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Charlotte was pretty sure she knew where to find Mike, so she didn’t bother texting.
Indeed, he was right where she’d expected. Under the willow tree on the outskirts of town. She could see his legs from several meters away, but apparently, he didn’t see her approach; when she ducked under the branches, he startled.
“You found me,” he said.
“Yeah. I know you.” She sat beside him.
“I’m sorry. I was going to head back soon. I told your mom—”
“She said you were out for a walk, but I was worried about you, so I didn’t want to wait. I didn’t even have my coffee.”
“We should rectify that.” He started to stand, but she pulled him back down.
“No, let’s talk here. Are you okay? Are we okay? I’m sorry I brought you here for the weekend. I can tell it’s been hard.”
“I couldn’t sleep much last night, and it wasn’t because of the twin bed.”
“I saw you stick your head out the window,” she said. “To see your old room?”
“Yes. I thought you were asleep.”
“I was awake briefly.”
He took both of her hands in his. “I love you, Charlotte,” he said solemnly. “I realized it this morning, but perhaps I’d felt that way for a while. Perhaps I never stopped. I don’t know—I’m not good at these things. And I’m not going to lie, it freaked me out. Especially back in this town, where it’s easy to remember everything that was bad about my family. It’s not usually so easy to hear my father’s voice in my head. I’ve gotten much better at that over time. But here, knowing I love you... You know, I always thought you were too good for me.”
She frowned. “Me? I don’t even manage to put on pants most days—”
“I really don’t see the problem here.”
“And I’m, like, difficult. Cranky.”
“Nah, not to me. I never thought that.”
“I ran away when my ex-boyfriend proposed to me.”
“It was justified.”
“I like being alone.”
“I like being alone on occasion, too,” he said, “which is why I needed to get out of the house. Besides, you do like being with me some of the time, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“You’re so smart and pretty, and you always knew your own mind.”
“Please don’t put me on a pedestal. You’ll just be disappointed.”
“I’m not putting you on a pedestal,” he said. “You can be a little difficult and cranky, alright? I just never cared. I always thought you were great. Sure, I got along well enough with the other kids at school, but I never seemed to do anything right, according to my family. I know it was bullshit, but it gets in your head, being told by the people who are supposed to love you that you’ll never amount to anything. And so I spent years figuring things out.” He paused. “For your sake, I want to be someone who knows all about love and relationships, but I’m not. I do get a little freaked out when I get close to someone, and I needed time to put my head on straight. To talk to a friend, my sister. People who will tell me not to be an idiot. I think I can do this. I want it more than anything. I just...maybe I’ll need a little more therapy.”
She squeezed his hands. “I love you, too. When I realized it, I knew you weren’t ready to hear it yet, but you are now. I do love you, and it’s been a long-ass time since I said that to anyone, and I never thought I’d say it to someone who eats cantaloupe on pizza—”
He cut her off by kissing her, and she wasn’t complaining. He pulled her onto his lap and slipped his hands under the hem of her shirt. His hands were so warm and comforting, and they could do some pretty impressive shit, whether in bed or bent over her desk. He slid his tongue into her mouth, but it wasn’t too much tongue, just the right amount.
“So, it’s okay with you?” he said. “That I’m a bit of a work in progress?”
“Isn’t everyone? I’m here for all of it with you. Neither of us is too good for the other. We’re just...good for each other.”
And then she kissed him again and thought of all the kisses they’d share in the future. There was so much to look forward to with him. Even if it wouldn’t always be straightforward and easy, she knew he understood her better than anyone—she hadn’t needed someone who was just like her—and he’d treat her the way she deserved to be treated. She’d do the same for him.
“I can’t believe I found you again,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the base of her neck. “And I really can’t believe you thought I was some lady-killer who was going to teach you fancy dating moves. But it brought us to this”—he pressed her closer to him—“so I’m not complaining. Now, let’s find you some coffee before you get a headache from caffeine withdrawal.”
“You sure you’re ready to leave this hiding place?” She gestured at the slender branches.
“Yeah, I’m good now. I’m sorry I needed a little space this morning. I’m sorry I made you worry. I never intended for that to happen.”
“It’s fine, I get it.”
