Chapter 46: Chapter 46

Charlee

Flipping back to what she was supposed to have been doing, Charlee chewed the inside of her cheek and pretended to be looking up show times on her laptop. Drew had suggested they go catch a movie tonight. She was leaving to meet with her dad and his new girlfriend in Seattle the next morning and needed to get her mind off it. Drew had actually wanted Charlee to come with her, but Charlee had a presentation she had to make that Monday in school. Even though Charlee hadn’t brought it up in a while, she was still considering going back home. She had to keep up with the big stuff in her classes like this presentation to make up for whatever she might miss while she was gone.

Drew would be gone overnight and wouldn’t be back until Monday afternoon. As much as Charlee wasn’t looking forward to being alone, she just couldn’t miss class Monday. All this time while Drew had been on the phone finalizing her arrangements for her trip then jumped in the shower, Charlee should’ve been deciding what movie they would see, but as usual she’d veered off to read a website she’d recently come across.

Of course it had everything to do with 5th Street, but it wasn’t just the stuff about Hector that had drawn her back to the site time and time again. The wife of Hector’s partner Noah had put a blog together chronicling the history of the gym. Charlee was sure Drew would find it hard to believe, but she really was visiting the website for the articles and story about the gym. The photos of Hector that went back to when he was much younger until now were just an added bonus. Charlee really found the story behind the making of 5th Street by one man alone to what it had now become, extraordinary.

Drew walked in with a towel on her head. By now, Charlee should’ve had the show times memorized for her, but she hadn’t even looked them up yet.

“Anything good playing?”

“Umm,” Charlee said, typing quickly. “There’s that baseball one with DiCaprio.”

It was the first thing that popped up. She started reading off the others as soon as the list came up.

Drew made a face, plopping down on Charlee’s bed. “Don’t they make any good movies anymore?”

Actually, a few of the ones Charlee read off did sound good. She had a feeling this might be Drew’s way of starting up on her talk of going to a club again tonight—something Charlee refused to do. After last week, she’d just as soon lay low for the next forever weekends.

Charlee’s phone buzzed next to her laptop. She picked up the phone, frowning when she didn’t recognize the number. With one tap she sent it to voicemail. She was in no mood for student surveys or telemarketers.

“Who was that?” Drew asked.

“I dunno,” Charlee said, staring at her laptop screen. “Maybe we can just go grab some grilled-cheese sandwiches instead.”

“Again?” Drew asked.

“But it’s so good!” Charlee turned to her with a pleading smile.

Her phone buzzed again. Glancing at it, she saw the same number she hadn’t recognized the first time. Because of the area code, she knew it was a local number. So she knew it wasn’t anybody from back home. It had to be one of those never ending surveys she’d been suckered into before. She hit the ignore button once again and looked up at Drew who was staring at her wide-eyed. “What?”

“Nothing,” Drew cleared her throat. “I was just wondering why you’re not answering your phone.”

“Because it’s no one I know.” Charlee shrugged, bringing her attention back to her laptop screen. “Or we can go to Hollywood.” Charlee glanced up at Drew whose expression was a strange one. “But not to any clubs. I mean we can go sightsee. We can check the Mann’s Chinese Theater, or I know . . .”

She started typing when her phone buzzed again. This time it was a text from that same number that had called twice. Curiously, she clicked on the envelope.

Text: Are you busy?

Certain whoever it was had the wrong person, she almost put the phone down, ready to just ignore it, but then it buzzed again.

Text: This is Hector by the way.

Feeling her eyes widen as her heart started thumping, she read it again then looked up at Drew who was chewing on her pinky fingernail and staring at her. Her stomach immediately did that funny thing it did every time she was around him, and for whatever reason, Charlee felt the need to whisper. “It’s Hector, and it’s the same number that called twice.”

“Really?” Drew smiled. “What does he want?”

“He’s asking if I’m busy.”

Her initial reaction was to respond to ask him how he’d gotten her number. Her pessimistic side wanted to be sure it was actually him. But he wouldn’t have called her first if it were anyone else. She’d know immediately by his voice that it wasn’t him. Plus he might think it rude or that maybe she was mad that he had her number.

“Well, respond!” Drew urged.

Her insides were already doing all kinds of crazy things as she typed in her response.

Text: Chess Hector from 5th Street, right?

Okay, so she couldn’t help giving into her pessimistic side. Before she got too worked up over this, she had to make sure. But this was less rude sounding. His response was immediate.

