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“Oh, Isaac posted!” Darcy flopped down on the couch next to Tara, eyes on her phone.
“Isaac?” Nick asked from his spot sprawled out on the floor. He had taken to spending his Sunday afternoons at Tara and Darcy’s flat, mainly because he didn’t want to deal with his laddish flatmates complaining about how hungover they were from the night before.
“From Truham. He was a year below you, I think.” Tara looked over at Nick with a glint in her eye. “Friends with Charlie.”
Nick choked. “Charlie? As in Charlie Spring?!”
Nick could pretend he hadn’t thought about Charlie in years, that this was the first time his name had entered his mind since he left secondary school. But the truth was, he’d thought of Charlie frequently over the years. He thought of him whenever he saw a head of dark curls or bright blue eyes or adorable dimples. Charlie was his first thought when he heard a drum solo or saw someone reading a classical book. And he thought of Charlie when he imagined being in love, when he tried to conceptualise spending a life with someone. To Nick, Charlie was not only his first real crush but his ultimate dream partner. At this point, it felt a little pathetic.
Tara smirked. “Yes, Charlie Spring. Isaac is one of his best friends. He posts booktube videos.”
“Booktube?”
Darcy rolled her eyes. “Get on the internet, Nicholas! Youtube videos specifically about books. Isaac has a really great channel. Awesome queer recs.” She handed an earbud to Tara, and they both huddled around her phone.
A few moments passed where the girls were silently watching the video while Nick stared at the ceiling and tried not to think about how beautiful Charlie Spring looked the last time he saw him. It had been a few years ago while he was back for term break from university. He was walking Nellie at the park near his house when Charlie Spring had run by, face slightly flushed and curls bouncing on his head. The slowly setting sun had haloed him in golden light, and Nick had paused in his walk to just watch him as he ran by.
Suddenly, twin gasps interrupted Nick’s reminiscing. “Cast it to the TV!”
“Wha—” But before Nick could finish his question, a still from the video appeared on the TV as a buffer wheel spun in front of it. “Oh.”
The video loaded and began playing. “Please welcome my special guest, Charlie! He’s one of my best friends and has a degree in English literature so we often discuss books together. I thought it would make sense to bring him on for this fun book tag.”
Nick gaped at the TV. “That’s… What is happening?”
“Shh!” Both girls hissed.
Isaac turned to Charlie. “Introduce yourself!”
“Hi, I’m Charlie. Um, I’ve known Isaac since Year 9, and I love to read. Anything else?”
Isaac chuckled. “No, you’re good.”
“He’s so cute,” Nick mumbled, eyes transfixed on Charlie as he giggled on screen.
“This is the LGBTQ+ bingo tag. Which I made up… So if you decide to also do it, send it to me! We use these bingo sheets I randomly generated,” Isaac held up a sheet of paper with a 5x5 bingo bracket on it, “and try to get bingo with just the books in our flat. But instead of B-I-N-G-O, the letters are L-G-B-T-Q, and there’s not any numbers but instead tropes. So if I can find a dark academia book with a bisexual character in it, I get to count that square.”
“It’ll make sense as we do it!” Charlie chuckled next to Isaac on the screen.
“Yes, I hope so. There’s a link to the card generator in the description so you can do this as well.” Isaac pointed down. “Charlie and I are flatmates and each has a large number of books. All of the books in the flat are fair game, even each other’s. We will have ten minutes to attempt to get as many L-G-B-T-Qs as possible using the books in our flat. Ready?”
“You’re going down!”
“3, 2, 1, GO!”
Nick’s mouth was fully agape as he watched the time lapse of both men scrambling around their small flat. Charlie was just as lithe and lanky as he remembered but with a grace that could only have come with the maturity and confidence that came from age. Nick felt his heart beating in his chest, a fluttering thump that echoed in his ears as he tried to ground himself and figure out how he should be taking in this new information.
Once Nick was able to regulate himself a bit, he found himself enjoying the video. Both men had a comfortable rapport with each other and an ease to their interactions that made it feel like he was spending time with friends as opposed to watching them through a screen. Charlie was sarcastic and insightful and charming, and Nick found his childhood crush increasing as he updated the version of Charlie in his head to better align with this adult Charlie.
“Okay, the next book I have is a queer sports romance, which is the last one I need for my second bingo.” Charlie excitedly held up a book, knowing that he had jumped ahead in the game.
