Wanted (Amanda Lance) - By Amanda Lance Page 0,109

sketching paper. I turned it over in my hands and saw a simple but complicated enough drawing of me leaning over the books and papers, chewing on the end of a pen while flipping through the dictionary.

“Did you know in 1880 this town only had one cop?”

“Charlie!”

Sure enough, my corrupted dreams had transformed into reality, because the entire upper torso of Charlie Hays was hanging from my bedroom window. Somehow he had taken out the screen from the outside and had worked his way up the vinyl siding of the house.

“One cop I could deal with, but now Summit has 46 uniforms, detectives, and a kiddy program. What’s the world comin’ to?”

I used the bed as a trampoline to propel myself to the other side of the room. This was a practice I had commenced since I was tall enough to reach the end of the bed frame, so I was somewhat safe in not hurting myself.

He only had about half his body in the room but I didn’t care, I threw myself into his arms anyway. “When did you get here? How did you get here? Where have you been all my life?” I was half whispering, half yelling, but it was difficult to hear over the blood pounding in my ears.

He laughed into the crook of my neck. Though he no longer smelled of the sea, he did retain his scent of aftershave and cigarettes. “I’ve been ‘round a few days. I drove here. And I was ‘bout to ask you the same question.” His arms went all the way around me as he lifted me off the ground. I wrapped my legs around his waist and removed the ski cap from his head—I wanted every possible proof that it was him.

“You shouldn’t be here, Charlie. Every few minutes a state trooper drives by the house—”

“A little birdy told me those guys are gonna be too busy dealing with cherrybombs in some city hall to be botherin’ you.”

“Please tell me you didn’t—”

“If it makes you mad—then no. I didn’t do nothin’. But Polo’s gonna be real proud of himself.”

Mad? How could I possibly be mad with him at a time like that, when he was there and wonderful and so utterly adorable…and here?

“What are you doing here, Charlie?” I released myself from his hold and tip-toed to the door, locking it just to make sure.

He must have seen my smile falter. “You want me to go?”

“What a ridiculous question.” I jumped back into his arms, slamming into his torso and knocking the breath from his stomach. He sighed as he nuzzled my neck.

“You’re crazy, you know that? You should be screaming, tryin’ to kick me or something. I don’t deserve to hold you.”

My fingers found their way through his hair. I could hear myself laughing and for the first time in weeks I felt like myself again. “That’s a terrible thing to say. I’ve missed you horribly since California. Besides, you knew I was strange when you met me, you said so yourself.”

“You seem all right, Addie, going to school, seeing movies with your brother, sittin’ at your favorite table at the library. And leavin’ the way you did was the best thin’ you coulda done. I couldn’t have let you go again.”

“Have you been watching me?” I looked up at him and eyed him suspiciously. I was thrilled to see the small cut in his hairline had faded to a healthy scar from the last time I saw him and his kaleidoscope eyes were still just as bright as ever.

“I told ya I’ve been around a few days. That’s why I came over tonight. You gotta stop this California stuff, Addie. You gotta stop coming after me.”

I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. “Charlie, how could you say something like that?” I was genuinely furious but was having some difficulty maintaining it through my happiness. Charlie was here now, and though I wanted his presence to be all that counted, I knew it didn’t.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “I told you that you couldn’t keep me away.”

He pulled me back into his embrace. “You have to stop trying looking for me, Addie. The cops probably won’t be watching you so much anymore, but—”

“Did you know there are about 331 colleges and universities in California? No one will think twice about me living in California if I’m going to school there, Charlie. You know I’d never do anything to lead the police to you