Page 42 (1/2)

CHARLENE

I breathe into my palm to check for freshness I brushed o, but I pop two Altoids anyway Fresh breath is crucial I crunch down and spread the fiery-cold bits over ue The burst of mint makes my eyes water, so I have to dab at the corners withit worse

Darren Westinghouse is picking o’s NHL right wing and the ue There are loads of ru history is unclear and based et to know the man behind the intense, stoic mask

My palms are sweaty, and my panties are inappropriately damp as I wander around my kitchen My reaction to anxiety is weird And rather inconvenient I’ve already changed my panties once in the past half hour

“It’s just coffee,” I scold my crotch

It doesn’t see for all possible scenarios

I introduced myself to Darren when I ith entle to walk ht kiss that turned into an epic ers until my lips were raw It took a week before they finally stopped peeling

Today I’loss that tastes like cotton candy—my hope is that Darren likes the flavor and ant to kiss it off more than once I s for casual—except undera nice pair of lacy panties, just in case his hand happens to find its way into them My bra matches, of course

I check the ti me up at ten, but those elevenan eternity to pass I h the approved topics of conversation: obviously hockey, weather, e experience are all approved

I’ve learned that it’s best to give people the barest of facts and then shift the topic away from the really personal stuff People usually love to talk about themselves, so it’s not all that hard to do At nine fifty three I do another breath check and startle as my doorbell chimes

“He’s here!” I whisper-shriek to no one Or ina I take two deep breaths and count to three before I open the door

I’ up my front porch

Darren’s in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt—so different than the suit he earing the last time I saw him His short hair is styled neatly, and his hard, icy blue eyes move over me in a casual sweep that I feel everywhere Darren is intense He’s lightness and darkness fused together And he’s unearthly beautiful It’s a lot to process