by SJ McCoy
“She wanted to see you. Her first morning here, she came over to the Boathouse hoping to find you drinking your coffee like you used to.”
Joe smiled. “Yeah, there was many a morning she used to come drink coffee with me, when you started work early.”
“I remember. She used to love it. I know she wants to see you.”
“But what’s she like now? Has she changed much?”
Ben sighed. “She has, and in a good way. She keeps joking that she’s grown up and it’s true, she has.”
“Running away like that, when she saw Angel, didn’t seem too grown-up to me.”
“You’d be surprised. She wasn’t running away because she was upset that Angel was here.”
“No?”
“No, she was getting out of the way, because she thinks I might be better off with Angel than with her. At least, she thinks I should consider the possibility.”
Joe pursed his lips. “Why?”
Ben shrugged. “When she went to find you that morning, she saw me and Angel talking.”
Joe raised his eyebrows.
“There’s nothing going on between us, but Angel wanted there to be, like I told you.”
“And instead of giving you a hard time about it, Charlotte is saying you should give it a try?”
“Yeah, she is, but I don’t want to. I wish everyone would just get off my case. It’s Charlie I want. It always has been and it always will be.” Ben stared out at the lake for a moment. “I know we need to get to know each other again. I know we aren’t the same people that we were back then, but I also know I love her and I’ll never love another woman.”
Joe held his gaze for a long moment. “You know your own mind, son. You know your own heart. I don’t think anyone’s on your case. And I’m sorry if I came across that way. It’s just that it’s been so hard to watch you all these years. I always hoped that someday, someone would come along who could make you happy. Just when it seemed like that might happen, that that someone was Angel, Charlie shows up again. You know I only want what’s best for you.”
Ben let out a short laugh. “That’s exactly what Charlie said. She wants the best for me, she wants to see me happy. Even if that means I’m not with her.”
“Sounds to me like she has done some growing up.”
Ben nodded. “She cares about me. She always has.”
Joe drained his coffee and set his mug down on the table. “Well, I’ll be on my way then, and let you get after her.”
Ben followed him to the door. “Do you have some reason you’d rather see me with Angel than Charlotte?”
Joe turned and looked him in the eye. “I just think it would be an easier road. A fresh start. Angel comes with no baggage. At least not shared baggage. You and Charlie, you hurt each other. For the two of you to be together you’ll have to wade back through the pain before you find new happiness. I just don’t want to see you hurt. Maybe I’m being too protective, that’s all. You know I love Charlie.”
Ben nodded. “Thanks, Grandpa.”
Joe gave him the slightest nod and grasped his shoulder, before letting himself out and making his way down the stairs.
Ben went back inside and sat down on the sofa. He buried his face in his hands. Why had Charlie left like that? And why did he feel guilty that Angel had seen her at his place? He blew out a big sigh. He was going to go after Charlie; he couldn’t worry about Angel. His phone rang and he fished it out of his pocket. It was the front desk at the Lodge.
“What’s up?”
“Sorry,” said Rita. “Are you on your way? We’ve got a bit of a problem.”
Ben rolled his eyes. “I’ll be right there.”
He dialed Charlotte’s number as he closed the apartment. He wouldn’t be able to go after her just yet.
“Hey,” she answered cheerily.
“Charlie, why did you leave like that?”
She was quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry. Ben, I’m really sorry. I know that was stupid of me. I just, I didn’t know what to do. I’ve kept telling you that maybe you and her … But then, when she was there, I couldn’t stand the thought of it. But I didn’t want to make things difficult for you, so I just left.”
Ben sighed. “I wish you hadn’t.”
“So do I. I’m sorry.”
“Can I come over and see you later? I have to go do some troubleshooting at the Lodge first.”
“Yes please, I’d like that. Give me a call first, though? I’m going to pop to the grocery store and run a couple of errands, and I don’t want to miss you.”
“Okay, will do. I might be a while.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry, I’m expecting you to be.”
