Chapter Twenty-Two
Charlie was waiting for me when I arrived at my favorite Starbucks, sipping a mug of cappuccino on the patio. We hugged awkwardly before I sat down across from him with my own iced caramel sauce latte. If he was surprised by the thick layers of caramel sauce that outweighed the balance of milk and coffee, he made no comment. He’d gained some of his color back, along with a few of the pounds he’d lost. He smiled at me, almost shyly, but the warmth didn’t reach his eyes, their usual spark missing, replaced by a haunted sadness.
He squinted as though trying to place something. “You didn’t bring Nicoh.”
I shook my head. “He still not…doing well…with Pandora being gone.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too.”
He reached across the table, just enough to encourage me to raise my eyes to
