No Place Like Home: The Coming Home Series, Book 1 Page 7

  Didn’t take long for balls to fly and the good-natured ribbing started up not too much later.

  “Come on, Bertie, you can do it. Get him wet!” an older woman called to her friend who was taking aim.

  One, two, three, four, five balls later.

  “Get another five dollars and try again.” Ricky, a local policeman, stretched inside one of the tanks, showing off his muscles. He earned each of them, being one of the city’s finest. “I’ll just take a nap and wait for someone to try again.”

  Pretty soon multiple ladies were throwing balls at the same time. One after another the guys went in the water. All but Cole.

  “Hey, what about the guys?” Jerry, one of the locals who graduated a couple years before her, was the one who spoke up. Kia had given Charlie the 4-1-1 on everyone she’d asked about. Her best friend knew everyone. Talk about a social butterfly.

  Kia smiled and hugged someone else who walked by. “What about the guys, Jerry? They knew what they were getting into.”

  “Not those guys.” He waved toward the dunk tanks. “Us guys.” Then he gestured in the direction of the crowd. “I don’t particularly feel the need to throw my money away. Literally. On seeing Scout get wet. No offense, man.”

  “None taken,” one of the other guys in the tanks said and saluted him right before someone hit his target and he went under.

  “Funny you should mention that. Our unmanned booth right over there is the best and we saved it for last for a reason.” She pointed to a booth next to the five guys and Charlie’s stomach dropped. Two chairs. One for Kia and one for her.

  “Better than shirtless wet hunks in a cage?” Ms. McAdams, Charlie’s old Geometry teacher, asked. She’d been ancient when Charlie was in high school. Now, she was damn near a relic, but she was still pitching baseballs with the rest of them. She’d actually been one of Charlie’s favorite teachers. She couldn’t wait to say hi later.

  “We had a feeling the men might like a shot of estrogen so we have a kissing booth.”

  “That’s what I’m talking about.” Jerry did some little dance that several other people around him snickered at.

  “How much?” somebody else asked from the crowd

  “Who’s manning it? Hopefully not Ms. McAdams.”

  “Boy. I do believe you passed my class by the skin of your teeth. You’d be lucky if I manned that booth and let you anywhere near it with your pucker.”

  The crowd laughed.

  “Though we did try to get Ms. McAdams, she wasn’t available. Political figure and all. So, I’ll be manning it with my best friend, Charlie. Otherwise known as Bianca Charleston, who we all went to school with. We’ll be open in a few minutes.” Kia walked over and snatched her arm and turned her toward the unmanned booth.

  Charlie had to convince her feet to move. “You totally just outted me to, like, all of Buffalo and half the people we went to school with.”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “Uh, why?”

  Kia sat her down in one of the empty chairs and stood with her hands on her shoulders. “Because I know you stay away because you don’t want to be found out. Like that person you were before was so…so…less than. But you know what?”

  “No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

  “Darn tootin’ I am.”

  “You just said tootin’.”

  “You are amazing. Smart, sweet, funny and you’re hot.”

  “Are you hitting on me?” Charlie smiled and Kia rolled her eyes then flipped a sign down on the booth. It probably said kissing or something.

  “You know my door don’t swing that way, but if it did you’d be at the top of the list.”

  “Aww. That’s so nice. What is this?” Charlie stared at a tube Kia handed her.

  “Lipstick. Bright red. So we can leave a lasting impression on the lovely folks of Buffalo.” Kia applied some from a second tube with a mirror she pulled from below the booth. “Here. We already have people heading this way. And you’re not mad at me for outing you, right? I know I can be a bit ‘do now and think later’. And my spontaneity is one of my friendly quirks. At least that’s what I keep telling myself.” She pressed her lips together then puckered them in Charlie’s direction.

  Charlie grabbed the mirror and slicked on some of the Ruby Red. “I love you. You’re wonderful.” She closed the tube and handed the mirror back. “Impulsive but wonderful.”

