Chapter Thirty Seven

"Don't you get bored?" Brax asked.

It was lunch time on a Thursday afternoon. Charlie was in class and Ruby was still at school, due to be picked up by Aunt Joey in an hour. The two friends were sat on the grass outside the small home Joey and Charlie shared, enjoying the sunshine. The back door was open, letting the air circulate around the building.

"You clearly haven't spent time with Ruby," Joey said. "You can't get bored with her around!"

She grinned. Brax shook his head and toyed with some grass.

"How can you go from happy, single, student life to being a step-mum?" Brax asked. "And it's not like you're even screwing Charlie. What on earth are you getting out of this setup?"

Joey sighed, pondering her answer.

"I'm getting happiness," she said sincerely.

Brax merely laughed and didn't believe her.

"I get to spend every single day with the two people I love most in the world," Joey insisted. "Charlie is the most beautiful, wonderful woman I have ever known."

"But she's your ex!" Brax reminded her.

"I haven't forgotten," Joey said sourly. "But it's my own fault that she's my ex. If I'd have been a halfway decent human being in the first place then I never would have lost her."

"So, you're seriously happy being her best friend, mothering her kid and never getting laid?"

Joey chuckled and shrugged.

"Obviously I wish I could be more to Charlie than her friend but if this is all there is then it's good enough for me," she said.

"I guess you do get to live in this nice place," Brax conceded. "It's way better than the tiny rooms at the Penthouse."

Joey nodded.

"Yes, it's the room that I love," she said sarcastically, throwing a broken daisy at him.

He laughed and shook his head.

"I don't get it, Jo," he said. "I mean, what are you going to do if you meet someone? What are you going to do if she meets someone?"

"I don't want to meet anybody," Joey told him. "And as for Charlie, well... I guess I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it."

"No girlfriend for either of you is going to be thrilled with this little arrangement you have," Brax pointed out.

"Look, I know it's weird," Joey said. "I know it's complicated. But at the end of the day, Charlie is the love of my life. I might not get to love her in the way that I want to but love her, I do. And Ruby is the best little kid in the world. She just has to be in the room and I can't help but smile. She's amazing. We're a family of sorts and I'm really happy about it."

Charlie sneaked back through the living room. Her tutor had called in sick so her last lecture of the day had been cancelled. She'd wandered back home, only to find Brax and Joey having a heart to heart on the lawn. Although she knew it was rather deceitful, they hadn't noticed she was there so she'd stopped and listened. Now, through fear of getting caught eavesdropping, she picked her way back through the lounge and to the front door, which she slammed loudly, as if she was just getting home.

When she arrived back in the lounge, she saw that Joey had turned to look out for her.

"Hey," she said, smiling. "I thought you had a lecture."

"The tutor was sick," Charlie explained, joining them on the grass.

She still didn't particularly like Brax and often eyed him with suspicion. She couldn't help but blame him for how things had turned out with Joey in the first place. However, knowing that he was one of Joey's best friends, she always tried to make the effort to be nice to him.

"I can go and collect Ruby if you want a break," she offered.

"No, it's fine," Joey said easily. "I was expecting to collect her."

Charlie nodded and thanked her. Inside, she was still trying to process everything that she'd heard Joey tell Brax. It was nothing different to what Joey had already said to her but there was something startlingly authentic about hearing her share it with another person.

"How was your day?" she asked.

"It was good," Joey said. "I had a lecture this morning, came back and studied..."

Charlie raised her eyebrows.

"And I might have had some daytime TV on in the background," Joey admitted with a smirk. "And then Brax came round. How about you?"

"Yeah, it was okay," Charlie said. "I actually did get some studying done."

She grinned. Joey grinned back.

"Well, now the sappy smiling has started," Brax said, standing up. "I'll be on my way."

He dodged a swift kick from Joey that made Charlie laugh.

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out!" she yelled as he made his way back through the bungalow.

Charlie sat a little closer to Joey.

"He really likes teasing you, hey?" she mused.

"Yeah," Joey replied, gazing into Charlie's eyes. "He thinks our setup is hilarious."

"It is kind of strange, I guess," Charlie admitted.

"Strange is good," Joey decided. "As long as it works for us, what's the harm?"

She smiled gently. Charlie couldn't take her gaze away. Yet again, the unspoken passion between them became electric and intense. Charlie opened her mouth slightly, not sure whether she was going to speak or kiss Joey. But the alarm on Joey's mobile started, jolting them both out of their moment.

"That's my cue to go and collect Rubes," Joey said, turning the intrusive noise off.

"What?"

"Ruby," Joey said as if she was stupid. "Your daughter?"

Charlie blushed and laughed.

"Yeah," she said. "Yeah, of course."

Joey chuckled and stood up. Charlie watched her go, unable to resist checking her out from behind.

"Hey, do you want some company?" she asked, also getting to her feet.

Joey turned back and smiled.

"As long as it's your company, I'd love some," she told her.

Next time… Charlie and Joey attempt to get to grips with their relationship…