“I know, Julian, but it’s not really in my budget right now. I like not having a car payment and being able to put money in savings every week. I needed that car to last me at least another year and a half.”
When they’d been seated moments ago, Charlotte had put the car keys on the table beside her place setting. Julian reached for them and jingled them in front of her. “Now you don’t have to worry. These…are yours.”
Maybe she was delirious from hunger, because she thought he said he was giving her his car.
His like-new Mercedes SUV.
“You mean to borrow until I get something, right?”
He shook his head. “Nope. I’ve signed the title over to you and we’ll find time to get it registered in your name in the next day or two, but it’s yours, Charlotte.”
Just to be sure she wasn’t hearing things—or crazy—she reached for the bread their waitress had brought, wolfed down a slab of it, and then drank some of her water. She took a steadying breath and looked at him—his expression was amused.
“Julian, you can’t just give me your car. That’s insane. I’ll admit I don’t mind borrowing it for a couple of days, but then how are you going to get around?”
“I bought a car today. It’s back in the parking lot by your office.”
“Wait…what?”
He explained what he had done, and still Charlotte couldn’t quite wrap her brain around it. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before and she had no idea how she was supposed to respond other than—
“I can’t accept it, Julian.”
His amusement quickly turned to confusion. “Why not?”
Where did she even begin?
“It’s…it’s too much. I appreciate the sentiment behind it, I really do, but we’ve only been dating for a month. You don’t just…give someone a car like that.”
He shrugged. “I don’t see it that way. I think it makes perfect sense. I considered giving you the car I bought today, but I knew that would definitely freak you out. This is a used car. It’s not a big deal.”
“A used car isn’t usually worth more than a year’s rent, Julian! And it may not be a big deal to you, but it is to me!” she cried, frustration making her want to scream. “It’s like the bracelet and Hawaii and—you just don’t get it, do you?”
His confusion quickly turned to annoyance. “You’re making a bigger deal out of this than it needs to be. I’m just trying to do something nice for you.”
“I appreciate it, but…can’t I just borrow the car and not have it be a gift?” she asked.
His eyes went wide. “Charlotte, I just bought myself a new car. I don’t need two.”
“Then you should have talked to me about this first,” she stated and was relieved when the waitress came over to take their orders.
Conversation was stilted and awkward after that and as much as it pained her, she had no choice but to accept the keys and the car for the time being. There was no way she was going to register it in her name so Julian could forget it, but for now, she just wanted to try to enjoy the rest of their lunch.
Unfortunately, the only other thing she wanted to talk about was the musicians Mick had referred to her and she knew that was going to be a sore subject, too.
“What else do you have planned for today?” she asked casually.
“I started house hunting,” he said flatly, obviously feeling as uncomfortable as she did.
Pushing aside her current mood, Charlotte tried to remember how this was a big step for him. “That’s great! See anything you like?”
But he shook his head, obviously unwilling to try to lighten the mood.
So, lunch essentially sucked. The food was great, and it felt good to get out of the office for a change, but the tension was too thick for either of them to enjoy anything.
When they got back to her office, Julian kissed her on the cheek and said he’d talk to her later. As Charlotte watched him walk away, she realized it was the first time he hadn’t asked her when she was coming over, and considering he had mentioned them going out on a real date that night, it seemed odd. And a little unnerving. Part of her wanted to call him back and remind him of those plans, but then it hit her how a night away from each other had helped the last time they’d had a disagreement.
She just hoped this wasn’t going to become a pattern of behavior for them. It was petty and a little childish, and it wasn’t as if she was mad at him. She just hated that he felt like he had to take care of her or buy her expensive gifts—something she knew was a big part of his relationship with his ex. Not that Julian had shared anything that deep, but from the things he had shared—and the things Savannah, Vivienne, and Paige had shared when they’d had dinner a few weeks back—she knew that was the way their relationship worked. Dena got mad and Julian would buy her stuff.
And clearly Dena got mad a lot.
Now it was Charlotte who was mad. There was no way she wanted to be compared to Dena. She was her own woman, and from everything she had heard and even researched online, Charlotte knew they were nothing alike. It was a little insulting to be put in the same box. Their relationship had been toxic, and she hoped Julian wouldn’t want to repeat those mistakes.
And yet…here they were.
The only difference was that she wasn’t expecting anything from him. It was plain to anyone who could see that they lived in such vastly different worlds—he was a millionaire rock star and she was a social worker who lived in a two-room apartment. Most people would probably assume she’d want Julian to buy her things and take care of her, but that didn’t make Charlotte comfortable. Not that she didn’t enjoy nice things or didn’t appreciate a gift. Flowers were fine and even the bracelet was beautiful, but a car was way too over the top for her—especially at this stage of their relationship.
She never wanted there to be a time where Julian—or anyone for that matter—looked at her as a gold digger. Having lived in a nice middle-class home her entire life, it was what she was used to. Staying in Julian’s beach house had been like a decadent treat, but she wasn’t looking to move in! That was why it was so important to her that they sometimes stay at her place even though she knew how much he hated it.
