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“Yes, we’re in this together,” Charlie said.

“You know, I wouldn’t have made it through the last few weeks without you both,” Abby said.

“Me either,” Charlie said, and Morgan agreed.

“I’m starving,” Morgan said.“We can clean that mess up later.”

“You meanyoucan clean it up later,” Charlie said.

“I thought we were in this together,” Morgan said.

“Hey, we’re not attached at the hip,” Charlie said.

“I’ll make some waffles,” Abby said, heading to the kitchen.

“I have to call Rick; he’s been texting me since last night,” Charlie said.

“We’ll call you when breakfast is ready,” Abby said, getting eggs, milk, and the batter out of the refrigerator.“Wait, where’s the waffle iron?”

“I’ll get it,” Morgan said, reaching into a cabinet above the refrigerator.

Charlie picked up her phone and went into her bedroom.

“Hi,” Rick said.“Why haven’t you texted me back?”

“I was asleep,” Charlie got on her bed and leaned against the headboard.

“I want to talk to you about something,” he said.

“Okay…”

Charlie could hear him take a breath.“While you’ve been gone, it’s given me a lot of time to think about our relationship,” he said.“Things haven’t been as good as they used to be.”

Charlie got up and began pacing around the room.She wondered if he was about to break up with her.“Do you agree?”Rick asked.

She started to cough as though a bug had blown into her throat.“Uh, uh…I guess so,” she finally got a few words out.

“Good, then we’re on the same page,” Rick said.

Charlie felt dampness spreading across the back of her neck, and she put her hand up to her heart, which felt like it was skipping beats.If anyone’s going to break up, it should be me,she thought.I need to beat him to the punch.

“I’ve been trying to understand where things went wrong,” Rick said.“All I can figure out is the excitement is gone.”

Speak, Charlie, damn it!Break up with him before he does it.Get the upper hand.

“So, I’ve decided we need to get married,” Rick said as if he was ordering a plain turkey sandwich from a deli counter.

Charlie stopped pacing.What?she screamed, then realized she had only said it in her head.

“I know you’re surprised, but I think it’s the only thing that’ll save our relationship,” he said.“We can find a ring at some point, and we don’t even have to set a date.We can just be engaged to be engaged.Okay, I’ve got to run to a meeting.I’ll talk to you later.”He hung up.

What have I done?Charlie kicked the bedpost, then ground her teeth so hard her jaw hurt.

CHAPTER 27

Abby

The night Abby met Greg again, he smelled musky and floral at the same time.They sat at a table in the back of the bar, had another drink, and continued their conversation where they had left off earlier.