Kate’s leaning on my shoulder for support.
“If you and I fall in love, will you visit me every day and tell me stories?” Kate asks between sobs.
“Sure,” I humor her. “Do we need to fall in love? What if this Rachel McAdams is single? You know I’m not one to settle.”
Kate pulls back. “Three words for you… Lesbian. Anal. Fisting.”
I shake my head while grinning, pulling Kate into me as I kiss her cheek to annoy her. She wipes her face, complaining I left ice-cream on her skin.
Charlie scowls, not getting the joke. “Honestly, the two of you are terrible… two peas in a pod. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea that you guys fall in love. Then I’d stop hearing about your tragic love lives…” She pauses, then continues with a mouthful of ice cream. “And I don’t want to know why you’re talking about lesbian anal fisting. Is that even a thing? My ass wants to die thinking about that.”
Lex walks into the room wearing a suit. He’s just come home from a work dinner celebrating someone’s retirement.
“Oh no, they got to you, didn’t they?”
Charlie runs up to Lex and gives him a great big hug, crying into his shoulder and telling him that if she ever lost her memory, she’d want him to read to her every day about their lives and the girls. He indulges the hug but rolls his eyes at the same time. Lex sits down, and Charlie curls on top of him, trying to get comfortable with her protruding stomach.
“Thanks, you guys. You know what’s more depressing than this movie? Seeing you guys all lovey-dovey,” Kate says, slumped in the chair.
“Aw, come here.” I grin, pulling her onto my lap, goading her because I can. “I’ll make you a deal, if we’re single when we’re thirty, we’ll officially hook up.”
“I’m already thirty, you nob.” She punches my arm, sliding herself off me. “And I know you too well. You try to charm me that way, and the next minute, you’re gabbing on about anal fisting again.”
Lex watches us, amused. “Should we leave you two alone?”
“No,” Kate jokes. “Please don’t. Noah just likes to push my buttons because he knows he can.”
“It’s very true,” I voice with a sinister smirk.
Lex grins at us, followed by a small chuckle. “I’m all for a good time, but please, for the love of God, please stop talking about anal fisting.”
The four of us laugh until we’re out of breath, just when Lex gets a call from his London office. Kate joins him in his office, leaving Charlie and me alone. She suggests we go outside to get some fresh air while the other two discuss work.
“Noah,” Charlie says my name softly, sitting beside me on the chair on the patio. I don’t want to talk to anyone, wallowing in self-pity seems much more fitting. And I know she wants to talk about Morgan, again.
“Charlie, I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Okay, we can talk about something else,” she suggests. “Do you remember your last summer back home before you moved to the East Coast?”
“Uh… I think so.”
“You were thirteen and had just gone through this massive growth spurt.”
“Oh yeah, a year of awkward growing.” I chuckle lightly.
“So that summer, all the girls in your year were talking about you. How Noah Mason was the hottest thing to happen that summer and they were fighting about dating you. There was this one girl, Georgia, I think.”
“Head of the cheer squad, Georgia?”
“Yes… I think. She was two years older than you. She was at the local store one day, and I overheard her telling her posse that she wanted to date you because you were the hottest thing ever,” she exaggerates. “I knew she was a skank, and I was furious when I heard that. I actually went up to her and told her that if she went near you or hurt you, I’d punch her in the vagina.”
“Charlie.” I laugh. “You didn’t? She was the hottest chick back then.”
“You’re my family, the brother I never had. I didn’t want anyone hurting you. And now is no different.”
“Now we’re adults, I should be able to take care of myself,” I remind her.
“I’m struggling here, Noah. I know you have feelings for her, but she’s married. It’s a big deal… the whole marriage thing. I’m not going to pretend to understand how she feels because every situation is different. I just know this… I hate the fact that she hurt you.”