by Haley Weir
“Chris,” Ellen begins, looking back and forth between the two. “This is Charlotte.”
“Hi Chris,” Charlotte says, flashing her biggest smile at the nervous man. He’s not nearly as tall or buff as the others, but he’s not a bad looking man. She finds it kind of funny, this nerdy character amongst a group of men that look like they could all be pro-athletes or supermodels.
“Nice to meet you, Charlotte,” he breezes, barely making eye contact. “Xander, can I talk to you?”
“Right now? Dinner is ready. What about after?” Xander asks.
“It’s kind of urgent,” says Chris. “It is regarding...you know...uh...danger.”
Charlotte feels clueless as everyone else at the table turn to stare at Chris with wide eyes. What kind of danger could he possibly be alluding to?”
“Okay, what’s going on?” Xander asks Chris.
“Better if we talk in private,” Chris mumbles, quickly glancing at Charlotte.
“Okay then,” Xander agrees, now deadly serious. “If you will all just excuse me.” He disappears with Chris.
Charlotte glances around the room, trying to read the faces of those around her. Were they alarmed by Chris’s vague announcement? When she tries to make eye contact with anyone, they avert their eyes. She decides to speak up. If it’s a matter of safety, she cannot be afraid to ask.
“What’s going on?” Charlotte asks the nervous room.
She sees everyone exchange glances, and she can practically hear their inner dialog: who is going to tell her what’s going on?
Jenna speaks up. “Sorry if that scared you. Chris has been a little on edge. I think we mentioned that.”
“You did,” confirms Charlotte. “But, what danger is he talking about? Should I be worried?”
“No,” Mason cuts in quickly. “There’s nothing to worry about. That’s just Chris being Chris. He gets in his head about things and blows them out of proportion. I’m sure everything is fine. If it’s not, we’ll keep you posted.”
“He spends way too much time on the internet,” Ethan adds.
“Confirmed,” interjects Douglas.
“Double confirmed,” says Ellen. The room seems to relax.
“Okay, I’m going to the kitchen to start bringing out dishes,” announces Avery. “And a bottle of wine.”
“Make it three bottles!” says Mikayla.
“Sounds about right,” Ethan adds.
“Let me come help you,” suggests Charlotte, eager for the chance to get up from the table and be of assistance.
“That’d be great, actually,” says Avery. “It’s probably a good idea for you to get the hang of the kitchen. I’ll show you how to prepare formula, too, if there’s time.”
Charlotte follows Avery to the kitchen where she catches a glimpse of the view from the kitchen window that Mason showed her earlier. During the golden hour, it’s somehow even more beautiful and peaceful.
“Okay, if you just want to grab a few bottles of wine, I’ll bring out the chicken. We can come back for all these yummy sides,” Avery explains.
“Got it,” says Charlotte. “Hey Avery, since it’s just us...you’d let me know if there was something serious going on that I needed to know about, right?”
“Yes,” Avery confirms. “Yes, I absolutely would. I hope this isn’t too intense for you, but you are a part of this family now. Anything that happens, we’re all in it together.”
Charlotte is certain Avery’s words are meant to be a comfort, but the anxiety building within her intensifies. “Anything that happens?” she asks, eyes wide with fear.
“Blake and Ethan are very important people. They ran a publishing business for quite some time. They still technically own stock in the company but handed over their CEO duties to others in the office.”
“Okay...” says Charlotte, trying to follow.
“All I’m saying is, people know they have money. And I think some people know we’re living in a castle. It’s safe here, but we’d be a target if anyone wanted to mess with Blake and Ethan.”
Charlotte exhales a bit. She can’t help but feel like Avery is only telling her part of the story, but she has no evidence to back that up. Why would Chris be in such a panic like that? What information does he have access to? If there are legitimate concerns about security, then why don’t they hire some security guards? Clearly, money is no object for these people. The castle should be covered with security cameras and a state of the art security system.
“Okay,” Charlotte says, still not convinced she’s completely in the loop. “As long as you would tell me if and when I need to worry about something. Anything at all.”
“Of course, Charlotte,” Avery agrees. “Sorry that Chris freaked you out like that. It’s funny, some of the others mentioned setting you up with him. I don’t know if that’s exactly something you want to take on.”
