Page 5 of What He Always Knew

When Robin nodded and began distributing workbooks to each table, Charlie walked slowly and calmly over to where I stood in her doorway.

“Mr. Walker,” she said, loud enough for Robin to hear. “Good morning. How are you?”

“Very well,” I answered automatically. “Wanted to come check on you after last night. Feeling okay?”

“Yes, I’m okay. Thank you for asking. It was a wonderful spring concert, by the way. I’m sure Mr. Henderson is very proud of all your hard work.”

I forced a smile, but my stomach turned as I searched her face for a sign of something —anything— to let me know how she was truly feeling.

I found nothing.

“I was wondering if you have plans for lunch. I wanted to go over the concert with you, talk about ways to improve for next semester.”

“Oh,” Charlie said, and she glanced briefly over her shoulder at Robin, who seemed oblivious to our conversation, anyway. “Sure. I’ll see you in the café then?”

“Perfect.”

I stood rooted to that spot, my hands in my pockets wrapped into tight fists to keep from reaching for her. I wanted to kiss her so badly I felt the pain of it like a thorn in my heart. Her hair was in a bun at the nape of her neck, her eyes tired and dark, her expression weary. I wanted to pull her into me, to play her any song she wanted to hear and then make love to her in our fort.

In our fort that Blake was currently taking down.

My stomach rolled again. I knew I had to tell Charlie about Blake, and I felt that Charlie had something to tell me, too. I had no idea what happened after she fainted at the concert last night. Did they fight? Did she tell him she was leaving? Did he make her cry?

I searched her eyes with my own, begging her to give me some kind of sign.

And then, slowly, purposefully — she smiled.

It was just a small smile, but it was a real one, one that told me we would talk later. I didn’t know what that conversation would hold, but that smile gave me hope — it gave me something to hold onto.

I sighed with the relief it brought, offering her a smile of my own.

She was still mine. She was still with me. There was hope.

“Have a good morning, Mr. Walker,” she said, and her eyes softened, her own hand twitching forward for me before she clasped it over her opposite wrist, instead.

“You too, Mrs.… Pierce.” I swallowed, lips flattening. “See you at lunch.”

When I was clear of her, I took a full breath, letting it out like a frustrated bull.

Four hours. I had to wait four hours to talk to her.

I watched the clock all morning.

Charlie was late to lunch.

I’d already piled up a plate with a hot sandwich that was rapidly turning cold as I sat at the table in the far back corner of the teachers’ café, waiting for Charlie to show. I checked my phone for a text from her, but there was nothing.

Therewereseveral texts from Blake about the house, and dinner, and movie options for after dinner. But I couldn’t think about her — not yet, not before I talked to Charlie.

She finally rushed in twenty minutes after I’d already been there, and I threw my hand up to wave her back. She blew out a sigh, shoving her phone into her pocket like she’d just ended a call.

“Sorry,” she said on a breath as she slid her bag into one of the empty chairs at the table I’d claimed.

I waited for her to tell me who was on the phone, but she didn’t offer anything past the apology.

“It’s okay,” I said, but my eyes drifted to her pocket, wondering if it was Cameron who had called. “Grab a plate and we can talk?” I suggested.

She looked at the bar of food like eating was the last thing she wanted to do, but she nodded. “Yeah, I should probably try to eat. Let me just grab a bowl of soup.”