Page 45 of The Square

“Come on,” he says. “So she got pregnant. Guys get girls pregnant all the time. It’s got nothing to do with feelings.”

“You should shut up now,” I say. “Because you have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Well, it’s not rocket science.”

“It doesn’t bother you?” I ask, trying to change the subject. “That he has a baby and you didn’t even know about it?”

“I mean…” Danny says, kinda thinking this over for a moment. “No. It doesn’t.”

I’m just about to say something I’ll need to immediately take back when Charlie comes out from the French doors.

“Hey, Andra. Uncle Theo wants to see you inside.”

“OK!” mini-Alec says, throwing down her jump rope.

“And Russell wants to talk to you, Danny.”

Danny nods and walks over to Charlie, giving him a sidelong glance that Charlie doesn’t see as he passes.

Charlie doesn’t see because he’s looking at me.

“What?” I ask, irritated.

His gaze remains locked with mine for a long second, but I look away first. He’s very handsome. Light brown hair, light brown eyes, and a perfect fucking body that should never wear clothes.

Which means Brenden is equally as handsome. Because they’re twins and all. But Charlie has something that Brenden doesn’t. I don’t know what it is, we just… click.

I’d like to say that was the whole reason why we had an almost-thing back when I was younger, but it’s not. Charlie was my friend. He was there for me.

“You OK?” he asks, walking over to me and taking a seat on the stone wall.

“Just fine,” I snap. “Just motherfucking fine.”

He’s silent for a second and then he huffs out a breath of air. Not a laugh. Not a sigh. But something more like… a sense of resignation. “I don’t get it. What were you expecting?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Come on. Don’t play dumb with me. I was there.”

“Shut up, OK? Just shut the fuck up about it.”

He’s quiet for a minute. And just as I’m about to get up and go back inside, he says, “I heard some things about you three.”

“Yeah? So?”

“Things about you and Lars.”

“I’m not discussing it, Charlie. So don’t bother asking me.”

“I already know. And I told the lot of them just now, so Russell and Eliza know what they’re getting into if we agree to this.”

I want to cry. Just break down and… be sad. For as long as it takes to stop being sad.

But I’ve never really had the luxury of sadness. I can count on one finger the times I’ve been able to stop and just feel things.

And now is not the moment to pick up that habit. So I take a deep breath, stand up, look down at Charlie—who is looking up at me with an expression of pity or maybe, probably, just disappointment—and say, “You’re going to agree. We all know you will.”

Which is a lie. I’m pretty sure Eliza will say no just to spite me. But I soldier on. “So what’s the plan?”

He smiles at me. A very charming Charlie smile that heals my heart just a little and makes me glad we were only ever an almost-thing and never a real thing. Because he is my friend. Has been my friend. Has been by my side.

And he’s still here.

“You know I said yes and even though Eliza is the one who must say yes, she will because I told her she owed me.”

I deflate at this news. Not in disappointment, but with relief. Like all the stress I’ve been holding inside since that night out at the waterfall leaks out and relieves all the pressure.

“Thank you,” I whisper, unable to look him the eyes. “I guess I owe you twice now.”

He stands up, takes my hand—which makes me look up at him in surprise—and says, “There are no debts or favors between us, Christine. Ever.”