“Yes, I’m fine,” she said.
“If you like, you can use my car to go to work tomorrow morning,” I said to her.
“I’m not comfortable driving these days,” she said. “And I enjoy the walk to work and back home. It’s my ‘me time’.”
There were so many things about Charlotte that didn’t add up. She had loved driving in the past. How could that have changed in two years? I felt as if I was with her identical twin.
She lowered her gaze before looking at me again. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am. I was in a bit of a fix and worried sick about losing my job. Thank you, Alex. I don’t deserve your kindness.”
Her words made my emotions rise to the surface. “You’re welcome.” I kissed her cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
There was one thing about Charlotte that had not changed. Her scent. I could be blindfolded and tell when Charlotte walked into a room. Her floral, musky scent followed me inside the car.
I waved goodbye and drove off, secure in the knowledge that I would be seeing her the following day. I whistled as I drove, something I never did back home in New York.
It was pathetic that the only woman who made me happy was the one who had dumped me for another man. Just knowing that I was easing her worries by helping her out made me feel ten feet tall.
I’d forgotten to mention to Charlotte that Amy had said she would surprise her one of these days. I didn’t hold out much hope though. Amy had gone to work for her family’s chain of restaurants in Cleveland after completing her culinary degree. I hoped that she would make it to come visit.
From what I’d seen of Charlotte’s life, she needed her old friends.
Despite Woodfield having the usual small-town warmth, she didn’t have particularly close friends. She hadn’t mentioned anyone and no one had come to visit her and Kayden.
It was a choice she had made. She was a naturally warm person and she easily made friends but clearly, she had decided to keep people at arm’s length. I had more questions now than when she left me two years ago.
I waved at the night receptionist at the B&B and went up to my room on the first floor. Maybe with time, a few of my answers would be answered. Most of them had to do with the mysterious man who had broken her heart and whom Charlotte still protected.
What kind of man fathered a child and walked away without looking back?
Charlotte
There was so much to process after Alex left.
I returned to the house and poured myself a glass of wine. The tears I’d fought when he told me about Amy rose to the surface. She had known that the story I gave about meeting someone else was bull.
There was someone on the planet who knew me. Like really knew me. Knowing that made me feel special and guilty. I smiled through my tears. Still, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Amy and me reconnecting. She would know that Kayden was Alex’s son when she laid her eyes on him.
I wasn’t ready for anyone to know about Kayden’s paternity before I decided on the time to tell Alex.
Then there was Alex himself. How would I manage to be in such close proximity with him and still resist him? All evening, as we tucked Kayden to bed and had dinner, I’d been fixated on his perfect lips and his massive hands.
My panties had been soaked all evening as I watched him. Images of us in bed less than a week earlier tortured me. If only I had control of how my body reacted to Alex. If he had so much as touched me, I’d have fallen into his arms and bed.
It was as if he had a spell on me. I became his, with a mere touch. The power Alex had over me was frightening. I didn’t want to even dream or hope that we could love each other again. I know how much pain I caused him and when he learned that Kayden was his son, that pain would triple.
I pushed away the disturbing thoughts. Alex was still too new in our lives. I wasn’t ready to think about that.
After my glass of wine, I felt relaxed enough to go to bed. I rinsed my glass, turned off the lights and checked on Kayden. My son did everything else well, except sleeping. He was a restless sleeper.
I grinned as I tried to tuck a stray leg under the covers again. Not that there was any use. I was sure that ten minutes later, the covers would be on the edge of the crib and his body uncovered.
I kissed him softly and padded out of his room.