She’d stopped coming to see me. She’d cut off all communication. She’d gone on with her life like I’d never been a part of it—and yeah, I was pissed as hell about it—but we could figure all of that out later. I had her there, in my arms, just like I’d been planning on for years. Everything else could wait.
“Come on, you guys,” Curtis called peeking his head around the corner. “Kids are done, it’s White Elephant time!”
“Give them a minute,” Charlie said, still watching us. “They’re having a moment.”
I met Curt’s eyes.
“Nope,” he said, sending me a half smile. “They can canoodle later. They got all the time in the world. White Elephant exchange waits for no man!”
“How much have you had to drink?” Charlie asked as she started shoving him away.
I held on to Kara for a few more moments before finally letting her slide down my body. Curt was right—we had time to figure things out without an audience waiting for us on the other side of the wall.
It wouldn’t be until much later that I’d remember Charlie’s words and the relief in her voice when she mentioned me talking sense into our girl, but by then it would no longer serve as a warning. By then, I’d already know the battle I was facing.
I should’ve held her longer.