True story. Charlotte’d had a good childhood, but she’d also had her share of trauma, which had left her just as awkward and uneasy at romantic entanglements as Jane.
“He wants to go out with you.”
Charlotte ignored the butterflies in her belly at that thought and shook her head. “He’s a flirt. That’s what he does. He flirts with everyone.”
“Wrong,” Jane said. “Mateo’s one of the rare good ones. Yeah, he’s nice to everyone on the floor, from surgeons to nurses to the cleaning crews. But there’s only one person he flirts with, stares at, moons over, brings coffee to. And that’s you. And—Ohmigod.”
“What?”
Jane squeaked and ducked low, beneath the table.
Charlotte stuck her head under the table. “You drop something?”
“Yes, my marbles! I think my grandpa saw me— Oh my God, don’t look!”
But Charlotte was already looking, feeling her heart harden on the spot. “I want to see the man who deserted you when you were eight.”
“He didn’t desert me.”
“Bullshit,” Charlotte said.
“He wasn’t well.”
“And you were eight.”
“Yeah,” Jane muttered. “Hence me being under the table like I’m still eight.”
Charlotte stuck her head under the table, softening when she saw Jane’s genuine panic. “Honey, what have I always told you?”
“Um . . . Men suck?”
“Okay, and what else?”
“Always make the time for lip gloss because we’re not animals.”
“Aw! You were listening.” Charlotte felt so proud. “And . . . ?”
“And . . . family is earned, not inherited.”
Charlotte nodded. “So you have to decide. Are you ready to go there? Open up some old wounds?”
The look on Jane’s face said she was undecided.
Fair, given what she’d been through. “Whatever you decide,” Charlotte said softly, “you know you have people who love and support you.”
Jane hesitated, then nodded. “I’m still getting used to that. I let you barge in past all my walls.”
Accurate.
“And Mateo too,” Jane said. “And now maybe Levi? It feels like too much. It’s like . . . the quintessential nightmare of going to school naked. I’m out there hanging out in the breeze, vulnerable, just waiting for someone to say it’s time for me to move on.”
“I’ll never say that,” Charlotte said fiercely. “And you know that no matter what happens with your grandpa—or doesn’t happen—you’re going to be okay because . . . why?”
Jane gave a reluctant smile. “Because I’ve got you at my back.”
“Aw. You’ve grown up so fast—” Charlotte caught a glimpse of the tall man in scrubs who strode into the diner. She gave an unladylike squeak and slid all the way out of her chair and under the table too.
Jane stared at her. “What the—”
“Mateo’s here,” Charlotte hissed.
Jane blinked. “And?”
“And this is not a drill! Congratulations, you’ve taught me how to be ridiculous. Hope you’re proud. Now scoot the hell over and make some room!”
Jane snorted, but scooted, just as Mateo spoke from above them. “Morning, ladies. Did you drop something?”