Charlotte opened her door and he said as her hand trailed off him, “I love you.”
She squeezed his fingers and said with a huge smile, “Good, because I love you too.”
In her black flats, the soles without holes, she wasn’t afraid of slipping on the sidewalk. She straightened her posture, moving steady and confident. She passed a small group of deer that took off at the sight of her and knew she was home.
Life was good and nothing was ever going to ruin it again. Charlotte took out her key she had stored in her pocket and headed to her usual side door that went to the kitchen.
She’d given up on the front door always being locked so she wouldn't try the main house without an invitation and had no reason to fight.
She’d get her things and leave—and never come back.
Charlotte entered the house but as she rounded the corner for the stairs to the basement, heels clicked on the cold granite tiles of the kitchen. Tension ratcheted up her spine. She slowly turned around and stared into the black eyes of her stepmother as she pressed her hand to her chest. “Nancy, why aren’t you at the store?”
Her two stepsisters flanked their mother on both sides like they were her sentinels dressed in designer black clothes the store would never carry. Nancy said, “You lied to me.”
Cold sweat formed on her body. Charlotte couldn’t even swallow as Nancy’s intense gaze conveyed that she could destroy everything. Charlotte’s heart raced as she stepped back and said, “I didn’t know Jack’s family was the point of the Morgan party.”
Mickey said, “That is probably true, Mother.”
While they’d never been friends, Mickey hadn’t been awful. Charlotte waited and no one said anything else. She pointed to the basement. “Right, so I just need to get a few of my things.”
Nancy came closer and her stomach was hard as rock. “Your things?”
Why was Nancy so mean? Tears formed in her eyes as she tried not to shake and said, “Yes, I’ll be fast.”
Linda grabbed her wrist, twisted the diamond to be face up, and Charlotte’s skin was hyper-sensitive to her cruel touch. “Will you look at this ring?”
The image of them ripping the ring right off her played in her mind and she closed her fingers fast, tugging her hand free. “I’m marrying Jack.”
Nancy pressed her hand on her daughter’s shoulder to push her back as she asked, “And giving up the store? Well, I suppose it’s a good thing that I sell to the Morgans and move on. You and that store have been nothing but a train wreck destroying my life.”
Sell? Her heart almost fell out of her chest as she stilled and said, “Wait. What?”
Nancy’s fingers tapped against her arm. “You leaving means the store dies. It’s fine. I don’t mind selling the land and closing for the price I was offered.”
In a day? No store sold that fast around here, unless a buyer appeared. Charlotte tilted her head and asked, “Who offered?”
Linda’s laugh only added to the tension as she said to Charlotte, “The bank came in with a nice offer that frees us all. Thanks to Mother selling so cheap to the Morgans.”
Cheap? Nancy pinched her lips and then shrugged. “I wanted more but my girls are pushing us to settle.”
Linda and Mickey had never done a lot of work at the store and didn’t deserve much from the sale but Charlotte crossed her arms and hid her ring as she asked, “You’re closing the store because the Morgans want to buy the land?”
Mickey explained with a smile, “I think they’ll turn it into some department store they already own in other parts of the country.”
And in one swoop, Charlotte had killed her father’s dream that she’d been fighting the tide to keep alive. He’d loved running his store and hoped the profits would keep them all in financial security for the rest of her life.
Now it would all be gone. She met Nancy’s cold stare and asked, “But-”
“You quit on our family, Charlotte.” Nancy loomed closer and instantly silenced her protests. “You can’t expect to profit off the sale too.”
Everything was moving too fast. Linda took out her phone and started texting like she was done with the whole thing. And seriously, Jack must be coming for her any minute now. “How much was the sale?”
Nancy sniffed. “Ten million, though our store should be getting twelve.”
Nancy would blow through that cash just like she’d spent every dime of Charlotte's father’s savings in a year and claim it was all for her children.
Her dad’s legacy would be gone. She fought back tears. “Let me talk to Jack.”
