Charmed by Charlie

by Amanda Uhl

  Rather than move, he reached one hand out and lazily brushed a stray hair from my face. “You’re cute when you’re angry.”

  “I’m not angry. It’s been a long day. I’m tired and cranky, and I want to go home.” Even as the words came out I could hear the whine in them. I cringed but I kept on. It felt somehow right to let out all my pent-up frustration with Charlie. “Between you, Larry, Julie and now Seth, I haven’t had a moment’s peace. Now will you please let go of my door? And don’t call me cute.”

  He laughed but he didn’t move. He just watched me, his deep blue eyes reading something in mine I didn’t want him to see.

  I tried again. “Will you please move?”

  “Val, you do realize you are about the only woman on the face of the planet actually bothered by the fact I come from a wealthy family, right?”

  “I’m not bothered by it. It’s…Julie’s right. You’re from her social circle, not mine. You two are made for each other. Besides, I don’t even know why we’re talking about it. I’m not on the market, remember?”

  Charlie frowned, moving away from the door, his tone even. “What did Seth mean about you passing George off to other women?”

  My cheeks flushed. “It’s not other women. It’s one woman…Bernie. She’s helping us with the launch. I got held up with your girlfriend,” I couldn’t resist the jab, “and didn’t leave work on time.”

  Charlie laughed, and my temper heated. “What’s so funny?”

  “Jules wasn’t lying. We did date once, if you can call it that. I believe it was the eighth grade dinner dance. I was fourteen. She was thirteen. My mother made me go.”

  Charlie had reached his car. He opened the driver’s door, slid behind the wheel, and started the engine. He rolled the window down. “Oh and, Val, my father’s face is not on a building. That’s my Uncle Pete.”

  I’m pretty sure I watched him back out of the parking lot. I couldn’t be sure because my mind was doing wheelies. What in God’s name was a man like Charlie doing at Reynolds? And how come I was relieved knowing he and Julie had never been an item? Because that’s what I was feeling right now. A heart-melting, bone-aching relief.

  Something was wrong with this picture, but I couldn’t quite figure out how to make it right.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Saturday night I studied the June sales numbers from my couch in the quiet of my apartment, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. Charlie had said the reason for the recent expenditures was Larry’s support of his Monaco lover. But there must be something more.

  I had not lied to Seth. Our sales were up in the main lines. The new merchandising was helping to bring in more business. And if we brought Gina’s amazing new product to market, there should be no reason why Reynolds couldn’t make a reasonable profit this year.

  But Reynolds hadn’t made a profit in the last three quarters. It didn’t add up.

  I started my laptop as I tallied numbers in my head. I opened a spreadsheet and did a few calculations, mumbling under my breath all the while. Strangely, this helped me think. Mitzi stared at me and hopped onto the couch and onto my shoulder. Crazy cat. I reached one arm up to pet her while I tapped the keys with the other.

  I wrinkled my brow and stopped petting Mitzi. She meowed in my ear, but I ignored her. My line (Charlie’s line now) had brought in nearly two million dollars in June. That was a heck of a lot of money—five hundred thousand more than May. I found the folder Charlie had given me of June’s expenses and flipped through until I spotted the first of his yellow highlights. Larry’s Monaco trip had cost six thousand dollars. Next on the list was Liquid Gold. Ten thousand dollars had been invested in the company…. Could it slow the aging process? If so, I wanted in.

  I sighed. Reynolds had nearly a thousand suppliers. It was going to take a while to consider each of these expenses. Next to me, my cell phone buzzed. I checked the number but whoever it was wasn’t in my contacts so I ignored the call. George and Elias were at a Cavaliers game, so it was just Mitzi and I on a Saturday night.

  I went back to the numbers. I was starting to see a pattern. I decided to work backward from January. That month, Reynolds had spent nearly a million dollars on testing. Which seemed excessive, so I began to look for all the vendors we used for the various tests that were conducted all on our products. That’s when I first spotted the name Euroknight, Inc.

  Each month we spent a fair amount with this vendor. That wasn’t surprising in and of itself. Testing was expensive, and there were lots of government regulations we had to meet before bringing a product to market. Testing was critical, and a company Reynolds’s size could easily spend millions of dollars.