“Charlie almost had his own sports romance in secondary school.” Isaac wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“Isaac!” Charlie lowered the book and turned to glare at his friend. “I did not! I had a hopeless crush on a rugby boy who had no idea I even existed. Very far from a romance.”
Nick sat up straight at that, eyes widening at the implication of what Charlie had just admitted. He tried to stop the hope from bubbling up within him, but it seemed to have a mind of its own as it grew and grew inside Nick’s chest.
“Not just any rugby boy, the rugby boy. The Rugby King.”
Rugby King. Nick’s secondary school nickname rang in his ears in Isaac’s teasing tone.
“Holy shit,” Darcy whispered from the couch.
“Okay, you have to cut that out. It’s too obvious now.” Charlie’s cheeks had flushed a deep red.
Isaac waved off Charlie’s concern. “No one who knows watches my videos, you’ll be fine.”
Charlie visibly swallowed. “Fine. But I reserve the right to make you take it out later.”
“Yes, yes. And I’ll leave this part as well as proof.”
“Thank you.” Charlie picked up the book again. “As I was saying, Cleat Cute...”
Nick zoned out for the rest of the video, only able to take in the visual of Charlie and the brand new knowledge of a once-requited crush. What did he do now?! He couldn’t just randomly reach out to Charlie, not after never actually talking to him. That would surely do nothing but scare him off.
But he had liked him once upon a time! Maybe that was all Nick was supposed to get from Charlie, the knowledge that he truly was the one that got away.
🍂
While most of what occupied Nick’s mind from the video was all things Charlie, he found himself thinking a lot about a few of the books mentioned. He’d never been a big reader, but something about a queer book with identifiable tropes felt approachable. Plus, a new bookshop had opened in town, and he had been meaning to pop in, if only to welcome them.
And if throwing himself into reading would keep his mind off Charlie, all the better.
He decided to walk into town, taking advantage of the crisp autumn morning. While he played in a recreational rugby league, Nick wasn’t always getting the amount of cardio he’d like so he welcomed the walk.
The shop was small but not claustrophobic. Quaint sprang to mind as Nick wove through the bookshelves, trying to identify the sorting system.
He had just happened upon the magical realism area when a small squeak drew his attention. Swinging his head around, he noticed a door in the back labelled “Employees Only” that was slightly swinging back and forth, appearing to have just been hastily walked through.
Huh.
On a quick visual sweep of the shop, Nick couldn’t actually see anyone working. That didn’t seem like a solid business model, but who was he to judge? Just as he had the thought, someone stumbled out of the back room.
Nick’s heart stopped. It was Isaac. If Isaac was working at this bookshop and was flatmates with Charlie, that had to mean…
“Can I help you with anything?” Isaac had somehow materialised in front of Nick while he was trying to process all this new information.
“You’re Isaac.” Nick winced. He had not meant to blurt that out.
Isaac looked taken aback, as if Nick knowing who he was was the most surprising thing to happen to him. “I… am, yes. And you’re the Rugby King.”
Nick groaned. “Please don’t call me that, I hoped to leave that in secondary. Just Nick.”
“Okay, Just Nick. How do you know who I am?”
“We went to school together.” You’re best mates with my ultimate crush and also I watched a video of you two yesterday which is the whole reason I’m here right now.
“You don’t remember me from school.” He didn’t look hurt, merely seemed to be stating a fact.
“I…”
“That’s okay, I wouldn’t expect you to. I kept to myself. But that then begs the question of how you know who I am now.” Isaac smirked at him, as if he knew something Nick didn’t.
“I… you… I saw your video. The one with, erm, with Charlie.” Nick whispered his name, as if saying it too loud wasn’t allowed, as if he wasn’t worthy to speak his name. It was a holy sound, Charlie’s name, and Nick didn’t want to use it incorrectly.
“You remember Charlie from school?” Isaac’s smirk increased.
Nick flushed. “I’m not sure I could ever forget him.”
“Hold on, please.” Isaac disappeared through the door to the back room again.
When he reappeared, he was ushering someone out ahead of him who seemed to be putting up a bit of a fight. “No, Isaac, what—“
“Charlie.” Nick breathed it out, soft and sweet, how it deserved to be said.
Charlie Spring turned to fully face Nick, eyes wide and cheeks pink. “Um. Hi.”
He was gorgeous, so gorgeous, in the dim lighting of the shop, curls wild on his head. Nick wondered if he’d ever be able to properly breathe again.
