The Proposal (Forever Bound Book 2)

by Bree Callahan

  Evelyn made the introductions and Miriam was older than Charity by at least twenty years, but Charity presented her hand and smiled. “Nice to meet you.”

  Miriam just gave her an inquisitive look, before she finally accepted Charity’s hand. “Same here,” was her dry response, but she didn’t seem pleased to see Charity, at all. Charity soon found out the reason for that.

  As they left the office, Evelyn was quick to point out the reason. “Don’t mind Miriam. She means well, but she tried to get her daughter in here, and since the position will be working so closely with Miriam I didn’t think it would be a good idea. She’ll warm up to you.”

  Charity felt a weight in the pit of her stomach. She was already starting off with marks against her, and she didn’t feel Miriam seemed like the person to just forget something like that. “She didn’t bother me,” Charity lied.

  They proceeded through the rest of the introductions, then made their way through several different rooms, where a variety of ages were kept. “You’re going to be mainly dealing with the one to four-year-olds. If someone calls in sick, then you might have to add an age or two to your day, but for the most part, this will be the age group you handle. “ Charity liked toddlers, so she was pleased to find that that was the ones she would be taking care of. “There are thirty children in your group.”

  Charity’s mind raced. “Thirty?” she asked, feeling sick by the thought of that.

  Evelyn nodded and smiled. “Don’t worry…Miriam is also in this same group, hence what I meant by working close with one another.” She continued on, but that didn’t make Charity feel any better. Even with Miriam, that meant that fifteen kids would be with each adult. She couldn’t believe that was even possible. It didn’t feel safe. She tried to calm her nerves, knowing that she hadn’t even gotten into the job duties, and she shouldn’t panic…not yet, anyway.

  They continued their tour until they finally made their way into the auditorium-like room that housed the one to four-year-olds. Charity’s eyes widened as she spotted all the little ones running around the room. Most of the parents were just dropping them off, so it wasn’t even as chaotic as it could be. Evelyn turned to her, and she chuckled. “What?” Charity asked.

  “You look like you’ve just entered a universe that you can’t get out of. Really, you’ll be fine. We have volunteers that are here to help, too.” That made Charity feel a little better. “Most of the time we have activities that involve all the ages to get together, so you won’t be alone.”

  “I’m not worried,” Charity quietly stated. Then she realized there were questions she should’ve asked at the interview, and she didn’t. One question being, why did the previous employee leave? It was too late to go back and ask that question. She just needed to deal with it, and that’s how she felt the enter day.

  She didn’t get very good training, as the only one that fully knew the position and could help her out was Miriam. She just really watched what Miriam did and copied whatever she did. Their lunchtime consisted of hurriedly eating while the children were napping, which also brought up the fact that the majority of the kids didn’t want to nap; especially the older ones. By the time the day was over, Charity was left exhausted. She slumped down in her chair, barely able to move.

  Miriam laughed as she watched her from her her own desk. Charity looked up and put on a weak smile. “Is this how all the days are?” Charity asked.

  Miriam shrugged. “Actually, today was pretty light.” She waved as she left the office.

  “Goodbye!” Charity softly replied, watching her leave the office. She wanted to believe Miriam was only saying that because she was still upset that her daughter didn’t get the job, but she couldn’t be sure about that. She stood up from her desk and grabbed her belongings, then turned off the light and left the office. She had to talk to Evelyn before she left. It was a conversation she didn’t want to have, but she knew that Evelyn couldn’t be made for something that suddenly came up.

  She approached her office. Evelyn was busy working at writing something down. Charity knocked on her door. She looked up and smiled. “Come in!” Evelyn pushed her work aside. “How’d you first day go?” she asked.

  Charity smiled and nodded. “Pretty good.”

  Evelyn smiled. “Your flushed face proves it might have been tough. Hang in there! It will get better.”

  Charity brushed her hair from her eyes and shrugged. “It was fine!”

  Evelyn smiled. “If you say so. How can I help you?” she asked.