Sometimes Mr. Rock Star couldn’t get his own way.
Bottom line, they needed to talk about this—about their relationship, and who they were as individuals. By now, Charlotte would have thought Julian would know enough about her to realize she was attracted to who he was as a person—not his fame or wealth.
Something she probably should have shared with him sooner.
Either way, this was the type of thing that ruined relationships, and that was the last thing she wanted to happen here. What she felt for Julian ran deep and she wasn’t ready for it to end. Saying she was in love with him scared her a little, but only because it was so soon. Her feelings for him overwhelmed her at times, and he was normally so closed off that she had a hard time getting a read on how he felt. So, unless his love language was buying gifts, she was clueless as to how he was feeling.
But for today, she was willing to let things be. After work, she’d go home to her own place, have a quiet dinner, and read. Maybe they’d take the rest of the week to let the dust settle and make plans for the weekend.
Yes. That seemed like a nice compromise.
Feeling a little more in control of her emotions, Charlotte realized she was late heading back to work. With one last look at Julian’s car—and her temporary one—she sighed. Calling the mechanic was probably something she needed to do sometime this afternoon too. Oddly, it didn’t give her nearly as much anxiety as she’d thought it would.
“You’re a problem-solver by nature, Charlotte,” she murmured as she turned to walk back into her office. “You’re just not used to those problems being your own.”
* * *
Best laid plans and a
ll…
Her afternoon had been too busy to call the mechanic, so Charlotte figured she’d do it the following day. Only…she didn’t.
And while she had spent the one night alone at her own place, Julian had surprised her the next night by waiting for her at her apartment when she’d gotten home and…well, he really was hard to resist. So…she didn’t.
The only thing she had stuck to was her plan not to register Julian’s car to herself.
Baby steps.
For several weeks things had gone really well. There was a steady rotation of musicians coming to volunteer at the shelter, and on one of those nights, Charlotte and Julian went along, too, with Riley, Dylan, Savannah, and Paige, and then to dinner afterward. She was finding she really enjoyed her time with his friends and felt silly for how intimidated she had been the first time she’d met them. They invited the other musicians to go with them, and she wasn’t surprised when Julian stayed particularly close to her.
He was jealous and she supposed she understood it, and hopefully in time he’d see he had nothing to be jealous of.
Unfortunately, that night it was her own jealousy that took her by surprise.
“Oh no,” Savannah hissed from beside her at the table.
“What? What’s the matter?” Charlotte asked. It was obvious Savannah hadn’t meant to comment out loud because she quickly elbowed Riley, who in turn motioned to Dylan. Julian was talking to Paige when he noticed something was up.
Under the table, Charlotte nudged Savannah to get her attention.
“What the—?”Julian’s curse was fierce and colorful.
“Why don’t we go?” Riley said as he went to stand, but no one was paying attention. All eyes were on Julian.
A beautiful blond was walking toward the table, and she had eyes only for Julian. Charlotte had done enough snooping online to know this was the infamous Dena, and the desire to jump up and claw the woman’s eyes out was strong. It wasn’t until she was beside them that Charlotte noticed the uncertainty and, if she was guessing correctly, nervousness on Dena’s face.
Meanwhile, Julian’s was completely closed off and his body was stiff like granite.
This can’t be good.
“Hey, Julian,” Dena said quietly. “How are you?”
All Dena did was say his name and Charlotte could feel him bristling with barely restrained rage. She looked nervously to Dylan and then Riley in hopes of someone stepping in.
At first Charlotte didn’t think Julian was going to respond, but with clenched teeth he said, “What are you doing here, Dena?”
Charlotte felt kind of bad for the woman because she looked so uncomfortable and it seemed like everyone in the restaurant was staring. She saw so many phones up taking pictures, and it was the first time she caught a first-hand experience of how little privacy celebrities had.
“I—I wanted to talk to you, if I could. Please.”
“No.”
With a huff and a nervous look around, Dena stepped in closer. “Julian, please. Five minutes. That’s all I’m asking for.”
He let out a snort of derision. “I gave you five years, Dena. I think that was more than enough.” Then he glared up at her. “Now leave.”
Holding her breath, Charlotte had no idea how this was going to play out. Part of her wanted Julian to talk to Dena and get it over with, then she realized this wasn’t the proper venue for that to happen. If Julian was going to have his say and get everything off his chest, it couldn’t be in the middle of a crowded restaurant with a hundred witnesses.
Witnesses who were still taking pictures, and no doubt video was being broadcast all over social media.
Great.
Dena gave a small nod before she turned and walked away. There was a collective sigh of relief around the table. Both Riley and Dylan leaned forward, while Charlotte pulled back. These were his friends, and right now, she was definitely not the person to speak up and ask if he was all right.
“What the hell?” Dylan said quietly. “I thought she wasn’t supposed to come around you anymore.”
