“That was such a terrible shame,” his father said. “She was so young and full of life. An old man like me has at least lived. That girl barely had time to kick up her heels and smell the roses.”
His mother patted Lucien’s shoulder. “You’ve still got some living to do.” She jutted her chin toward Marc. “This one here is going to find the girl of his dreams, get married and raise a house full of kids. You can’t leave me to deal with all that craziness on my own.”
Lucien reached out and grasped his son’s hand. It pained Marc to realize his father no longer possessed a strong grip. Cancer had robbed him of that also.
“I know you had a setback with the whole Fancy Tolliver situation,” Lucien said.
“I’ll find it. One of these days. I’ll find my other half,” Marc said with more confidence than he truly felt. He wanted his father to believe that his future was settled. He knew Lucien worried about his son’s future, especially after the fiasco with Fancy and Gretchen’s passing. Marc wanted his father to be at peace before he left this world.
“Of course you will,” his mother trilled in a high-pitched voice. “And your father will dance at your wedding.”
Lucien looked at her with sad eyes. “Marisol, sweetheart. I’m not sure that’s going to happen. Remember, we’re taking this thing day by day. Only God knows when I’ll join him in heaven.”
His mother jumped up as if she didn’t want to discuss such practical matters. Marc had a funny feeling that she was in a little bit of denial about the progression of his father’s illness. Although his father’s oncologist had made it clear that things hadn’t improved according to the latest scans, his mother insisted that Lucien would turn a corner.
“I forgot the pita chips,” she said, walking quickly out of the room and toward the kitchen.
Lucien’s eyes trailed after his wife. He turned toward Marc. “Go check on your mother. This whole situation has been very difficult for her.”
Marc stood up and shook his head. “You’re pretty amazing, do you know that? You’re the one who’s dealing with a terminal illness, yet you’re constantly trying to make sure everyone else is taken care of.”
He winked at his son. “That’s what comes with being head of the family.” His expression turned wistful. “Pretty soon you’ll be head of this family, son. With it comes a lot of responsibility. I know you’re ready for it.”
Marc nodded then turned away before his father could see him cry. He wasn’t ashamed of his tears. He knew real men cried unabashedly. But he didn’t want his father to know how badly he was hurting over his terminal status. He didn’t want the man who had given him everything to realize that his heart was broken. Even though it took every ounce of strength he possessed, Marc held it together and put on a brave face.
As he crossed the threshold into the kitchen, he locked gazes with his mother. Without saying a word, they both reached for each other and held on to one another for what felt like an eternity. It felt as if their foundation was crumbling all around them and there wasn’t a single thing they could do about it.
* * *
Charlotte was exhausted. Acting as the PR person for Savannah House was a thoroughly time-consuming endeavor. It entailed a lot of work. One she happened to absolutely love and adore. It was the perfect position for her. It allowed her to use her people skills to reach out to places that could help promote the bed and breakfast. Today had been a good day. She’d managed to score several high-profile gigs to get publicity for Savannah House.
A Christian radio station had invited them to come and talk about the inn while one of the most popular Savannah-based daytime talk shows wanted to broadcast live from Savannah House. Savannah Life and Style magazine was coming to Savannah House to do a feature on the inn. And they were bringing along a photographer who would take pictures of the property, as well as the six co-owners. Although Charlotte wasn’t a big fan of having her picture taken, she had to admit it was exciting. She was actually making things happen by using her skills in marketing.
She couldn’t wait to tell everyone the good news! As she drove into the driveway of the inn, she immediately noticed Marc stepping out of a small, compact car. Charlotte sucked in a deep breath at the sight of him. Thoughts of Marc had continued to run through her mind over the past few days. And now the sight of him served as a sucker punch to the gut.
No one had mentioned he was coming to Savannah House today. She parked her car in the driveway and made a point to check herself out in the mirror. Nervously, she smoothed her hair back and put a fresh coating of lip gloss on her lips. When she stepped out of her car, Marc was standing a few feet away from her, a big smile gracing his face.
