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I’d be in theif I wasn’t so worried about Charlie

“Turn left here,” I instruct and sit back for the rest of the ride Sombrero Peak juts out of the cacti studded dessert I don't know exactly where Charlie’s bunker is, but I’uely official

I hold the ie in my mind, and as we reach the foot of thefor

“There” I point to an old dirt road There’s a rusted out sign warning us not to trespass

“Are you sure?” Gwen asks, but she’s already following my directions Gwen’s yellow Beetle rolls down the road, kicking up thick brown dust Her poor car’s going to be covered I make a mental note to pay for a car e’re back in town

The road ends at another huge yellow and black sign with the nuclear symbol stamped on it

“Okay, this is it You can stop here” I instruct

“Okay” Gwen sounds unsure, but the Beetle glides to a halt “Is this where you want to picnic?”

“Nou But I don’t want to do that to Gwen “Can you do o back ho tells me I need to hurry

Gwen rolls down theon the passenger side She gnaws her lip “But what about you? Hoill you get back?”

“My friend will give ue direction of the nuclear sign

“What friend?” Noen is suspicious

“A guy friend Remember, I told you about Charlie?”

She perks up “Yes!”

“He’s really handsome and mysterious I think he’s super rich, but he hasn’t been in a relationship for a while because the last woman he ith burned him”

“Oh no,” Gwen is totally buying this story Which is good because it’s pretty much the truth

“He’s very private and eccentric, which is why he lives out here But he brought ht” I take a deep breath “We shared a wonderful night together, and I thought ere ed to him But then he disappeared”

Gwen nods vigorously “He got scared and retreated He’s afraid of intimacy He opened up to you, and he knows you’re the One, but he’s been hurt before I read a romance novel with this exact type of hero last week”