“See you later, then.”
It didn’t take him long to sort out the mix-up with reservations. And once he was done, he wandered out onto the deck. The breakfast rush was dying down. He smiled when he saw Gabe and Renée sitting with Kenzie and Chase. They were such an unlikely group of friends, but they all got along so well. His smile faded a little when he realized that their bond had been formed because of Ethan. Gabe was Ethan’s uncle, and Kenzie was his aunt. He couldn’t let the sadness creep in. Yet he couldn’t help but feel it as he thought about the ways a child could draw people together and change their lives.
Kenzie spotted him and waved him over. “Hey, bossman, how are you this fine and sunny day? Where’s Charlie? I have to tell you, I think she’s awesome!”
Ben laughed. “I’m glad you approve.”
“You should be,” said Chase with a grin. “You know the earache you’d be getting right now if she didn’t approve?”
“Oh, I do.” Ben winked at Kenzie. “Especially considering it’s before ten o’clock in the morning, and you are anything but a morning person.”
Kenzie waved her coffee mug at him with a smile. “Caffeine is a wonderful thing. But we were talking about you and Charlie, not me. Where is she?”
“She has things to do this morning.”
“Yeah,” said Gabe with a smile. “I heard she got off to a good start setting up a new business. I’d like to talk to her myself. We need to get to work on an online marketing strategy for the tourism website.”
Ben grinned. “I’m sure she’d love to get to work on that.”
“But you might have to join the queue,” said Renée. “I already left her a voicemail this morning, I want to see how she can help out with the women’s center website.”
“Damn!” said Kenzie. “I think I need to ask her if she needs an assistant. It seems as though everyone wants to work with her.” She looked up at Ben. “What about you? Is she going to take over marketing for the resort?”
Ben stared at her. Why hadn’t that even occurred to him? He did need help with the website, and certainly with social media and marketing. When they were kids, that last summer, Charlie had said she was going to study marketing and help him grow the resort. He smiled at Kenzie. “I don’t know yet, I’ll have to see if she can fit me in.”
Renée smiled up at him. “I have a feeling she’d drop everyone else if it meant she can help you out. It’s so good to see the two of you back together.”
Ben smiled. He didn’t know what to say. He hoped they really were back together. He thought they were after last night, but Angel hadn’t helped that this morning.
“Yeah,” said Kenzie with a grin. “You should get her working with you, set her up in an office over here and make sure that Angel stays over at Four Mile.”
“Kenzie!” Chase shook his head at her. “Sorry, Ben.”
“What?” asked Kenzie. “It’s no secret I don’t like her.” She smiled up at Ben. “And it’s no secret that I don’t like her sniffing around you.”
Ben had to laugh. It seemed everyone was protective of him, but Kenzie especially so. And she didn’t mince her words about it.
“That’s not fair,” said Renée. “Angel’s nice.” She looked at Ben. “I’m planning to invite her to my bachelorette party. Unless tha
t’s a problem?”
Ben shook his head. It wasn’t a problem, or at least it shouldn’t be. He hoped it wouldn’t be. He raised an eyebrow at Kenzie. “Charlie doesn’t have a problem with her. I hope you won’t?”
Kenzie made a face. “I’ll behave if I have to. That doesn’t mean I’ll be nice.”
Renée slapped her arm. “Come on, Kenz. We talked about this.”
Kenzie shrugged.
Ben smiled at Renée. “We have everything set up for next Saturday night. Do you have final numbers yet?”
“Yes, I was going to stop by and see you this afternoon for a chat.”
Ben nodded. He was hoping to spend the afternoon with Charlotte, but he’d make time for Renée first. He was happy for her and for Gabe that they’d finally managed to arrange their wedding. Renée was going to have a party in the function room above the restaurant next weekend. Gabe was holding his bachelor party at Giuseppe’s the same evening. And the next weekend, they would get married in the little chapel down by the lake. “Do you want to stop by and see me when you get finished up here? I might not be around this afternoon.”