  “Yeah! And before I forget. You don’t have to kiss anybody on the mouth. That you don’t want to, that is.” She winked at her and inclined her head toward the dunk booths.

  Cole was staring straight at her. He looked wet, so he must have been dunked at some point. She waved and he waved back just as someone else stepped up to try her hand at dunking him. It was an older woman with a little girl in her arms wearing red shoes.

  She set the little girl down and then one of the other volunteers handed the little girl a ball. She couldn’t have been more than four or so. Tossing the ball with all her might, she wasn’t even reaching the space with the target. They moved her forward. For each ball they did the same and Cole egged her on, making funny faces and laughing with her. On her last ball she hit the side of the target but not hard enough to trip it.

  “Better luck next time, sweetheart,” Cole called out to her with his hand cupping his mouth so he could be heard over all the people. But the little girl skipped over to the target and jumped up, hitting it with both hands.

  Cole yelled a bit as his platform released and into the water he went. Laughter filtered through the crowd and Charlie joined in. The little girl squealed as water sloshed over the side of the tank and she ran back to the other woman, who gave her a high five. She took her hand and the little girl waved at Cole as he popped out of the water. He shook his head, throwing water everywhere, and blew the girl a kiss.

  Charlie’s heart melted just a little bit more for him. He really would make a great dad. She hoped he got the opportunity. Any boy or girl would be so lucky.

  “So, how much for kisses from both of you lovely ladies?”

  Charlie blinked, knowing she shouldn’t be so focused on Cole. He wasn’t hers and she had to keep that in perspective.

  A much older man stood in front of the booth with his wallet at the ready, and a twinkle in his eye.

  Kia spoke up. “Five for one of us and ten for both. And don’t even think about trying to get fresh with me, Herb. Your wife’s got the ticker of a sixty-year-old and I don’t want her chasing me down.”

  “Both of you? A sure thing?” He plunked a ten-dollar bill on the counter and took off his hat. As he finger-combed his thin gray hair he added, “Best money I’ve spent in years. And Ms. Bianca?”

  “Just call me Charlie.”

  “Charlie, my wife taught you years ago. You were one of her favorite students. Always so eager to learn, she used to tell me.”

  “And who’s your wife?” Charlie asked as she slid off her stool and got ready to pucker up.

  Kia kissed him on one cheek and Charlie kissed him on the other.

  His eyes twinkled and he winked at her as he slipped his hat back on. “Mrs. McAdams.” He grabbed his cane and trundled off in the direction of his wife, who was still throwing baseballs.

  “That’s awesome. Tell her I said hi.”

  He tipped his hat at her and kept walking, preening and grinning from ear to ear with the big lip marks on his cheeks.

  “Bibi?”

  The dreaded nickname made her cringe as she faced a group of three guys stepping up to the booth.

  “God, it’s really you.”

  “In the flesh, and I go by Charlie now if you don’t mind.” She smiled, recognizing two of the three guys as people she went to school with.

  “Why Charlie?” one of them asked.

  “Charleston is my last name, so Charli
e happened when I was in college. Much better than an infant’s pacifier.”

  “Well, you look great. How’s life?”

  “Hey, are you guys here to flirt or kiss? We have a children’s wing to build and there’s a long line of people behind you.”

  Charlie leaned to the side and gasped. Their line of guys rivaled the line of women for the dunk booths.

  “Told you they’d come to see you,” Kia whispered as she took money from all three guys. “All right. Pucker up, buttercup.”

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you.”

  “You’re hot,” the one guy she didn’t recognize blurted out.

  “Thanks.” She reapplied lipstick before she kissed each guy and Kia pocketed their moolah.

  They walked away and more men stepped up. Old men, young men, men with little babies, even one man that looked a bit like Santa Claus. Almost every single one of them wanted a kiss from her. The sun set and she kept kissing.

  Just as her tube of lipstick was about to run out and thankfully the line had thinned, Kia yelled, “Last call for the kissing booth. We’re just about out of pucker over here.”

