extinguishing the candles and turning on the dining room lights, but Evan protested by saying he liked eating by candlelight. He laughed, saying it reminded him of his ancestors and the simpler times they had lived in.
Charlie accepted the explanation, relieved that he wasn’t reading anything into it. She vowed that as soon as Evan left, she would toss those candles in the trash. There would be no next time.
After they finished eating, Evan took a sip of wine and said, “The spaghetti was delicious, Charlie. I’m glad you invited me over tonight.”
Charlie smiled. “I’m glad you came, Evan.” She looked at a clock past his shoulder then back at him. “The baseball game will be coming on in a few minutes.”
His eyes held hers, turning serious and the smile on his face slipped. “I know this may not be the time, but would it be ok if we talked first?”
He didn’t say what he wanted to talk about. There was no need. Charlie knew. They’d skirted around it during lunch yesterday as well as this evening through dinner. The time had come to sort things out and set things straight. “I know, Evan,” she said calmly, though her insides were quaking, her stomach rolling. “Have a seat in the living room while I get this cleaned up then we’ll talk.”
“I’ll help you, Charlie.”
“No,” she stated, avoiding his eyes as she spoke. “It’ll only take me a few minutes. Would you like a piece of cheesecake while you wait?”
“Thanks, but I’m stuffed from the wonderful dinner you made.”
Charlie nodded and started cleaning off the table. She made short work of the task, though she was not looking forward to this conversation. She felt sick.
A few minutes later she entered the living room carrying a plate with a piece of cheesecake for herself. She wasn’t at all hungry, but she thought it might be helpful to have something to occupy her during, what could very well be, a gut wrenching conversation. She had no doubt Evan was going to tell her that it all had been a mistake. What else could he say?
It was silly to even have entertained any other possibility. There was no way that Evan was attracted to her, she told herself. She looked down at her outfit and felt so foolish dressing up for him, so foolish for putting a tablecloth and candles on the table. What had she been thinking?
Evan sat on the floor, his back resting against the sofa. Soft music from her stereo filled the air. She wished she had left it off. The dimmed lights cast shadows around the room. Charlie’s heartbeat quickened when he lifted his green eyes to hers. They were serious, soft, warm and inviting.
For a moment, she felt like she couldn’t catch her breath. Then he then shifted his eyes away from her. “Come sit down, Charlie.”
Feeling excitement one moment from the way he had looked at her and trepidation the next knowing what was to come, Charlie reluctantly sat on the floor beside him.
She held the plate containing her cheesecake with both of her hands to keep them from trembling or doing something even more foolish like reaching out and touching him. How she longed to touch his cheek, to feel the warmth of his skin against her fingertips, to have him look at her like he’d done only moments before. She wanted him to want her, to make her feel like she had when he’d kissed her.
Evan angled his body towards her so he could look directly into her eyes.
“Charlie, I want to apologize for not calling you this week.”
“Evan, you don’t need…”
He put his fingers up to her lips to silence her. “Yes, I do, Charlie. I should have called you.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to say to you.
“That kiss we shared was incredible, at least for me. And since then, I’ve been torn in differing directions as to what to do about it.” He touched her cheek. “I value our friendship so much, Charlie. I don’t want to lose it.”
Her pale skin burned from his touch.
Charlie accepted the explanation, relieved that he wasn’t reading anything into it. She vowed that as soon as Evan left, she would toss those candles in the trash. There would be no next time.
After they finished eating, Evan took a sip of wine and said, “The spaghetti was delicious, Charlie. I’m glad you invited me over tonight.”
Charlie smiled. “I’m glad you came, Evan.” She looked at a clock past his shoulder then back at him. “The baseball game will be coming on in a few minutes.”
His eyes held hers, turning serious and the smile on his face slipped. “I know this may not be the time, but would it be ok if we talked first?”
He didn’t say what he wanted to talk about. There was no need. Charlie knew. They’d skirted around it during lunch yesterday as well as this evening through dinner. The time had come to sort things out and set things straight. “I know, Evan,” she said calmly, though her insides were quaking, her stomach rolling. “Have a seat in the living room while I get this cleaned up then we’ll talk.”
“I’ll help you, Charlie.”
“No,” she stated, avoiding his eyes as she spoke. “It’ll only take me a few minutes. Would you like a piece of cheesecake while you wait?”
“Thanks, but I’m stuffed from the wonderful dinner you made.”
Charlie nodded and started cleaning off the table. She made short work of the task, though she was not looking forward to this conversation. She felt sick.
A few minutes later she entered the living room carrying a plate with a piece of cheesecake for herself. She wasn’t at all hungry, but she thought it might be helpful to have something to occupy her during, what could very well be, a gut wrenching conversation. She had no doubt Evan was going to tell her that it all had been a mistake. What else could he say?
It was silly to even have entertained any other possibility. There was no way that Evan was attracted to her, she told herself. She looked down at her outfit and felt so foolish dressing up for him, so foolish for putting a tablecloth and candles on the table. What had she been thinking?
Evan sat on the floor, his back resting against the sofa. Soft music from her stereo filled the air. She wished she had left it off. The dimmed lights cast shadows around the room. Charlie’s heartbeat quickened when he lifted his green eyes to hers. They were serious, soft, warm and inviting.
For a moment, she felt like she couldn’t catch her breath. Then he then shifted his eyes away from her. “Come sit down, Charlie.”
Feeling excitement one moment from the way he had looked at her and trepidation the next knowing what was to come, Charlie reluctantly sat on the floor beside him.
She held the plate containing her cheesecake with both of her hands to keep them from trembling or doing something even more foolish like reaching out and touching him. How she longed to touch his cheek, to feel the warmth of his skin against her fingertips, to have him look at her like he’d done only moments before. She wanted him to want her, to make her feel like she had when he’d kissed her.
Evan angled his body towards her so he could look directly into her eyes.
“Charlie, I want to apologize for not calling you this week.”
“Evan, you don’t need…”
He put his fingers up to her lips to silence her. “Yes, I do, Charlie. I should have called you.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Honestly, I didn’t know what to say to you.
“That kiss we shared was incredible, at least for me. And since then, I’ve been torn in differing directions as to what to do about it.” He touched her cheek. “I value our friendship so much, Charlie. I don’t want to lose it.”
Her pale skin burned from his touch.
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