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I shove the empty bottle back into my pocket and stand up, turning the lock on the door and stepping back as it opens and Charlie walks in.

“I can’t do this,” I tell him, shaking my head vigorously.

“Take a breath, Kitty Kat.” His hands frame my face and he presses his forehead against mine. “Just take a breath.”

I do as he says but it doesn’t do anything and I tell him as much. I shouldn’t be here, this isn’t what my life should be. I’m bad for Charlie and he should know what I’m really like, what I’m doing to my body, but I can’t bring myself to say the words. To tell him what’s really going on.

His hand moves down to my chest, moving up and down as I breathe.

“That’s it, baby. Just breathe, I’m here.”

“I’m sorry, Charlie. Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this.”

“You know why I asked you to meet them?” I shake my head no and wait for what he has to say. “Because I love you, Kitty Kat. I love your stubborn, sexy ass and I don’t want to live without you.”

“You love me?” I whisper, a lump forming in my throat and tears coming to the surface of my eyes, threatening to break free.

“I love you,” he tells me again, a soft smile on his face.

He pulls me closer, bending at the knees and pressing his lips to mine, once, twice, three times before he pulls away and smiles.

“I… I love you too,” I choke out, the tears winning out and flowing down my cheeks.

He wipes them away with his thumbs and pulls me into his chest, his hand rubbing up and down my back.

“Now, what say we get this meal over and done with so I can take you back to my place and show you just how much I love you.”

I close my eyes and breathe him in, centering myself. Although I’m not sure if it’s him or the pills I’ve just taken, but I feel more at ease now.

“Okay.” I smile. “Let’s do this.”

“That’s my girl,” Charlie chuckles, smacking my ass as I pull the door open.

“Hey!” I spin around and point at him. “Watch it.”

He throws his hands up in the air in surrender with a grin on his face and I can’t help but smile back at him.

“I like her,” Ma announces as I bring the plates into the kitchen with her. “She’s nice, different.”

“Yeah,” I chuckle. “She is.”

“You love her.” She smiles, her eyes lighting up.

I lean against the counter as she pulls out a pie. What is it with her and pies?

“Yeah, I do.”

She claps her hands, jumping up and down then throwing her arms around me. “I’m so happy for you!” She’s acting like a little girl who just got the Barbie doll that she wanted for Christmas. Seeing her like this makes me happy but I won’t tell her that.

“Yeah, okay, Ma. Calm down.”

“Oh hush, my boy is in love again! It’s time to celebrate.”

I shake my head and follow her back into the dining room, sitting back down next to Kitty and resting my hand on her thigh. I wink at her and she gives me an answering smile.

“So, Kitty. Tell us about your parents.”

I feel her muscles tense and I’m just about to say that she doesn’t have to answer that when she says, “My mom and dad are back in Canada, but we’re… not close.”