by Laura Lee
I point my finger at her. “I’m still pissed at you for not telling me the truth about that.”
When my sister called to inform me that she was pregnant, she said the baby’s father took off, wanting nothing to do with them. My protective instincts instantly kicked in so I insisted she move up from Portland to live with me. I wasn’t going to leave her hanging because some douchebag couldn’t man up. Almost five years later, she admitted that Riley had no idea she was pregnant when they parted ways.
Devyn shrugs. “It was safer to pretend that I didn’t need him.”
Looking up at the ceiling, I take a deep breath. “Women are fucking confusing. Why has it taken me thirty-two years to realize that?”
She chuckles. “Because you were only interested in getting to know them on a biblical level before you met Charlee.”
I narrow my eyes. “I’m not that much of a dick. I knew plenty of things about those women beyond their favorite position and bra size.”
Devyn laughs. “That may be, but c’mon, Drew. You and I both know that you didn’t need to know any personal details about them. Can you say the same about Charlee?”
Damn it, she has a point.
“Real love is messy,” she continues. “It takes work and it can hurt. But sometimes, you have to take the leap, no matter how scary it is. For the right person, it’s worth it.”
I groan. “What the fuck do I do, Dev?”
“Have you tried talking to her?”
I shake my head. “No. I don’t want to say something that I can’t take back. I needed to make sense out of this first.”
“I’d hate to break this to you, Drew, but you’re never going to make sense out of it unless you talk to her.”
Fuck.
“So, I should call her?”
She shakes her head. “I would go to her in person. You can’t read her body language over the phone.”
“What if she refuses to see me?”
Devyn bumps her shoulder into mine. “Then you keep trying until she does.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
CHARLEE
Well, here I am, standing in front of Drew’s apartment again. I decided to do some old-fashioned groveling before breaking out the grand gesture, like my brother suggested. If this doesn’t work, I still have an awesome Hail Mary pass in my back pocket. It took me two days to come up with the idea but there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s the perfect play.
I raise my fist to knock but the door opens before I have a chance.
Devyn flinches in surprise as she practically runs into me. “Charlee!” She widens the door to reveal Drew standing right behind her. “Well, this is convenient.”
Huh?
She steps into the hallway and laughs at the confusion on my face. “I was just leaving. Go on in.”
Drew and I stare at each other for a few beats while she ducks into the stairwell.
I fidget nervously. “Hey. Is it okay if I come in?”
“Yeah...sure.”
I step into the apartment but I don’t attempt to go beyond the small foyer. “I was hoping we could talk.”
“About what?”
I nod in the direction of his living room. “Can we sit?”
“Sure.”
Drew drops into his recliner, leaving me to take a seat on the couch. I hate how awkward this is, how I can’t just fold myself into his lap. Yeah, yeah, I hear you. I don’t really have anyone to blame but myself.
I take a deep breath. “I wanted to say that I’m sorry for the other night. I was wrong.”
He cocks his head to the side. “About what specifically?”
I meet his eyes. “That walking away from you was the only solution.”
His chest rises and falls. “What made you change your mind?”
“Honestly? Brody.”
A crease forms between his brows. “Care to elaborate?”
I sigh. “I spoke with him. Turns out, you were right. About everything. The whole ultimatum thing was his way of testing whether or not your feelings for me were genuine. He never had any intention of actually making you choose between us.”
A slight muscle jumps in his cheek. “I see.”
He doesn’t look nearly as happy about that as I thought he would. “So...”
He lifts a brow. “So...what?”
Fuck, this groveling shit is hard.
I wave my hand through the air. “So...that means that you and Brody are cool and we can be together.”
Drew runs his hand over his jaw. “I don’t know if it’s that simple, Charlee.”
I shift until my feet are tucked beneath me. “It can be.”
He contemplates that for a minute. “Not really. As much as I’d like that to be true, it doesn’t change the fact that you don’t trust me.”
I flick my wrists with my palms turned upward. “What do you mean? Of course I trust you.”
He releases a heavy sigh. “No, you don’t. You needed validation from your brother. You didn’t have enough faith in me to take my word for it. And as far as Brody’s concerned, I can’t say that I’m okay with his little...test. He could’ve been upfront with me—actually said that he needed to see it for himself rather than play games.”
“What do you want me to do, Drew? Tell me and I’ll do it.”
“Honey, I wish I knew. I was actually about to come see you, to try convincing you to ride it out with me. If you would’ve come here before talking to Brody, it would be completely different. You can say you trust me all you want, but your actions say otherwise. Trust is a key component in a relationship, Charlee. You can’t have one without it.”
I sigh. “That’s fair. But I don’t want to be without you, Drew. I never did. And I know you feel the same, so can’t we at least try?”
He gives me a sad smile. “I don’t know. I think I need some time.”
“How much time?”
Drew shakes his head. “I don’t know. Just time.”
I hang my head in my hands. “Okay. I guess I’ll just...head out now.”
He gets out of his chair and walks me to the door.
I hold my arms out. “Can I...can I at least have a hug before I go?”
