Unplanned Love

by Roberta Capizzi

  Charli picked up her carry-on and the other suitcase and followed her friend out of the door. “Seriously, Ellie. Who gets married on the eighth of February if they aren’t living in the Caribbean?”

  Ellie chuckled. “It was either now or the end of the year. Adam’s younger brother is a baseball player and he wouldn’t be able to attend otherwise. And we didn’t want to wait another twelve months to be officially married and live together like a family.”

  Charli stopped in her tracks. “Wait, you mean you don’t live with Adam?” Ellie shook her head. “Why?”

  “We don’t want gossip. And we don’t want to confuse Sophie, in case some of those comments reached her ears.”

  “See? That’s why I don’t like small towns. Everyone sticking their noses in everyone’s business.”

  Ellie laughed as they crossed the invisible border between the two properties and went up three wooden steps to the porch, pulling the heavy suitcase up behind her. “It’s not like that. Everyone’s glad that Adam has found happiness again, but we want to avoid people saying we’re living in sin.”

  Charli hoisted her two trolleys up the steps and followed Ellie into the cottage. “Like you’re telling me you haven’t already—” The words froze on her tongue as Ellie’s face turned pink and she looked away. “Ho-lee cow. Are you saying you haven’t had sex with that hunk yet? Are you out of your mind?”

  Ellie stopped at the foot of the staircase but didn’t turn around. Charli knew her friend had even more principles than she did when it came to dating guys and taking the next step, but they were getting married in a week. What was she waiting for?

  “When we first started dating, we never had the chance to be completely alone. I didn’t want to spend the night at his place, and we were afraid Sophie might wake up and hear us or walk into the room. Then we figured it would be romantic to wait until our wedding night to, uh… go all the way. We’ve only been officially together for a little more than three months, after all.”

  “Well, that gives me hope that you’ve at least made out and gotten all hot and bothered. Good.”

  Ellie chuckled. “Stop it.”

  “If I were dating that man, I would’ve gone out of my way to have someone babysit the girl so I could, you know, take him for a test drive before the wedding.”

  “Oh my goodness, Charli! Would you stop talking about him as if he were a piece of meat?”

  “And a fine piece of meat, I’d say.”

  Ellie laughed and playfully slapped her back. “I should probably have a word with Donnie. Perhaps he’s not doing his job properly if you’re talking like that about another man.”

  Charli’s stomach quivered. She didn’t want to talk about Lousy Pig right now. She wasn’t going to spoil Ellie’s happy times with her sorry story. She put on a fake-as-a-spray-tan smile, hoping it would be convincing enough, and forced herself to sound cheerful as she said, “Don’t worry about my sex life. You’re the one who has a problem right now. What if he’s a total disappointment? Okay, he has a child so at least we can suppose he knows how to do it, but—”

  “Miss Ellie!” Sophie stormed into the cottage, interrupting their conversation. Charli instinctively shrank behind Ellie, waiting to hear the dog’s yaps following the little girl. When no furry beast entered the house, she let out the breath she’d been holding and moved away from Ellie. “Daddy is going to Gwammy’s and he wants to know if he needs to go to the gwoss store.”

  Ellie chuckled. “No, sweetie. Tell Daddy I don’t need anything from the grocery store.”

  She nodded. “Okay. Can Auntie Charli have dinner wif us tonight?”

  “Of course. She’s only going to take a shower and rest for a bit, then she’s coming to have dinner with us.”

  Sophie looked up at Charli and smiled, the cute dimple appearing again. “You can sit next to me, Auntie Charli. You don’t have to be scared. Meatball can’t have dinner wif us ’cause then she wants to eat my food and Daddy doesn’t like that.” She took Charli’s hand and held onto it while she jumped up and down. “And tomowwow we can have a tea party too.”

  Yay, lucky me.

  “Um, sure. Is… um, is Ellie going to be there too?” She looked at Ellie with a quirked eyebrow. She didn’t want to be around the little girl all by herself.

