Charlotte (Marked Heart #2) (14 page)

18

Temporary

Sitting in his chair
after Charlotte left, Auggie couldn't seem to get his mind right. He should have stopped her from walking out. He should have said something. He couldn't. Auggie actually thought for a moment he was having a heart attack. Frustrated with himself, he thought he shouldn't have kissed her at all. She was upset. He wanted to make her feel better. Why didn't he just say, 'Your boyfriend's a douche' and leave it at that? Then he wouldn't be sitting there alone wondering what she thought about the kiss.

Auggie's front door suddenly swung open.
His body tensed in anticipation. The thrill of seeing her again was almost too much until he saw Braden instead of Charlotte walk in.

Strolling to the couch, Braden flopped down greeting, "What's up brother?"

Auggie groaned, relaxing back in his chair, "Nothing."

"Man, what did you do?"

Scowling at his brother, a hint of panic coursed through him.

"You look like the cat that ate the canary."

Thinking to himself 'It was a peacock', Auggie griped, "What do you want?"

"I need a reason to come visit my big brother?"

"Usually."

A wide smile spread across Braden's face as he admitted, "Lily and her mother in law are back. So I'm waiting for the nosy ol' bat to leave."

"Back from where?"

"County."

Shaking his head, Auggie fussed, "Let me get this straight, you're hiding out here so you can hook up with her after she's been to see her husband in jail."

"Don't make it dirty, she only went to get his mom off her back."

"Yea, that's why," Auggie sarcastically replied.

"You don't know."

"Neither do you."

"I know she's gonna ask him for a divorce when he gets out."

Shaking his head at his brother, Auggie stood up and walked to his kitchen. He'd need a beer for this
conversation.

Grabbing the beer Charlotte had pulled out of the
fridge from the counter Auggie's mind flashed back to her standing in his kitchen. Shaking it off, he grabbed his bottle opener and popped the cap off of his beer before making his way back to the living room.

Before Auggie made it back to his chair, Braden shared, "I'm thinkin' about making an appointment with Kieran. I still have it."

Recalling the heart Braden had their mom draw the night he was going to propose to Lily, Auggie discouraged, "She's still married."

Braden shot him a dirty look, saying, "Jackson got his while Ren was still married."

"I know you're not comparing her to Ren," Auggie snapped.

"Still have a little crush on her do ya?"

"Want me to put you through the door again do ya?"

"Don't know. You still hidin' her picture in your underwear drawer?"

Remembering the crazy crush he had on Ren during his teenage years, he had long since grown out of
it. Ren was gorgeous, but it was her attitude that had been most attractive to him. He respected her. Auggie never thought he would meet a woman that compared to her, until now.

Focusing back on his brother, to keep his thoughts of Charlotte at bay, Auggie fussed, "Man you know damn good and well, Lily's gonna go back with him the minute he's out."

Standing up, Braden argued, "I already told you, she's gonna ask for a divorce."

"Why ask? Why wait for him to get out? Why not file for divorce now?"

Braden appeared hurt as he replied, "Why not be my brother and have my back?"

"I always got your back, just like the first time around."

"That's not gonna happen again."

"The girl that cheated on you is cheating with you and you think things will somehow turn out different?"

"She was mine first!"

"Is that what this is? A pride thing? You tryin' to get back at Keven for doin' her behind your back?"

"Like your hard-hearted ass would understand," Braden snapped, turning towards the front door.

"I'm your brother."

"Act like it then." Pulling his cellphone out of his back pocket, Braden replied, "Lily texted, I gotta go."

Shaking his head, Auggie said, "Be careful."

"You know I will."

Thinking to himself 'Damn fool',
Auggie gave his brother a nod.

~

Charlotte arrived home to find Emerson and Amila waiting in the kitchen for her. She had hoped to go straight to her room. Maybe scream into her pillow. Definitely think about the kiss. Now she was stuck in the kitchen having a conversation with her parents.

"Lola's friend invited her to spend the night," Amila shared with an apprehensive expression on her face before Emerson stated, "We would like to talk to you."

Thinking, 'What is this, an intervention', Charlotte stood next to the kitchen table where Emerson and Amila sat, saying, "I would like to go to my room."

Emerson cleared his throat before questioning, "Where have you been?"

"Out."

With a disapproving stare, he stated, "You cannot tell us where you were?"

Glancing at Amila's sweet yet concerned smile, Charlotte replied, "I can. I just choose not to."

"Because you think we will not approve?" Emerson replied.

With a loud huff, Charlotte assured, "Because I am a grown up and it's none of anyone's business what I do. And trust me, approval isn't something I need."

Amila quickly broke in, saying, "Charlotte, we know you are a grown up but you are also back under our roof and it's common courtesy to be respectful."

"I'm not trying to be disrespectful."

Emerson stood up, "It must come naturally to you then because that is exactly what you are being."

Counting backwards from ten in her head, Charlotte focused on Amila, asking, "Is this because I got a tattoo?"

Emerson answered before Amila had a chance to, "We are having this conversation because you brought a very nice and respectable man home to meet us and as soon as he left, you have been going out doing God knows what."

Amila chimed in, saying, "We just want to make sure you are okay," as she gave Emerson a 'That's enough' stare.

