I can’t help thinking of Dana as I slowly drink my beer, and with every taste I have, I miss her more. Taking Charlie’s advice, I think about the first time we went out drinking together and I smile at how weak we were. We got drunk off two beers and Drew had to take us home. He was so angry at Sam for serving us beer even though he had no idea we would be such light weights. Dana had gotten really silly and had started spurting out sonnets from poems and plays she liked. I never was able to figure out what she was saying, but they were hilarious at the time.
I smile remembering that moment and slowly I bring myself back to what is happening around me. Dean and Rose are laughing about something and I notice Will speaking quietly to Joel and Charlie. I think they might be talking about sports. I watch them all interacting for a while and allow myself to feel amazed that we’re all here together. Just a few days ago we were all remained separated, with no end in sight. Now we’ve been brought together and perhaps we won’t have to leave each other again.
I offer to do the dishes, since I’ve now slept through the making of two dinners and feel bad for not offering last night. Charlie volunteers, too, and I glimpse a sympathetic look from Rose directed at me before Dean and she wish us all a good night. Will and Joel continue their talk in the next room and soon Charlie and I are alone.
“Wash or dry?” he asks me. I’m struck by how normal a question that is.
“I’ll wash.” I decide that might get me finished sooner. Charlie starts to bring over the plates and I fill the sink up with hot, soapy water.
“How did you learn to fix things?” I ask him, trying to find a safe subject that doesn’t involve me making a huge decision.
“My dad brought me up on a construction site. I learned a lot growing up like that and he was always handy. He liked to show me things.”
“Is that why you got into construction?”
“Sort of. I’m not sure it’s what I want to do, but I know Dad is hoping I’ll take over the company one day.”
“What do you want to do?”
“I’d love to be an architect.”
“Your dad won’t approve of that?”
“I don’t think he’ll disapprove, he’ll just worry.” Charlie frowns at that. Then, as he gives me the last of the plates, I see him move his hair around.
“Your hair is getting long,” I note.
“I know. I should probably get it cut.”
“Why do you always move your hand through it?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never really noticed I do.” Charlie shrugs. “So tell me about Florida; did you like it there?”
“Not so much.”
“I admit I enjoyed feeling the cool weather down there. It reminded me of my normal winters. Up in Wisconsin the cold is so biting and I don’t know how you can function in that much snow. It ruins everything,” Charlie whines.
“I’m the opposite; give me snow over a mild winter any day.”
Charlie shakes his head at me, but I see him smiling. I always feel completely at ease with him. Even given all this stress and sadness I’m under, I can still have a light-hearted conversation with him about anything. Is that normal for other people in a situation like ours?
I place the last dish on the side for him to dry and flick my hands above the water to remove the soap suds and dripping water. I underestimate how wet they are and water flies in every direction, wetting the ground, Charlie and me.
“Sorry!” I gasp, watching Charlie smile as his eyes narrow at me. “Don’t even think—”
Charlie cuts me off by dipping his hands in the water and flicking his soaked hands at me. Drops of water hit me in the face and I squeal as I try to duck out of the way. “Charlie!” I glare at him and he holds his hands up as if in surrender.
I look at him and then the water and then back at him again. I know I should stop this. It could easily get out of hand, but I can’t deny the fun I’m having right now. I step forward and quickly cup my hands in the water and throw it at him as he tries to turn away in time. I manage to catch his right side, getting it soaked.
Charlie growls and quickly wraps his left arm around me before I can get away. He holds me still as he pours water down my neck with his free hand. The water travels all the way down my back.
“Charlie!” I squeal as he laughs and lets me go. I fly forward, turning to glare at him, rubbing my back, and trying to use my clothes to dry myself. “I’m not cleaning this up.” I point at all the splashed water over the ground and counter.
“I win, although I’m up for a best out of three?” Charlie raises his eyebrow suggestively and my breath catches in my throat.
Should I be acting this way with Charlie? Can I simply ignore what happened between him and that woman, and not have to make a decision about it? Am I just leading us down a path where we’ll both get hurt later on?
“Zoe?” Charlie’s smile has vanished now and he is looking concerned.
“I’m going to see what the others are doing.” I wipe my hands on my jeans and turn away from him, quickly leaving before he can say something to change my mind. I need to properly think about us. Him being around me makes it too hard.
Will and Joel aren’t in the lounge area and I assume they’ve gone to bed, too. However, when I make it to the bottom of the stairs they burst in the front door from outside.
Joel is sweaty and puffing while Will is smiling.
“Where have you been?” I ask, wondering why they’ve been outside at this late hour.
“We decided to look for the lake.”
“Did you find it?”
“No, this one chickened out so we ran back.” Will points at Joel and smiles. I feel annoyed that they’re getting along. Of course I want Will to have more friends, and it’s good he has found one here, I just wish it wasn’t Joel. He doesn’t belong here and he never will.
Joel stumbles over to the couch and settles down on it. He tries to catch his breath as I turn my attention back to Will.
“I’m going to go run down that path, you want to come?” Will asks. I’m about to decline when I see something in his eyes. I don’t think he wants to be alone and the truth is, perhaps I could use a bout of exercise.