“I thought that was you behind the wheel. Good to see you again,” Marc said.
“You too,” Charlotte said as butterflies soared in her stomach. “I wasn’t expecting to see you today.”
“I called earlier and asked if it was okay if I popped in to bring you guys up to speed on some information I uncovered.” Marc made a face. His lips twisted. “My Dad has a chemo session and a visit with his oncologist later this week, so the rest of the week is pretty full. I appreciate you ladies being flexible.”
“Oh of course,” Charlotte said, her heart sinking at the notion that his father was so ill. “How is your father doing?”
“Not too well if I’m being honest.” Marc looked down at the ground. He let out a sigh. “I swung by the house earlier. Day by day I see the changes. His body is being ravaged by this disease. I honestly don’t know how he’s fighting it as hard as he is.”
“Chemotherapy takes a lot out of patients,” Charlotte said. “It kills cancer but it also acts as a poison toward the body.”
“Exactly,” Marc said. “It’s such a delicate balance. At this point the chemo isn’t going to cure him. It’s just prolonging his life. And the doctors are deciding whether or not to even continue with it.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said, unable to fully imagine what the Carbon family was going through. She loved her one parents dearly. What would it feel like to know that they were slipping away from you? And there wasn’t a single thing you could do about it, other than be there for them.
Once again she felt a tinge of guilt at how badly she’d treated Marc. The poor guy was already going through hell. It hurt her heart to know she might have made things considerably worse for him.
“If there’s anything I can do, please don’t hesitate to ask. Even if it’s something as simple as picking up medicine or bringing your dad something to read while he sits for chemo.” Charlotte tossed the offer out there without even thinking about the fact that she and Marc weren’t really friends. They had reached a place where they’d agreed to be cordial and work together for the best interests of Savannah House.
Marc’s eyes widened. She wondered if he thought her gesture was overstepping her position. In truth it was something Charlotte had done for several of her friends. It was her nature to want to help rather than hurt. The only reason she’d been so bitter toward Marc was out of a need to protect Case. After all, Case had always been her hero. Her protector. She owed it to her brother to be loyal to him. Charlotte shuddered. If not for Case, the bottom would have fallen out from under her. Her entire world would have been shattered.
“That’s very generous of you. We’ve got things covered, but I appreciate the gesture.” Marc’s expression was guarded. He seemed to be taking stock of her, as if he couldn’t quite figure her out.
As they walked toward Savannah House, side-by-side, the front door of the inn opened up. Case, with Fancy beside him, walked out the door.
Charlotte felt her eyes widening. This was incredibly bad timing. What was Case doing here? And now he had to cross paths with Marc, his nemesis.
For a moment no one spoke. Fancy stood as still as a statue. Charlotte felt tongue-tied. She eyed her brother warily. She knew how much he disliked Marc, the man who had fallen in love with his fiancé. Case seemed to be gritting his teeth. Al
l Charlotte could do was hold her breath and pray no nasty words were exchanged. She knew her brother had forgiven Fancy and put the episode firmly in the past, but seeing Marc in the flesh at Savannah House could stir up old feelings.
“Hello,” Marc said, nodding in Case and Fancy’s direction.
“Hello Marc,” Fancy said. She gently nudged Case in the side.
“Hi,” Case said flatly. He barely looked at Marc. Instead he focused on a spot in the distance.
“Well this isn’t awkward at all,” Charlotte blurted out. Oh no! Why had she just said that? Her nervousness always made her overly chatty. She had just wanted to fill the silence with something—anything so it wouldn’t be so tense.
Case looked at her as if she had gone a little crazy. The corners of Marc’s mouth twitched. Fancy looked as if she’d rather be cleaning toilets than standing so awkwardly between Marc and Case.
“Well, Case was just leaving, so I’ll see you two in a few minutes.” Fancy looped her arm through Case’s arm and led him toward the back of the driveway. Charlotte hadn’t even noticed her brother’s car parked there. She had been too surprised by Marc’s appearance at Savannah House to notice anything else.