As Charlotte felt herself growing angrier at Emerson's statement, she looked at Amila and informed, "Since Lola's not coming home tonight, I'm going out. I will call if I stay the night somewhere, so you don't worry." Then glaring at Emerson, she stated, "As far as where I go and what I do while I'm there, that's not any of your business."

Charlotte started to walk out of the kitchen, when the phone rang.

Amila answered the phone, motioning for Charlotte to stay.

While Amila seemed to be listening to whoever was on the line, Emerson lowered his voice, saying, "Trace called after you left. He said he may have upset you and would like to apologize."

Charlotte could not believe what she was hearing.

Amila walked up and handed Charlotte the cordless, saying, "Sorry is just a word," loud enough so Trace could hear her.

Charlotte's hand started to shake as she took the phone, answering, "Hello."

"My lovely, please forgive me."

Glancing between Emerson and Amila, who clearly were not going to leave the room, Charlotte replied, "Why should I."

Trace's voice was low as he explained, "I was shocked. Much like you were when I shared something I enjoy with you and you found it unpleasant."

"I don't feel we are on the same page with that," she replied, filtering her answer in front of her parents.

"I know your environment there is trying. I understand. I am also suffering. Being so far from you has affected me in many ways. I do apologize for overreacting. My behavior was uncalled for. Please take the time you have left there to think things over. You and I have a significant amount of time invested in each other. You do not have to forgive me. All I ask is that you consider the time we have spent together and recognize whatever takes place while you are away will have no bearing on your life once you are home."

Charlotte took a moment to consider what Trace was saying.

"You are coming back?"

"Yes," she replied, reminding herself that this town and the people in it were temporary for her.

"Then please my beauty, do not decide anything until I return for you."

A bit overwhelmed by her own thoughts, she replied, "Okay," and hung up the phone.

As Charlotte set the phone down on the table, Amila asked, "Are you alright honey?"

Nodding, she walked past Emerson and Amila and headed to her room.

There was a lot of truth in what Trace said. Whether she ended up accepting his proposal or not, this was not her home and she had no intentions of staying.

~

Fighting the same battle with the dreaded ledger book as he had before Charlotte intervened, Auggie got up from his kitchen table and grabbed a Guinness out of his refrigerator. He thought about calling her then quickly decided against it. He wasn't about to let her think he couldn't handle things without her. If she had been interested in the least she would have stayed.

Just as he was about to sit down at the table and get back at it, there was a knock at his door.
Taking a seat, he figured it was Braden. It was unlocked so eventually he would let himself in once he got tired of knocking.

Focusing on the ledger, Auggie asked, "Change of plans?" when he heard his front door open.

"Something like that."

Auggie quickly looked up and almost fell out of his chair when he saw Charlotte
step in and close the door behind herself.

"I thought you were Braden."

"Oh-kay."

"He was here earlier."

Nodding
, she made her way to the table.

Confused Auggie had no idea why she was there or why she dressed the way she was. Standing next to the table without taking a seat, Charlotte was wearing a pair of black slacks and
a grey v-neck t-shirt. He would never have guessed she owned a pair of pants, but he figured it was her way of saying keep your hands to yourself.

~

Charlotte eased herself into the seat next to him. After several occasions when Auggie made disapproving comments about her wardrobe, now that she was dressed a bit more modest he was looking at her like she was wearing a trash bag.

"Need some help?" she asked, glancing at the ledger.

Scowling at her, he griped, "Nope."

Deciding the kiss was an error in his judgment, she stood back up, saying, "I'll just take my heels and go then."

He gave her a blank stare before standin
g up and walking to his room. Shaking her head at herself, she felt stupid. She knew what was going on and she didn't appreciate it one bit.

Standing in the living room
, Charlotte waited for her heels. Once she had her favorite stilettos back, she would tell him off and then finally be done with this particular member of the Caffrey family once and for all.

"Here ya go," Auggie said, handing them to her.

Snatching them out of his hand, Charlotte did a quick inspection to make sure nothing
had happened to them in his care.

"Look a... earlier."

Hugging her heels tight to her chest, she assured, "I had a moment of uncertainty."

"Is that right?"

"Yes. So don't put yourself out. I don't need pity from someone like you."

"Someone like me? I don't do pity so don't go thinkin' I would feel sorry for you. Even for a second."

Furious he wouldn't admit what she had decided he was guilty of, Charlotte questioned, "Then what was it?"

"Uncertainty," he replied with a sarcastic expression.

Nodding, Charlotte said, "Well, that's it then."

~

Standing in front of Charlotte, Auggie couldn't believe she thought he felt sorry for her or that he would kiss her out of pity. She's the one that walked out earlier. Deciding she was working some sort of angle, he was tired of having to defend himself to her.

"That's it? That's all you have to say for yourself?"

Charlotte's mood had noticeably shifted as she replied, "What would you like me to say?"

"Unbelievable," he blurted throwing his arms up in the air before correcting himself, "No, I do believe it. You have been tormenting me since the moment you got back to town..."

Cutting him off as she shoved her finger in his face, Charlotte fussed, "You are the one that has been ridiculous this whole time."

"I'm ridiculous?" he shouted at her before taunting, "Augustus, let me help you. Let me strut around your house in next to nothing. Augustus, take me to a club. Let me rub up against you every single chance I get. Augustus, I'm gonna mess with you as much as possible but wait I don't like to be picked on. Augustus..."