“Sure, let me get changed.” I rush upstairs and change into the new clothes Rose and I had just bought and then I eye the bed, wishing I was about to climb into that instead of going out into the cold to exercise. I put on the tennis shoes, already knowing I’m going to have very sore feet tomorrow.
When I make it down the stairs I don’t see Charlie. He must still be in the kitchen. This might give me the perfect chance to think things over and perhaps even make a decision.
“Ready?” Will asks.
“Sure.”
Chapter 24 – The Friend
Will does some basic stretches outside and I copy him, almost forgetting about even doing them at all. My neck feels especially cold from still being damp and I hug my arms around my chest as I wait for Will to finish stretching his back. I don’t put much effort into my own stretches and I’m sure I’ll regret it later.
“This way.” Will nods his head toward our cars and jogs along with only the stars and a sliver of moon to guide us. My eyes take a while to adjust to the darkness and I feel a few unexpected hits as I knock into branches and twigs along the narrow path. Will is jogging next to me, but I know he’s holding back so that I don’t fall behind.
I allow myself to think about Charlie and what I’m meant to do, but the longer we run, I notice my thoughts of him getting further away. Soon, I’m just focusing on my feet as they hit the ground and the cool air I’m sucking deeply into my lungs. It’s refreshing to feel my mind free of worry and grief, and to have my body relaxing into the rhythm of running.
I glance at Will a few times as I can feel pain bursting through my legs and know I won’t be able to last much longer. He, of course, looks barely out of breath. He might as well be going for a calm walk. I do notice his mind seems to be elsewhere.
I last another ten minutes before I trip on a rock hiding in the shadows. Thankfully, Will catches my arm to stop me from hitting the ground too hard.
“Are you all right?” Will helps me up.
“I think so.” I test my legs and while they’re shaky, I’m able to walk on them.
“Maybe we should turn back?” Will suggests.
“You can keep going; the lake must be somewhere close. I’m sure when you find it and come back you’ll be able to catch up to me.” I feel rain in the air and hope we make it back before we get soaked.
“Actually, I’m feeling pretty tired. I think I’ll head back, too.” Will shrugs. I can’t tell if he means what he is saying or not.
“Okay.” I walk carefully for a while before my legs get back their confidence and then relax into our new speed of a quick pace. “So did you get to tell your friends you had to leave?”
“It all happened pretty quickly.”
“Where were you when they attacked?” I think about the alleyway I saw in my dream.
“Outside work. They came in the front and I tried to escape through the back way.”
“How did they know where you were?” I ask, trying to remember the reason Rose gave.
“Fran alerted the authorities.”
“Fran?”
“She took me in.” Will looks upset before his face closes off from showing any emotion; I assume this is what has been upsetting him so much.
“Why did she alert the authorities about you?”
“I told her I was eighteen; I guess she began to suspect I was lying. She got curious about my past.” Will shrugs again, trying to appear not to care.
“I’m sure she just thought she was doing the right thing.”
“I don’t care.” Will picks up speed and I have to strain my legs to keep up.
“Just remember, she wouldn’t have realized that a rogue government agency was waiting for any tips matching your description to come through so they could try and kidnap you. Maybe she thought you had a family out there worried for you, or that you were mistreated and deserved justice?” I don’t know why I am trying to defend someone I’ve never met. I just hate that Will has been hurt by someone he obviously trusted.
He does another one of his signature shrugs, and I hope, in his silence he’s trying to take in my words. I decide to leave the subject alone for now and not push it. We walk in silence for several minutes before he finally speaks.
“So what’s up with you and Charlie?”
I frown and already feel tiredness creeping over me, having this conversation. “It’s a long story.”
“I can kind of guess some of it. Are you guys over now?” Will seems genuinely curious, though not in a prying way.
“I don’t know. I don’t want it to be.” After Will opening up to me, I don’t feel right shutting him out.
“Did he apologize?”
“He did.”
“Then if you want to be together and he’s sorry, isn’t that all you need?” Will asks innocently.
“You would think so.” I wish it could be that simple.
“You should have seen how worried he was about you when we got to Florida and found out you had left. Actually he was worried as soon as Rose said P.A.G.E. knew where you were. The guy practically went green. And then, after that phone call where you were in trouble, I thought he was going to jump out of his skin. He wouldn’t eat or sleep until we got here. He drove for hours and hours and Rose tried to force him to rest, but he wouldn’t.”
I can’t breathe as I picture Will’s words. I can see the panicked look on Charlie’s face, feel the worry rushing through me that he felt. It makes me catch my breath and I cough, trying to clear my airway.
“You all right?” Will stops to check if I’m about to collapse on him.
“Sorry, should have known better than to go for a run after zero exercise since The Windmill.”
“I’ve been trying to run every night. It helps me feel in control.”
“That explains why you’ve grown so much. You’ve finally earned your nickname, Muscles,” I lightly tease, trying to shake off my previous unease.
“Hey, I had muscles before.” Will smiles at me and I try to appreciate the sight.
