Page 3 of The Best Christmas Choir Ever

Yeah, grown up gorgeous, some unfamiliar voice inside her said.

“Julian! I’m so sorry,” Erin said, scrambling after the papers on her hands and knees. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Totally my fault for rushing. I was just on my way to a meeting,” he said. “I should have been paying more attention.”

His voice greeted her like a fuzzy recollection, and Charlie’s heart flip-flopped strangely in her chest. It was deeper than it had been, rich in a way—like hot chocolate spiked with booze. A flush of heat rushed through her. It was a feeling she hadn’t expected upon seeing him again.

She didn’t want whatever it was.

It needed to go back into the stupid box and stay there.

Julian hunched over, collecting all the papers in reach.

“Julian Guerrero!” Gram said excitedly. “What a nice surprise.”

Julian looked up for the first time, and Charlie registered the confusion that crossed his face as he clocked Gram and then her. His eyes lingered for an extended beat, widening, his brows arching.

Was he suddenly reliving the same memories Charlie was? That hot, sweaty summer fling. Days camped out at the river’s edge in very little clothing. Late nights on Gram’s porch. Staying up to odd hours of the morning just so they could kiss under the stars. God, she’d been such a romantic back then. Or at least young. Young and silly and unaware of how fast the world could rip things away from her.

“Sorry,” he said, dragging out the word while he searched their faces. He got to his feet. “Do we know each oth—”

“Charlie?” she cut in before Gram could respond. Was he serious right now? How could he not remember? “Charlene.”

He gave her a slow blink.

“We met the summer between third and fourth year of university… When I came to town to visit?”

He laughed politely. “University? God, that was a lifetime ago. I hardly remember what I had for dinner last night.”

“You and me both,” Gram said, and they chuckled.

“You really don’t remember?” Charlie continued, a spark igniting inside her. It grew stronger with every passing second, the feeling like a burn that she wanted to wrench away from. She’d become so good at burying things since the moment she’d learned what grief was, shutting down her feelings and locking them away. That was how she’d kept herself from being overwhelmed by Gram’s fall and losing the house she’d once loved and having to come back to this town. Her hands curled at her sides. So what the hell was all this warmth and confusion and affection flooding her? “You were working at Mackey’s Diner. I came in with some friends, and you asked me out in front of the whole table?”

She remembered thinking he was rather bold. She could have easily turned him down in front of a crowd, but he’d been cute and funny. She’d fallen for him easily.

Julian gave a wry grin. “I’m sure I asked out a lot of girls like that.”

“A lot of girls,” Charlie said flatly. Really?

“Probably improved my odds.”

“We spent an entire summer together,” she noted.

“So clearly my plan worked. Someone took pity on me.” Gram and Erin laughed at his self-deprecating joke, but Charlie’s blood ran hotter, irritation fanning into exasperation. How had she ever been remotely attracted to this… jackass?

He caught her eye for the briefest moment, and she glared back, hard, stamping down the rush of sensation that sent her heartbeat spiraling. Screw her own traitorous pulse.

And screw Julian Guerrero!

“You know what,” Julian said, rubbing his forehead, “I think I might have a vague recollection of that.”

“Excuse me, vague?”

“Mm-hmm.” His mouth twitched.

Had he just called her forgettable? Someone not worth remembering? Charlie didn’t know if she should be offended or mortified by his answer. Maybe both? She couldn’t believe she’d ever thought it might be good to reconnect, even just for Gram’s sake. Tension coiled like an elastic band around her tongue. She didn’t think she’d be able to get another word out even if she wanted to, so she simply narrowed her eyes, daring him to keep going.

“I guess there’s no need for introductions then,” Erin said, cutting through the awkwardness that filled the hallway like an avalanche. “That makes my job easy.”