Drew wraps his arms around me, holding me tight. I lock my hands around his waist and just breathe in his woodsy cologne.
He kisses the top of my head. “I love you, honey. I don’t want it to be like this, but I need time.”
I sniff back tears, nodding against this muscular chest. “I understand.”
He releases me much too soon and brushes my hair away from my face. “I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
I nod. “Okay.”
As he shuts the door, I know what I need to do. I’ll give him some space, but then it’s time to break out the big guns.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
DREW
It’s been over two weeks since I last saw Charlee. In person, anyway. She’s definitely made appearances in my dreams—mostly the dirty ones—and I can’t stop flipping through the pictures on my phone. I may or may not have used them on more than one occasion while holding my sausage hostage. We’ve talked a few times, on the phone or through text, but it’s not the same as having her physically next to me. I fucking miss her like crazy but I don’t regret asking for distance. I can’t be around her without touching her, and touching her distracts me from the end game.
But touching her is so much fun! my dick whines.
I know, buddy. I know.
I want to be with Charlee more than anything, but I can’t do that without knowing for certain that she won’t run again if things get tough. I appreciate the fact that she called the firm handling our annulment, asking them to retract it, but I don’t know if that’s enough. Maybe that makes me a moron because I could’ve been sinking into her tight little body this entire time, but I’m trying to not let my dick make decisions for me. We all know what happens when he does.
As I’m heading to my kitchen to round up some dinner, someon
e starts pounding on my door.
“Open up, asshole! I’ve given you enough time to be a mopey fuck.”
Ah, the other half of my problem. I still haven’t talked to Brody but that’s clearly about to change. I’m surprised it took him this long—he’s definitely not known for his patience.
I open the door and immediately head back to my favorite chair. There’s no sense in trying to block his entry—my neighbors would not be pleased if he continued knocking, which is exactly what he’d do.
I prop open my footrest before finally acknowledging him. “Sorry, sweetheart, but I’m not really in the mood to kiss and make up. I’m still not happy about that stunt you pulled.”
He rolls his eyes. “Too bad. I’m not here for me anyway. Get dressed. You can’t wear that.”
I look down at my black t-shirt and jeans. “What the fuck is wrong with what I’m wearing?”
I just now notice what he’s wearing. A dress shirt and slacks is far from his normal weekend attire. If he’s not working, he’s always in a t-shirt and jeans or maybe a pair of shorts.
“Go put something on with a collar and some slacks. A tie wouldn’t hurt either.”
“Why? Who am I trying to impress from my living room? And why the fuck are you so dressed up anyway?”
“We’re going to dinner at my parents’ house. My mom wants us to dress nice.”
I flip him off when he kicks my footrest shut. “Uh...no, we’re not. As much as I love your mom’s cooking, that’s the last place I want to be right now.”
He pulls out his phone. “Do I need to have her drive up here to get you herself? Because, she will and I wouldn’t be surprised if she dragged you out of here by your ear.”
Goddammit. Why is that tiny woman so fucking intimidating?
“Fine. I’ll go change.” I point my finger at him. “But I’m not happy about it.”
He plops down on my couch and smiles in victory. “Smart move.”
Fifteen minutes later, we’re in Brody’s Suburban, heading south on Interstate-5. The fucker wouldn’t even let me drive my own car—he threatened to call his mom again so I gave in. We don’t talk on the thirty minute drive, but the radio fills the silence. Before I know it, we’re pulling into the long driveway that leads to his parents’ abode.
We park right behind my sister’s car with Charlee’s right next to it. I had assumed that Charlee would be here but definitely not Devyn.
What the hell?
“Why is my sister here?”
Brody smiles. “My mom wanted to make it a family affair. Your sister, Riley, and Nate are all here.”
I frown. “But why?”
He gets out of the truck and laughs. “You’ll see.”
Fucking Christ, what did I get myself into?
We walk inside the house and it’s suspiciously quiet. “Seriously, Brody. What the fuck is going on?”
Before he can answer, Charlee appears at the top of the stairs right off the entryway. I’m speechless as my eyes eat her up from head to toe. Her long chocolate hair is curled into soft waves and she’s wearing a simple but elegant cream-colored dress that falls to her ankles. She never wears much makeup, and she’s not doing so now, but her eyes are smoky, in that understated sex kitten kind of way.
“Hi, Drew.”
“Uh...hi.” Real smooth, asshole.
Brody slaps me on the back. “I’ll leave you two alone. Charlee, I’ll be out back with the others.”
She smiles at him. “Thanks, B.”
Charlee descends the staircase and takes my hand when she reaches the bottom. “Thanks for coming.”
“What’s going on, Charlee?”
She nods toward the back of the house. “It’d probably be easier if I showed you.” She leads me into their den which doesn’t look any different from the last time I was here. As we approach the French doors leading into the backyard, I amend my previous statement. That part looks very different.
I nod to the rows of white chairs set out on the lawn. “What is this?”
Charlee shrugs. “I did a thing.”
The folding chairs are split down the middle and pointed toward a pergola that’s covered in flowers. Our family members mill about, trying to look casual but it’s pretty obvious they’re here for something big.
