◆◆◆
“Hailey, over here,” Ember called from their usual table and waved Hailey over.
“That’s Ember.” Hailey pointed, and Emma followed the finger.
“She’s pretty.”
“She’s engaged,” Hailey returned as they walked.
“I didn’t say I wanted to date her, Hails.” Emma laughed.
They undid their coats as they walked toward the table in the semi-crowded restaurant.
“Ember, this is Emma. I invited her along,” Hailey introduced as she placed her coat over a chair and then watched as Emma did the same in the chair next to her.
“Emma? The Emma?” Ember’s eyes were huge as Hailey sat down in front of her and Emma sat next to her.
“Yes, the Emma, and thanks for embarrassing me.” Hailey glared at her.
“Nice to meet you, Emma.” Ember turned to look at Emma.
“Nice to meet you too.” Emma nodded and then glanced in Hailey’s direction.
“Hey.” Charlie stood in front of the table. “Nice to see you again, Emma.”
“Again?” Ember questioned as Charlie took the empty seat next to Ember.
It felt a little strange to Hailey because Charlie always sat next to her when the three of them were out together. Ember was usually the one sitting on the other side alone.
“I met Charlie today. Her company is in charge of a project that I’m the lead on.”
“What a coincidence,” Ember shared and looked back at Hailey.
“Hailey told me you’re engaged,” Emma tried to start a conversation.
Ember’s smile went wide.
“I am. My fiancée is at work tonight, or else she’d be here.”
“Congratulations,” Emma offered.
The waitress approached and took their drink orders. When she departed, Hailey took a look in Charlie’s direction. She knew instantly that her bad mood was still very much in effect.
“Charlie, you okay?” she asked.
“I’m fine,” Charlie lied, and Hailey squinted concerned eyes at her.
“Em, do you want to split the steak and shrimp with me?” Hailey asked.
“Which Em?” Charlie spoke up over her menu.
“What?” Hailey retorted.
“Ember or Emma? Which Em?”
“Oh, yeah.” Hailey looked at Ember and then Emma. “I guess I do call you both that.”
“I’m getting sushi,” Ember pointed out, apparently not noticing or caring that Hailey gave them both the same nickname.
“I’ll split it with you.” Emma smiled at her. “But only if we can get that awesome ginger sauce with it.”
“I love that stuff.”
“I know. I remember,” Emma told her, and Hailey smiled back at her.
Over the course of the dinner Ember talked about Eva and the upcoming wedding in Iowa, Hailey tried to engage Charlie a little more in conversation, but she seemed to be off in her own little world, and Emma seemed to fit in with most of the group well enough.
◆◆◆
“Hey, I know you’re not okay.” Hailey pulled Charlie back from the other two as they walked outside the restaurant. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing, Hails,” Charlie told her for the millionth time.
“That’s crap, and you know it.”
“Hailey, I’m tired. I just want to go home.”
“Then, why did you even come out tonight?” Hailey asked her.
“Because I thought it was going to be you and Ember.”
Hailey stopped them.
“You don’t like Emma?”
“I don’t know Emma,” Charlie reminded. “But I didn’t expect to bring my work to dinner tonight, Hails. I’m leading the project for the Health Department. I don’t usually socialize with clients.”
“Shit,” Hailey stated and then noticed a particularly large snowflake land on Charlie’s forehead. She watched it melt for a moment and then used her gloved hand to wipe away the leftover water. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think about that when I invited her.”
“It’s fine. I’m just going to go home. I am tired.” Charlie started to walk again, and Hailey kept up with her while glancing at Ember and Emma, who were a few yards ahead of them.
“You weren’t in a good mood earlier either, and that had nothing to do with me inviting her to dinner with us,” Hailey recalled.
“This is me.” Charlie pointed at the Uber she’d ordered, apparently, with no one noticing. “I’ll see you on Thursday, Hails,” she more or less sighed out.
“Charlie…”
“Good night,” she said, climbed into the car, gave Hailey one more look and closed the door before the driver took off.
“Hey, are you coming?” Emma turned around to check on her. “Bye, Charlie.” She took a few steps back toward Hailey and waved in Charlie’s direction as the car drove off.
“Yeah, bye.” Ember waved awkwardly at her friend that hadn’t said goodbye, and then looked confused at Hailey who just shrugged. “My car is on the next block. Where are you?”
“We’re up there,” Hailey pointed. “Want us to drive you to your car?”
“No, I’m going to stop at the store on the corner. They have that candy Eva likes. We can’t find it near the house.”
“You looking to get laid tonight?” Hailey teased.
“Every night.” Ember winked at her. “It was nice to finally meet you, Emma.”
“You too.” Emma laughed at their exchange.
“I’ll see you Thursday, Hails.”
“Yeah,” Hailey returned.
Ember looked at Emma, then back at Hailey, and winked at her before she about-faced and headed down the street. Emma laughed again and turned to face Hailey. She took a step toward her and then tugged on her coat, causing Hailey to smile.
“Still works.”
“What?” Hailey laughed.
“If I pull on your coat like that, you still smile,” she replied.