  “I never miss one,” she said with a smile as she reached for her soon-to-be stepdaughter and picked her up. “Sophie’s tea parties are the best.” The little girl giggled and wrapped her arms around Ellie’s neck, resting her head on her shoulder.

  The last time Charli had a tea party, she was ten—well, if she didn’t count the real tea parties she’d had as a teenager, organized by her grandmother so that she could be introduced to the society members that mattered.

  “Good, then why don’t we let Auntie Charli relax while you and I make dinner?”

  Sophie nodded and clapped her hands. When Ellie put her back on the floor, she dashed out the door, causing Charli to wonder whether she was always this energetic or if it was just the excitement of the new arrival. She followed Ellie up the wooden stairs into what would be her own room for at least the next week or so—until she decided what she was going to do with her life.

  “Feel free to take a shower. The bathroom’s in the corridor, and it’s all yours. My room has an en suite, so I don’t use it. And you can use the chest of drawers and the wardrobe, if you want to unpack some of your stuff…” She trailed off as she tilted her head to the side and stared at the luggage that nearly took up all of the space in the room. “How long did you say you were going to stay? ’Cause it looks like you’ve packed the whole contents of your apartment.”

  If she only knew how spot on she was…

  Charli waved her comment away. “I wasn’t sure what the weather would be like here. And even though technically I’m on vacation this week, I have an image to maintain. I can’t go around wearing yoga pants and cowboy boots.”

  “I’d like to see you wearing cowboy boots once, though. It’d be fun.” Ellie laughed as she pulled the curtains to reveal a view of the front garden and the street.

  Yes, she’d grown up in Texas, but that didn’t mean she had to strut around the city wearing a cowboy hat and boots, even though they were way more comfortable than the trendy stilettos she was used to wearing at work and at whatever mundane event she was attending. So what if she liked looking nice? It wasn’t a crime, after all.

  “I’ll leave you alone now. Make yourself at home and help yourself to food or drinks, if you want something. Come to Adam’s whenever you’re ready.” Ellie stepped away from the window, and just before walking out, turned back and hugged Charli. “I’m so happy you’re here. I’ve missed hanging out with you. We have to make sure to have a girls’ night before the wedding.”

  Charli nodded. She’d missed Ellie too, and she was going to miss her even more once she moved to wherever her career would take her, which, she was sure, was nowhere in Oregon.

  “Go, now. I need a shower like I need my next breath.” Charli pushed her away, chuckling. The truth was, she’d been feeling the unwelcome sting of tears behind her eyelids, so she needed her friend to stop being mushy and leave, before it all ended up in a bawl fest.

  Once Ellie left, Charli plopped on the mattress and let out a long sigh, taking her head in her hands. Lying to her best friend was going to be the hardest thing she’d ever done, but she had to. She just hoped she didn’t screw up the wedding in the meantime.

  Chapter 5

  Days flew by as Charli focused on the last-minute preparations she hadn’t been able to take care of from San Francisco. She’d taken Ellie to the last dress fitting, and all the bridesmaids had tried on their gowns to make sure nobody had any last-minute sewing emergencies. She’d thought she’d need a bigger size for her dress, considering she’d eaten her weight in chocolate the days after discovering Donnie and Pen together, but apparently keeping herself busy with her friend’s wedding had helped her lose the pounds
she was sure she’d gained after she’d ordered the dress.

  When Ellie came out of the dressing room wearing the simple, yet elegant gown with a lace bodice and sleeves, and flowing silk skirt, streams of tears inundated the room. Charli had picked the small boutique as the delivery address for the dresses she’d ordered in a bridal boutique in San Francisco because, in all honesty, she didn’t trust this town to have anything close to a decent wedding dress or bridesmaids’ gowns. And she’d been right, seeing as the shop sold an array of clothes, from casual style to gowns, but nothing that could possibly serve for a wedding. And since she was in charge, she couldn’t let these small-town folks ruin her reputation.

  She had to give the nice shop lady credit though—she’d made sure flutes of some kind of sweet white wine and a tray of mini red velvet cupcakes were available for the wedding party, she’d closed the shop to give them some privacy, and had hung around to offer assistance and give suggestions. She’d even produced some cute furry shawls the bridesmaids were welcome to borrow if they thought the gowns Charli had ordered wouldn’t keep them warm enough.

