now, charlie didn't think much of the text. he'd assumed alice made it to pull his leg about the fact that he and carlisle were getting chummy. charlie isn't going to tell alice that he's only chummy with carlisle so it's not awkward to check in about bella, but that's what he's told himself. doesn't matter that the doctor is interesting to talk to, nor how many times they've brushed elbows when charlie's working a case for the precinct.
when the young intern knocks on his door, charlie assumes it'll be some inane question that she's already asked three times today. instead, she smiles wide and tells him to come out to the front lobby. rolling his eyes, and letting out a (rather dramatic) sigh, charlie pushes his weight out of the office chair and follows her out. he's met with a large, too large, bouquet of roses. immediately his face, all the way up to his ears, grows hot and charlie knows there's no hiding how red it must be.
"i thought you're supposed to send the roses to your woman, not the other way around, chief," one of the junior deputies laughs, clapping another deputy on the shoulder and shaking his head. charlie's face remains blank as he takes in the scene.
"are you sure these are for me?" charlie asks, rubbing the stubble on his chin.
"pretty darn sure you're the only charlie swan, chief of police, right?" betty, the intern, chimes in with a smile that now seems more wicked than joyful to charlie. oh, they all loved this. how many times a week did he hear some variant of: when are you gonna bring some pretty missus over here for us to meet? to which charlie almost always responds: when pigs fly. he's never looked, not after renee.
"oh for pete's sake, don't you all got work to do? standin' around here like a bunch of high school gossips!" it's lighthearted, despite the racing of his heart as he practically snatches the vase and carries it into his office. red, white, and pink and too many to count.
once the door is shut and curtain drawn, to deter any rubber necking, charlie plucks the card from its holder and hastily opens it. when he reads the message, charlie sags down into his desk chair with a peel of laughter. he's still annoyed, when he pulls his phone out, but only because he hadn't thought of it first.
(sms to carlisle c.) sent 2:33pm:
good one. whole precinct is gonna be betting on who C is.
the rest of his day goes without a hitch. couple of dui's brought in to sober up in the holding cell, and a b & e call that ended up being a raccoon in someone's attic. nothing the chief needed to stay late for. once charlie's home — empty because bella must be with edward again, he tries not to feel too chagrined at this — and comfortable in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, he pulls his phone out again. what am i thinking, what am i thinking? he sends the text anyway.
(sms to carlisle c.) sent 5:30pm:
you got dinner plans? i never see you down at cora's.
(sms to carlisle c.) sent 5:33pm:
you're not too good for a little hometown diner food, are you?
