albeit in tiny increments. She didn’t have the whole story, buthe didn’t have hers either. He knew nothing of her physical struggles. However, he’d heard enough about Bobby to earnestly refer to him as her “fucker of an ex.”
Either way, they gelled. They both worked a lot, had their small circles of close friends. He occasionally shared food with her, and she offered time with animals that he wouldn’t admit to wanting. She didn’t judge his no-strings approach to hooking up with women, and he didn’t judge her limited interest in the dating arena.
For two people not in committed relationships, they didn’t feel lacking, especially when their families seemed so focused on it being the key to happiness. They both knew it had the equal ability to cause heartbreak.
“They only bring it up ‘because they love you,’” she parroted.
“You bet.” He cleared his throat and stood, crossing his arms over his chest. “So the door slam. Want to talk about it?”
By saying what he already had, he’d reached his threshold for the day. Maybe even the month. Yet, she wasn’t in the mood to share either.
“Nothing this delicious fudge can’t fix,” she said.
He gave her a smile, a bigger one this time—no teeth, but it actually produced the little crinkle at his eyes, which was a plus.
Another knock at the door had them both staring at it.
“Who in the world is that?” Charlie mumbled.
She opened it without looking, something she rarely did, perhaps comforted with Levi standing there.
Or maybe she sensed who was on the other side.
Zachary searched her face, lingering on her mouth, then jumping back to her eyes. His brow was creased, his hair mussed from the wind, strands falling freely on his forehead.
She shivered, a little weirded out that he knew where she lived and simultaneously happy he’d found her. Sensing Levi standing up behind her, she asked the question that should’ve popped out immediately. “What are you doing here?”
He held up a to-go box—ah,leftovers—and then lifted the other hand, holding a bag from Dorothy’s. “Peace offering?”
Charlie bit her lip, trying to quickly sort through her feelings. Levi’s hand on her shoulder pulled her attention to him.
“You good, Charlie?” he asked.
“Oh. Yes.” She looked at Zachary, whose hands had dropped slightly at the sight of Levi. “This is Zachary Lee. Zachary, this is Levi.”
Levi held out his hand, waiting as Zachary piled the Dorothy’s bag on top of the to-go box so he could shake it.
“Hey,” was all Levi said. Then he leaned over to Charlie’s ear and whispered, “Got some chocolate on your upper lip.”
Her eyes widened, remembering Zachary zeroing in onthat exact spot, as she wiped furiously at her mouth.
“I…sorry, Harris. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” Zachary said, his eyes darting from Levi down to Charlie’s hand clutching the plate of fudge.
“I was just leaving.” Levi stepped into the shared mini alcove and went to the door across from hers. “Talk to you later, Charlie.” He gave Zachary a nod as he stepped into his flat.
“Thank the girls for me, Levi!” Charlie called out, getting a small wave of acknowledgment from him before his door closed.
Leaving her and Zachary alone. At her apartment.