  Charli had met Adam’s family the day after she arrived. Ellie had taken her to the bakery owned by Adam’s mother, Enya, and his first mother-in-law, Jenna, and Charli had immediately taken a liking to Enya Cavanagh. Enya had invited them all for dinner that same night, and Charli had been tempted to find an excuse to avoid having to meet Adam’s brother again after their disastrous first encounter. But once Enya told Ellie her eldest wouldn’t be around that night, Charli had been more than happy to accept the invitation and meet the other members of Adam’s family: his father, his grandfather, and his cousins who, from what Ellie had told her, were like siblings to him.

  When Charli woke up on a cold, misty morning the day before the wedding, her mood plummeted to the soles of her feet. She stared out of the window at the gray sky and sent up a little prayer to the wedding planner gods, hoping they’d look down and shove away the clouds in time for the big day. And that they would make Ethan be there for his twin sister’s wedding.

  Ellie and Ethan’s father had died nearly seven years ago during a mission with the Army, and their mother had killed herself three years later. Ethan was the only member of her family left, and it was obvious he’d be the one giving her away to Adam. Until last week they weren’t even sure he’d manage to leave the desert—but some fateful coincidence made a special training in Texas start just two days after the wedding, so he’d been allowed to come home a couple of days early to attend the celebrations. But they all knew wars didn’t exactly make it easy to stick to plans, so Ellie had worried herself sick every single day, afraid something would prevent her twin from coming home, and Charli couldn’t deny she’d been worried herself. Ethan should have called once he’d gotten back to the States, but Ellie hadn’t heard from him, so Charli had had to come up with last-minute solutions for possible stand-ins, in case Ethan wouldn’t make it. Deep down in her heart, she hoped she wouldn’t have to resort to them, though. Ellie would be devastated if he missed her special day.

  Movement on the front lawn caught her attention, and she brought a hand to her heart, whispering a “Thank you” as her eyes followed the burly man who was now approaching the cottage.

  “Anyone home?” The loud, male voice reached all the way up the stairs. The squeal that followed told Charli her friend had heard her brother’s voice, as did the sound of heavy footsteps rushing down the wooden staircase. Charli opened the door and reached the edge of the stairs, from where she planned to watch the scene while she gave the twins a minute to reconnect, before she went down and said hi.

  The burly Army medic she’d last seen at their grandmother’s funeral a year ago stood near the console at the entrance with a duffel bag at his feet. He opened his arms and caught his sister just as she launched herself at him, lifting her off the ground and laughing as she squealed with delight.

  “You made it!” Ellie screamed when he finally put her down, and wrapped her arms around him again.

  “Of course I did. You think I’d let a stupid war keep me from giving my sister away on her wedding day?”

  Ellie laughed and pulled back, stared at him for a moment, then hugged him again. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

  Ethan looked up and smiled brightly when his eyes met Charli’s. “Hey, you.”

  Although they hadn’t seen each other in person often, she used to say hi through Ellie’s computer screen during their Skype chats in all the years she’d lived with her friend. When he’d come home for their mother’s funeral, he’d stuck around a few days longer, and they’d spent some more time together. It wasn’t as if they were close, but they were definitely more than mere strangers. Besides, Ethan was the funniest, most easy-going man she’d ever met, so it hadn’t taken her long to warm up to him.

  “Hi, soldier.”

  She walked down toward them and, when Ellie took a step back, a pair of strong arms wrapped around Charli and lifted her off the floor, just like he’d done with his sister. He’d gotten even burlier than she remembered.

  “I hear we’re going to be housemates for a couple of days. Hope you don’t mind.” He put her down and smiled. Lines crinkled the corners of his green eyes, so similar to Ellie’s, although his held a faint veil of distress. It was no wonder, given the amount of horrible things he must’ve seen during his nearly seven years as an Army medic.

  “I’d be crazy to complain about sharing a cottage with a handsome man in uniform.”

