It took a moment for Charlotte to regain her composure after she turned and saw Alexa on the steps above with a mocking smile on her red lips. Embarrassed, she turned her face into Nate’s suit coat and felt him running his hands over her back, soothing and sheltering her. Then he gripped her arms loosely and stood back.
“I thought you’d gone,” he said, less than his usual friendliness in his voice.
“I did,” Alexa answered. “But I forgot my bag and came back. Have you seen it?”
Charlotte felt Nate’s strong fingers grip hers as he said, “No. I’ll ask Mrs. Henderson if any of the staff have found it. But when I get back, Alexa, you and I need to have a conversation.” Then he turned to Charlotte and murmured. “And we aren’t done with this one either.”
Charlotte didn’t answer, and as Nate walked back into the house, she turned to face the ocean. It gave her a chance to wipe the tears from her face before Alexa saw them. She did not want to be left alone with her, but she also didn’t want Alexa to claim any kind of victory by chasing her away.
Alexa’s heels clicked toward her, and Charlotte growled under her breath before turning to face her. She couldn’t help but notice how Alexa looked ethereal with her shimmering dress and her skin washed in an otherworldly glow from the pool lights. Her eyes were glinting like diamonds.
“I see Nate is amusing himself as usual,” Alexa said, her voice ringing with false friendliness. “I hope you aren’t stupid enough to take him seriously.”
Charlotte shifted her eyes back to the sea. She couldn’t stand this woman. “If you’ve come to see if I’ll drink your poison, you’re wasting your time. I’ve known women like you before.”
Alexa laughed. “I seriously doubt that.” She leaned against the rock half-wall. “You might not believe it, but I don’t want to see you get hurt. Nate does it without knowing it. He has no idea how hard women fall for his charm and sincerity.”
Charlotte glanced at her again with one eyebrow raised.
“Oh, yes,” Alexa said. “I believe he’s sincere. For now. But you see, Nate wouldn’t be where he was, one of the richest men in America, if he wasn’t always looking for the next best thing. Right now, he thinks that’s you. But next week it might be a new advancement in technology or a charity in Africa or a politician’s daughter in Germany. His interest is intense but fleeting.”
A tight coldness spread within her, despite the fact that she’d already decided that a relationship with Nate wouldn’t work out. Alexa’s words were cool logic laced with pity, and it stung.
It was pointless to deny that she had feelings for Nate, deep, earnest feelings. It hurt to think that his feelings for her, whatever they were, might not be lasting. She was so confused, but she had one question for the blond viper. “If that’s true, Alexa, why do you want him yourself?”
Alexa crossed her arms over her chest—the most casual movement Charlotte had ever seen her make. Then she said, as if hesitating over her words, “I can’t help it, any more than you can, I suspect. But I understand him, you see. I’m prepared to take him any way I can get him.”
Charlotte gave a sharp, heartbroken choke of laughter. “Then you probably deserve him more than I do, but unfortunately for you, I don’t think your brand of love is what Nate is looking for. Goodbye. I hope I never see you again.”
And then she walked inside with her head held high though every part of her felt broken. As she passed the hallway leading to the kitchen, she thought she caught a glimpse of Nate’s dark suit. She hurried past, even though she knew it wouldn’t be any easier to face him in the morning. He’d told Alexa he needed to talk to her, and Charlotte wanted to be far away when that happened.
She went upstairs and drew up to Taylor’s door, slowly turning the knob. She kicked off her shoes so her footsteps wouldn’t wake him up. She stepped across the columns of moonlight streaming through the blinds, across the smooth hardwood floors, and onto the plush rug around the bed. And then she stared down at Taylor’s angelic face. His lashes were fanned across his rounded cheeks, and his mouth was open slightly as he breathed slowly and deeply in his sleep.
Her mother’s heart calmed with the tenderness of her love for him. She smoothed his hair back from his forehead and bent to kiss him there. As she did so, she noticed that he smelled different than usual. Like salt and sun and Nate’s big mansion by the sea. How would her choices affect this tender-hearted and often lonely boy who thought the world of his t-ball coach?
***
The next day passed like a blur. Nate had arranged for them to fly out early so that she could keep all of her Monday appointments at the salon. She got up early to pack, hoping she might have a chance to escape without seeing Nate. Yes, she was being a coward, but her emotions were too raw to face him.
She woke Taylor up at the last moment, handed him a banana and a granola bar, and pulled him downstairs and outside to meet Sam.
“Good morning,” he said, standing at ease beside Nate’s black Bentley.
“Good morning. Have you seen Nate?” she asked.
“Not a sign of him.”
“Good.”
Sam raised an eyebrow at her, but didn’t say anything as he helped the chauffeur load their bags. Just as Charlotte thought she’d get away without facing the awkwardness, Nate came striding out the wide front door. She eyed his expression for any sign of how he was feeling, but it was tense and closed-off.
With no word of greeting he took her by the shoulders and asked, “Why did you go to bed last night without waiting for me?”
“You know why.”
“Did Alexa say anything when I was gone?”
Charlotte nodded to Taylor, who was looking for lizards in the landscaping again. “Not now.”
