Falling in Love (Secrets of Savannah Book 5)

by Belle Calhoune

Morgan frowned. “No, his assistant brought the file over.”

  “Oh.” Charlotte tried to hide her disappointment from Morgan. She had to put a mask on at the moment and she didn’t enjoy it one bit. For the first time in her adult life she was over the moon about someone. And even though she had wanted to keep things hush hush regarding her relationship with Marc, it was proving to be more difficult than she’d realized. Honestly, she felt so happy about it she wanted to shout if from the rooftop of Savannah House.

  “Are you okay?” Morgan asked. “Penny for your thoughts.”

  “I’m fine. All this talk about the wedding is making me feel nostalgic. I remember when we were kids and we played wedding. Who would’ve thought there would be so much falling in love and weddings so close together.”

  “You’ll be next,” Morgan said with a pearly grin. She wagged her finger at her. “Just you wait and see.” With a laugh, Morgan took her silver platter and left Charlotte’s office. Although Charlotte tried to focus on work matters, all she could think about was Marc.

  By the time the meeting rolled around, Charlotte was in a bad state. As a rule, she hated keeping secrets. She sat down in a comfortable plush armchair and tried to focus.

  “We need to brace ourselves for a lawsuit,” Callie said with a somber expression. “Most likely he won’t prevail according to Mr. Mayhew. He said Miss Hattie’s will is air tight.” Mr. Mayhew had been a close friend of Miss Hattie. He had known her quite well.

  “But he could drag this out in court and smear us in the media,” Olivia said, rolling her eyes.

  “It doesn’t make sense why a good looking, financially well off artist would take this route,” Hope said with a frustrated sigh.

  “So you think he’s good looking?” Morgan asked with a smirk.

  “Umm. Yes. Most women with eyeballs would agree.” She reached over and pulled his photo from the file and held it up. “He looks like a movie star.”

  “I don’t care if he’s Brad Pitt’s twin,” Fancy said in a sharp voice. “He could really tie us up in legal fees for quite some time.”

  Charlotte tried her best to pay attention and keep up with the conversation, but her thoughts were muddled at the moment. “Charlotte! Charlotte!”

  She snapped to attention at the sound of her name being called. Five pairs of eyes were trained on her.

  “I’m sorry. I missed that,” she said, feeling rather sheepish. She had no idea what the ladies were talking about.

  “Are you all right?” Fancy asked, her brow furrowed with worry. “You seem a little scattered today.”

  Charlotte bowed her head. She didn’t like the idea of lying to her friends. It didn’t sit well with her to hide Marc away as if he was a dirty little secret. In truth, he was wonderful. In her eyes he was the rainbow after the storm. She was falling for him. She couldn’t stop thinking about him. Not seeing him for the last two days had been torture, even though they had spoken last night for hours on the phone after he’d left his father’s house. She refused to be selfish. Time spent with his father was crucial.

  She let out a groan of frustration. “I can’t focus. Don’t get me wrong. I know this conversation about Grayson Holloway is important, but there’s something else pressing on my heart.”

  “I knew something was bothering you,” Callie said, turning toward Olivia. “Didn’t I tell you that, Olivia?”

  Olivia shook her head at Callie. “Yes, you did mention something like that, but that’s not the point. Let’s listen to what Charlotte has to say.”

  Callie looked sheepish. “Go ahead, Charlotte.”

  “Can you share it with us?” Hope asked in a gentle voice.

  Fancy reached over and rubbed her arm. “This is a non judgement zone.” Charlotte had the impression Fancy knew more than she was letting on to the others. Charlotte recalled their conversation where Fancy had urged Charlotte to go for Marc if her heart so desired. She hadn’t been ready then to be completely honest. Now she was.

  “I’m dating Marc.” Charlotte forced the words out of her mouth.

  “Marc who?” Morgan asked, looking perplexed.

  “Marc,” Charlotte repeated. “Marc Cabron.”

  “Whoa,” Callie said, her big eyes making her look like an owl. “You’re not teasing, are you?”