“Ooh, are you going to see Charlotte?”
Ben smiled at Kenzie. “Maybe.”
“Yay. Have fun. And you don’t have to come in tonight, if you don’t want to, you know. I can handle the bar.”
“Quit it, would you?” said Chase.
“I’m only trying to help.”
“And I appreciate it,” said Ben. “In fact, I may even take you up on the offer.”
“See!” Kenzie grinned at Chase.
“Anyway,” said Ben. “I’d better do the rounds. I’ll catch you guys later.”
“I’ll stop in and see you before we leave,” said Renée.
~
Charlotte wandered up and down the aisles of the grocery store, tossing random items into her cart. It wasn’t even as though she needed much yet, it was just that grocery shopping seemed to ground her somehow. It was a mindless, mundane task that she often turned to when her mind was in turmoil. She didn’t even know why she was in turmoil this morning. She shouldn’t be. Not after last night. After she and Ben had talked, she’d felt a sense of peace as they lay there in bed. Lying there with his arms around her, she felt as though she’d finally been able to return home. Even now, she didn’t know what had possessed her to run away when she’d seen Angel this morning. She’d just acted on instinct. She sighed as she turned into the breakfast aisle. Maybe that was what had her in such turmoil. She didn’t think of herself as flighty anymore, and yet, her instinct had still been to run. What she should have done, she knew now, was to stand there beside Ben. She still could have greeted Angel, still could have been nice to her, but she could have made it clear, could have claimed him. She stared at all the breakfast cereals, not knowing what to choose and wondering why she cared.
She glanced up as a figure came striding down the aisle toward her. He looked familiar, though she couldn’t quite place him. He looked a little out of place too. He wore black jeans and a black T-shirt, black cowboy boots, and a black cowboy hat. She realized she was staring when he met her gaze. And when he did, his light blue eyes gave him away. It was Missy’s big brother.
“Chance!”
His eyes narrowed as he looked her over suspiciously. Then recognition dawned on his face and he smiled. “Charlie! Missy said you were coming. How the devil are you?”
She nodded. “I’m doing great, thanks. I can’t quite believe I’m back here yet, but I’m glad I am.”
“I bet I know someone who feels the same way.”
She smiled. Chance was Missy’s big brother, and he’d looked out for all her friends when they were kids. He’d always had a soft spot for Ben. “I hope he does.”
“How long have you been here? Have you seen him?”
“I’ve been here a couple of days now, and yes, we started catching up.”
Chance tipped his hat back and looked her in the eye. “And how’s that going?”
She nodded. “So far, so good.”
“I hope it works out for you. Just don’t hurt him.”
“I don’t want to, but then I never did. In fact, I don’t want to hold you up now, but could I have a chat with you at some point?”
Chance narrowed his eyes. “About what?”
“About what might be best for him.”
“I think that’s for him to decide.”
She sighed. “I know that, but I also know that he’d never do anything to hurt me, even though that might be what’s best for him.”
Chance nodded and turned to look at the cereals. “I just hit town. I always like to bring Scotty some pop-tarts. That’s why I’m in here. Are you coming out to see Missy?”
Charlotte thought about it; she hadn’t been planning to.
“I think you should.” He picked out a box of pop-tarts and raised an eyebrow at her. “I’m betting she’ll have some input for any conversation we have.”
“Okay. I’ll see you over there.”
Chapter Fifteen
Charlotte dropped the groceries back home and decided to call Missy before she headed over there.
“Hey girlfriend, what’s up?” answered Missy.
“Hey, is Chance there yet?”
“No, not yet. And how do you even know he’s coming?”
“I just saw him in the grocery store, he should be about to land with you any minute. He suggested I come over to talk to you both. I wanted to check that’s okay with you.”
“Of course it is. In fact, he’s pulling in the driveway now. So, come on over whenever you’re ready.”
“Thanks, Miss.”