“I’ll leave you to it.” Isaac backed away through the door.
“Can I help you with anything?” Charlie tilted his head adorably.
“How long have you lived here?” Nick shut his eyes. He was doing a bang up job of putting his foot firmly in his mouth today.
Blessedly, he heard a soft giggle that prompted him to open his eyes. It was one of the most beautiful noises Nick had ever heard. “We opened this place a few weeks ago. Been here about two months.”
“How have I not seen you yet?”
Charlie shrugged. “I saw you.”
“What?” Nick was floored.
Charlie ignored his question. “Can I help you with anything?”
“Do you know who I am?” Nick knew he must have sounded desperate, but he had no idea how to be normal right now.
A small smile graced Charlie’s face. “Of course I do. Can I help you with anything, Nick?”
“I’m looking for a book.”
“Good place for it.” The smile morphed into a smirk.
“The House in the Cerulean Sea.” Nick wanted to make his way through all the books he’d been intrigued with from the video, but he knew he needed to pace himself. He wasn’t a reader so it was no use buying a bunch of books if he wasn’t going to end up reading them.
“Oh. Yeah, um, follow me.” Charlie gave a small smile and walked out from behind the counter. Nick swallowed down a gasp as he took in the entirety of Charlie for the first time in years. He was still tall and lanky but with a grace that could only come with age. The word lithe entered Nick’s mind for probably the first time ever.
Charlie led them through the aisles, all clearly organised but in an almost haphazard way that made it feel like a wizard’s library. Nick smiled softly as he took it all in, seeing pieces of Charlie (or what he knew of Charlie) in every part of the store.
“Oh.” Charlie had stopped, suddenly enough that Nick almost bumped into him. He put out a steadying hand towards the shelf in front of him, accidentally brushing against Charlie and essentially hugging his side. Nick withdrew his arm as soon as he was stable, mourning the loss but not wanting to make this ethereal man uncomfortable.
“Sorry,” Nick mumbled.
“No, I—“ Charlie turned to face him, cheeks dusted with pink. Nick wanted to stroke his thumbs over them, feel the heat and watch it grow. “It was my fault, I should have warned you. But, um, it looks like we don’t have any copies left.”
“Oh, okay.” Nick hadn’t accounted for this wrinkle.
Charlie wrung his hands. “We can order you a copy. It’ll just take a few days to come in.”
So Nick would have a perfectly valid excuse to see Charlie again in a few days. Not the worst turn of events. “Sure, yeah, that works.”
“Great! Sorry about that.”
“Not a problem. Honestly a good endorsement for the book.” Nick shrugged, hoping he came off as nonchalant and cool as opposed to nervous and lovestruck.
“It’s, uh, actually one of my favourites.” Charlie smiled at Nick, so sweet and small and lovely.
I know, I watched Isaac’s video. “Oh, that’s an even better endorsement.” Charlie’s smile grew, and Nick felt like he’d accomplished something grand.
“Can I help you with anything else?”
Nick thought about the list of books in his pocket. He’d written down all the recommendations that were compelling to him (during his fourth watch of the video when he’d gotten over his shock at seeing Charlie again) but hesitated to pull it out. Would Charlie notice the common theme with all the books? And if Nick didn’t buy them all now, he could keep coming back. Maybe it made sense to just start with one and make his way through over time.
“Um, yeah. I guess I’ll get another book to hold me over. Any recommendations?” It felt sneaky when he had a list of Charlie’s recommendations in his pocket, but he wanted to find an excuse for conversation. Sue him.
“What kinds of books do you like?”
Nick rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly self-conscious. He didn’t miss the way Charlie’s eyes tracked the movement. “I don’t really know. I’m trying to figure that out, I guess. But I know I want queer books. Something I can maybe relate to.”
He couldn’t help but hold his breath as he waited for Charlie’s reaction. Nick had been out as bi since uni, but he was fairly sure the news hadn’t been spread amongst the hometown gossip.
“Oh…” It came out strained. Charlie cleared his throat. “Oh! Um, any kind of queer in particular?”
Nick held back a self-satisfied smile. “Well, I’m bi, but I’m open to reading about any kind of queerness.”
Charlie’s eyes were wide, and he looked truly rocked by this information. Nick chose to take that as a positive. “O–oh. Yeah. Um, cool. Follow me, I have a couple ideas.”