  “No. This isn’t a joke,” Charlotte said in a firm voice.

  “Seriously?” Olivia said, letting out a low whistle. “I did not see this one coming at all.”

  “When did this happen?” Hope asked. “I must have had my head in the clouds. Or maybe I was changing diapers.”

  “It’s been coming on gradually. We’ve just been seeing each other for a short time, but I really like him. A lot. And I shouldn’t have hidden it from you guys. You’re my best friends and business partners. I was just afraid of appearing disloyal to Fancy and Case.”

  “That’s crazy talk,” Fancy said. “I’m happy for you. And Marc. And I know Case will learn to accept it. It may take him a little time, but he’ll get there.”

  Charlotte let out a shaky laugh. “Can you tell Case for me?”

  “Tell me what?” The sound of her brother’s deep voice came from behind her. She whirled around. He was standing in the doorway of the parlor, a perplexed expression etched on his face. Charlotte’s heart sank to the bottom of her stomach. How much had he overheard? How could she ever explain this to her brother?

  “Facing our fears is the most important part of growing. Love gives us strength to face our darkest hours. It has healing powers.”

  Oliva Renault

  Chapter Eight

  Charlotte couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt so put on the spot and tongue-tied. It seemed as if cotton was stuck in her throat. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. How could she even look Case in the eye and tell him about Marc?

  Please Lord. Help me find a way to tell Case about Marc. I love my brother so much. He’s been my lifeline for so many years. I can’t bear the thought of losing him.

  “Hey,” Case said, looking around the room. “What’s going on? What did I just walk in on?”

  The ladies all looked at each other, communicating silently with their eyes and subtle hand motions. One by one they got up and greeted Case before making excuses about getting back to work. It was just Charlotte, Case and Fancy remaining in the room. Fancy stood up and said, “I really need to go and make this phone call.”

  “Hey babe. Where are you going? I came by to see you,” Case said, pulling Fancy to his side and placing a kiss on her lips.

  Fancy stroked Case’s cheek and looked at him with love shining forth in her eyes. “Honey, I think you need some time to sit down and talk to Charlotte. You came at the perfect time.” Fancy moved away from Case and sent an encouraging nod to Charlotte before she left the room and closed the door behind her.

  Case threw up his hands. “What did I say to make everyone clear out?”

  Charlotte began plucking the fabric in her seat. She couldn’t make eye contact with her brother. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him sit down in the chair next to her.

  “Charlotte. Look at me,” he said in a gentle voice. She swung her gaze up and met Case’s stare. “What’s going on? You’re scaring me. Is this about…what happened at the studio?”

  “No!” she cried out, shaking her head vehemently. “It has nothing to do with that.”

  Case’s shoulders sagged. He let out a deep breath. “I’m happy to hear it. So why did everyone beat a fast path out of here? And why do you look as if your dog died?”

  “I have to tell you something,” she blurted out.

  He raised his eyebrow. “Go on,” he prodded. “You know that you can tell me anything.”

  “I’ve started seeing someone.”

  “That’s wonderful news, Char,” he said, his eyes flashing with excitement. “Why are you acting all doom and gloom? I take my responsibilities as your big brother seriously, but I’m not about to run him off or a
nything.”

  Charlotte twisted her fingers and looked down at her lap. “You might,” she said in a soft voice.

  “I wouldn’t do that,” he protested. “Unless it was someone I couldn’t tolerate.” He stopped talking for a moment. “It’s not someone I would object to, is it?”

  “It’s Marc. Marc Cabron.”

  Their gazes locked. Charlotte could see the look of disbelief radiating from Case’s eyes. “You’ve got be kidding. Let me tell you, this isn’t funny. Not even a little bit.” He raked his hand through his dirty blond hair and let out a bitter sounding laugh.

  “I’m not joking, Case. I’m seeing Marc. And I know it may seem strange, but—”

  “May seem strange? I can’t believe you’re serious about this. That man nearly cost me the love of my life.”

  “It wasn’t all his fault. Fancy said you were working toward forgiving him. And you’ve forgiven Fancy. Why not Marc?”

