That Emerald Vow (The Crimson Creed #2)

22. Chapter Twenty-Two

I t’s been two weeks since my mother’s passing. The lawyers dealt with the arrangements, as neither Dani nor I wanted anything to do with them. I’ve been spending a lot of time with Dani. It took us both by surprise that it hit me worse than her. She never knew our mother when she was happy and healthy—when she actually acted like a mother. But we’ve been helping each other through it nonetheless.

Charlie has been such a great support to me too, with simple things like stay-at-home movie nights, adrenaline-pumping date nights, and just letting me process in my own time. I want to introduce them soon. I think Dani would like her.

We haven’t kissed since the motel, having an unspoken agreement that we would wait a little bit to truly kickstart our relationship so it’s not tainted with all of these things. There are no words to explain the want—the fucking feral need—that I have to claim Charlie as mine. I knew from the moment our eyes found each other that first night at the lounge that she was different from any other woman. What I didn’t realize was that feeling deep in my bones had been my soul igniting again with life.

I had long ago made peace with not fully finding happiness for myself while helping keep those I love happy. But with each new memory I make with her, I feel that I have a real shot at being happy myself. I’m at the shop right now, but work is the last thing on my mind. I need to talk to her. Taking out my phone from my back pocket, I scroll down to her number. A smile creeps onto my face as I take in her contact picture. It’s one of the pictures we took at the diner the first night out during our fake engagement. Her hands are resting over my arms that are wrapped around her torso, the ring on full display as both of us beam at the camera. Thinking better of it, I look around at the busy shop and decide to go hide in the bathroom in the back.

Relief washes over me as her face fills my screen when the call connects.

“Hello?” Her voice is groggy as she wipes her eyes with a fist. My eyes go to the top of the FaceTime to look at the time—it’s 9 AM.

“Good morning, beautiful. Sorry for the early call . . . I just really needed to hear your voice,” I admit. Even first thing in the morning without a lick of makeup, she’s the most beautiful girl in the world.

I can hear the shuffling of her covers as she sits up. “Is everything okay?” she asks, worry coating every word.

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” I chuckle. I’m just smitten with a girl I’ve known for five seconds. No big deal.

She sighs in relief. “Okay, good. You can’t scare me like that, Day.” Her eyebrows furrow in a mock angry look. She’s been helping me grieve, and if I can take control back over those emotions, then I can do anything . . . as long as she’s by my side.

“Aww. Do you worry about me, gem?” I ask in a teasing tone, smirking at her.

Her eyes practically start twitching as she rolls them at me. “Yeah, you buy me dinner. Food is sustenance. That’s about all I worry about when it comes to you,” she says matter-of-factly.

“Mm-hmm,” I drawl. “That’s complete bullshit.”

“Whatever,” she sasses. There’s a long pause as she bites her lip, contemplating her next thought. “I have dinner at Ade’s tonight with Lily. Will you be there?”

“Wouldn’t miss a chance to see you again.” Her eyes practically light up at my words, warming my heart. “Speaking of that though, are you busy next weekend? There’s a local band playing that I wanted to maybe take you to.”

“Depends. What band?” she asks, wiggling her eyebrows at me.

I chuckle as I say, “It’s a new, alternative band. I think you’ll like them.”

“Then I’m totally down.”

“Okay, perfect. What do you think we’ll be having for dinner? They’ve so quickly become a domesticated couple.”

She laughs. “They deserve that happy, blissful life.”

I can’t help but smile too. “Yeah, they do. Never thought people like us got that ‘happily ever after’ before . . .”

“Yeah. But—”

Before she can finish the thought, there’s loud banging on the bathroom door. “Did I really catch you jerking off again? We have work to do.”

Charlie laughs hearing Adrian’s voice through the door. This isn’t the first time he’s caught me FaceTiming in the bathroom and made that stupid jerking off joke. Phone calls have become part of the norm between Charlie and me.

“Ugh! Go away!” I groan.

“I was joking! Are you actually jerking off!?” he screams, sounding baffled. Little does he know, Charlie and I have jerked off together, but we have an unspoken pact to not share the details of our budding relationship until we know it’s serious. We want to figure this out ourselves without our best friends meddling.

This just makes Charlie’s eyes get a mischievous gleam as she moans out. “Yes, baby!” Fuck. That sound makes my dick twitch .

Adrian pulls me out from my dirty thoughts as he shouts, “Damon Hayes! Get your ass out here, you disgusting man. I gotta show you our employee handbook.”

I groan. “We don’t fucking have a handbook.”

“Now we will!”

“I’ll talk to you later,” I say.

She giggles as she waves, and we hang up.

“Oh my God! Were you FaceTiming? You kinky fuck.”

I clench my phone tightly in my hand as I head to curse my best friend out for interrupting as he continues to laugh at me.

After ending dinner early with the gang, neither Charlie nor I want to end the evening yet, so I suggest we go to the diner for some milkshakes.

Sliding into the booth across from her, I push the menu to the side. “So, your next answer will make or break this relationship. Choose wisely,” I tease.

Charlie’s eyebrows perk. “Oh, yeah? I guess I finally found my way to ditch you. Bring it, big boy.”

I shake my head at her, laughing as I ask, “Whose milkshakes are better, mine or the diner’s?”

Right then, the waitress comes to take our orders. “Two strawberry milkshakes please.” As soon as she leaves, Charlie turns to me with a grin on her face. “Definitely this place.”

I place my hand over my chest where my heart is. “Charlie, you wound me.”

Her eyes twinkle in delight. “Not a chance with your big fat ego, sir. We both know yours are better.”

“Thanks, Char.” I smile at her but take the opportunity to lean in across the table and take her hand.

“No, thank you for sharing it with me,” she says, her voice hitching at the touch. Her eyes dart to the bathroom and back at me as she takes her bottom lip into her mouth.

My, oh my. Is she thinking of our last bathroom adventure?

“Where is that head of yours tak—”

“Damon!” I hear a familiar voice call out for me.

“Hey, Dani!” I quickly get out of the booth and smile at my sister as I pull her in for a hug. “What are you doing here?”

She squeezes me before nodding towards a beautiful girl with bright pink hair sitting a few booths over from us. “I’m on a date with Thea.”

I wave at Thea with a smile, and she does the same. My sister has been telling me about her for weeks now—absolutely smitten. “You must be Charlie, or should I call you gem too?” my sister jokes.

Charlie just laughs. “I guess Damon’s been talking about me. It’s so nice to meet you, Dani.”

“Sorry! Charlie, this is my sister, Dani. Dani, this is my . . .” I squeeze the back of my neck awkwardly, not knowing what to say. “This is Charlie.”

Both of them start laughing, but I see the curious gleam in Charlie’s eyes.

“How about you and Thea join us? I would love to get to know you better, share war stories of your irritating brother.” Charlie winks at me.

“Oh! I have all the tea. Let me go ask Thea if that’s okay.” Dani heads over to where she’s sitting.

“Damn it!” I exclaim.

“This is going to be fun!” Charlie says mischievously.

We spend hours at the diner, swapping stories. Ain’t no way I wasn’t going to embarrass Dani—just a little—in front of her girl too. My cheeks hurt by the end of the night from how much I laugh and smile. I look around the table, and my heart feels full.

This is what happiness feels like.