Riley nodded. “Yeah, that’s what I thought too. Mick said part of paying her off was having her agree not to come near you again.”
It was obvious his friends and their wives were concerned, and while Charlotte was too, this wasn’t about her. Not really. So for now she’d sit back and observe. When they got home later, she hoped she’d have a better idea what to do or say.
“I’m calling Mick,” Dylan stated as he pulled out his phone, and before anyone could stop him, he was.
“Why don’t we leave?” Riley asked a little more calmly. “We can go back to our place. I know it’s in the opposite direction of yours, but it’s the closest right now.”
Both Paige and Savannah were in agreement and were gathering their things when Julian said loudly, “No.”
Everyone seemed to stop and stare.
“Jules, come on,” Riley said. “We don’t need to stay here.”
“I don’t need to leave. She did. End of story.” Then he motioned for the waitress to come over and ordered another round of drinks and the desserts they had been discussing before Dena showed up.
If it were anyone else, Charlotte would chalk it up to growth. Unfortunately, knowing Julian the way she did, she’d say it was avoidance. If they left and went to Riley’s, they’d be talking about this. She knew how much he hated talking about this particular situation.
Avoidance. Definitely.
Dylan put down his phone and looked around the table before addressing Julian. “Mick’s on it.”
Shrugging, Julian reached for his drink. “Obviously it won’t matter. The rules don’t apply where Dena’s concerned.” He took a sip and placed it back on the table, and Charlotte was sure she wasn’t the only one to notice the slight tremble of his hand. “So where do we stand for next week? Do we have a schedule in place for who’s going to the shelter?”
And just like that, everyone changed the subject. Charlotte was dumbfounded. How could everyone just…not say anything?
Excusing herself, she stood and walked to the ladies room. It wasn’t a surprise when Savannah walked in a minute later.
“You okay?”
Charlotte nodded and checked her reflection in the mirror. “That was…different.”
“Sadly, it wasn’t. That was…” Savannah paused and shook her head. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. I’m sorry you had to see it.”
Clearly there was more to the story, but there was no way she could just change the subject like the rest of them.
Facing Savannah, Charlotte crossed her arms as she rested her hip against the vanity. “‘That was…’ what?”
“Come on, Charlotte. It doesn’t matter. It was awkward as hell and it sucked, that’s all.”
“Nuh-uh. You said it wasn’t different. That means you’ve seen this little scenario play out before, right?”
They stood in silence for a moment but Charlotte refused to back down.
With a sigh of resignation, Savannah leaned against the vanity as well. “It was sort of their thing—they’d fight, Julian would leave, Dena would show up and act contrite and he’d tell her to leave. It was almost comical how predictable it became. I thought after everything that happened it would be different, but…”
“What do you think is going to happen now?”
“I wish I knew. I really do. It seemed like Julian was finally getting back to his old, pre-Dena self. At least, that’s what Riley’s been calling it. And we have all been so happy about that. We know you’re the reason and we’re all so thankful.”
But Charlotte shook her head. “No, no, no. It’s not me. I don’t want that kind of responsibility and it makes me sound like I’ve been a therapist—and believe me, I haven’t. The amount of time we’ve spent talking about…you know…has been min
uscule. Any time we’ve talked about it, it’s either been a very short conversation or Julian’s shut me down. This is all his journey, Savannah. I’m just along for the ride right now.”
“Oh, please,” Savannah replied with a light snort. “Don’t sell yourself short. You are like a breath of fresh air, Charlotte. You are so good for him, and it has nothing to do with anything therapy-related. It’s who you are as a person.”
As much as she wanted to believe that, things were a little too intense at the moment.
The door swung open and Paige poked her head in. “Um…the guys are starting to wonder what’s taking so long.” Then she gave a sheepish grin. “Sorry.”
Together, the three of them walked back to the table and Charlotte was feeling mildly better, except that Julian wouldn’t look directly at her.
Not a great sign.
Almost on principle, they stayed for another hour, enjoying their desserts and talking more about volunteering at the shelter and the possibility of branching out to other facilities. Paige talked about possible campaigns her PR firm could help with to raise both awareness and money for the cause, and they all agreed to talk more about it in a couple of weeks after she had time to do a little research.
Julian took Charlotte’s hand in his as they walked out of the restaurant to a lot of continued curious stares. It was all she could do to keep from crying out for everyone to mind their own business and go back to their meals. How did Julian stand it? How did any of the guys stand it?
It was after midnight by the time they got to Julian’s, and as much as she wanted to go back to her place—and give them both some time to regroup and recover from the night’s awkwardness—she didn’t. Julian walked in the front door and straight out to the back deck, where he leaned on the rail and stared out at the ocean.
“I don’t know if I’m supposed to say something or let you stay out here alone,” she said quietly as she came up beside him.
Rather than answer, he reached out a hand to her and then gently pulled her to his side. With an arm wrapped around her waist, he continued to stare straight ahead. “I’m sorry you had to see any of that.”
One More Moment Page 21
