Free Resurrecting Charlie's Girl by Debra Kayn

her relief, Tom walked out of the kitchen area. She
raised an eyebrow at his approach."Everything okay?"
    His
eyes crinkled at the corners, and he hid his hands behind his back as he stood
in front of her.
    "Got
you something, Charlie's girl." Tom handed her a pair of running shoes.
    Practically
brand new running shoes. She squealed behind her hands and raised tear-filled
eyes to his. "Seriously?"
    "As
a heart attack." Tom grinned and the sight of his dimples caused her tears
to cascade down her cheeks.
    She
ignored the other customers who turned to catch the action at the back of the
room. Not caring who witnessed her good fortune, she took off her socks, and
looked around for a place to put them.
    "I'll
take those." Tom took the socks from her, pulled a more feminine pair of
socks from his back pocket, and handed them to her.
    "Socks,
too?" She smiled as she pulled them on her feet. "But how?
Where?"
    "A
kind waitress keeps a spare pair in her locker, and with a little incentive,
decided to give them to you." He winked, and darned if that dimple of his
didn't make a second appearance tonight.
    She
held her foot out, turned it this way and that to admire her new shoes. "They
fit perfectly."
    "Great."
He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the booth. "We need to go."
    Charlise
threw her arms around his waist and gave him a hug that said everything she
couldn't say aloud. The simple things this man did meant so much, and even in
the face of danger, he gave her something so beautiful, even death paled in
comparison.
    "Our
ride's here." Tom pointed his chin in the direction of the parking lot.
    She
followed his gaze and sure enough, a squad car was parked out front. At least
she could walk out with a pair of shoes on and a newfound confidence. Damn it
all, those shoes meant a lot to her.
    ***
    Charlise
slept most of the way to the safe house cuddled against Tom's side in the back
of the squad car. Tom's attempt at a normal conversation with the deputy escorting
them relaxed her and she was asleep in seconds. His gentle nudge on her
shoulder woke her and they thanked the officer before getting out of the
cruiser.
    When
the car's taillights disappeared down the street, Tom linked hands with her and
led her up to the house. She pulled on his hand to stop him before they went
inside. She looked into his beautiful eyes.
    "Thank
you for everything you've done. Getting me away from Jared, keeping me safe,
and teaching me to fly a kite—she held up her foot—the shoes."
    Tom
leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. She tipped her chin down the
second his mouth left hers. "About yesterday—"
    He
covered her lips with his finger. "Don't worry about it. When this is all
over, you can tell me everything that pops into that pretty little head of
yours. Everything that needs to be said between us can wait. We will have time, Charlise."
    Her
chin quivered with emotion. She never dreamed a man so kind would enter her
life and sweep her off her feet in the middle of the worse time of her life.
    Tom
tugged on her hand and led her inside the safe house. Butterflies, of the
nervous kind, fluttered. They were no longer alone.
    His
associates were gathered around the kitchen table that was covered in paperwork
and files. Tom found a seat for them both and then said, "Fill me
in."
    Garrett
nodded at Tom, and turned toward Charlise. "You hangin' in there?"
    She
tried to muster a smile, and failed. To ask these men to put their life on the
line wasn't right. She had no money to her name to pay them for their kindness.
Plus, she hated the fact that she needed to draw others into a situation that could
get them hurt or killed.
    Garrett
shoved a paper across the table. "Tom, here's the update."
    Tom
picked up one of the papers, and she leaned over to read the information too.
The fact that her real name stood out right underneath Jared Blatwell's made
her lightheaded.
    "This
isn't a typical man-obsessed-with-his-ex case. Sorry Charlise, you'll