  Charity fumbled from one foot to the next, before gaining the courage to ask. “My sister is coming into town on Wednesday, and she needs a ride from the airport. She gets in at four o’clock, and I know I just started this job, but I was hoping I could be there to meet her. I would need to leave by three o’clock to get there on time.”

  Evelyn puckered up her lips and seemed to be in heavy thought. “Wednesday, you say?” Charity nodded. “I’m sorry that’s out of the question.” She looked back down at her paperwork, completely ignoring Charity after she responded to her.

  Charity’s jaw dropped. “Evelyn, I understand that it might be a burden, but I have to go get my sister.”

  She hoped that Evelyn was merely joking, but when Evelyn looked back up, she saw that there was no teasing in her eyes. “I’m sorry, but I can’t have you leaving early on Wednesday. We have an outdoors activity that will take all employees and all volunteers. You’re going to have to have someone else pick her up, or she’ll have to take a cab. Now…is there anything else you need?”

  Charity shook her head, leaving Evelyn’s office. She couldn’t believe she was finding herself in this spot. Family was and would always be first to her, and she wasn’t about to change that just because Evelyn said she couldn’t have an hour off. She left the daycare, determined to find another way.

  ****

  Derek turned off his computer and stood up from his desk. He was so ready to get out of there. He had just grabbed his jacket from the chair and put it on when he saw the elevator open. His jaw dropped when he saw Charity get off the elevator. Her eyes instantly went to his. He smiled and moved out of his office. “Hey, beautiful. I wasn’t expecting to see you.” He approached her and planted a soft kiss on her lips. She didn’t back down, which made him appreciate it that more. “It’s good to see you!” he softly responded, backing from the kiss.

  She smiled. “It’s good to see you, too.” She paused, glancing around the empty office. “I do need to talk to you.”

  He smiled. “Of course. You want to come to the office or just talk right here?” he asked. Charity leaned against her old desk and patted the spot next to her. He grinned. “Then here it is.” He moved to the desk and leaned up against it, keeping his eye contact with her. “What’s going on?”

  He’d be lying if he said he didn’t want her to tell him her visit was because she made her decision and did want to come back to the Mayor’s office. “I had my first day at work today.”

  He snickered. “Don’t remind me. How’d it go?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “It wasn’t so bad.” Her eyes told him something different. She looked up, and a small smile appeared on her lips. “It was busy, chaotic, loud…” she looked around the office, and he saw that she almost looked homesick. “The kids were great, but it was—.”

  “Busy…chaotic…loud…” He laughed. “Got the picture.” She smirked, and he continued. “Is your boss as dashing and charismatic as I am?” He winked at her. She laughed and shoved him in the arm. “I know, it’s hard to find anyone like that. They broke the mold when they made me.”

  She laughed. “Thankfully!”

  He pretended to look hurt, and she chuckled. “Fine, just be that way. “Besides being busy, chaotic, and loud, did you absolutely love it?”

  She shrugged and hope welled inside of him. “I could learn to love it.”

  “Is that why you’re looking so upset?” he asked. “It wasn’t everything you wanted
it to be?”

  “If it were just the kids I had to take into consideration, then I would say that I loved it. However, there’s more to take into consideration.”

  “Like what?” he asked.

  “Like the people I have to work with.” She flailed her arms around and covered the office they sat in. “Here it’s just us, and unless you have a meeting to go to, then that’s all you have. There…you have some strong personalities.”

  She proceeded to talk about Miriam, the woman that she said was mad that her daughter didn’t get hired for the job. She mentioned how she didn’t have any training and was just thrown into it like she should automatically know what she should do. He listened as she mentioned things that were keeping her from the loving the job.

  When she looked up, and he thought she was done talking, she mentioned something else. “My sister is coming home on Wednesday.”

  He smiled. “That’s good news.”

  She nodded. “It should be.” He could tell something was bothering her, and he reached out and touched her hand. His eyes met hers.

  “Then what’s wrong?”

