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Charlotte wasn’t sure what she wanted any herself that she wouldn’t have gone out with Jason if he’d asked again Perhaps it was just her pride Charlotte didn’t know because the opportunity hadn’t come up
She was embarrassed to ad around theto accidentally run into Jason was true But she wasn’t looking for a way to get him to ask her out, she told herself She only wanted to set things straight Since they hadn’t met, accidentally or otherwise, Charlotte was content to let it drop He apparently was, too
Jason Manning had been a brief but pleasant interlude in her--she had to acknowledge it--huether He’d taught her everything she needed to know about basketball He’d challenged her in a battle of wits about ain to eat a jalapeño pepper to prove a point And most important, he’d kissed her in a way that made her believe, for those few ood to surrender her fears and her doubts If nothing else, she’d always be grateful for that
"Maybe he’s waiting to hear from you," Carrie said next "It’s your turn to ask him out, isn’t it?"
"It doesn’t work that ith adults, sweetie" Although Charlotte had no idea if that was even true
"Then it should I’ to sit home and wait for a man to call me If I like him, I’ll phone him It’s ridiculous to be a slave to such an outdated tradition"
Charlotte agreed with her daughter, but in this instance she planned to do nothing at all And that included hovering around theday, and Jason was tired when he pulled into the parking lot outside his apart for Charlotte’s car The blue PT Cruiser was in the appropriate slot, so he knew she was ho to run into her, but he wouldn’t --that sort of thing He didn’t intend anything more than a wave and o about his business and she could go about hers
Not calling Charlotte was proving to be ht about her even , the alar to force hiet up, when Charlotte casually sauntered into his ood it would feel to have her there beside him, how soft her body would feel next to his He’d banished the thought i in such a fantasy
It had started the night before When he’d arrived ho out the rear tire of Charlotte’s car Froht be low on air On closer examination, he realized it wasn’t He felt almost disappointed not to have an excuse to speak to her
This evening he could tell fro with her tires Once again he wished there was, so he could talk to her
Inside his apartment, he reached for the remote control and automatically turned on the television The six-thirty news crew ave dire warnings about the weather, Jason checked out the erator One of these days he’d have to break down and buy groceries
As he suspected, nothing interesting presented itself, at least nothing he’d seriously consider eating An empty cardboard carton from a six-pack of beer A can of half-eaten pork and beans A leftover taco, probably harder than cereen olives He opened the jar, stuck his hand inside and fished out the last two, returning the container of liquid to the shelf Chewing on the olives, he closed the door
What he was really in the mood for was--he hated to admit it What he’d really like was chocolate chip cookies Well, he could forget that The store-bought ones tasted like lumpy paste, and his mother would keep him on the phone with an endless list of questions if he were to call her and request a batch Besides, it wasn’t his mother’s recipe he craved It was Charlotte’s
Well, you can forget that, ol’boy
A box ofprospect his cupboard had to offer He took it out and checked the freezer coht out two frozen wieners wrapped in alu water to a pan when there was a frantic knocking on his door Whoever it was pounded again before he had time to cross the apartment
He saw Charlotte, pale and stricken, her lavender cardigan covered in blood Her eyes were panicky "A dog…so…they didn’t even stop Please…can you co at the house for just such erabbed that and hurried after her
Charlotte aiting for hiht with tears "He’s unconscious"
"You et him out of the street"
"Did you see it happen?" he asked, trotting along behind her
"No I heard tires screech and a yelp, and that was it By the tiathered around, but no one knehat to do"
Her pace slowed as they approached the injured aniathered around Jason knelt beside the suessed He was badly hurt and in shock Probably a stray, since he wasn’t wearing a collar, and the poor thing looked s to?" Jason asked
"I don’t think he belongs to anyone," a boy on a bicycle answered "He’s been around the last couple of days I never saw hi to take him to my office," Jason said after a preli’s chances
"Is he going to live?" Charlotte alone voiced the question, but she see--each one wanted, indeed needed, to know The children and Charlotte stared down at Jason, waiting for his response
"I’ and internal injuries"
"I’ll pay for his er to wipe a tear fro about the expenses Frankly, he didn’t think the dog would last the night "Give me your sweater," he told Charlotte Since it was already stained with blood, he figured they’d save ti