Text: How many Hectors do you know?

That made her smile silly.

“What?” Drew scooted closer to her. “What did he say?”

Charlee showed her then wrote back.

Text: Only one, but I wasn’t aware he had my number.

Drew wiggled next to her, seemingly as excited as Charlee felt. She hit send. “Where do you think he got it?” Charlee asked, turning to Drew.

Drew stopped smiling and the wiggling ceased. She shook her head. “I don’t know, but it’s pretty easy nowadays to get anyone’s number.”

Charlee was just beginning to think about that when her phone buzzed in her hand again. She and Drew read it together.

Text: He does. And he wants to talk to you. If he calls you again, will you answer this time?

Charlee brought her hand to her mouth. She and Drew stared at each other. “What do you think he wants?” she was whispering again.

“I don’t know,” Drew whispered back then giggled. “But say yes and find out.”

Charlee did, and less than a minute later, her phone buzzed with Hector’s call. She stood up, not sure what to do with herself. For a second, she thought of going and sitting in her closet to take the call then had a flashback of doing the same thing when Danny had called her last year a few times. So she decided she’d just answer right there in the middle of the room. To her surprise, Drew smiled, waved, and then walked out of the room, giving Charlee the privacy she didn’t even realize until that moment she wanted.

With a deep breath, she answered. “Hello?”

“Hey.” The tone alone in that one word gave her visions of the beautiful smile he must’ve been wearing. “It’s Saturday night. What are you up to?”

She blinked a couple of times, her head soaking in that deep resonate voice until she recovered enough to realize he’d just asked her something. “Oh . . . I’m not sure yet. Drew and I were supposed to go out.”

“Really? Where to?”

Just then Drew stuck her head in her bedroom and shook her head. Charlie covered the phone mic with her finger. “What?” she mouthed.

“I’m not feeling so hot after all.” Drew whispered loudly. “I think I might take some meds and hit the hay early. I’ve got a long day tomorrow.”

Charlee stared at her then heard Hector’s voice again in her ear. “Hello?”

Nodding quickly at Drew, she focused on Hector again. “I’m sorry. Drew was just saying something to me.”

“That she’s cancelling whatever plans you two had?”

Charlee was quiet for a second then sat on the bed. “Actually, yes, how’d you know that?”

She heard him laugh softly. “Wishful thinking, I guess. So now that your plans are shot, can I pick you up?”

Charlee glanced back up to her doorway, feeling a familiar stir deep inside her. Drew was gone now, and she was free to say what she wanted to say so badly. Yes, yes, yes! But she hesitated, gulping instead. “Pick me up?”

“Yeah,” he said in the most casual tone. “I was hoping we could talk. I’ll behave. I promise.”

She smiled and wished she were brave enough to tell him he didn’t have to. His voice alone had her envisioning his amazing kisses already. But that was her heart and her raging hormones talking. Her brain annoyingly reminded her to be careful. She was having a hard enough time moving forward. This could be a major setback. What could he possibly want to talk to her about? “I live all the way in Burbank.”

“That’s okay. You’re worth the drive.”

Again she could almost envision him smiling, and it was enough to set the swarm of butterflies she’d been trying to keep calm loose in her belly. She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. “What time?”

“Now,” he said immediately. “I can hardly wait.”

That set cannons off inside her now. What did he mean? Wait for what? “Oh.” The single-syllable word escaped her lips without thought. This was so unexpected and bizarre, and exciting and frightening all at the same time.

“So you’re good with that?” he asked. “’Cause I’ll leave right now if you are.”

His voice was so deep—so perfect. She was almost afraid to speak again, but she had to. Shaking her head, she tried to snap out of the trance he so easily put her in and gathered her thoughts. What exactly did he have in mind and should she be excited or worried? She’d just admitted what little plans she had this Saturday night were cancelled, and as nervous as this made her, she had to admit she was more than curious to know what he wanted to talk about. “Um . . . okay. So we’re just going somewhere to talk? I can wear what I’m wearing now—jeans?”

“Yes. Whatever you’re comfortable in is fine. Text me your address, and, Charlee?”

“Yes?”

“Did I mention I can hardly wait?”

Surprised by the laugh that escaped her, she brought her hand to her mouth. Okay, she didn’t care anymore if he were anxious about talking to her or stealing another few meaningless kisses. Suddenly she couldn’t wait either. “The curiosity is killing me now.”

“It won’t be for too long. I promise.”