  “She needs someone to pick her up at the Portland airport. I told Evelyn, my boss, that I would need to leave by three o’clock, and she told me that that wasn’t possible.”

  He raised his eyebrows. It was clear what was plaguing Charity’s mind. She was concerned she was going to have to let her sister down, and it was obvious it was bothering her more than anything ever could. “Wow…that’s rough,” he coolly replied.

  She nodded. “I have to get her. I mean, I suppose I could ask Ana to pick her up, but I haven’t seen her in over a year, and I don’t want to have to miss out on welcoming her home.”

  “You shouldn’t have to,” he softly replied.

  She smiled, still holding onto his hand. “That’s why I’m here.”

  He grinned. “I’ll do anything for you, Charity. Just ask!”

  She stood up and turned around so she faced him square on. “Is my job still open?”

  He looked up at the ceiling and tapped his finger against his lip. “Hmmm…I don’t know. You’ve waited this long and…” He broke off his words and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her to him, and they kissed. His tongue slowly slid across his and her moan was filled with a low grumble. “You’re hired,” he whispered between kisses.

  She laughed, going back in for another kiss. It was everything Derek wanted to hear her say, and now he could go back to Amanda and tell her Charity was back where she belonged. When they finished the kiss, he grabbed onto her hand, and they walked towards the elevator. Their eyes never lost sight of one another. They got onto the elevator, and as the doors closed, he pushed her back against the wall of the elevator, and they kissed again. Her fingers ran through his hair, and his hands pressed firmly against her back.

  The elevator came to a stop, and they pulled from one another. She wiped the lipstick from his lips, and he grinned. They got off the elevator, and he reached for her hand. She took hold of his hand, but they weren’t even through the lobby when he spotted Jesse. He quickly dropped hold of Charity’s hand. She gave him a strange look and with his head he motioned towards Jesse. Jesse noticed them right away.

  He approached them with a smile. “Derek…Charity…what’s going on?”

  Derek pointed to Charity so she would discuss why they were together. “My new job didn’t go well, today and Derek was gracious enough to give me my job back.”

  Jesse smiled. “Great!” He pointed to the two of them. “Are you guys…” his words fell off, waiting for Derek or Charity to fill in the blank.

  “Strictly business,” Derek quickly pointed out.

  “Oh!” Jesse looked disappointed. The three of them headed out of the Courthouse, and they walked to the parking lot. Charity was parked next to Derek, and he wanted to lean in and give her another kiss, but Jesse wouldn’t leave them alone.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Charity replied. She waved to both of them and got in her car. She started it up and pulled out of her spot. Jesse turned to Derek as she drove away.

  “Strictly business?” Jesse asked, cocking his head.

  “That’s what I said,” Derek commented back. He opened his car door and was set to get in when Jesse snickered.

  “You two looked rather comfortable with one another just a minute ago. Are you sure there isn’t more to the story?”

  “Positive!” Derek said, sliding into his front seat and shutting Jesse out of talking to him. Jesse stood there as Derek started the car and pulled out of the spot. He waved through the front window, but Jesse smirked and walked away. Derek smiled to himself as he drove away. He liked having Charity to himself, and he couldn’t wait to see her again.

  ****

  Charity opened up the door to the apartment. Ana was on the couch and staring at some reality television show when Charity got inside. “Hey!” Ana spoke from the couch. She turned the volume down. “How was your first day?

  Charity snickered. “Not great!”

  Ana turned to her and gave her a look of concern. “Want to talk about it?”

  Charity didn’t want to spend any more time going over her lackluster day. She’d spent enough time talking to Derek about it, and now she was drained, but she did give a few of the highlights of her day. Ana seemed interested and irritated at the same time as Charity told her things that she didn’t like about the job.

  “Do you need me to go there and kick some ass?” Ana asked.

  Charity laughed. “No, but thanks for the offer.” She hesitated before continuing with the remaining of her day, including her stop off to the Mayor’s office. “I do have something to tell you, and you might as well hear it from me. I’m sure Jesse will mention it to you.”

