Busted (14 page)

The moment of truth. Either she could continue to lie to him
and herself, or she could acknowledge her feelings for Cole and face the
fall-out. “Yes.” She looked down at her clasped hands. She had never had to do
this before, break up with a man because of her feelings for someone else, and
she was unprepared for the difficulty. “I didn’t intend for this to happen,
please believe me, but—”

“It’s Cole, isn’t it?”

She looked up, surprised he read the situation so easily.
“How did you know that?”

“It’s a small town, people talk.” He covered his eyes with
one hand. “I didn’t want to believe it, but when my daughter told me she saw
him at the school every day, that he would spend time in your classroom, well,
I had to face facts.” He pulled a velvet ring box out of his pocket and set it
on the coffee table. “I’m sure you can guess what that is?”

Charlene’s heart pounded in her chest and her mouth was dry.
How had she not seen this coming? Perhaps because they hadn’t been intimate,
and she tried to distance herself from him lately. She wracked her brain trying
to recall whether she said or did anything to indicate to him that she may be
ready to take this step with
anyone
. No. She hadn’t.

“I hate that I’m hurting you this way.” Her voice cracked,
forcing her to clear her throat. “You’re a great guy. Any woman would be lucky
to call you her husband.”

“Oh, spare me the B.S., Charlene.” He sighed when she winced
at his unforgiving tone. “Don’t you know what this man is capable of? He gets
off on hurting women. I’m talking whips, handcuffs, the whole bit. He’s sick.”

“You don’t know anything about him,” she said, raising her
chin to look him in the eye. She was tired of hearing people judge Cole because
of his sexual proclivities. They didn’t know him the way she did, and clearly
they didn’t want to give him the benefit of the doubt. Squaring her shoulders,
she felt the wave of fury and injustice wash over her. Cole didn’t deserve to
be judged this way, not by her or the small-minded citizens of Brant County. He
deserved to have someone stand up for him, for once, the way she knew he would
defend her if her back was against the wall.

“Do you have any idea how much that man has helped this
community?” she demanded. “Donations to the school, the library, the food bank,
children’s holiday toy drives, farmers in need…” She paused only to take a
breath. “He willingly gives to a community that’s branded him a degenerate.
That’s the kind of man he is!”

“Look, I didn’t mean—”

“I don’t want to hear it, ‘cause you know what… I don’t give
a damn what anyone thinks about him. It’s what I think that matters.” She got
up without another word and walked to the front door. Holding it open, she
waited for him to pass through.

He put his coat on, shoving the ring box back in his pocket
as he slipped past her. Turning around to face her after he passed the
threshold, he said, “I’d like for us to be friends. I mean, you are my
daughter’s teacher and all. I don’t want things to be awkward between us.”

“I don’t want that, either.” She knew Paul was a kind and
decent man. If anyone was to blame here, it was her. “I’m sorry things didn’t
work out the way you hoped they would.”

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his bomber jacket,
drawing it closed against the blustery winter chill. “Where does that leave
you? I mean, are you and Cole a couple now?”

“No, we’re not.” She couldn’t even say for certain they were
still on speaking terms.

“But that’s what you want… to try and make things work with
him?”

She wouldn’t define her feelings for Cole unless it was to
the man himself. “Cole and I need to talk. To figure out where we go from
here.”

He reached in to brush a kiss across her cheek. “Good luck,
Charlene. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

She crossed her arms when she felt a shiver move through
her. “Thanks.” She grabbed Paul’s sleeve before he could make his way down the
stairs to his car. “I really am sorry if I hurt you.”

He shrugged. “I guess that’s a chance you have to take,
right?”

He was right. So why wasn’t she willing to take that chance
with Cole?

Charlene was assailed with the fresh scent of pine as soon
as she entered her parents’ house. The annual tree-trimming party at the McCoy
house was always a big deal when they were growing up. Close friends and
immediate family joined in to kick-off the holiday season in the old-fashioned
style they were all accustomed to. They’d string popcorn, sip hot apple cider,
and share gossip with their favorite people.

