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Viviane and Mack excused themselves to chat with the owner, and Charlie chipped away at her neon orange fingernail polish while she marinated in Viviane’s words.

What Mack needed. Did Mack need her? Why, after only a short amount of time, was Mack needing her equally scary and wonderful?

The women gathered their items, and they all moved outside. The city streetlights illuminated the rocks embedded into the sidewalk as they walked to Viviane’s waiting Uber.

“Been a heck of a day. Gonna head back to the hotel and sleep off the success.” Viviane tugged her bag higher on her shoulder. “Great to meet you, Charlie. Mack, give me a hug.”

They both waved to Viviane and turned to stroll down the sidewalk. Cars honking, buses whipping by, and chirping crosswalk indicators funneled in the background. Mack dug out several business cards from her pocket, tossed them in the trash, and continued alongside Charlie.

“You hungry?” Charlie asked.

“No. The nerves frazzled my appetite.” Mack pointed to a café on the corner. “You up for a coffee from your competitor?”

Charlie glanced up at the chain coffee shop nestled between two clothing stores. “Ah. My old stomping grounds. I used to go to this place when Ben and I skateboarded downtown.”

“You skateboarded?” Mack held the door open. “You’ve officially leveled up yet another notch on the cool factor. My mom put the fear of God into me that I’d break some body part if I ever tried, so I never did.”

The quiet, dimly lit coffee shop contrasted with Sugar Mugs’s radiant energy, but the roasted coffee bean scent comforted her the same. They found a quiet corner table and sipped vanilla chai tea lattes. With the whirlwind afternoon shifting to a peaceful evening, Charlie took a deep breath.

“You have a perfect slope.”

Mack’s eyebrows furrowed. “Um, thanks? What’s a slope?”

“This little spot right here.” Charlie touched the middle point above her lips and below her nose. “The slope.”

“Is that an actual term?”

“Yep.” Charlie took a tentative sip. “You’ve never used that in one of your stories, huh? Better write more kissing scenes.” A burn spread in Charlie’s chest. They hadn’t talked more about the hammock kiss, and now the subject hung in the air. Charlie’s eyes drew toward Mack’s soft mouth, then her perfect pink cheekbones, strong jawline, smooth neck, and dark eyes.

Focus on the chai.

“I’m in awe of you right now.” Charlie tossed Mack a sheepish grin. “You’re like… famous. I half expected TMZ to be outside on the sidewalk taking photos of us.”

Mack laughed. “It’d be a very sad, very slow news day if I ever showed up online.”

“You said before that it’s tough to be around groups of people like this?”

Mack nodded.

Charlie twirled the drink. “Well, you were a natural with the crowd.”

“It’s all an act. I hate it. And I’m not just saying that. Do you know I didn’t even make my first doctor appointment for myself until I was twenty? My mom, in Seattle, made the appointments for me in New York. Ridiculous, right?”

So, she’s not perfect. Which made her even more perfect.

The sugared tea traveled quickly, and they resumed their trek toward Charlie’s car. A light mist started, unearthing the metallic scent of rain against the pavement. Charlie looped her arm through Mack’s and tugged her under the building’s canopies.

“Here’s a random question.” Mack slid over to allow another couple heading towards them space on the sidewalk. “Are umbrellas sold in Seattle?”

Charlie chuckled. “Yeah. Wait, what?”

“I never see anyone with umbrellas. Or rarely. I only thought about it because the woman over there has one.” She pointed to a woman holding a canary yellow umbrella looking in a shop window.

“Tourist, for sure. Locals just brave the elements.”

An electric city bus drove by them as they waited at a stop light, and Charlie glanced at Mack through her peripherals. Mack’s mouth twisted like she was deep in thought. Several moments of silence passed when Mack squeezed her arm.

“You have no idea what it meant to me that you came here today.”