  “Hopefully you still have enough for one more?”

  Cole.

  There he stood. With a T-shirt on, clinging to his still damp skin, his hair sticking up at funny angles.

  “I’m pretty sure I can muster another one for you.”

  “Good.” He pulled a twenty from his wallet and handed it to Kia, never taking his gaze from her. “Just on the cheek, I take it? No one else has gotten anything else.” He walked around the booth until he stood beside her.

  “Were you watching?” moved past her vocal cords on nothing more than a sigh as he pulled her into his arms.

  “Couldn’t take my eyes off of you.”

  “Really?” It was supposed to be flippant. Just a comment, but it meant a hell of a lot more to her than some off-handed question.

  “Got dunked several times out of nowhere ’cause I was trying to see who you were sidled up to.” He leaned in close but stopped a fraction of a breath from her lips. “Still can’t take my eyes off of you.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you have the prettiest smile.” Then he kissed her. He didn’t hide the fact from anyone. There were actually a couple hoots and a holler or two but they sounded incredibly far away.

  His lips on her, anywhere on her, made her forget…everything.

  Her hands found their way to his waist and she needed the contact. He made her swoon and excited her in ways she’d never felt before. She didn’t know she could be this attracted to someone.

  He angled her head as he deepened the kiss. His tongue swept into her mouth and he groaned at her taste. “You taste like funnel cake. That shouldn’t be as hot as it is, but damn. Funnel cake.”

  She giggled against his lips and then sighed as he pulled her closer to his body with his palm in the small of her back.

  “And fresh lemonade. I had lemonade too.”

  “Best carnival food ever.” He kissed her again and Charlie heard Kia whistle.

  “The best for last, folks.”

  People clapped.

  In the far corners of her mind she thought maybe she should be embarrassed but she decided to go with horny instead.

  “I have to go help close everything down, Charlie. Not that you’re hearing me. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  In the back of her mind she heard Kia, but she couldn’t stop to answer her. His lips on hers were everything.

  The kiss went on and on until a squeal of laughter brought their attention down out of the stratosphere. “Daddy!”

  Charlie blinked and saw a blur of little girl nearly tackle Cole from the back. Certain the little girl was mistaken, she looked behind him to see if she could see her parents. The same slightly older woman from the dunking booth earlier walked toward them with a smile on her face. The little girl was the one who’d dunked Cole earlier, and he lifted her into his arms and rubbed her back.

  He turned to Charlie and grabbed the little girl’s hand. “Charlie. I’d like to introduce you to my daughter.”

  Oh. Shit.

  “Your daughter?”

  He nodded and then looked at the little girl. “Addyson, this is my friend Charlie. Charlie, Addyson.”

  Talking was going to take a minute because her brain was still firmly stuck on the daughter part of the conversation. Trying to think of something to say got a helping hand from the tiny person who looked somewhere around three or four.

  “Hi. You’re pretty.” Bright blue eyes twinkled in the carnival lights as she pushed light blonde hair out of her face. Cole helped secure it in place behind her ear.

  Okay, focus. “Hi. You’re pretty yourself, Addyson. How old are you?”

  “Four.” But she held up a whole hand.

  “Gotta tuck that thumb in, kiddo.” Cole helped and then she proudly waved her four fingers around again.

  “Daddy, I’m hungry.” She turned Cole’s face physically so they were nose to nose.

  “Gram already fed you. You had a corn dog and some chips.”

  “But I’m hungry again.” She drug the last word out as only a four-year-old could do.

  “Sorry, small fry. You know the rules. Nothing for you after 7:30. I don’t need you running around the house like a monkey when you need to go to sleep.”

  “Hi, Charlie. I’m Pam, Cole’s mom. AKA Gram.”

  She shook her hand and smiled. “Bianca Charleston, but everyone just calls me Charlie.”

  “Very nice to meet you, Charlie. Cole’s told me a lot about you since yesterday. I hear it’s you I need to thank for our spaghetti dinner last night.”