Charlotte blushes again. Why are they all so intent on matchmaking?
“I’m not really comfortable dating anyone right now,” Charlotte explains. “I know you said it’s okay with you, but the more I think about it, the more I realize I don’t need that type of drama in my life.”
“I totally feel you,” says Avery. “I hope we haven’t made uncomfortable.”
“Quite the opposite,” replies Charlotte with a smile. “Thanks for being so welcoming.” Charlotte tries to quiet the nagging feeling that something is indeed making her uncomfortable.
Chapter 8
After dinner and polishing off three bottles of wine, all nervous energy from the room has dissipated.
“Yeah, the way you two met is pretty adorable,” Mikayla comments to Ellen and Douglas. They’re reminiscing about when Ellen was Douglas’s server at the Peak Point Cafe, during the lowest point in Douglas’s life.
“It’s the love story of a century,” jokes Ellen. Douglas has his arm around her and they look like a magazine clipping of a happy couple from a gardening magazine.
“Avery, Blake, I know how you two met,” says Charlotte. She doesn’t feel intimidated about speaking up, despite the large group of new friends she’s attempting to fit into. “But, Mikayla. How did you end up here, with Ethan?”
Ethan smiles at Mikayla. “Fate, maybe?”
“If you think fate is breaking my ankle at an audition and having little miss matchmaker over here-” she takes a beat to point a finger at Avery, “host my recovery at Blake’s house with your fine ass, then sure, it’s fate,” says Mikayla with a smirk.
“Once I got a taste of that snarkiness, I knew I couldn’t be without you,” swoons Ethan.
“Get a room!” Douglas shouts from across the table.
The whole dinner table laughs. Even Xander and Chris, who have returned from a lengthy private talk, crack a smile at the antics around them.
“What about you, Charlotte?” asks Mikayla. “Nobody at home waiting for you to get back?”
Charlotte nearly chokes on her water at the choice of words. “No, I guess I wouldn’t say that. You remember earlier when I told you about my parents trying to set me up?”
“Yeah,” says Ellen.
“Well,” starts Charlotte. “There’s this one guy. Richard. I couldn’t be less interested. He’s an asshole who was a jerk to me in high school, and now my parents think if we get married, they’ll get the money and social standing they so desperately crave.”
“That’s crazy,” says Avery. “Like, what century is this?”
“Right?” Charlotte exclaims. “As you can imagine, this job couldn’t have come at a better time. I needed to get away from them and from him. From everyone.”
“Have you ever been in love before?” Mason asks. The room falls silent. “What? Did I say something wrong?”
“That’s kind of personal, don’t you think?” Jenna mumbles. Charlotte doesn’t want to ruin the chill atmosphere that took so long to be established.
“No, it’s actually okay,” begins Charlotte. “I don’t mind sharing. I have not been
in love. Not yet, at least.”
“Same,” agrees Chris.
“This isn’t about you, Chris,” Ellen says, shooting him a look.
Chris laughs. “Alright, alright. Just trying to relate.”
“Well, she’s not interested,” Mikayla slurs at him. Even though Charlotte is grateful for Mikayla sticking up for her, she has clearly had one too many. “I think she actually likes M--”
“Woah, woah,” says Charlotte, cutting Mikayla off before she she embarrasses Charlotte beyond the point of no return. She is feeling extremely uncomfortable being at the center of the discussion. As if she knew that Charlotte needed an out, Penny’s wails ring through the baby monitor. “And, that’s my cue,” says Charlotte. “Avery, do you want to finish up here and I’ll take care of the baby?”
“Sounds great, thanks Charlotte. There’s formula on the counter ready to go. Try to see how much of it she will drink. I think she’ll be hungry.”
Charlotte excuses herself from the table. She pops into the kitchen to grab the formula and heads towards the main corridor. She makes her way upstairs, and opens the door to the room she thought was the nursery. Instead, what she walks into makes her immediately jump back and slam the door. It’s a room, empty except for the metal chains with shackles sprawled across the ground. The sight makes Charlotte uneasy immediately. She wonders if this is some cult she’s accidentally signed up for after all. She finds Penelope’s room and reminds herself to tie a ribbon on the doorknob.
She picks Penelope up from her crib and the baby is instantly soothed in her arms. Penelope’s tiny, rhythmic heartbeat is calming Charlotte in return. She sits in the rocking chair and begins feeding Penny.
