Something Sweet to Get You By

"I'm just saying, if he really liked me as much as you say he does, he would've invited me along with you guys and possibly offered to bring Eric with," Nikki grunted as she stared into her half empty cup of tea.

A groan filled the kitchen. A week had gone by since Beau and Charlie had had their first date and it seemed like all Nikki could do now that her best friend was dating a rockstar was complain about wanting her own gingery musician to swoon over. Her friends had first enjoyed listening to her ramble on and on about how Eric would fall in love with her but soon got sick of the constant daydreaming.

Amanda, on the other hand, had been too occupied working double shifts down at the pub to worry about anything besides what drink orders were coming in and whether or not patrons needed to be cut of. The only men in her life were her coworkers and the men that came in to drink with friends and/or girlfriends.

"Niks, he likes you. But he doesn't know you well enough to be able to tell if you're even slightly compatible with any of his friends. I mean, Beau's only spoken to you two or three times."

"I'd love it if he ended up trying to set you up with Jared," Amanda chuckled.

"No! Ginger Eric or I die!"

Nikki smiled innocently while her friends glared at her.

Charlie got up to fill her mug up with more tea, "I hope to God Beau sets you up and you end up having nothing in common with Eric at this point. I really do. Then all of this annoying badgering will finally end."

"When are you seeing him again?"

"I don't know. We haven't really made plans for anything yet. He's been busy with Bokan-y stuff and I've been busy with work and you guys."

Amanda perked up suddenly, "When are you going to tell him we're going back home for a few weeks? Just a few more days before we get back to Chicago for much needed quality time with the streets."

Charlie bit her lip. She'd purposefully been telling Beau she was busy with work to offset having to to tell him about the trip she, Nikki, and Amanda were taking back home for a friend's wedding. They'd only gone out a few times, but she didn't want to leave just yet - especially not if she didn't know where they stood relationship-wise. Despite that constant worry, Charlie couldn't have been more excited to go back home and be surrounded by familiar buildings and sounds. It was mid-September, and by now the Midwest was bound to be covered in Autumn colors. There was a closet full of hoodies, scarves, and warm boots back home waiting for their first use of the year. They missed that most - fall weather.

"I, uh," Charlie paused to take a sip of her blueberry tea. "I haven't mentioned it to him yet."

"What! Dude, you have to! Are you just gonna disappear from him for eighteen days and not explain?"

"Nikki, he's not my boyfriend and he's not my husband. I don't have to explain anything to him."

"I'm just saying, it's the polite thing to do. Oh, I know! Invite him over for dinner and let him know at the end of the night. C'mon, we need a good excuse to cook some Mexican food like our abuelitas taught us," Nikki said with pleading eyes.

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"Oh, loverboy's got a phone call from his lover!" Jared screeched as Beau smiled down at his phone.

Beau held his hand up to silence his friends who'd been making swooning sounds and kissy faces at him. He hit the answer button, "What did I do wrong this time?"

Charlie laughed, "Well, besides not answering with a simple 'hello,' you've done absolutely nothing wrong."

He began picking at the arm of Matt's couch, still smiling. "I mean, hello, pretty lady. How are you?"

"I'm okay, handsome. Getting ready to head out for work. What have you been up to?"

"Just hanging out. Missing you."

There was an audible "AW!" in the background on Charlie's end of the line followed by a harsh shushing sound.

"Ignore that, Nikki's eavesdropping. Um, so listen, I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner tomorrow evening?"

Beau suppressed a laugh while watching Jared and Matt continued to make kissy faces at him and each other. "Yeah, that sounds good. You don't work tomorrow?"

"Just until 4pm."

"Do you want me to pick you up?"

There was a slight pause, "What will I do with my car though?"

"Do you want me to drop you off?"

"Sure. 8am, okay?"

"Okay, see you tomorrow. Bright and early, beautiful."

"Bye babe - I mean Beau! I mean Beau. Miss you. See you tomorrow morning," Charlie rushed before hanging up.

Beau smiled and dropped back against the couch. He lifted his fists in the air before pumping them in victorious movements. His body was pulsing as he finally dropped his arms back to his sides.

"What happened, Bokan? Did she cream her pants over the phone?" Matt asked, plopping down next to Beau.

"No," he smiled. "She called me babe."