“I can see that. But why?”
She gives me a soft smile. “I wanted to show you how serious I am about us, Drew. I’m in this for the long haul. I swear to you, I will never pull a runner again. I do trust you. Wholeheartedly. This—”she gestures to the lawn—“is my way of proving that to you.” She takes a deep breath. “If you’re up for it, I was kind of hoping you’d marry me again. I mean, technically, we’re still married because I cancelled the annulment, but I wanted—”
She doesn’t get a chance to finish her sentence because I’ve got her crushed against me, lifting her right off her feet as I kiss the hell out of her. Jesus, how did I fucking survive without this over the last two weeks? Her taste, the way her soft curves feel pressed against the hard planes of my chest...my memory did a piss poor job, that’s for damn sure.
When I pull back, I press my forehead against hers. “Yes.”
Charlee lifts her head. “Yeah?”
I nod. “Yeah. I’d fucking love to marry you again, honey.”
When her lips turn up in a smile, I swear on all that is holy, there’s never been a more breathtaking sight. “Okay, then.”
I’m grinning so hard my face hurts. “What do we need to do?”
Her delicate hand turns the knob to open the door. “Just head up to the front. Everything else is ready to go.”
I grab her face and kiss her one more time. “I’ll see you up there.”
She wipes a tear from the corner of her eye and nods. “I can’t wait.”
I step outside and everyone’s eyes are on me. My sister offers me a smile as she takes a seat next to Riley and Nathan on the right. Charlee’s mom, grandmother, and Mrs. Pistorio are watching from the left. Rainey is up front, looking beautiful in a dark green dress, standing next to a man that I can only assume is the minister since I’ve never seen him before.
Brody comes at me from the side and points to the unknown man. “All you need to do is stand to the right of that dude. He’ll take care of the rest.”
“Thanks, man.”
“Yep.” He pats my back and starts walking away.
I grab his arm to stop him. “Hey! Where do you think you’re going?”
He jerks his head to the empty chair next to his grandmother. “I’m going to go take my seat.”
I shake my head. “Don’t you think it’d be a little hard to be my best man from over there?”
He looks toward the altar, then back to me. “You want me to be your best man?”
I scoff. “As if there was any question.”
Brody waves me into him. “Bring it in, dude.”
I laugh as we hug in a totally manly way. Who cares if we hold each other a little too long? Nothing to see here, folks.
Move along...
I introduce myself to the minister and shake his hand before getting into the rightful position. I didn’t notice the speaker in the back until sound begins bursting out of it. I laugh as I recognize the notes to “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” except this time, it’s being sung by a woman with a soulful, almost bluesy voice.
Charlee’s dad steps outside, with my stunning bride on his arm. As they slowly make their way up the aisle, I couldn’t pry my gaze off of her if I tried. Her coffee-colored eyes are filling with tears and I’d be lying if I said mine weren’t doing the same. She looks so much like a fucking angel, it momentarily robs me of breath.
From this day forward, I get to begin and end each day with this woman in my arms. I get to love on her, and play with her, and let’s face it—antagonize her, because I can’t resist that fire that is so uniquely hers. I get to grow old with her, and hopefully in between, have a few babies with her. I couldn’t possib
ly be any happier than I am in this moment because I get to proudly call her my wife in front of anyone who will listen.
Mr. Harris places Charlee’s hand in mine when they reach the front and we take our positions in front of the minister.
The minister smiles. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re here today to celebrate Charlotte and Andrew. They decided to renew their vows in front of friends and family so you may witness their devotion to one another. Andrew, please take Charlotte’s hand and repeat after me.”
I hold up my hand. “I’d like to say my own vows, if that’s okay.”
“Me too,” Charlee adds.
The minister nods. “Please, go right ahead.”
I take both of Charlee’s hands into mine and squeeze. “Okay, I’m doing this on the fly, so bear with me.” I take a deep breath. “Charlotte Gianna Harris, meeting you is undeniably the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. Your brother may have tried preventing it from happening...” Our small audience chuckles at that. “...but Fate clearly had other plans. You are everything I never knew I wanted. And you’re everything I’ll ever need. I’m honored to be the man that gets to hold your hand for the next fifty or so years.”
Several sniffles sound in the background but my eyes remain locked on Charlee’s as she begins her vows.
“Andrew Oliver Summers, before I met you, I was perfectly happy being alone. If I never married, or had children, I was honestly okay with that.” She briefly turns to her mom. “Sorry, Ma.” More laughs from the audience. “But now...now that I know what it feels like to be loved by a man who accepts me for exactly who I am, who encourages me to be myself no matter what, I could never go back. I love sparring with you, and laughing with you, and...doing other things with you.” She winks. “Especially the other things. You are the greatest man I’ve ever known. You love with your whole heart, which I think may be even bigger than your giant body, as impossible as that sounds.” She places her hand on the left side of my chest. “I promise to care for that enormous heart of yours always and never take your love for granted.”
I wipe a stray tear off her cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you,” she mouths.