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“Anything.” Mack tugged off her slippers and lined them up underneath the foot of the bed. “Literally anything. As long as I’m with you, we can lie in bed and eat naked takeout pizza for all I care.”

“No chance. This is a celebration. We’re going somewhere great.” Although pizza and a bedroom sounded kind of amazing.

Mack’s wide grin set Charlie in motion. With her heart filled and her body ignited, she pulled Mack into her and pressed her lips onto Mack’s. Her mouth parted with Mack’s tongue. Mack firmed her hold and walked back towards the bed as every cell in Charlie’s body charged.

Mack pulled herself away. “Nope. I’m seriously so stinky and gross. Twenty minutes, okay? Be right back.”

Charlie collapsed back on the bed and caught her breath. After dinner, they needed to go back to Charlie’simmediately. Her body was on fire. Even her skin tickled.

But first, logistics: Find a fantastic place for dinner. Sushi? Thai in Edmonds? A bistro in Bellevue? She patted her pockets, then dug into her purse for her phone and found nothing but too many pens and a wallet. “Crap.” She tiptoed down the hall and knocked outside the bathroom door. “Hey, I forgot my cell in the car. Can I use your phone or laptop?”

“Yeah, laptop’s unlocked. Go ahead,” Mack called over the sounds of water running.

Charlie returned to the bedroom and pulled the laptop open. Jesus. And she thought she was bad. Perfectly ironed, coifed, and the same outfit every day, Mack seemed way too buttoned-up to have at least twenty-five tabs open. Charlie minimized the current screen to not screw up whatever hot mess Mack had going on when exactly two documents appeared:Crooked RootsandCharlie.

A spark singed up Charlie’s neck.Charlie?Gah! How freaking sweet. Was Mackwriting her a poem? Planning a surprise?

Ooh!… If she planned a surprise, Charlie would need coverage at the shop. God love Mack, but she never fully grasped how being the owner, manager, and head employee was not something—at least for now—that Charlie could just walk away from.

She clicked open the document and scanned it for a date. A metallic, sticky sensation curdled underneath her mouth’s surface before it went dry as she read from the file.

Alcoholic father, waiting at the window. Ask if she drew pictures. Did she have a stuffed animal/blanket, maybe a doll?

*Storm*—use this! Perfect. Trembling as the wind howled, very scared; she seemed to distract herself with tea and fairy lights

Brownie story—cute. Add a choking scene?

Trust issues, smiling with a butterfly purse, holding something in

Best friend—need more on how they met; what bonded them? Were drugs ever involved?

Unblinking, Charlie continued to scan. A small bead of sweat formed on her upper lip, and she swiped it off with the back of her hand. What was this? Mack did this? But… why?

She kept reading. Another page and another as her stomach muscles tightened so heavily that acid shot up her throat.

Divorce, codependency