While Charlie took a moment to break out of his stupor, he still pointed out a number of options that were already on Nick’s list. Nick ultimately went with The Charm Offensive, which Charlie promised was an easy one to get into and would hopefully help ease Nick into his reading journey.
“Okay. Let’s head to the front so I can check you out.” Nick raised a teasing eyebrow, delighting in the fierce blush it elicited. “You know what I mean! And we can also put in that order for you.”
It had gone well, right? Nick hadn’t made too much of a fool of himself, save for that one moment where he basically caged Charlie in. But beyond that, he’d been surprisingly composed, all things considered. Maybe he’d even work up the courage to ask for Charlie’s number in a few more visits.
“Phone number?”
“What?” Had Nick said that out loud? Oh no, Charlie must think he’s some kind of weirdo creep. There goes any shot he had with his dream guy.
Charlie cleared his throat, face pink. “So we can call you when the book comes in. I guess we could email you, if you’d prefer?”
“No! No, a call is perfect. Yeah.” Nick rattled off his number, hoping against hope that the digits would stick in Charlie’s brain and make their way into his personal phone.
“Great, we’ll give you a call soon.” Charlie brushed an errant curl from his forehead, and Nick followed the movement with his eyes. “Um, was there anything else you needed?”
Nick resisted the urge to respond with you, mentally cringing at even the thought. “I also just wanted to welcome you to the town. I mean, the bookshop! But also you. And Isaac, of course!”
“Of course.” Charlie smirked impishly. “Thank you, we’re excited to be here.”
Nick nodded and made his way to the door, before a thought flitted into his head. He stopped just shy of the door and turned back. “Actually!”
Charlie startled, looking up at Nick with wide eyes. “Yes?”
“I, um,” Nick approached the counter again, determined in his gait, “I work at the local primary school. And we have been lamenting how annoying it is to have to rely on Amazon or travel out of town to get books for our class. The secondary and grammar teachers have a similar gripe.”
Charlie tilted his head, a small smile on his face. “That does sound annoying.”
“It is! So many of our books are falling apart, but it’s so inconvenient to get new ones, not to mention expensive.”
“So… what are you proposing?”
“Look, I’m not a school administrator or a business guy or anything. But I think some kind of partnership between your shop and the local schools could be mutually beneficial.”
Charlie propped his elbow on the counter and rested his chin in his hand. “Isaac‘s our numbers guy.”
“Can I put Isaac in contact with the school’s numbers guy?” Nick had no idea who that was, but he figured it couldn’t be too difficult to find out.
“Yeah, sure. Just have them call the store’s number.”
“Sounds good! Thanks, Charlie!” Nick smiled, unbidden, the nerves still swirling within him, but now mixed with something euphoric. “And I, uh, look forward to hearing from you. It was really great to see you again.”
Charlie seemed caught off guard by Nick’s open sincerity. He straightened up slightly, dropping his arm back down behind the counter. “Oh. Yeah, it was.”
“I always wished I had talked to you at school. You, uh, you just seemed really…” hot and smart and funny “cool.”
Charlie huffed out an incredulous laugh. “I highly doubt you noticed me at school.”
Nick furrowed his brow, confused by Charlie’s assertion. “Of course I noticed you. I always noticed you. Even when you didn’t notice me.”
“I—“ Charlie’s mouth was agape.
Biting down a smile, Nick nodded and turned back to the door. “Bye, Charlie.” And with that, he left.
🍂
Charlie soon became a regular part of Nick’s life. Or, Charlie’s bookshop, more accurately. But Nick’s intention was certainly to make Charlie the regular part of his life. Most days after work, he found himself sitting in one of the armchairs in the shop, reading whatever new book Charlie had suggested and trying to work up the courage to ask Charlie if he wanted to hang out sometime.
It would be so easy, he rationalised. Oh gosh, seven already? Wow, lost track of time. Hm, I guess I’m gonna need to get some dinner. Oh hey, do you wanna join me?
But it was easier conceptualised than done. Instead of casually suggesting dinner, Nick would usually awkwardly pack up his things, shuffling out as Charlie closed up, muttering a goodbye as he let another day pass without asking Charlie out.
About a month into this futile routine, Charlie sat in the chair across from Nick, the hint of a smile on his lips.
“Are you more of a coffee or tea guy?”
The question caught Nick off guard. Dare he hope this was an incredibly smooth way to invite him out on a cafe date? Had he spent all this time stressing about asking Charlie out only for Charlie to be the one to take the leap?