Nate’s jaw flexed, but he nodded and stepped back. “I’ve been working since dawn, so I’m sorry I didn’t see you until now. And it’s going to take a miracle for me to make it home for the game tomorrow night. At least tell me we can talk afterward.”
“Maybe. Give me some time to think.”
Nate sighed and gave a wry smile. “You think too much. I’d rather you trusted your feelings more.”
“Well those are in complete confusion too. But thanks so much for giving Taylor and me an amazing weekend.”
“Such as it was, huh? This house will seem empty without you.”
“You’re a very busy man. You won’t even have time to notice.” She looked past him then and said, “Taylor, come say goodbye to Nate.”
Taylor ran over. “Goodbye, Nate.”
“Tell him thank you,” Charlotte prompted a stern whisper.
“Thanks. I love your pool and your giant house, and your tv room. Can I come back again?”
“Any time, buddy. Any time.”
Charlotte frowned, but didn’t say anything as she directed Taylor into the car. “See you tomorrow,” she said quietly, before getting in after him.
Sam and Nate spoke briefly before they left, and Charlotte wondered what they were talking about because both men looked more tense than she’d ever seen them. But she didn’t dare question Sam about it. Instead, she sat silently through the rest of the journey, in car and plane, with a strong longing in her chest as she got further away from Nate.
Once they were home, there was so much to do, she didn’t have time to focus on her emotions—which was a blessing. She knew Taylor would be wiped out, so she let him relax in front of the television. He’d be back to school tomorrow, but for now, he could rest. She, however, had clients starting right after lunch.
She started a load of laundry, unpacked their suitcases, and headed out to unlock the salon thirty minutes before her first appointment. She went around turning on her flat irons and curling irons, turning up the air conditioner for the hot afternoon ahead, and getting her computer up and running for the day. And then her first client came in, jingling the bell she’d put over the door.
Misty pushed her sun glasses up and said, “You got a tan, girl. I guess you really did go to Florida.”
Charlotte smiled, but knew it probably looked as tense as it felt. “Yep. We’re doing a trim and highlights today?”
“Yeah. And maybe some layers. I thought about getting bangs, but bangs are like a night out drinking with the girls—I always regret it the next day.”
Charlotte laughed and led the way to the sink. Misty dropped her purse and sunglasses on a table and settled back for her shampoo.
“Tell me if the water is too hot,” Charlotte said as she got to work.
“No, it’s fine. I heard a rumor you were visiting Nate Haverton. Is it true?”
Charlotte paused, her sudsy fingers stilling for a few seconds. “Yes. I wasn’t keeping it a secret.”
“Well, Justine is telling everyone who will listen to her that you’re after his money.”
Surprised, Charlotte accidentally snorted. “That’s too ironic for words. His money is the last thing I’m after.”
“Yeah. He’s so hot, I’d go after him even if he didn’t have two nickels to rub together.”
“No, I mean, I’m not after him at all.”
“Well, I wouldn’t blame you if you were. And I told Justine there’s nothing wrong with two consenting adults sleeping together. So that’s when she told me that Nate is engaged to this Alexa chick, and that you two are having an affair.”
“Oh good grief,” Charlotte said, running conditioner through Misty’s hair. “Nate and I aren’t sleeping together. We aren’t even dating. He’s not engaged to Alexa Merrill any more than you are, and I took Taylor with me. Do you think I’d take my son if I were doing what she’s saying?”
“No. Now remember, I never believed her about him being engaged to someone else. It ain’t hard to tell he’s got the hots for you, what with the way he’s always looking for you in the stands, and taking such an interest in your son and all. But my sister owns the Magnolia Inn, and she says that there’s a blonde woman who always comes to visit him. I thought it might be the same woman who was at the game last week. Girl, she had her claws in him!”
“Does nobody have anything to do in this town but gossip?”
“Not really, honey.”
Charlotte wrapped Misty’s hair up in a towel and led her to the barber’s chair. She pulled the cape around her shoulders and secured the Velcro before meeting Misty’s eyes in the mirror. “Well, then, let them talk. They can gossip to their heart’s content for all I care. I know there’s nothing scandalous going on. In fact, there’s not even anything not scandalous going on.”
Misty frowned. “Well that’s too bad. Delynn and I really thought there was.”
Charlotte opened her mouth, nearly giving Misty an update on the situation, but decided she’d better not. It would be all over Chester before sundown.
Misty barely paused her wagging tongue though. “All the idiots around here who are calling you a skank are secretly jealous of you. Don’t mind them any.”
Charlotte closed her eyes. “Wow. Just wow.”
“Don’t worry. All us moms from the t-ball team are standing up for you, and your neighbors, and Millie gave Justine a lecture right there in her shop in front of everybody. I thought I should warn you what’s going around.”
“That’s sweet of you,” Charlotte said, though she had a feeling Misty was thoroughly enjoying being the bearer of scandalous news.
“Yeah. And don’t worry about those witches calling you a gold digger because you’ve gotten your hands on two rich man, counting your ex-husband. It’s not like they wouldn’t jump on either one of them if given half a chance. No woman would. Let’s just be real.”
Charlotte sighed. No woman, except, apparently, her. “About two inches off?”
“Yeah, let’s start with that. And you can tell me all about your weekend in Tampa. And I do mean all of it.”