  He laughed, and Ellie clucked her tongue the way she no doubt did with her preschoolers when they didn’t behave. “I may repeat myself here from a previous conversation we’ve had recently, but I’m not sure Donnie would be very happy to hear you talk like that about another man.”

  Charli bit her tongue. Lying to her best friend made her feel sick, but she’d only have to keep up the lie for a day or two, and then she’d sit Ellie down and tell her the truth. She could do it.

  She shrugged. “Ethan is way bigger than Donnie. He’d be too scared to even utter a word.”

  Ethan flexed his biceps in a playful way. “Don’t you worry, babe. If that Donnie guy doesn’t treat you right, you call me and I’ll teach him a lesson.”

  “Enough, macho man,” Ellie said, handing him his duffel. “Take your stuff upstairs into my room and get changed. Adam and the guys are waiting for you to start the stag day celebrations.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He kissed Ellie’s cheek and ran upstairs, taking the steps two at a time.

  Charli watched him until he disappeared, then looked at Ellie, who was still smiling brightly.

  “Well, well. He’s even more handsome than the last time I saw him. He shouldn’t waste the best years of his life in the desert, when he could make some lucky woman happy and give you nieces and nephews.” She’d meant it as a joke, but Ellie’s face darkened and her eyes lost their gleam. Charli backpedaled. “I mean, he’s great for risking his life to help others instead of thinking about having fun…” Oh, gosh. She was making things even worse. “I mean…”

  The door opening abruptly saved her from doing even more damage.

  “Hi, Miss Ellie! Are you weady?” Sophie stormed into the cottage, and Ellie’s face softened into a smile. A second later, Adam walked in with Meatball on a leash. He’d learned quickly that Charli wasn’t exactly fond of the dog, and he’d always made sure the pet was either locked outside or on a leash whenever Charli was around. Sophie seemed to be the only one who couldn’t understand why Charli was so scared of her puppy—which didn’t exactly look like a puppy anymore.

  “Ethan’s upstairs, he’ll be down in a few minutes,” Ellie said to Adam, who just nodded. Sophie left Ellie’s side to skip to her father, and when she launched herself at him, he opened his arms to catch her and the leash fell out of his hand. Meatball started an excited dance around Adam and her little friend, then she turned her attention on Charli and let out a bark at the same time as Charli let out a
yelp.

  Ellie reached for Meatball’s leash and pulled on it just as the back of Charli’s legs hit the armchair. She plopped backward onto the cushion and was glad that at least she’d landed on the soft cushions and not on the floor.

  “I’m fine. No need to call the EMS.” She waved her hands in the air, making Ellie and Adam chuckle. Heavy footsteps descended the staircase and a deep laugh followed.

  “What are you doing there? Are you drunk this early in the day?” Ethan offered his hand and she took it, letting him pull her up. She was grateful she’d opted for a pair of tight pants instead of a mini-skirt like she’d initially planned. Flashing her panties at the groom-to-be would have sent her running to Texas.

  After greetings were exchanged, and Ethan had sent Sophie flying in the air a couple of times, even though she would have probably gone on all day, the two men left, taking the dog with them but leaving Sophie with the two women. Today’s plans included a shopping trip to the mall outside town with a group of girls, which included Adam’s cousins Kacey and Erin, and Lauren, his former sister-in-law, who was also a good friend of Ellie’s. Then they’d all have dinner at the Italian restaurant with Enya Cavanagh and Lauren’s mom Jenna. Afterward, Enya would take Sophie back home with her, and the young women would find a fun way to end the day.

  “Are you ready for one last wild day, before the handsome deputy shackles you for life?” Charli said, taking her coat from the hook near the door. Ellie laughed and shook her head as she put on her own coat and took Sophie’s hand.

  “I just hope you’re not thinking what I bet you’re thinking, in that dirty mind of yours.”

  Charli batted her eyelashes in an innocent I-don’t-know-what-you’re-talking-about expression even though, to be honest, she had been thinking exactly that. Come on, with a cop fiancé it was next to impossible that her friend didn’t have at least one tiny handcuff fantasy.