Linda handed her phone to Mickey and asked like she’d just heard a joke, “Talk to Jack?”
His ring was on her finger. Of course she’d talk to Jack. She loved him. He loved her. He’d listen. "Yeah."
Linda almost hiccupped with glee. “He’s at the gas station down the street, right? In a silver Mercedes?”
Those details meant Linda was up to something. Charlotte’s shoulders tensed. “How do you know?”
Mickey shoved the phone back at Linda and folded her hands in front of her. “Well, I don’t think that ring means the same to him as it does to you, Charlotte.”
Marriage. Commitment. Mickey blushed when she asked her, “What are you talking about, Mickey?”
Linda turned her screen around. “This.”
Jack’s head was down as he kissed his blonde, blue-eyed ex. Tears rolled down her cheeks. “But that’s Donna.”
Linda yanked her phone out of reach. “Did you think you’d just get to marry a billionaire and no one was going to make a play for Jack?”
Confusion rocked her and she wasn’t sure what to think or do. She just needed to leave, now. She’d known they wouldn’t let her go kindly.
Charlotte stepped back and said, “I… just need my pictures. Then I’ll go.”
She ran to the closet in the basement where her bed was and grabbed the picture of her mother and father’s wedding from under her mattress, along with the photo of her when she was in first grade and her father held her on his shoulders on her first day of school. She’d managed to snatch these two pics from Nancy and hide them. Nothing else mattered here, except her bank statements…she had a small savings.
Done, she packed all her things in a plastic bag from her father’s store and climbed the stairs to leave. As she made the landing, Linda clapped and said, “Smart girl. So what if your man cheats on you? It’s better to marry him and disregard a little infidelity.”
If Jack had no explanation for what she’d seen happen with Donna, she couldn’t marry him. Besides, she couldn’t let her father’s store die. She met Nancy in the kitchen though her stepmother never actually cooked. “If I get you twelve million dollars will you sell the store to me instead?”
Her eyebrow cocked and her smile was like a wolf about to attack for food. “Twelve? Of course. Not a penny less.”
The adrenaline that coursed through her veins was different than before. Charlotte needed to keep the torch alive and maybe get a loan. Somehow. She held up one finger. “Then give me twenty-four hours.”
Linda said behind her back, “I’m sure that ring won’t cover the down payment.”
Jack’s words might all be a lie. Maybe he’d gone back to his ex. Anything was possible but it didn’t matter. The store was all she knew so Charlotte headed to her side door. “I’ll be back.”
Nancy's words followed her, “If you’re not, I’ll sign with the Morgans. My girls deserve to live in luxury. Between this house sale and the store, we’ll have some security.”
Charlotte was outside about to leave but turned. "Wait--you're selling the house?" Nancy, Mickey, and Linda all watched her from the kitchen.
Linda asked, “Are you going to get the money to buy this too?”
They had no idea what her plan might be. Charlotte had no idea either, but she’d get one. Fast. “I have to go.”
Nancy held out her hand. “I’ll need your keys as you’re not co
ming back.”
“Here.” Charlotte tossed them at her and hurried away from them, toward Jack.
Maybe it was true. Maybe Jack didn’t love her. Why else would he kiss Donna? If she let Nancy demolish the store, Charlotte was giving Nancy permission to destroy her father’s legacy. She couldn’t do that. Somehow she’d get the money to fix this.
The store was more important than love.
Chapter 12
Jack waited until Bobby, the attendant, escorted Donna into her car and then went inside the station to wash his face.
Seriously, he hadn’t expected to be ambushed. He’d walked out of the convenience store with two sodas and a bag of popcorn to share with Charlotte when cherry-red lipstick bombarded him.
Donna had even been standing on a crate with her phone on a selfie stick—it was a premeditated kiss.
Next time he left a store, he’d have to check the window first. All he’d done was push through the door, gaze on his car, when Donna had grabbed him for a kiss.