  “No big deal, it was my pl—”

  “Bisghetti!” Addyson yelled and broke into a fit of giggles, which she covered her mouth for. “You bought me bisghetti?”

  “Well, I guess I did.”

  “Hold me.” Didn’t take Addyson two seconds to sort of lunge in her direction. Thankfully Cole had a good hold on her and held her until Charlie could lift her under her arms and prop her on her hip.

  “Addyson, you know you’re supposed to ask. Remember? Ask. Not demand.”

  “Oh.” She twisted in her arms to hold Charlie’s cheeks. “Will you hold me? Puhllleease?” Then she made the pretty please hands, and Charlie couldn’t help but laugh.

  “You’re already here so I think you should definitely stay awhile.”

  “Cool. Daddy, did you hear? She’s gonna hold me.”

  “I heard. As did the rest of Buffalo.”

  Addyson held a fist out, kind of wiggling her fingers, and glaring at it the whole time. Then she waved it in front of Charlie’s face. “Hep.”

  “Help, please. And here.” Cole lifted her thumb and curled the rest of her fingers around to make a thumbs-up. She showed it off to Charlie, and Charlie couldn’t help but rub her back.

  “She’s gorgeous, Cole.”

  “Thanks. She definitely keeps life interesting.”

  “Cole, I’m gonna go. Seems you’re in good hands.”

  “Hardee har har, Mom.” Cole hugged her close.

  Pam kissed his cheek and then Addyson’s. “I’ll see you next Tuesday so I can keep my girl.”

  “Thanks for watching her for me tonight so I could help out.”

  “Love getting to spend time with her. You too. Nice to meet you, Charlie.”

  “You too, Pam.”

  Cole’s mom patted Addyson on the back one last time. “She’s been going for hours and missed her nap. So…good luck.” She winked at Charlie and then walked away.

  “I like your earrings. Daddy and Gram say I can’t get any until I’m firteen, but that’s forever. Don’t you think I should get some now?” Her hopeful little eyes made Charlie laugh.
>
  “I didn’t get mine done until I was fourteen, so I’d say your Dad and Gram are doing you a favor.”

  “Oh. I’m ’dopted.” Addyson touched the necklace Charlie had on as if she hadn’t just lobbed another bomb her way.

  Cole patted her back but never took his gaze from Charlie. “Adopted, sweetheart.”

  “That’s what I said. ’Dopted. Where’d you get this?” She tugged on Charlie’s necklace.

  “Umm…” Charlie shifted her higher, trying to focus again, and lifted the heart on the end of the chain. “I don’t remember. Had it forever.”

  “You have purple in your hair.” A tiny pause lasted about two heartbeats. “Daddy, can I have—”

  “No.”

  She just smiled. “’Kay.” She laid her head down on Charlie’s shoulder and started humming to herself.

  Cole rolled his eyes. “Not an ounce of stranger danger in her. Obviously.”

  Charlie patted her back and rocked her from side to side. The noise from the dwindling crowd disappeared and she couldn’t take her eyes from Cole. He stared straight at her. She had so many questions for him but nothing she could grasp with his daughter going limp against her chest. “I don’t know what to say.” She whispered it, not wanting to wake Addyson.

  He closed the distance between them and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Say you’ll have dinner with me.”

  “But—”

  His fingers against her lips silenced her. Though she had no idea what she would have said afterward.

  “I know I haven’t been completely open and honest.”

  Her single lifted eyebrow seemed to convey quite a bit if his slightly self-deprecating chuckle was any indication.

  “You don’t live here. I didn’t think we could have any kind of long-term relationship. It was supposed to be sex and that was it. Wasn’t that what you went into this thinking? Or am I being a dick?”

  Charlie laughed and shook her head. “I sure wasn’t looking for some kind of relationship.” Ugh. Complicated. Addyson’s forehead lolled against her throat and Charlie held her close as she slept. “Didn’t think?” She repeated his earlier phrase. “As in past tense.”