“I promise, I’m in a better place now, and I’ll talk to you about things. I want...” He clasped his hand in hers. “I want this to be my first and last proper relationship. No practice runs. There will be a few bumps as I get used to things, but—”
“I think you’re doing a pretty great job.”
And I want to end up with you, too.
“Before we go back to my parents’ for coffee,” she said, “I want to buy you a treat.”
“A symbol of your undying devotion.”
“If that’s how you want to think of it, sure.”
They walked across town, hand in hand. She led him into Ashton Corners Convenience & Video and opened up the freezer.
“Freezies before breakfast?” he asked.
“We’re adults now, so we can do whatever the fuck we want. We’re getting the big ones.” She grabbed a blue one and a white one.
“I’m assuming the blue one is for you and the white one is for me.”
“Obviously. What kind of flavor is white?”
“What kind of flavor is blue?”
“I think it’s supposed to be blue raspberry,” she said defensively.
“That tastes nothing like raspberry.”
“Have you had it in the past twenty years? You probably haven’t tasted a blue freezie since you proclaimed you liked white best when you were, like, six.”
“Not true.”
“Fine, I’ll be generous, and you can try mine.”
He did, and he still claimed it was a silly flavor.
It could only be expected from someone who liked Hawaiian pizza and sweet cider...someone who made her laugh by doing the Macarena at a steampunk bar...someone who had the best smile in the world, and the best biceps, and the best—
“You should probably eat your freezie before it melts,” Mike said as they walked, knocking his hip against hers.
She had a bite of her icy, sugary blue raspberry freezie.
It tasted nothing like raspberry, but she didn’t tell Mike.
By the time they returned to the house, they’d finished their freezies, and though she was in her thirties, Charlotte felt like she’d done something naughty.
There was coffee in the coffeepot. She poured herself a mug and sat down at the kitchen table, where her mother and father were reading the paper, because yes, they still got the paper delivered every day.
“Ah, good,” Mom said. “You’re both back. So nice to have company in the morning.” She looked down at the paper, then glanced up again. “I meant to ask you. Did you hear any weird noises last night? I thought I heard a strange squeaking around eleven.”
Charlotte was too horrified to speak.
Mike, however, said easily, “I did. I think it was a bird. I used to hear it sometimes when we lived next door.”
“Sounded different from any bird I’d heard before. Must have known you were here.”
Charlotte suppressed a laugh.
“Yeah, it must have,” Mike said.
Later that day, after more time with her parents and more time on the beach, they drove back to Toronto and had sex in a bed that did not squeak.
* * *
“Let me buy you a drink for your birthday,” Nicole said. “Blackberry nectarine cider?”
Charlotte made a face.
“You can share my Brussels sprouts,” Sierra said.
“Haha, very funny,” Charlotte said.
“We’ll sing you ‘Happy Birthday,’ right here in the bar.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
Charlotte’s parents had called earlier and sang to her. That was more than enough for the day.
Mike had said he would do something for her birthday tomorrow.
But he was here with her friends at Ossington Cider Bar tonight, as was Victor. Amy and Victor had gone on a short honeymoon to the Finger Lakes before she went back to school.
And then there were Nicole, Sierra, and Rose.
Julie came over to their table with a tray full of drinks.
“Here’s your bone-dry cider, Charlotte, and your passionfruit peach cider, Mike. Happy birthday, dear sister.”
“Happy birthday to you, too,” Charlotte said. “Now can we forget about birthdays for the rest of the night? I’ve had quite enough.”
“Happy birthday, darling,” Mike murmured in her ear, and it made her skin prickle.
Yes, it was her birthday today. She was thirty-three. At her very first birthday party, she’d apparently been so uncomfortable with everyone singing that she’d stuck her head in the cake and ruined her fussy pink dress.
And more than two months ago, she’d been at this bar with her friends and had run into Mike. She’d proposed that he teach her how to date, and now they were together for real.
Even for Charlotte Tam, it was hard not to feel a little sentimental when it was her birthday and she was surrounded by her friends and her wonderful boyfriend, who was now stroking her thigh under the table.
She was, coincidentally, wearing the outfit she’d worn on her first practice date with Mike: the pink shirt with the bow, jeans, and brown blazer. It wasn’t like she had tons of nice clothes for going out, after all, though she did go out more often these days.
“Can I try your cider?” Mike asked.
