Holding Space by Michele L. Rivera

Author:Michele L. Rivera [Rivera, Michele L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-10-04T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen: Hannah

“Hi,” Charlie says to me when she opens the door to her apartment.

The sight of her robs the air from my lungs. She’s not wearing lingerie or dressed up for a night out. She’s simply herself in a flannel shirt and skinny jeans. Her feet are bare. The piece-y, longer layers of her caramel-colored pixie cut are tousled to the side, carefully arranged to appear messy. To my surprise, her hickory-brown eyes are staring at me from behind a pair of glasses. How did I not know she wore glasses? Not that it matters since this is now by far my most favorite look on her. It’s enticingly raw.

“Hi,” I manage.

She supplies me with a smile. “Welcome to my apartment,” she says as she steps aside and waves me in.

Upon entering, I pass by her and catch a whiff of her earthy, floral scent. An invigorating light-headedness overcomes me. My stomach capsizes. I remember to breathe and let out a short cough, which gives me a second to pull myself together. “Yeah. Thank you for having me.”

She shuts the door and turns to me. “Well, it’s not as lavish as your swanky loft, but I love it. And the location is ideal.”

I look over my surroundings. We’re in the kitchen. It’s a small, galley-style design. There’s a shelf on the wall next to the stove lined with ceramic mugs; a stocked wooden, countertop wine rack on an end table by a window; and magnetic poetry on the refrigerator. A hint of roasted coffee beans permeates the room. I glance past Charlie’s shoulder into what appears to be the living room. I can make out the compact entertainment center, the full bookshelf, the extensive collection of stacked vinyls beside an antique-looking record player, the various photographs on the wall, and the charming pieces of vintage furniture. Then I retrain my gaze on Charlie.

“It’s homey,” I say. “I like it.”

She smirks. “Wait ‘til you see the bedroom.”

I chuckle, feeling the heat suffuse my cheeks. “I’ve been looking forward to that all day,” I admit. “I don’t think the animals at the shelter appreciated that they didn’t have my undivided attention this morning all because of you.”

Charlie gasps. “Because of me?”

“Yes. Because of you.”

She grabs on to the notched collar of my black, knit blazer and pulls me closer. “So, do I have your undivided attention then?”

“Mm-hmm. You do.”

“Good.” She runs her eyes over my body. “You dressed up,” she says, noting the white, fitted tank top beneath my blazer, my mid-rise jeggings, and my ballet flats. Her gaze comes to rest on mine and she raises an eyebrow at me.

I shrug. “It’s nothing. Just my casual date getup.”

Charlie pales. “This isn’t a date though.”

Shit. “Right. Of course it isn’t. I know,” I stammer. “That’s not what I…um…what I meant was that I…ugh.” I crinkle my nose. “That came out wrong. I’m sorry. I know this isn’t a date.”

Charlie furrows her brow. “Do you?”

“Yeah. Obviously I know that,” I say. “I’m aware of our arrangement.

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