“I guess I do.” Hailey noticed that the hands were still on her coat before they slid into her pockets where Hailey’s hands also were.
“Can I ask you something?” Emma asked.
She was close, and her breath was visible in the cold.
“Sure.”
“Why didn’t we ever try again?”
Hailey wasn’t expecting that question.
“You mean try us?”
“Yes,” Emma told her, and Hailey felt Emma’s hands do their best to link their fingers while still inside her pockets.
“Em, the last time we dated, we were teenagers.”
“I know. But, Hails, we broke up because I was in New Jersey, trying to figure out college life, and you were still in high school in Chicago. It wasn’t because we stopped wanting to be together.”
“But, Em, we’ve seen each other since then. Why now?” Hailey asked, but with their proximity, she was having a hard time talking at all.
Emma’s lips were so close, and it had been so long since she’d touched them.
“Do you remember last year when I told you I needed to be single for a while to figure some things out?”
“Of course.”
“I did that. I’ve been single since then. I’ve focused on work. I’ve got some great friends now. I go home alone every night, make dinner for myself, and I think about you,” she paused and made sure she met Hailey’s green eyes with her own. “I compared everyone else to you, Hails. You and I were good together. I thought about calling you the other day. I decided to wait because I’m going to Milwaukee tomorrow through Friday for a conference. I figured I’d call you when I got back, but then I met Charlie today. I thought it must be fate or something.”
“You want us to go out?” Hailey checked.
“Yes, Hailey.” Emma laughed. “I would like us to go on a date and see if there’s still something there between us, because it feels like there is.” She pressed her forehead to Hailey’s and closed her eyes. “Does it to you?”
Hailey closed her eyes as well and recalled the last time they’d been this close.
“Yes, it does.”
“Go out with me on Saturday night?” Emma asked her.
“Yes,” Hailey told her.
Emma pulled back, and they smiled at one another for a long moment before they broke apart and headed toward Hailey’s car.
CHAPTER 5
Charlie hated that she’d been rude to all of her dinner companions Monday night, but there was just something about seeing Hailey with Emma, the legendary perfect first girlfriend, that made her feel incredibly pissed off and also incredibly sad. Ember had always questioned Charlie about why she never revealed her feelings about Hailey. She’d given her completely valid reasons, but there’d been one she left out. No one, in Hailey’s mind, would ever compare to the best girlfriend in the world, Emma Colton. She’d heard every single story about Emma and how they never should have broken up in the first place. Then, Charlie had to see them sitting next to one another at dinner she thought would just be her with her best friends. Emma had even taken her seat next to Hailey, which Charlie did not appreciate. They’d sounded like an old married couple all night, despite the fact that they hadn’t spent much time together at all since they’d broken up over a decade ago.
Charlie didn’t talk to Hailey or Ember on Tuesday or Wednesday. She considered not going to their Thursday morning coffee, but that would just make Hailey harass her more about what was going on. She’d arrived at Sally’s earlier than normal and sat there sipping on her coffee. She’d made a decision over the past two days. She was going to finally move past Hailey Grant. Hailey would never see her as anything more than a friend. Charlie decided she’d have to be okay with that, and she’d have to start actually trying to date women that she didn’t compare to her or only date to see if Hailey got jealous, or even just to see if the woman was worth putting her whole heart into. New leaf, she told herself. She was turning over a new leaf.
“Jesus,” she muttered into her coffee when Hailey entered the coffee shop looking sexy as hell in skinny jeans, black boots and a black button-down Charlie could see because Hailey was already unbuttoning her coat. “Not fair.” She sipped her coffee.
“Hey, you ordered already? It’s my turn.” Hailey hung her coat over the back of the chair next to Charlie.
“I got here a while ago,” Charlie offered in explanation.
“I’ll get you another one then.” She looked up. “Hey, Em.”
Charlie looked up to see Ember approaching their table.
“Morning, ladies.”
“You’re one minute late. You were doing so well too,” Charlie commented on Ember’s tardiness.
Since meeting Eva, she’d been early to just about everything, correcting her previous bad behavior of being late to everything.
“It was for a good reason,” Ember replied.
“Sex?” Charlie suggested, and Hailey walked off to get their drinks.
“Yup,” Ember replied with a smirk. “My gal loves morning sex. I am happy to be of service.”
Charlie laughed at that. She’d missed Ember. They’d always had their coffee, but it hadn’t been the same since Ember found Eva. Charlie was extremely happy for her friend and was so glad she’d found someone that understood and appreciated her. She only hoped to find that person for herself one day.
“How’s school, Em?” Hailey asked as she set down three coffee cups.
“Same,” Ember replied and slid her coffee toward herself. “Still liking it. Is it weird that I’m on my second semester and I’m almost done with a year of grad school?”
“Yes, yes, it’s weird,” Hailey replied. “You’re like a million years ahead of the rest of the world because you’re a damn genius.”
Charlie smiled at her without looking over at her.
“She’s right. We both only have bachelor’s degrees. You’ve been in school for less than a year, and you’re about to finish a Master’s. We kind of hate you a little bit,” Charlie offered.