“Sure, but you won’t like it.” She slid over her glass.
He had a sip and made a rather comical face. “How can you drink that stuff?”
She grabbed his passionfruit peach cider and had a sip. “I think I just got a cavity. If I’m going to have sugar, I’m eating cake or ice cream instead. Or a blue freezie.”
“We should go to Treatzz later. Get you some fig goat cheese ice cream.”
“Good idea. You can have the olive oil ice cream.”
“Very funny.”
“I never thought I’d say this, Charlotte, but you’re cute when you’re in a relationship.” Rose had a faraway smile on her face. “I wonder who will be next to fall in love?”
“You,” Nicole said immediately, then returned to checking out the muscled guy at the table next to them.
“I doubt it,” Rose said. “Maybe you.”
“Me? You know I don’t date.”
“Perhaps you just need a practice boyfriend to change your mind.”
“A practice boyfriend? Ha!”
“You know,” Sierra said, “I’ve actually started seeing someone.”
“You have?” Amy said. “Why is this the first I’m hearing about it? What’s his name?”
Amy, Nicole, and Rose continued to interrogate Sierra—who refused to give any details—while Charlotte turned her attention to the man next to her.
“Is there going to be more ice cream tomorrow?” she asked him. “Or cake?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see.”
* * *
The next morning, after Charlotte had drunk only a single coffee, Mike said it was time to leave. They took the subway to Spadina.
Charlotte had a feeling she knew where they were going.
Sure enough, they soon walked up to the sprawling Victorian that housed Nautilus.
“But it’s only eleven,” she said. “The sign says it opens at noon.”
Mike just smiled at her and knocked on the door.
A man in a top hat answered. “You may head upstairs, Mr. Guo.”
They walked through the empty bar, passing the hot air balloons and blimp. Up on the second floor, they walked through the science lab, where no drinks were currently being concocted, and past the velvet curtain, behind which they’d had their first kiss.
Mike led her to the top floor, to the room with the impressive steampunk coffeemaker. They were met by a woman wearing a long skirt, a corset, a white blouse, and a little hat with gears.
She curtsied and motioned to a table by the window. “It will be ready in just a moment.”
They sat down at the table, and the woman brought over two lattes. Both mugs had raised designs on the outside: Charlotte’s was a hot air balloon, and Mike’s was a kraken. There was also a plate of scones with clotted cream and jam.
“I’ll be in the back if you need me,” the woman said, curtsying again.
Mike took Charlotte’s hand in his. “What do you think? We get to keep the mugs. Figured you could use a mug that didn’t have a bad geology pun, as awesome as those are.”
She looked around. A quiet morning in a steampunk bar/tea salon, with a latte instead of tea. Just her and Mike.
“It’s wonderful,” she said, then reached for a blueberry scone.
“Nobody is going to sing for you, I promise.”
She smiled at him, then broke off a piece of her scone and popped it in her mouth. “Mmm, that’s delicious. I think I might love you.”
“Might, she says.”
She’d told him that she loved him several times over the past week. It was so natural to love him now, even if it hadn’t been long.
She had another bite of her scone and moaned.
“Okay, you’ve gotta stop doing that,” Mike said.
“If you insist.” She let out a world-weary sigh and sipped her latte.
Then, as she held his gaze, she bit her lip, exactly as he’d taught her all those weeks ago.
Well, first she bit her upper lip, which made him laugh, and then she bit her lower lip as she tilted her head to the side.
“Come here,” he said, his voice husky. “Or I’ll start doing the Macarena.”
As funny as that would be, she’d prefer to kiss him instead, and since there was nobody else in the room, she climbed onto his lap.
He gently cupped her cheeks before setting his lips to hers. He kissed her as though she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. As though he would always take care of her and knew she would take care of him in return.
Yes, he’d drag her out of the apartment and get her to do crazy things like go on a swan boat, but as she’d discovered, a little more time out in the world could be enjoyable with him by her side. She trusted him to hold her heart, and all her weird idiosyncrasies, with care.
She also trusted him to give her some damn good orgasms.
“We should drink our lattes before they get cold,” she said.
“Good point.” But he just kept kissing her instead.
And since she loved kissing him so much, she decided she could wait a little longer to ingest some caffeine.
Yep, this was love.