I knew Hannah was talking to me.

Asking me something maybe?

I just couldn’t make myself focus long enough to listen – that, and I wasn’t sure I even cared. I didn’t care about much these days.

“That’s it!” Hannah screeched at Jasper.

I flinched, there was no missing that level of noise.

“I’m not pussyfooting around him any longer. We’re sorting this shit, and we’re sorting it right god damn now!” she yelled at the top of her voice.

Uh oh.

“Yes, ma’am,” Jasper drawled, grabbing a hold of Hannah and pulling her back against his front, a giant smile on his face as though he loved it when she got all crazy and riled up like this.

They were an interesting mix, those two, where Hannah was fiery and full on, Jasper was chilled and relaxed. They were like night and day in a lot of ways.

“You want Charlotte back, right?” she demanded, turning her crazy-ass rage on me now.

Shit.

I flinched at the off-limits topic, but this time, instead of withdrawing and running away, I took a deep breath and decided it was time. They say time heals all wounds, but I was beginning to think that that theory was nothing but a crock of shit – I wasn’t any happier now than when she’d walked away from me months ago.

Time to face the music.

Do I want her back?

“More than anything,” I told her honestly.

Hannah gaped at me. The woman put on a brave façade, but I could tell in that moment that she hadn’t expected me to be honest with her.

“Right…well, good...” She stumbled through her words. “We need a plan.” Hannah wiggled free from J and began to pace the room.

She had obviously realised that this was an opportunity she needed to pounce on and she was intending to do exactly that.

“Is there anything she ever said that hit a nerve with you? Anything you think was really important to her?”

“I don’t know,” I mumbled unhelpfully.

“Seriously?”

“I don’t know…” I shrugged. “She said a lot of things…”

“She’s the one who ran; maybe I should be having a talk with her instead,” she threatened.

I knew she was just trying to spur me into action. Any form of threat towards Charlotte and I’d do whatever it took to stop it from happening. Hannah knew that as well as I did.

“Hannah…” I warned. “This isn’t her fault.”

It was my crazy life that had been the problem, but I could change that… and it was time I took responsibility and tried to get her back instead of just sitting around like a loser.

Hannah huffed out a breath. “Well she’s as miserable as you are, if not more so, so get thinking,” she demanded.

I’d insisted that neither Jasper nor Hannah speak to me about Charlotte… at all, I didn’t even want to hear her name. I was terrified of hearing that she’d moved on, or that she was happy without me.

But she misses me too…

It was unfair of me, but I was thrilled to hear that Charlotte wasn’t coping without me either.

I might actually have a shot at getting her back.

I had to hand it to Hannah; she was a fucking good friend to Charlotte… and to me. Jasper was too, he’d put up with my mood swings, cancelled gigs, and he’d managed to sweep my public outbursts under the carpet.

Jasper and Hannah had both been so patient with me.

Even before they came out as a couple.

It was fuckin’ cute that they’d thought they were hiding their relationship. I’d known those two were a thing before even they did. They’d made sexy eyes at each other from day one… it was obvious. That, and their piss-poor attempts at sneaking around next door were a pretty good indicator that there was something more than friendship going on between them.

I was happy for them, and it was a relief that they’d finally just come out with it… but witnessing their happiness made me pine for Charlotte even more.

I missed her more than I would have thought possible.

“Seriously, Park, there must have been something?” Hannah demanded, pulling me from my thoughts.

I closed my eyes and allowed myself to picture Charlotte for the first time in months.

I thought about her eyes, her long red hair, her voice, her scent, the sway of her hips, her laugh…

I sighed in contentment.

Charlotte…

She’s so funny… and beautiful… and smart… and insightful…

My eyes flickered open.

All of a sudden, I knew what to do.