Marc opened the door of Savannah House and held it open for Charlotte. Just before she stepped inside, she cast a glance over her shoulder at Case and Fancy. She could tell by the tilt of her brother’s head and his posture that he was uncomfortable. She let out a sigh. Had Fancy been wrong about bringing Marc on board to help with the investigation of Grayson Holloway? She would hate it if there was strain in their relationship. Their wedding was rapidly approaching.
“Is something wrong?” Marc asked with a frown.
“I just wish things weren’t so strained,” she said in a low voice. “And I’m not blaming you, Marc. I always thought Fancy was naïve to wish for bygones to be bygones, but I’m now seeing the benefits of it.”
“It will all blow over if we act like adults,” Marc said. “I’m honestly not looking for trouble. If it doesn’t work out to hire me, just say the word. I promise you, there’ll be no hard feelings.”
Charlotte was beginning to wonder if that might not be best for all concerned.
As they walked past the grand staircase, Olivia stepped out from the front desk to greet them. “Hey, Charlotte.” She nodded her head at Marc. “Hi, Marc. Thanks for stopping by to get us up to speed on the investigation.”
“I could have emailed you a report, but I actually like to look my clients in the eyes when I give them information. Sorry if I came at a bad time.” Charlotte could tell that Marc’s apology had everything to do with her brother being at Savannah House.
“Of course not,” Olivia said. “Let me round up the other ladies. Callie’s not here. She wasn’t feeling well earlier and Jax came to pick her up.”
“Why don’t you go sit down and I’ll bring in a pitcher of lemonade,” Charlotte suggested, waving Marc into the parlor.
Once she was alone with Olivia, Charlotte pulled her friend close. “Case and Marc crossed paths.”
Olivia groaned and made a face. “Ugh. I was hoping that they wouldn’t see each other. Was it awkward?”
“Very,” Charlotte admitted. “Fancy is outside with Case. I hope it doesn’t cause any trouble.”
Olivia’s expression was intense. Her brows were furrowed. “Listen. We have to believe that Fancy knew what she was doing by making the offer to Marc. She seemed very confident that Case would be okay with it.”
Charlotte bit her lip. “I know. You’re right. They’ve just been through so much together as a couple. They’re almost at the finish line.”
Olivia threw her head back and laughed. “The finish line? Darling, marriage isn’t the finish line. It’s only the beginning. People have trials and tribulations throughout their married lives. Getting through them together is the key. They’ll have ups and downs for the rest of their married lives.”
Charlotte shook her head. “Shows you how much I know about romance.”
Olivia looped her arm through Charlotte’s arm. “Speaking of which, Hunter has a friend who recently moved to the area. He really wants to set you up on a date with him.”
A date. Charlotte yearned to be part of a twosome, but she actually hated the awkwardness of first dates. She always felt uncomfortable and unable to fully relax. And ever since two and a half years ago, she had never allowed herself to be alone with a man. She had only gone out on dates in group settings and on those rare occasions she had driven herself to and from the date.
“I don’t know, Olivia. I appreciate the offer, but I’m not really in a good place to date right now.”
Olivia shook her head. “What does that even mean? I could have sworn you were all gung ho about finding a soulmate.”
Charlotte sighed. Her feelings were all over the place. She did want to find romance and a perfect match. She yearned for it. Dreamed about it. But when she thought about meeting a man and being alone with him in a dating situation, every nerve ending in her body flared up. How in the world could she explain it to Olivia without telling her the big dark secret she’d been carrying around?
“I know it’s confusing,” Charlotte said feebly, unable to fully articulate to Olivia her reasons for feeling this way.
“Charlotte, if something’s wrong you can talk to me about it. I’m always here for you.”
Charlotte reached for her friend’s hand and squeezed it. “One of these days we need to sit down over tea and scones. I promise.”
“Let’s make it soon,” Olivia said, her eyes full of sincerity.
Just then Fancy came into the house with an aggrieved expression on her face. There was no question about her mood. She seemed distressed.
“What happened?” Charlotte asked, praying they hadn’t argued.