As nonchalantly as possible, considering his heart was hammering in his chest, Nick cleared his throat and answered, “Tea, usually.”
Charlie smiled, which did nothing to calm Nick’s heart. Quite the opposite. “That’s what I thought.” He stood then and began walking away. Nick felt the urge to reach out and stop him, but he held back, aware that he had no way to explain away such a move.
Just as Nick had tucked back into the book, a mug of tea was placed on the small table next to the armchair. He startled and looked down at it, then glanced up to find Charlie in the chair across from him sipping out of a mug of his own. Nick couldn’t hold back a small smile.
“So. Nick Nelson.” Charlie smirked over the top of his mug.
Nick took a sip of his tea. Perfectly brewed. “Charlie Spring.”
“You’ve been here quite a lot recently.”
“Maybe I just love books.”
“Mm.” Charlie took a sip, his eyes not leaving Nick’s. “I’ve noticed something interesting about the books you’ve chosen.”
“What might that be?” Nick felt something fluttering in his stomach, the possibility of being discovered both exhilarating and nerve-wracking.
Charlie considered him for a moment. “I’m not sure I’m ready to voice it just yet.”
“Hm. Well, whenever you are, I’ll be here.”
“Yes, because you’re here everyday.”
“You could kick me out.” Nick raised an eyebrow in challenge.
“I won’t.” Charlie smiled, unbidden and genuine.
🍂
Charlie began joining Nick on most days, plopping a cuppa down next to Nick and settling into the matching armchair. He often read his own book but would occasionally bring a laptop and do some kind of work that creased his forehead. Nick would get distracted sometimes, watching Charlie worry his lower lip as he scrutinised the screen and wondering how that lip would feel pressed to his own.
The bookshop began growing in popularity after they began officially partnering with the schools, meaning Nick’s time with Charlie became more and more broken up as customers filtered in. He couldn’t be too annoyed, obviously glad the shop was doing well and his idea was proving fruitful, but he missed the days when he could have Charlie all to himself.
More people also meant he had to deal with his students interrupting his reading time, which wouldn’t normally be a problem. But often his conversation with a student turned into having to fend off the single moms angling for his number. The only thing Nick liked less than time with Charlie being interrupted was time with Charlie being interrupted by a flirty divorcee.
“I know you’ve said you won’t date your students’ parents, but Hazel won’t be your student much longer.” Hazel was one of Nick’s brightest and funniest students which made it all the more annoying that her mum couldn’t seem to get the hint that Nick wasn’t interested.
“Yes, very true, but she’ll still be at the school. And my lunch duty shift covers Years 1 through 4 so I’ll see her everyday.” That wasn’t strictly true as Nick only had lunch duty on Mondays and Thursdays, but Josie Jamison didn’t need to know that.
“Mum, let’s go!”
Josie sighed and made to go to her daughter. “One of these days, Mr. Nelson. You’ll see.” She then had the audacity to wink before grabbing Hazel’s hand and leaving the shop.
Nick stared at the door with a troubled expression until he heard slight wheezing. He closed his eyes in embarrassment. “Please tell me you just got here and are just choking on your coffee.”
Charlie let his giggles escape at that, and Nick couldn’t find it in him to be that annoyed, not when he got to hear such an angelic sound. “She was insistent, Mr. Nelson.”
Nick resolutely ignored the small thrill that gave him. He finally turned to look at Charlie, both annoyed and charmed by his teasing smile. “It’s been going on all year. She and Hazel’s dad broke up just before the school year started, and she immediately set her sights on me.”
“Can’t blame her.” Charlie smirked and shrugged. “Large, handsome man who’s good with kids? There are far worse options out there.”
“I…” Nick sputtered, trying to regain some semblance of dignity. He cleared his throat. “Well, be that as it may, it’s still annoying.”
“”Oh no, I’m just so desirable that attractive people won’t leave me alone!’”
“Right now, the only attractive person I’m worried about not leaving me alone is you! I don’t come here to be mocked!”
Charlie’s cheeks flushed a pretty pink, which Nick chocked up to his continued amusement. “I’m afraid that’s all I have to offer.”
“I think you have a lot to offer.” Charlie looked directly into Nick’s eyes, earnestness flooding his expression, eyes wide and beautiful. Nick swallowed, a sad attempt at maintaining even an ounce of composure. “Like book recommendations and tea.”
