But she didn’t say any more when Eddie reached Charlotte. He put his arms around her and lifted her, spinning around.
Charlotte used to wonder why people did the spinning thing in books and movies. Now she knew. She felt it. Eddie’s arms were around her and they were together, they were one, solid in the center of everything. Outside, the world was fast and blurry and dizzying and strange. Inside, everything made sense. Inside, the only clear things were Eddie and Charlotte. Both Charlotte and her Inner Thoughts were thinking the same thing: hooray, hooray, hooray.
“Indefinitely,” Charlotte said again as if it were the most important word in the world. The great expanse of the Atlantic became irrelevant. It would not flood between them. She would stay in England.
He put her down, his arms still around her waist.
“I woke up with a cold fear that you would talk to your children and feel guilty and decide that I probably don’t really feel anything for you so it would be better just to leave quickly.”
Charlotte gasped. “How did you—”
“A woman without hobbies is dangerously self-negligent. Looks like I owe Mallery for keeping you around. Happily, these trials can drag on forever.”
“Months and months,” she said.
“Years, even,” he said.
“I’ll fly my kids over.”
“And perhaps rent a flat in London.”
“Do you know a good neighborhood?”
“I rent near Chelsea.”
“I’ve always wanted to live in Chelsea. At least, I would have always wanted to live in Chelsea if it had occurred to me before. As it has now. It has definitely occurred to me.”
“You’ll love London. I love London. I’d love to see you in London.”
“I’ve seen London. In fact, I’ve seen France.”
“Do go on,” he said, his eyes turning all bedroomy.
She kissed him. It was all she wanted to do. Kiss Eddie. She dropped her bonnet and let the wind blow it away to part the mists and put her arms around him and kissed him. Her eyes were closed and she felt as if the world were still spinning.
Remembering their audience, Charlotte peeked. The detective was sitting in her car and watching Eddie and Charlotte without shame, as if they were silhouettes on a screen at a drive-in movie. She rested her hand and cheek against the window and sighed.
“Come on,” said Charlotte, taking his hand. “Let’s go for a swim.”
He squinted. “Truly?”
“I’ll protect you from the dangerous fishies.”
He picked her up and carried her across the lawn. His arms were becoming a common means of her transportation.
“As you wish, my darling. After all, I have become an expert at your buttons and lacings.”
Home, present
Here’s the thing about home: you can create it most anywhere, as long as you gather your people around you. Charlotte was surprised by how readily Beckett took to the move, plied with promises of stateside trips to visit his friends. Lu seemed at home at once, especially after meeting Eddie’s daughter, Julia, her mentor in all things British. The chance to meet Alisha also sweetened the deal. James would fly over periodically to have some quality time with his kids without stepmother Justice, who didn’t have a passport and refused to get one for mysterious ideological reasons. Charlotte’s other people—her friends, mother, and brother’s family—loved the excuse to visit England, especially on her dime.
And then there was Eddie. He already felt like home.
Charlotte was filled with plans that made her fingers tingle with anticipation. After exploring the country’s flora, she could expand her business to a new continent. And she was determined to collect some hobbies along the way. Hiking was second on her list, though no one but her Inner Thoughts guessed her ultimate goal of Kilimanjaro. But first, she was going to learn to dance.