“There you are,” Marilyn McCoy said, slipping an arm around
her daughter’s waist. “I was beginning to wonder if you were ever gonna get
here. Where’s Paul? You should have invited him.”

She dreaded this moment all the way over to her parents’
house. According to them, she should think about settling down with someone
like Paul. “Paul and I aren’t seeing each other anymore.”

Her mother halted, turning to face her. “What do you mean
you’re not seeing each other anymore? I thought things were getting serious.”

Charlene raised an eyebrow at her mother’s sharp tone. “You
thought wrong.”

Wagging her finger in front of Charlene’s face, she said,
“Don’t you sass me, young lady. I want to know the truth. Are the rumors true?
Are you messin’ around with that Cole character?”

“How can you refer to him that way?” Charlene asked, raising
her voice loud enough to draw the attention of most of their guests. “He’s your
son’s friend. Not to mention the son of one of
your
closest friends.”

“Keep your voice down,” Marilyn hissed, turning her back to
the curious onlookers. “We both know he’s not one of us. He didn’t grow up
here, and he’s, well…” A blush stained her cheeks. “Different.”

The fury she’d felt earlier stole Charlene’s breath as she
stared at the crowd of people she always considered friends. They seemed like
hostile strangers to her now. How had she almost allowed these people to steal
her chance at happiness? Her eyes fell on Cole’s mother and she finally found
the resolve to say her piece in front of Cole’s self-appointed jury.

“I know you’ve all been speculating about what’s been going
on with me lately,” she said, smiling sweetly. She saw her brother grimace as
her father covered his face with his hand.

“You stop this nonsense right now,” Marilyn whispered,
furiously. “You’re going to embarrass us and yourself.”

“I don’t care anymore.” She stood taller, trying to infuse
as much confidence as she could muster into her stance. “I’ve known most of you
all my life. I babysat your children and grandchildren. You know me. You know
what kind of person I am. I’d never fall in love with a man who wasn’t worthy
of me.”

Charlene reached out for Ruth’s hand when she heard her
sharp intake of breath. “I know y’all may think you know what’s right for me,
but you obviously don’t know what’s in my heart.”

She ignored the whispered murmurs moving through the crowd
as her mother tried to make a quick getaway to the kitchen.

“I think you’re gonna wanna stay for this, Mama,” she said
loud enough to be heard over the crowd.

Marilyn shot a glance at her husband, imploring him to put a
stop to this madness, but he shrugged his shoulders in resignation.

“I know you think you know enough about Cole Braxton because
of some of the things you’ve heard about him, but you haven’t got a clue what
kind of man he is. You don’t know what kind of father or son or brother or
friend he is. Most of you don’t even know how much he’s done to help this
community.”

“That’s true,” Mayor Carlton said. When people turned to
look at him, he continued. “Most of Cole’s donations are anonymous. But
honestly, I don’t know how the hell we would’ve gotten through the last year
without his support.”

The mayor’s endorsement gave Charlene the confidence to
continue. “You’re so quick to judge, but you’re rushing to judgement without
any of the facts. You’re willing to evaluate him based on rumors you’ve heard,
and I’m here to tell you that you’re all missing out on getting to know an incredible
man.”

Ruth squeezed her hand and offered a shaky smile.

“He just wants to be a part of this community. He wants his
daughter to grow up here because this is a great place to live. He wants her to
feel safe and loved, and he wants to be able to walk down the street without
everyone condemning him.”

“You’re right,” Tucker Carlton said, shaking his head.

Everyone turned their attention to the police chief. “I, for
one, am damn proud to call Cole Braxton one of my closest friends. He’s done
more for this town in the short time he’s been here than most of us have in a
lifetime. He deserves our respect. He’s earned it.” He looked at his best
friend, and Charlene’s brother, Jake. “Isn’t that right, buddy?”

Jake looked at Charlene a long time before he said, “Damn
right it is. I’m sorry you’re the one who had to talk some sense into me, into
all of us. I’m ashamed of myself. I think…” he said, looking around at the
crowd, “we should all be ashamed of ourselves.”

“I’m the worst culprit of all,” Ruth said, rubbing her nose
with a tissue. “He’s my son. I should’ve been the one to defend him.”