  But who was Euroknight? I didn’t recognize the name. They must be a newer vendor. I made a mental note to verify the name with Julie as well as a few others. I continued to scan entries. More yellow highlights from Charlie revealed more money spent on small start-ups.

  My cell phone buzzed again. Same number. Who was it? They hadn’t left a message earlier. On a whim I decide to answer. “Hello?”

  “Is this Val Wilson?” The deep voice on the other end sounded familiar, but I struggled to place it.

  “Yeah, who is this?”

  “I need to tell you something.”

  “Okay,” I said cautiously. Something about the man’s tone had me paying attention. I was pretty certain I wasn’t going to like what he had to say.

  “Your boyfriend has been cheating on you. I saw him tonight kissing another woman. Thought you should know.”

  “Who are you? Why are you telling me this?”

  “A friend.”

  “No, a friend wouldn’t call me anonymously. Whoever you are, you don’t have your facts straight. My boyfriend has been spending time with a girlfriend of mine because I asked him to. He’s not cheating. And I don’t know what you saw, but I’m sure they weren’t kissing. You should verify your information before you start spreading rumors.”

  “Um…okay, calm down. I didn’t mean to alarm you. I…I was trying to help.”

  “Who are you?”

  “I’m…sorry, this was a bad idea. Good-bye.”

  He hung up.

  Who was it? His number was on my phone. I hurriedly typed the digits into a reverse lookup site. The place that came up was a Jimmy’s Pizza. I was pretty sure I didn’t know anyone who worked there but, on the chance the man would answer, I called the number.

  A woman answered.

  “Hi…I think a man called me from this pizza shop. We…we accidentally got disconnected.”

  “I don’t think so. I’m the only one working the cash register tonight, and I didn’t call anyone.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Uh…yeah.” Sarcasm. A teenager. I would get nothing here.

  “Okay. Thank you.”

  I hung up the phone. I called George. He didn’t answer. He probably couldn’t hear his phone at the game. I called Bernie. She picked up on the second ring.

  “Hello.” Her voice sounded groggy. She was in bed early for a Saturday night. It was only a little after ten.

  “Did I wake you? I’m sorry. I figured you would still be up.”

  “No, that’s…ok.”

  “God, I just had the weirdest phone call. Some stranger…but now I wonder if it’s someone I know… Anyway, he called to tell me that George was with another woman. He meant you, I think. Isn’t that strange?”

  “Where did he say he saw us?”

  “Good question. I mean, where would he have even seen you two together? At the store? Or the ice cream shop”

  “Yeah that’s probably it.”

  “God, the nerve of some people. I mean, I would never even think of meddling in someone else’s life with a phone call like that unless I had pretty hard evidence. What if for some reason I didn’t know you had been helping George? I might have thought something was going on between you two. Not that I would have believed it anyway.”

  “Uh…Val, I hate to cut
you off, but I’m not feeling so hot.”

  “Oh…man…I’m sorry. I had no idea. That’s why you’re in bed on a Saturday night. Sorry. I was just so freaked out. And I knew it was all a big mistake. But still, I needed to hear your voice. You go back to sleep. I’ll talk to you when you’re feeling better.”

  We hung up, and I spent a few minutes going from the fridge to the couch to the sink. I was still worked up. Why would someone call about George of all people? He was as steady as they come… reliable, dependable…honest. George loved me. He would tell me if he wanted out of the relationship before he would ever think about glancing at another woman. Wouldn’t he? There was just enough wriggling doubt to keep me pacing.

  The thing about anonymous phone calls…they got you thinking. How did I know George was trustworthy? I mean…I assumed he was, but how did you ever really know another person? I stopped in the middle of the kitchen. I had to get out of here. I bundled the Reynolds papers into the manila folder and set it next to my laptop, grabbed my keys, and fled.