Fancy shrugged. “Case wasn’t too happy to see Marc here.”
“But I thought he gave Marc working for us the green light?” Olivia asked.
Fancy made a face. “In theory he did, but seeing Marc up close and personal made him question his decision. It took me a few minutes to soothe him.” Fancy bit her lip. “I thought he was past this whole Marc thing.”
“To be fair,” Charlotte said, “it’s probably seeing Marc here that makes it problematic. I know he’s come so far on the path of forgiveness, Fancy. Don’t let one little hiccup upset you.”
Fancy swiped at a lone tear trickling down her face. “I know,” she said with a sigh. “I do feel secure in our love, but every now and again I flash back to the issue that damaged our relationship. I don’t ever want to go down that dark road again.”
“You won’t,” Olivia said in a comforting voice, patting her friend on the back.
The door to Savannah House swung open. Case stood there, a look of contrition etched on his face. He made his way over to Fancy and took her in his arms. She nuzzled her head against his chest.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I trust you and I love you very much.” He pressed a kiss against her temple. “Seeing Marc here just crept under my skin. I apologize for being short with you.”
“Oh, Case. I understand. I know it can’t be easy for you. And you have no idea how much I appreciate you being the bigger man and greenlighting Marc working for us.” She looked deeply into his eyes. “Because you know we never would have hired him if you’d been dead set against it. You mean the world to me, honey, and so does our future.”
Tears pricked in Charlotte’s eyes as she watched the display between her brother and Fancy. The love shared by the two of them was palpable. It shimmered and bounced off of the walls and hardwood floors and light fixtures in Savannah House. It was what Charlotte wanted for herself, but feared she would never experience.
Olivia tapped her on the shoulder and motioned for the two of them to give the couple some space. Charlotte nodded and followed after Olivia.
“Why don’t you go ahead and sit down? We forgot all about the lemonade,” Olivia said with a chuckle. She head
ed down the hall toward the kitchen, greeting guests along the way. With her bubbly personality, Olivia was the perfect hostess for Savannah House. Charlotte watched for a moment as Olivia spoke with the couple and answered questions. Her manner was animated. She was clearly invested in their clientele. For a moment Charlotte wished she could be more uninhibited like Olivia. Every day she let her soul radiate like the rays of the sun.
When Charlotte finally entered the parlor, Marc was sitting in the room with Morgan and Hope. Marc was holding Hope’s daughter Ella in his arms and looking very self-assured while doing so. He was gently rocking her back and forth and crooning in a low voice.
“Wow,” Charlotte said in a surprised tone. “You’ve really got the baby magic down pat.”
“Just call me the baby whisperer,” Marc said in a low voice.
Hope threw up her hands. “He’s fairly amazing. I’m honestly thinking of hiring him as a babysitter,” she said in a teasing voice. “Maybe that way I’ll get a little sleep. Ella has been keeping me up at night.”
Fancy entered the parlor and beamed as she gazed at Ella. It didn’t take two guesses to figure out where Fancy’s thoughts lay. She’d been dreaming about nurseries and bassinets and binkies for quite some time now.
Charlotte sidled up to Fancy and whispered, “Maybe this time next year I’ll be an auntie.”
Fancy’s smile was infectious. She spoke in a low voice only Charlotte could hear. “From your lips to God’s ears. I can’t wait to have some little ones to rock to sleep at night.”
“I know I’m partial, but I think Case will make a wonderful father,” Charlotte said in a gushing tone. He would be a wonderful protector, Charlotte thought. He’d shown her in the most meaningful way how a big brother could shield and defend his little sister. No doubt he would be even more fiercely protective as a father.
Olivia walked into the parlor bearing a tray containing a lemonade pitcher, glasses and some cinnamon churros Morgan had baked earlier. She settled the tray on the table, then took a seat.
“I think I’ll go put her down while the going is good,” Hope whispered, reaching over and taking Ella from Marc’s strong arms. “Feel free to start without me. I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
Falling in Love (Secrets of Savannah Book 5) Page 5