They laughed weakly at that, and Nick felt like some kind of moment had been shattered by his cowardice. Charlie gave a small smile as he stood and then disappeared down the aisle behind the chairs, leaving Nick to replay every second of their interaction.
No. Not this time. Nick had let Charlie go all those years ago because he was too nervous to admit his feelings and what they meant. And now that he somehow had Charlie back in his life, he wasn’t going to let that happen again.
“You have more to offer than book recommendations and tea.” Charlie gasped, clearly startled by the sudden noise, and put out a hand to steady himself on the bookshelf he was standing in front of. Nick stood and took large strides to meet Charlie in the aisle. “You’re smart and funny and witty and so beautiful. And I love being around you. I come here because of you. The books and the tea are nice, but I’d go wherever you are even with no books or tea.”
Charlie had turned to face Nick during his confession, eyes widening more at each word. “The books.”
Nick had not been expecting that. “What?”
“The books you read. They’re all the books I recommended in Isaac’s video. In the video where we mention my crush on you back in secondary.” Charlie pointed at the book in Nick’s hand, which was indeed one of Charlie’s picks from the video.
“I couldn’t believe it. That you liked me too. And I never dared imagine you still liked me, but just to know you had at one point was enough.” Nick took a step closer, so close that Charlie had to tilt his head back to maintain eye contact. “Even though I still like you. It was enough.”
Charlie raised up slightly and crashed his lips into Nick’s. It only took a second for Nick to respond, bringing up a strong hand to cup Charlie’s face, thumb resting just in front of his ear. They moved in tandem, Charlie pushing closer as Nick turned them to lightly push Charlie up against the bookshelf. Nick felt Charlie’s arms wrap around his waist and couldn’t help but smile into the kiss, bringing his other hand up to tangle in Charlie’s hair.
God, it was pure bliss. Nick could stay in this moment for the rest of forever and be more than happy with his fate.
All too soon, a pointed throat clearing startled Nick back, hand still on Charlie’s face, eyes wide and bewildered. Charlie looked wrecked in the best way possible, stormy blue eyes shining up at Nick, lips still slightly pursed.
“While I’m glad I won’t have to watch you two being oblivious to the other’s feelings anymore, this is still a place of business.” Isaac didn’t even look at them, simply worked to shelve the books he had in his arms, but he was clearly smirking. “I’d recommend somewhere less conspicuous than the middle of a popular aisle. But good on you both for choosing the romance section. A bit on the nose but still.”
🍂
Five months after their not so secret makeout, Nick had become an almost permanent fixture at Charlie and Isaac’s flat. He appreciated having an escape from his rowdy flatmates while Tara and Darcy seemed to appreciate having some actual alone time together.
“Isaac wants me to film a video with him again.” Charlie collapsed onto his bed next to Nick, immediately snuggling into Nick’s side.
Nick finished the sentence he was reading and marked his place before looking over at Charlie. “Mm, your triumphant return to Booktube.”
Charlie scrunched his nose. “You just sound so uncool saying it.”
“Hey! I’m so cool!”
“Mhm, sure.” Charlie bumped his nose against Nick’s cheek. “You frequently have finger paint on your hands and had multiple crayons tied into your hair last week.”
“And that’s going to be all over the runways this year, just you wait!” Nick smacked a kiss to Charlie’s forehead. “What’s the theme of the video?”
Charlie groaned and buried his head into Nick’s shoulder. “Fif’s mmbrasing.”
“Are you inventing a new language?” Nick asked between laughs.
Charlie huffed and unburied his face. “I said, it’s embarrassing.”
“How could it be?”
“He wants to talk about the very niche trope of reconnecting with a past crush and finally getting together. He says I can lend a ‘unique and personal perspective.’” Charlie grimaced.
Nick fought back a smile. “I mean…”
“Et tu?!” Charlie gasped.
“He’s not wrong! We are kind of like a trope-heavy romance novel.”
“Ugh, embarrassing.”
“Nah, I think it’s sweet. I’d definitely pick up that book.” Nick placed a soft kiss to Charlie’s lips. Charlie melted into it, the indignation fading away as the kiss deepened. Nick pulled back, a cheeky grin settling on his lips. “Plus, his audience probably wants a followup about The Rugby King.”
Charlie began to sit up. “Nope!”
Nick pulled him back down, hugging him close. “I love our story. As cringe and trope-y as it may be, it’s perfect.”