  “I love Fancy. It’s as simple as that. Forgiving her meant we could move toward our future. We did the work to be able to build a new life together.” He sneered. “I’ve had only a few conversations with Marc. I barely know the guy and it suits me just fine.”

  “He’s a good man, Case.”

  Case let out a snort. “I can’t believe this. It sounds like he’s brainwashed you.”

  Charlotte shook her head. “No, he hasn’t. You know I love you Case. More than anything. You’re the best brother a girl could ever ask for. But I can’t let you say these things about Marc. He’s kind. And good. And he left Savannah as a penance for his interference in your relationship with Fancy. Is that the actions of a bad man?”

  “You can think what you like about him, but I don’t approve of your relationship with him. How do you know he’s not just using you?”

  Charlotte sputtered. “Using me? For what reason?”

  Case shrugged. His mouth hardened. “I don’t know, but I find it mighty convenient he’s managed to weasel his way back into our lives.”

  Charlotte bristled. She hated to hear her brother speaking in such a negative way about Marc. She understood his reasons, but it wounded her. “He cares for me, Case. That may be hard to believe, but it’s true. I feel it whenever he’s with me. The way he talks to me. The things he says. It’s there in the way I feel when he’s around. He lifts me up.”

  Case shook his head. He quirked his mouth. “Of all the men in the world to fall for…why did it have to be him?”

  She let out a shaky laugh. “Don’t you think I’ve been asking myself the same question? Case, you saved me in all the ways a person can save another human being. If it hadn’t been for you, I would be broken. Completely, utterly broken.” Tears ran down Charlotte’s face and she let out a sob. “There are things we don’t talk about. Things I’ve stuffed down so deep inside me that I sometimes pretend it didn’t happen.”

  “Char, please don’t make yourself upset. There’s no need to talk about it. I hate seeing you so distraught.” Case took her in his arms and gently rocked her back and forth in a soothing manner. He began patting her back the way he’d always done when she had skinned her knee or fallen out of a tree when they were kids. He was—and always would be—the big brother who had protected her from the bogeyman, both real and imagined.

  “Maybe I should talk about it so it doesn’t have power over me anymore. I don’t want to have these haunting images anymore. I don’t want to drive by a certain street in Savannah and feel afraid.”

  “You went through a trauma, Char. It’s to be expected.” He took her gently by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. “It wasn’t your fault. You can’t hold yourself responsible for someone else’s evil. Maybe you should talk to a therapist.”

  “Maybe I should,” she admitted. She’d tossed the idea around in her head a time or two. “But you know what? It’s been better lately now that I’m with Marc. We had dinner down by the Riverwalk and I didn’t obsess the whole time about being in that area. I felt safe with him. Most men frighten me, but not Marc. I know he won’t let anything bad happen to me. Do you know what that means to me?”

  “I think so, yes.” He let out a deeply held breath. “I would never stand in your way if you feel he’s that important to your life and happiness. But I have reservations. Major ones.”

  Charlotte rubbed at her eyes. “Thank you. I know this is hard for you. He’s a living reminder of your darkest days with Fancy. I can’t explain why Marc and I have this bond, this unbelievable connection. But I know it’s real. I’ve shied away from relationships for so long because I felt like damaged goods. It felt impossible to trust someone. For too long I’ve been super critical of myself because I didn’t think I was good enough. Marc makes me feel like I’m good enough.”

  Emotion pooled in Case’s eyes. He cleared his throat. “Well then. That right there is enough of a reason for me to give you my support. It’s going to take a bit of time for this information to settle, but I’m happy you’ve found someone.”

  “Oh Case,” Charlotte said, throwing herself against her brother’s chest. “Thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart.” She felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Case’s reaction hadn’t been peaches and cream, but he had given her a half-hearted green light. He wouldn’t actively oppose her relationship with Marc.

  She pressed her eyes closed and thanked God for giving her the courage to be honest with Case and her dearest friends. Life had shown her the importance of having your nearest and dearest loved ones supporting you. For so long now Charlotte had been a bit standoffish, hiding her wounds behind a veil of secrecy and shame.