  I drove a few blocks aimlessly, not sure where to go. I spotted the Q Hall. What the heck. I wasn’t much of a drinker, but I’d stop in for a bit. Sit at the bar, nurse a beer, chill. Maybe it would relieve my anxiety. Maybe I’d see someone I knew. Lots of Reynolds employees liked to hang out there. We’d throw a couple back, laugh at office politics, and I could head home and sleep it off.

  The first person I saw when I walked in the door was Charlie, and he wasn’t alone. He and Gina were sitting at a table in the corner, a pitcher of beer between them. Gina had on the emerald green top she wore to work sometimes—I remembered it because it contrasted beautifully with her thick black hair and white skin. Charlie’s back was to me, but Gina looked up when I came through the door and waved a friendly greeting. I raised my hand to acknowledge them and headed for the bar. Now I really needed a drink. How was it Charlie appeared around every corner? No wonder I couldn’t stop thinking about the man! What was he doing at the Q Hall with Gina?

  I gave the bartender five dollars. He rewarded me with a mug and filled my glass with a wink. I took a sip of the frothy foam. I would finish my beer and be on my way. I had the urge to look behind me but ignored it. I was not here to see Charlie, I reminded myself, annoyed at my pounding heart. What was it about the man that set my pulse racing every time we were in the same room together? This had to stop. It wasn’t fair to George. Although if I believed the anonymous caller, George had a secret life of his own. But that was hogwash, wasn’t it? I bent over my mug and took another sip.

  “All alone on a Saturday night?”

  Charlie. There was no escaping him. He’d come up on my right side and leaned against the bar next to me. In the quick glance I gave him, I noticed two things: He had his shirt sleeves rolled up. I could see the light hair on his arms reflecting off the dim bar light. And he looked good enough to nuzzle. But I wasn’t interested in nuzzling Charlie. Was I? I took another sip of my beer. “I needed to think. Where’s Gina?”

  “Bathroom. About what?” He propped himself against the bar, ignoring the stool next to him.

  I sighed and stared into my beer as if it held the answers. “A lot of stuff…life, relationships, mysteries.”

  “Those are big topics. Trouble in paradise?”

  “Yes. No. I mean, I don’t know. Maybe.”

  I glanced at Charlie. He was staring at me, his blue eyes hooded. “Does George know about Seth?”

  “What? No!” I glanced at him, surprised. “Why would you bring him up?”

  Charlie raised one eyebrow. “Val, you were kissing your ex-fiancé on Friday. I’d say that’s good enough reason.”

  He was scolding me. Why was Charlie so angry? I hadn’t done anything wrong. I wasn’t betraying George. That had been a total accident. “I told you, I wasn’t kissing Seth. He…he came on to me. I have no idea why.”

  “Val, you don’t have to explain yourself. I could see the man meant something to you the first time you said his name. But maybe…it’s not fair to George.”

  I could feel my face grow hot. No way was I taking the blame for this one. “Listen, Charlie. I couldn’t care less about Seth. Did he hurt me? Sure he did. But that was more than two years ago. I’ve moved on. I can assure you I’m not pining for Seth, and I didn’t invite him to kiss me. That just…happened.”

  “So why are you here?”

  I took another gulp of beer, draining my glass. I looked at my drink. “I could ask you the same question.”

  “I was hoping you might stop by.”

  I looked up, sure he was joking. But Charlie’s face did not crack a smile.

  “You were?” Why would he think I might stop by? I mean, I guess it wasn’t that surprising considering everyone from Reynolds came here on a fairly regular basis.

  “Yeah.” He flagged the bartender and ordered us each another beer. “Now will you please tell me why you’re here alone on a Saturday night? Where’s George?”

  I sighed. “Out with Elias. They’re at a Cavs game.”

  Across from me, Charlie’s face took on a hard expression. “What happened tonight?”

  The bartender plopped my refill in front of me and automatically, I took a sip. “Apparently someone spotted Bernie and George together and assumed George was cheating on me. I mean, of all the ridiculous things. George would never cheat on me. Especially not with Bernie of all people. Isn’t that crazy?”

  Charlie didn’t answer. Instead he drained his beer in front of me and gestured toward the door. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “What’s the rush? What about Gina?”