“Hardly, you were skin and bones before. Now you look like a grown man.”
Will goes red and again tries to get the topic off him. “So what are you going to do about Charlie?”
“I don’t know, Will.”
“Since you did bring up nicknames, you don’t want to deprive yourselves of the nickname Black Eye do you? It’s such a great couple’s name.” Will laughs as I groan. I had forgotten about that. It is good to hear him laugh, though.
***
When we make it back to the cabin I drain two glasses of water before I decide I have to attempt the stairs. My legs burn fiercely each time I lift them, but I eventually make it to the top. I move inside our bedroom and find Charlie quietly snoring on our bed, resting on top of the covers. He’s sitting up, leaning against the wall, his chin touching his chest.
I imagine he was trying to stay up to wait for me, but didn’t manage it. I almost walk over and wake him, however I stop myself halfway to him and lift up my arms to smell myself. I worry I have bad odor from the run, so I tiptoe over to the bathroom instead and turn the light on. My hair is slicked back from dried sweat and my face is flushed from the cold air outside. I decide I’ll shower first before I disturb Charlie.
The water feels good on my skin and thankfully it’s actually hot. The taps only shake and moan a little and after a few minutes they’re silent. Another job the boys must have completed today.
I wash my hair, enjoying the smell of vanilla that bursts into the shower. Towel drying my hair afterwards I notice something else we needed to buy, a hair drier. I braid my long, damp hair and move it into a bun so that it’s not resting on my back, making me cold, then I quickly brush my teeth.
The bruise on my forehead has already gone down and the color is looking more yellow than anything. The back of my head still feels a bit sore, however I’m relieved I haven’t felt any pain from it.
When I place my tooth brush back along the sink, I sit it next to Charlie’s. I feel a pang seeing them resting together. It’s strange to feel emotional about it, but seeing something so normal and natural for a couple—to have tooth brushes sitting next to each other—makes me angry that Charlie and I won’t be able to have a normal life like that. Even if I can get past what happened, we still have to contend with being on the run. That’s not likely to ever go away.
I turn away from them and switch off the light then stand in the doorway and watch Charlie sleeping. His breathing is soft and I know he hasn’t fallen into a deep sleep yet. Probably as soon as I get into bed he’ll stir. I stare at his face, and in my mind, see a shift to the face I knew back at The Windmill then to the one I envisioned when Will spoke of how worried he was and back to now.
My heart pulls uncomfortably when I think he could get hurt at any moment, or taken. I might never get to be this close to him again. If he was taken tomorrow, would I regret not giving him a second chance? Am I doing the right thing by trying to keep my distance?
I tread quietly back to our bed and pause before I climb in. The air is cool and the heat from my shower is starting to wear off. I stare at him for a few more minutes before I resign myself to the possibility of waking him up. Yet, I still try to be careful. When I’m sitting under the covers with my legs crossed under me, I realize he’s remained asleep.
I lean towards him and let my hands drift to his face. I lightly trace the side of his cheek where the stubble from this morning has grown again. I’m not sure if I like the feel of it under my fingertips. My fingers hover over his lips, yet I don’t dare touch him there. I can easily remember those lips on me and desperately want them to be on me again. I still crave his touch and it takes every ounce of willpower to keep myself from moving to trace his lips right now. I calm my brea
thing down, ignoring what my body wants and deciding to trust my head when it tells me delving deeper into those thoughts isn’t a good idea right now.
I glance at his hair and tug gently at the bit lying limply over his forehead, noticing he has managed to get the grease stains out of it from earlier today. When I lean in, I take in his scent. It makes me dizzy how familiar it still feels. I rest my hand along the side of his face and move it up through his hair. He sighs happily in his sleep and slowly his eyes open. I move my hand away quickly, but even in his sleepy state he reaches out and catches it.
“Zoe?” he mumbles, rubbing his eyes with his free hand, groaning when he moves his head from the stiff position he has left it in.
“Hey.” My body tenses, feeling his hand around my wrist. I try not to let the feeling overwhelm me. His touch is something else that feels familiar to me that shouldn’t.
“You’re back.” He fully opens his eyes and looks at me intently, his hand locking tighter around my wrist as if he’s afraid I’ll leave him again.
“Yeah, I was just waking you so you could lie down. You didn’t look very comfortable.”
“I was waiting up for you, obviously not successfully. Are you okay? You just left after… and then Joel said you had gone for a run with Will and I—I was worried.” He watches me closely, making me wish I had left him sleeping to avoid having this conversation.
“I’m okay. I just needed to clear my head.”
He nods and then finally breaks eye contact to glance down at his lap. “I really am sorry, Zoe. I wish I could take it back. I wish that more than anything.” He looks up and we both stare at each other, each contemplating our situation. He must read something in me because I swear I see disappointment cross his face. Or maybe it’s disappointment in himself. “You still look tired; you only got a couple hours sleep earlier.” He states quietly as he shifts down in the bed, letting go of my wrist, instantly I miss the contact.
Taken By Force (Taken Trilogy Book 2) Page 17