Page 49 of Just One More Thing

Charlie’s mouth twitches. “It’s a little funny.”

“Kravitz was filming,” he adds.

“No surprise.”

“Point is, things line up sometimes. Not by accident.”

I take another drink and let that roll around in my head.

“She falls. Emory comes back. You two end up alone in a kitchen with ten years’ worth of feelings and one smoke alarm between you.”

“That’s a bold narrative.”

“I’m a fire chief,” he says. “We deal in cause and effect.”

I look back out at the water. “I know she’s only here for a while,” I say. “That part doesn’t change.”

“No,” he agrees. “But that doesn’t mean it’s the whole story.”

Otis starts over again.

After a minute, Charlie says, “I don’t think the universe stopped you tonight.”

I glance over.

He shrugs. “I think it nudged you.”

“By setting off a smoke alarm?”

“Subtlety’s overrated.”

That gets a quiet huff out of me.

He looks at me. “You scared?”

I don’t bother pretending otherwise. “Yes.”

“Of what?”

I keep my eyes on the water so I don’t have to look at him while I answer. “Getting it wrong again. Pushing too hard. Not pushing enough.” I pause. “Her leaving. Me standing here like a chump.”

Charlie lets that sit. Then, in that same calm voice, “You know what I’ve learned?”

“What’s that?”

“When something’s meant to be rushed, it feels frantic. When it’s meant to last, it feels steady. Even when it scares the shit out of you.”

He’s right. Nothing about Mo feels frantic. Not even when it’s wrecking me.

After a minute, Charlie pushes himself to his feet and dusts off his hands.

“Trust the timing,” he says. “Trust yourself and maybe trust her a little too.”

I look up at him and nod once. “I’m trying.”

“Good.” He reaches down and claps my shoulder. “But now I’ve got paperwork to finish thanks to some dumbass who walked away from a hot pan.”

“Sorry, Charlie.”