  Charlie pointed over to the dance floor where Gina was now dancing with Marty in Sales. “She’s here with someone else. I’m ready to go. I’m hungry. I need sustenance.”

  Of course he did. The man was a nonstop eating machine. “All right,” I said on a grumble. I didn’t think I could stomach eating grapefruit so close to midnight on a Saturday night.

  We left the bar, and Charlie insisted on driving to an all-night eatery joint called The Big Egg. We sat in a corner, and I watched enviously as the man wolfed down scrambled eggs, pancakes, and sausage in front of me, while I sipped a cup of black coffee in between small bites of English muffin.

  All the while I watched him, my brain wouldn’t quit. Why hadn’t Charlie agreed with me about George? Maybe because it was a nonissue. George would never cheat on me. Not like Seth. It struck me suddenly that Seth was a BMW and George…George was a Volkswagen Beetle. I mean, there was no comparison between the two. George was cute and dependable, but he’d never have the flash of a BMW. And he’d never be a cheating charmer. That role was reserved for people like Seth and maybe…Charlie.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Ah, that hit the spot.” Charlie finished his meal. He tipped his chair back and contemplated me and the bowl of fruit I was eating. I had long since finished my English muffin. He smiled. “You don’t need to be on a diet.”

  I glared at him. There was nothing worse than a man who was all lean muscle telling me I didn’t need to diet. “That’s easy for you to say. You don’t have to fit into a wedding dress.”

  He grinned and swiped a strawberry from my bowl.

  “Hey, you had your food. Don’t be stealing mine.” I put my hands over the top of my dish in case he decided to take some more.

  “Val…about the wedding. Given recent developments, maybe you ought not to be in such a rush to get married.”

  I stared at him, suddenly angry. “Don’t tell me you believe the anonymous caller?”

  Charlie picked up the straw wrapper in front of him and rolled it in his fingers, staring at it all the while. What was he thinking? “Not necessarily. But you and George clearly need to talk.”

  “We will. I’ll see him tomorrow. We’ll laugh about it. It’s a sick joke.”

  Charlie was studying me across the table like he knew something I didn’t.

  “What? Why are you looking at me like that
?”

  “What have you figured out with the numbers?”

  I shook my head, trying to adjust to the swift change of subject.

  “Not much. Reynolds paid out a lot in expenses last year, mostly on testing. That’s pretty typical for a company our size though.”

  Charlie nodded. “That’s all?”

  “Well, there were some vendors I didn’t recognize. I made a list of them for Julie to identify on Monday.”

  “Good. I’d like to see your list, too.”

  I nodded. “So what were you talking to Gina about at the Q Hall?”

  He grimaced. “Business. I want Gina to have the new formula ready to go for the National Hardware Show in Chicago in the fall. We need to make a splash and that’s the best location to plan our launch.”

  “Makes sense. What did Gina say?”

  “She thinks she can do it, but we’re going to have to work fast. You and I will have to strategize. We’ll need a hook and those don’t come easy.”

  “What’s this ‘you and I’? You mean to tell me you don’t have any brilliant ideas? I thought you were the marketing genius.”

  Charlie smiled, causing my breath to hitch. “As matter of fact, I do have some ideas. I’m thinking we need to emphasize the ‘green’ aspects. This product will appeal to moms and dads who are worried about their kids catching germs. They’ll also like that it goes on fast and is easy to clean.”

  “So what’s the hook?”

  “I’m still thinking it through. But something like, ‘Introducing a friendlier paint.’”

  I wrinkled my nose, considering. “A friendly paint? Can paint be friendly?”

  “Ah…but that’s the power of marketing. It’s the perception of friendly. People like friendly. Moms and dads like friendly. With the right promotions and artwork, they’ll see our paint as a kinder, gentler product. One that is friendly and fun. I was thinking we could run a social media campaign—have customers post their projects using our paint on Instagram and Pinterest. We’ll select some winners who get a home makeover or something like that. We can even run a scavenger hunt. Hide clues on paint cans and allow families to track the treasure online. And don’t forget charity. We’ll donate a small percent of our profits to housing projects for worthy charities. It’s not only a good cause but will feed our fun and friendly image.”