  Now, for the first time in years, she finally felt strong enough to face the world with her truths.

  * * *

  Marc pulled back the curtain on his parent’s front window, certain he had heard the sound of a car door slamming. For the tenth time he’d been wrong. He’d told Charlotte six-thirty for dinner and it wasn’t even six-fifteen yet. He was a jumble of nerves.

  “If you pace any more, you’re going to make a mark in our hardwood floors.” Lucien Cabron looked at his son with a smirk on his face.

  “Very funny,” Marc grumbled.

  Leave it to his father to tease him about Charlotte. That had always been his father’s way. He led with jokes and teasing. Marc had grown up in a household full of love and laughter. And even now when things looked darkest, he could still count on his father for humor and lightness.

  Had he made the right decision by inviting Charlotte over to dinner? His mother hadn’t been too impressed to hear about his budding relationship with Charlotte. She’d made quite a few faces and told him about several friends who had beautiful, single daughters right here in Savannah. His father, on the other hand, had been thrilled for him.

  “It’s about time you met someone you care about,” Lucien had cried out, slapping him on the back. “You’re way too good looking to be single.”

  Marc loved seeing his father so delighted. He had lost even more weight and his dining options were limited. His father had insisted on doing a dinner for Charlotte, even though he would only be able to eat a small portion of it himself. Lucien had always loved celebrating over the dinner table. This time would be no exception.

  Not knowing what to do with his jangle of nerves, Marc made his way into the kitchen. He had smelled the savory scents of his mother’s cooking all the way down the hall. Just inhaling the aroma reminded him of a hundred different celebrations over the years hosted by his folks. Her blend of Cuban and French food always impressed his taste buds.

  He made his way over toward the stove. His stomach grumbled in appreciation.

  “Stay out of my kitchen unless you’re going to help,” his mother said, gently slapping his hand as he peeked under the lid of her pot sitting on the stove.

  Marc chuckled. “You won’t let me help.” Marc knew the drill. Mama liked to make her recipes her own way without any interference from him or anyone e
lse.

  His mother shook a spoon at him. “That’s because you’re too heavy handed with the spices. You know I like to cook things my own way.”

  He reached out and placed a kiss on his mother’s cheek. Although she fussed and shooed him away, Marc knew his mother loved affection from her kids.

  The sound of the doorbell caused him to freeze. For the life of him he didn’t know why he was so nervous. He supposed it was because he wanted his folks to love Charlotte and vice versa.

  “Don’t stand here like a deer in the headlights. Go answer the door,” his mother urged, wiping her hands on her apron.

  Marc strode to the door, straightening his shirt before he opened it up. Charlotte was standing there with a big bouquet of roses in her hands. She looked lovely in a pair of slacks and a silk top. She’d swept her hair up in a high ponytail, giving her a casual but elegant look.

  “Hey there. Nice to see you. Thanks for coming, Charlotte,” Marc said, ushering her inside, then pressing a kiss on her cheek.

  “Thanks for having me. These are for your mother,” she said, thrusting the flowers at him. “I hope she likes roses,” she whispered.

  Marc bent down and spoke in a low voice. “I haven’t yet met a woman who doesn’t. She’ll love them…and you.”

  Her tinkling laughter warmed his insides and made him less nervous. This was Charlotte after all. He couldn’t imagine her not making a fantastic impression.

  Marc took the flowers from her and ushered her toward the living room. It was where his father typically planted himself—seated in his comfy armchair by the television. A walker and a wheelchair sat nearby, as well as an oxygen tank.

  Taking Charlotte by the arm, Marc led her straight to his father. Lucien’s eyes twinkled when he spotted Charlotte. He looked at Marc and winked. “She’s just as gorgeous as you described.” He turned his attention to Charlotte. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Charlotte. Forgive me for not getting up. It’s way too difficult these days.”

  Charlotte bent over and shook his hand. “It’s great to meet you as well. And please don’t worry about not standing up. Your chair looks way too comfy to vacate.”