The water helped splash away the taste of makeup but there were still traces of being assaulted that lingered on his skin despite how he rubbed at it with the coldest setting.
Jack checked the time on his phone--where was Charlotte? He’d have to explain what had happened. Donna hadn’t been at the gas station when he’d gone in for the drinks and chatted with Bobby about his skateboarding tournament.
A knock thumped on the restroom door. Jack came out and Bobby pointed to the street. Desire coursed in his veins at the sight of Charlotte with a small plastic bag from the store over her shoulder. He gave Bobby a thumbs-up and hurried out to greet the only woman he’d want to kiss.
Her hands were in balls as he ran toward her and massaged her shoulders. Nancy must have been horrible to her and he hadn’t been there. “Charlotte, what's wrong?”
She stepped back and pressed her thumb to his cheek that still had a red stain. “Donna?”
Wow. She’d figured it out from the color? He didn’t remember Donna wearing anything like that before but then again he never thought about her. That was last year, when Charlotte had him in the friends-only category.
Now he had the best. Hopefully she understood. His heart beat faster and his palms itched. “I…I came out the door and she wrapped her arms around me and kissed me. I backed away as soon as I could and Bobby helped me put her in the car. She left.”
Charlotte threw her hands in the air and then hurried toward the Mercedes. “I don’t have time for this. Jack, let’s just get in the car.”
He ran in front of her and opened the door for her. “Charlotte, Donna kissed me. I think she was recording it like she intended to blackmail me.”
She gave him a curt nod and put her plastic bag in the front seat. “I saw. It was live-streamed, but at least you told me. That counts.”
What? His hair stood on end as he went around the front of the car to the driver’s seat. He hadn’t suspected that big of a set-up from Donna, Nancy, Linda, and Mickey. He’d only been inside a few minutes and this sounded complicated. He hopped in and gripped the steering wheel. “Of course I told you. Donna practically jumped out of the blue when I left the convenient store.”
Charlotte glanced between the seats and pointed to the shopping bag. “You bought popcorn.”
His shoulders relaxed and he started the car. “We both love it.”
She opened the bag and took a few kernels. “That’s enough. Look, Jack, can we go somewhere so we can talk?”
He drove onto the street and chanced a look at Charlotte. “You have to believe me. Donna meant nothing.”
She pressed her hand against his side and said, “I believe you Jack.”
He turned on the music. His mind stopped replaying the event, but he saw how Charlotte wasn’t humming along. As they reached a red light, he asked, “And we’re still getting married?”
She batted her brown eyes at him and took a deep breath. For a moment he didn’t move, afraid that she’d changed her mind but then she said, “I guess, yeah, but that’s not what I want to talk about right now.”
Good.
Charlotte still didn’t sing along with the radio which wasn’t a happy sign. They drove to the place he'd gone for her to get her passport picture. She said, “Let’s grab a coffee and walk in the park first.”
“Sounds like a perfect plan.” He handed her his driving app. She searched and a minute later, they had directions to a nearby coffee shop.
He parked the car in the lot and jumped out to open her door, but she let herself out, leaving her bag inside.
He walked with her and opened the door. No one was in line so they ordered quickly. She ordered her usual cinnamon dolce latte while he chose unflavored. A few minutes later, they had their drinks and sat in the corner. She took her first sip and he nodded at her and said, “So here we are. What do you want to talk about?”
She put her cup down and wiped the whipped cream from her upper lip. Charlotte held his gaze, her tone serious. “The bank called Nancy with an offer to buy out the store for ten million dollars.”
His eyes widened. He’d guessed this was about Nancy, but he hadn’t thought it was the store too. He took her hand. “That was fast. Without you there, I guessed she’d sell but I had no idea it would be this easy for her.”
She glanced at their clasped fingers and asked quietly, “Did you arrange this?”
A shock rushed through him and he flinched. “No. I wouldn’t even know how.”