“Are you okay? I don’t suppose I need to ask what you want to talk about.”
“No. I’m sure you can guess.”
“Okay, see you in a few.”
Charlotte looked around as she pulled up in Missy’s driveway. It was hard not to think of it as her grandparents’ driveway. She climbed out of the car and went to knock on the front door, but it opened before she could.
“Come on in,” said Dan. “I’m just on my way out. I gather that you guys are having a powwow, so I thought I’d make myself scarce.”
Charlotte felt bad. “I don’t mean to chase you out.”
Dan smiled. “You’re not chasing me out.” He turned to look back over his shoulder and then smiled at Charlotte. “I’m using it as an excuse. I know Missy and Chance need to catch up, too.”
Charlotte smiled. “Okay, I won’t keep them too long.”
Missy appeared in the hallway behind Dan. “Come on in,” she said. “I’ll see you in a little bit, Danny.”
“I won’t be long. I want to get Jack out for a bit and let Emma have some peace.”
Charlotte followed Missy through to the kitchen, where Chance was perched on a stool at the island. He smiled when he saw her. “So, what was it you wanted to talk about?”
Chance was the same as Missy—neither of them beat about the bush—they always got straight to the point. Charlotte didn’t know where to start, what to say. Chance had told her not to hurt Ben, but she had to wonder what he would think of her trying to decide what was best for him.
“Come on, hon,” said Missy. “All I’ve got out of this one,” she jerked her head toward Chance, “is that you are not sure if you’re what’s best for Ben.”
“Well, surely you understand that? You told me yourself. You think he and Angel are well suited and that he and I aren’t the people we used to be. Even if we were, we were so different anyway.”
Chance raised an eyebrow. “Hold up, fill me in, who’s Angel?”
Missy looked at Charlotte. “She’s the woman he hired to run the new lodge over at Four Mile Creek.”
“And,” said Charlotte, “by all accounts, she’s his perfect match. She grew up in the hospitality business, she’s something of a workaholic, and she’s got long blonde hair, big green eyes, and a hot body to boot.”
Missy looked at her.
“Do I detect a hint of jealousy?”
“Probably, even though I’m trying to tell myself that it’s simply realism. Think about it, Miss. I have, since you told me what you knew about her. Why should Ben step back into his past and put in all the work that he would have to, to build a new relationship with me, when he could start something new and fresh and untainted with a woman who has everything going for her?”
“I’ll tell you why,” said Chance, “because he loves you, because he never gave up on you. Because he believes that what the two of you shared was the most important thing in his life. And you know damned well that he’s never been afraid of hard work. It sounds to me more like you’re the one with cold feet and you’re looking for a way to back out of it.”
“No! I love him, I always have. I’ve spent all these years wishing we could be together again. I just don’t want to be selfish. I know I was selfish as a kid. I genuinely want him to be happy, and it kills me to say it, but if she can make him happier than I can, then I believe he should be with her.”
Chance pursed his lips and shook his head. “I can see where you’re coming from, and I respect you for it, but even if she is a better choice on paper, you’re the one he wants. You’ve lived in his heart too long for him to kick you out to make room for someone else now. Has he said he wants her?” He turned to look at Missy. “And what makes you think he’d be better off with her?”
Missy shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think he’d be better off with her. I was just concerned that the two of you might not make it.” She gave Charlotte an apologetic smile. “You have to admit you have a lost past to deal with and no guarantees that the people you are now can build a good future together. He has some kind of spark with Angel. I’m not going to claim he doesn’t, I just don’t want to see him miss out on his chance for happiness by grasping at the wrong one.”
Charlotte stared at her. “Do you really think I’m the wrong one?”
“I don’t want you to be. You know I’d love to see the two of you live your happily ever after. I just don’t want to see the two of you screw it up and him be left forever alone.”
“And what about you?” asked Chance. “Do you know for sure that this is it? Are you all in? Or are you just back to test the waters, to see?”