  “Jesse?” Ana asked.

  Charity nodded. “I was feeling so down, and after Evelyn had told me I couldn’t leave early on Wednesday, I went to Derek. I wanted to see if he still had my job open. He does, and he was gracious enough to take me back. I go back tomorrow.”

  “Wow!” Ana exclaimed. “What are you going to do about your job at the daycare? Are you and Derek going to be able to work together?”

  Those were two questions she expected Ana to ask and Charity still couldn’t believe she did it. She was always so reliable, and this was the least reliable thing she could’ve done. “I called and left a voicemail on Evelyn’s answering machine. I know that was the coward way out, but I can’t face her. I thanked her for the opportunity and told her that I decided to go back to working with Mayor Worthington. As for Derek and myself…we’re both adults and I think we can make it work.” She shrugged nonchalantly and moved away from the couch.

  She heard Ana sigh and then she continued to walk into the kitchen. “It’s probably for the best. After all, you don’t owe her anything. It sounds to me that they don’t care about family. Besides, maybe Miriam’s daughter can get hired now.”

  Charity laughed as she looked down at the mail that was on the kitchen table. Next to the mail was a small box. “What’s this?” Charity asked.

  Ana reached the kitchen and saw Charity had the box in her hand. “Oh yeah, I forgot. That was delivered earlier today. It has your name on it.”

  Charity saw the same writing on the box, that was on the card with the flowers. She almost tossed the box in the garbage, but Ana stood behind her, looking curiously at her. “Do you want to open it?” Charity asked sarcastically.

  “Don’t be silly,” Ana replied. “But aren’t you going to?”

  Charity obliged even though she was worried about what she would fine. When she got the box opened, she found a box of chocolates and on top there was a card. “Chocolates…” Charity quietly stated.

  “That’s obvious!” Ana replied with a chuckle. “Open the card.” She excitedly stated, and Charity rolled her eyes. She slowly opened the card. She already knew who it was from, but she didn’t know what it would say. She retrieved the card from the en
velope. She opened it up and read the poem that was written inside.

  The words to another love song

  struck me once again last night.

  The thoughts of you smothered every breath

  and lifted me into this flight.

  Above the clouds where I dream you

  unto this Heaven’s send.

  And I smiled, love, as I drifted on

  and came upon horizon’s end.

  And I woke upon this morning breathless,

  your name a gasp upon my lips.

  A wealth of dreams I dreamt of you,

  and still more of your kiss.

  And a trend seems to have awoken in me

  for this slumber was not my first

  to recognize this lovely fantasy

  into which we were immersed.

  She looked back up after reading the poem and Ana’s jaw dropped. “Wow!” Ana muttered.

  Charity shrugged it off, even though she was thinking the same thing. It was definitely a poem she should’ve read in private, but it was too late to take it back. She slid the card into her pocket and tried to ignore Ana’s enthusiastic smile.

  Charity pushed past Ana and left the kitchen. “Aren’t you going to even comment?” Ana asked, following her down the hall and into her bedroom.

  Charity spun around. “What am I going to say? It’s a beautiful poem, but it doesn’t mean anything.” She didn’t even believe the words coming out of her mouth. It meant something. Damian wasn’t a poet, by nature, that just wasn’t who he was, or at least she didn’t think that was who he was. Yet, the poems he sent made it look like he’d been writing for years.

  “It doesn’t mean anything.”

  Ana crossed her arms and stared intently into Charity’s eyes. “Why? You have nothing holding you back from going for it, except your stubborn attitude.” Charity opened her mouth to argue that, then quickly snapped her mouth shut. In Ana’s eyes, she was right, but Charity knew otherwise. She had reasons not to go for it, no matter how much the poems and gifts meant to her. Instead of profusely denying Ana’s statement and confessing she had feelings for Derek and they were going to see things through, she thrust out her hand that held the chocolates. Ana laughed. “What?”