“It’s not your fault, Ruth,” Mrs. Briar said, rubbing her
back.

“Yes, it is. It’s my fault he’s leaving town too, and taking
my granddaughter with him. How could I let this happen? He should’ve been able
to count on me for support. Instead, I—”

“Wait a minute,” Charlene said, holding her hand up. “What
did you say?” She felt lightheaded.
This could not be happening.
“Where
are they going?”

“They’re going back to Texas.” She glanced at her watch. “In
fact, they’ve probably left already.”

“No, no…” She clutched her forehead. “They can’t…”

“Don’t waste any more time standing around here,” her mother
said. “Go and talk to him.”

They shared a brief smile before Charlene bolted out the
front door.   

Cole piled their suitcases in the bed of his truck as a
familiar car pulled into the long drive, kicking up dust in her wake. Damn it!
He’d hoped to avoid another scene with Charlene. With his nerves on edge and
his heart still broken, he couldn’t trust himself to hold it together if she
challenged him today.

“I don’t have time for this,” he said as soon as she slammed
her car door. “We have to go.”

She followed him into the house, holding the door open when
he would have gladly let it slam shut. “You’re gonna listen to me whether you
like it or not.”

“Get out.” His mouth went dry as his heart started beating
double-time. God help him, he loved everything about this woman, from her sass
to her sweetness to her sex appeal. It was as though God made her just for him.

“No!” She looked around. “Where’s Cassidy?”

“She’s with Mrs. Garcia down at their house. She said she’d
keep her until I’m ready to leave.”

Charlene took her coat off, revealing a red cashmere sweater
that hugged her soft curves, and just like that, Cole was hard. He went to
Dixie’s every other night, telling himself that would be the night he’d find
someone to wipe Charlene out of his mind, but his body had never responded like
this to anyone else.

“You’re not leaving until I’ve said my piece,” she said,
walking towards him. “I can’t believe you were gonna leave town without saying
a word to me.”

He licked his lips, trying to stand his ground as she moved
in on him. It took everything in him to not throw her down on the couch in the
adjoining family room, strip those slim black dress pants off, and punish her
for all the sleepless nights, missed meals, and stiff drinks he’d sucked back
because of her. “I thought I asked you to leave.”

She reached for the snaps running the front of his shirt and
shocked him by tearing it open. “I heard what you said. And I told you that I’m
not leaving until I said what I came here to say.”

His chest heaved and he couldn’t catch his breath as he
watched her hands skim his abs and pecs. “Why’re you doin’ this?”

“Because I can’t let you go.”

He closed his eyes when her hot, wet mouth closed over his
flat nipple. “Don’t do that.” He fisted his hands at his side and tipped his
head back.

Grazing his nipple with her teeth, she looked up at him, a
wicked gleam in her big blue eyes. “I’m afraid I might be a lousy submissive. I
don’t take orders very well.”

With his cock straining painfully against the zipper of his
jeans, he’d take her any way he could get her. “I’ve noticed. You definitely
have a mind of your own.”

She reached for his belt buckle and slowly undid his pants.
“I’m afraid that’s not true. I’ve made the mistake of letting other people
think for me. No more. As of today, I don’t care what anyone else says or
thinks. The only things that matter are you and me and how we feel about each
other.”

He reached for her hands. He couldn’t make love to her and
lose her again. It would kill him this time. “What about Paul?”

“It’s over. I told him how I feel about you.” She grinned.
“In fact, I told everyone how I feel about you. Made quite a spectacle of
myself.” She flipped her long blonde hair over her shoulder with the toss of
her head. “And you know what? It felt great.” She giggled. “It was so
liberating.”

He didn’t know what the hell she was talking about, and now
that she was pulling her sweater over her head and tossing it to the ground, he
couldn’t summon the will to care.
Focus, damn it. You can’t afford to screw
this up again.
“Maybe you should tell me how you feel about me.”

Charlene stood on the toes of her high-heeled black boots
and wound her arms around his neck. “I love you…” She pressed a kiss to his
lips. “Hopelessly…” Another kiss. “Deeply…” She slipped her tongue inside of
his mouth. “Forever and ever.”