She sucked on her bottom lip. “Is there some way you can lend me twelve million?”
Blood rushed into his head as he tried to block the idea that Charlotte didn’t want him…that she wanted the store more.
Yes, her father had owned it years ago, but for years she’d cleaned and swept and had no power. The store was quieter every year and she’d done nothing but cry in almost every aisle after Nancy berated her. He picked up his paper cup. “Why?”
She pressed her hands on the table like this was your average business deal. “To beat the offer Nancy has.”
“To what?” He needed her to repeat what she’d said. The store was something she needed mental distance from before she made a decision, at least according to that half semester of psychology he’d taken.
She sipped her coffee and he did the same. Once she put hers down, he waited until she was ready. “To buy the store. I want to own my father’s store.”
Own wouldn’t be horrible. They could hire qualified managers. That was what normal rich people did and now they had that option. Was that really going to make her happy? He sipped and tried to understand what Charlotte wanted, then turned the cup in his hand. “I thought we were getting married and you were quitting the store.”
She pressed her hands to her chest in surprise. “I never said that.”
He uncurled his fingers from the cup so that he wouldn't mangle it and cause a mess all over the table. “No… I just thought we’d see the world.”
Charlotte’s eyes welled and tears fell down her cheeks. He patted her hand and knew he’d help. He knew how important this really was to her and he would find a way. They could stay in Pittsburgh for as long as she needed.
Charlotte sniffed. “I can’t let her just destroy everything.”
A nice house, a nice life, all were still possible. “Tell you what, let's get our passports, and I’ll talk to my half-brothers…”
Her eyebrows shot up. “To get the money? I swear it’s a loan and I’ll make back every dime and then some.”
On that he believed. She’d told him countless times how her stepmother didn’t understand the store, merchandising, being online, or basic displays. Her father had explained everything as he'd done it. Jack's throat dried as he realized he would be giving Charlotte the means to leave him, if she wanted to. “Yeah. But promise me that we’ll still be together.”
She raised her hand like she was a Girl Scout. “I will pay back every dime. It’s a business loan.”
H
e sipped his coffee. “You’ve said that twice now, but you didn’t answer my question.”
Her eyes were like windows into her soul when she said, “You’re being sensitive, Jack. It’s sweet. I’ll marry you. You’re all I have in the world, in my corner, and all I ever wanted. Is it wrong to want to preserve the past and want a future with the best man I know?”
And there it was. Her sincere words made him feel like he was King of the Universe. He finished his coffee. “Okay, so let’s go get your passport pictures taken and head back to the hotel so I can talk to Peter.”
She drank the last of her latte. They stood together and walked outside. “Can’t we do the passport thing later?”
He opened her car door for her. “It will only be ten minutes out of the way.”
Charlotte took her seat next to him—the same thing she’d been doing ever since he’d had a car. She made the most boring tasks fun when she was around with her funny dry side commentary. Once he got in, she asked, “And then you’ll help me get a loan where I can buy the store, and fix it in my father’s memory?”
Charlotte was clearly determined. He started the car and squeezed her thigh. “I still have another year of college to finish here. You can get the store up and running, and I'll get my degree… then maybe we can travel?”
He’d always wanted to see the California coast. She threw her hands in the air like he’d just solved all her problems. “See? Perfect. That’s a good compromise.”
This time when he turned the radio on, she sang along as they headed to the passport store. Jack checked them in and squeezed her shoulders when the clerk waved them over. “We’re going on vacation together! Smile big.”
She took a seat, flipped her hair in front of her, and offered a half-smile. The camera clicked and she jumped up. The clerk asked, “Would you like to see the picture?”
She waved her hand without even looking at it. “It’s fine. Let’s go.”
Jack looked at her photo, which wasn’t bad but she seemed focused on something else. He paid and followed her to the door as he said, “Thank you.”
Secret Cinderella (The House of Morgan Book 16) Page 9