“Are you growing your hair out?” Hailey’s hand was at the back of Charlie’s neck, playing with the short hairs there.
“No, I just need to get it cut,” Charlie answered about her pixie cut that she had an appointment to get cut in a week.
“Oh.” Hailey’s hand went back to her lap, and Charlie caught Ember’s lifted eyebrow aimed at her.
“So, Emma was at dinner the other night,” Ember stated the obvious.
“Yeah, so?” Hailey took a sip of her coffee.
Charlie looked away toward the barista, who was steaming milk for a drink.
“So, what’s with that?” Ember queried.
“I don’t know. We talk every so often. She met Charlie that day, called, and we went to dinner.”
“That’s all?” Ember asked, and Charlie’s attention returned to the conversation.
“She asked me out,” Hailey said with a smile Charlie almost couldn’t stand to see.
“She did?” Ember asked.
“For Saturday.”
“And you said…” Ember continued.
“She said yes,” Charlie answered for her and stood. “I have to get going. I have an early meeting.”
“We just got here.” Hailey glared at her as Charlie picked up her coat and slid it over her shoulders.
“I know. It’s across town, and I’m taking the train.”
Charlie nodded at Ember and then picked up her bag to go. She made it to the door when she felt a hand on her arm.
“Hey, I’m sorry,” Ember told her.
“For what?” Charlie looked to Hailey who sat staring at them, looking confused.
“I shouldn’t have brought up the Emma thing. I didn’t mean to-”
“It’s fine,” Charlie proclaimed. “I think it’s about time I move past this whole thing, don’t you?”
“Charlie, it’s-”
“She’s never going to see me that way, Ember. Seeing her with Emma the other night just confirmed it. I used to pray she’d look at me how she looked at her, but if they’re going out, that’s it, and I need to move on.”
“I am sorry.”
“I know. I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Yeah, okay.” Ember let her go.
Charlie headed out into the cold toward the train station, climbed aboard, and got off several stops later to then walk to her office. When she arrived, she passed by the members of her team and said her good mornings. She dropped her things at her desk, pulled her computer out of her bag, and headed to the conference room for a meeting with a potential client. Her boss and a couple of the other executives joined her. One of the assistants walked the potential client into the room. There was a man of about fifty with salt and pepper hair wearing a black suit with a navy blue tie, along with the woman he was with, who looked to be about thirty-five wearing a gray business suit with the jacket unbuttoned, revealing a white shirt underneath. She had blonde hair that went down to her collar and had clearly been straightened. The cut made her appear intense and in control. She had blue eyes that appeared almost turquoise. Charlie wasn’t sure if that was even an eye color a person could have, but it was the word that came to mind when the woman’s eyes connected with her own. The two newcomers shook hands with the rest of the group, and then Charlie realized she should stand to shake their hands. She shook the man’s hand first as he introduced himself as Oliver Brody, VP of New Market Development for O’Shea’s Grocery Mart.
“Charlie Adams,” she supplied him and then turned to see the woman standing to his left and held out her hand.
The woman’s hand slipped into her own. Charlie felt like maybe they were shaking hands a little too long without either of them saying anything.
“Lena Tanner, Director of Operations,” the woman introduced herself.
“Charlie,” Charlie repeated her first name.
The woman sat down in the empty chair next to Charlie. Charlie stared at her computer, but her eyes wanted to move to t
he woman beside her. She did her best to focus on the presentation she wasn’t really a part of, since her team wouldn’t be working on the project. Her boss had asked her to sit in on it anyway. She thought they had a good pitch, and Oliver seemed to agree. The woman remained somewhat stoic and hard to read. Charlie found herself wondering if she would get in the car with Oliver and tell him to go with the pitch or go with another company. Charlie also wondered if the man would take her recommendation and guessed that he likely would.
The pitch finished and there was some light small talk. Charlie didn’t engage in small talk a lot and felt like since this wasn’t her meeting; she should really be seen and not heard. She closed her computer, began to head out with the rest of them, and walked toward her desk when she felt a hand on her arm.
“Sorry,” Lena said when Charlie turned around with an expression that must have said she was frustrated.
“Oh, it’s okay,” Charlie returned.
“I was just wondering if you could point me in the direction of the bathroom.” Lena lifted a shoulder.
“Oh, sure. It’s down the hall and on the right.” Charlie pointed past Lena in the direction of the hallway.
“Thanks,” Lena replied and gave her a smile. “You didn’t say a lot in there,” she added.
“It’s not my project. I was just sitting in,” Charlie explained.
“What do you work on?” she asked.
“We do the historic renos mostly.”
“Renos?” She lifted a confused eyebrow.
“Renovations,” Charlie explained. “We take old buildings and make them new again, basically.”
Lena smiled at her.
“That sounds interesting.”
“It can be, yeah,” Charlie agreed and set her laptop down on her desk.
“I may be totally off base here and definitely a little forward, but do you want to grab a drink sometime?” Lena questioned just as Charlie’s eyes returned to meet her blue ones.
“Oh.” Charlie was in shock as she stood in her workplace with her co-workers and was being asked out by an attractive woman that may also be a client.
Just Tell Her Page 5