Her mind travels back to the shackles. Had she stumbled upon one of the couples’ sex toys? She feels the color returning to her face as she reasons that it’s more likely a kinky thing than a culty thing. Then, she hears a light knock at the door. Assuming it’s Avery, Charlotte whispers for them to come in. To her surprise, Mason stands at the doorway.
“Hey you,” greets Mason. “I hope I didn’t scare you away. Sorry if I overstepped.”
“You didn’t,” Charlotte says in a calm tone, not wanting to disturb the baby’s peace. “I needed to leave. For Penelope.”
“Right,” agrees Mason. “Of course.”
“Is that all?” Charlotte asks. She doesn’t want to be rude, but the longer he stands there, the more she wants to jump his bones. She imagines ripping his clothing off and kissing his skin. He exudes a sexual energy that she’s never felt in anyone else before. If he would just go away, it would make her job a lot easier. She keeps reminding herself how badly this could all play out. She has to use her best judgement.
“That is not all,” says Mason. “Maybe it’s because I’m a few glasses of wine deep, or maybe because of how beautiful you look holding the baby like that, but I can’t not ask. Can I take you out to dinner this week?”
Charlotte cannot believe this is happening. She’s not even been here a full 24 hours and Mason has the nerve to ask her out. She wants to be angry, to tell him to screw off and let her retain a sense of professional at her place of work. But, she can’t. The feeling in her gut is begging her not to reject him. Instead, she decides she’ll leave him hanging.
“Maybe,” shrugs Charlotte. “I don’t know.”
“What don’t you know, exactly?” he takes one step closer to her, but maintains a respectable distance.
“If you can take me out to dinner,” Charlotte replies, trying not to play along with his flirty banter.
“Okay, let me try again. May I take you out to dinner?”
Charlotte rolls her eyes but can’t help her laughter. “I haven’t heard that one since elementary school,” she says.
Mason smiles and Charlotte feels her defenses weakening. How could she say no to that handsome face? Plus, it’s just one date. She isn’t signing up to marry him. If it goes poorly, at least the questions buzzing around in her mind about what could be would be put to rest. She would know they are not meant to be, and maybe she will be able to control her heart rate when he walks into the room.
“I have to talk to Avery,” explains Charlotte. “Penelope is my priority. Whatever Avery needs is what I’m going to do.”
“So, that’s not a no, then?”
“It’s not a no,” she confirms.
“Then, I’ll take this small victory,” Mason says. Charlotte notices his smile is lopsided, and the corners of his mouth are uneven. Somehow, it makes him even more adorable. Charlotte wishes she could be more stern with her heart. But she is only human.
Mason walks even closer towards Charlotte and Penelope. She’s nervous about what his plan is, but he only gently kisses Penny’s soft head.
“Good night, little Penny,” says Mason. “Good night, Charlotte,” he adds, flashing that crooked smile once more.
“Good night,” says Charlotte. When he leaves, Charlotte puts Penelope down in the crib and rushes to the bathroom to splash some cold water on her blazing hot face. Looking up in the mirror, she thinks again about the weird room and the allusions to danger. If nothing else, she can use her date with Mason to get some answers.
Chapter 9
A few nights after he asked her out, Charlotte meets Mason at the entrance of the castle. It’s a cool summer night, and she wears a long black jumpsuit with a plunging v-neck. Her dark curly hair runs wild down the length of her back, and she put a little extra time into her makeup. When she checked herself out in a mirror before leaving, she had to acknowledge that she cleans up pretty nicely. When she asked Avery for the time off, Avery practically jumped for joy. Charlotte assures her it is nothing serious, and she just wants to give him a chance. She explains that her intention is to still avoid romantic involvement with anyone in the house. Avery giggled when she said that, reminding Charlotte that she’s literally going on a date. She blushes, realizing she is saying one thing while actively doing another.
Either way, Avery approved her time off. In the days since Mason asked her out, Avery did her best to occupy herself with Penelope, learn the lay of the land, and avoid Mason altogether. If this is going to be a casual date, she didn’t need to spend extra time with him beforehand.
Or that’s what she tries to tell herself. In reality, being around him makes her feel so many new and exciting things at once. She’s embarrassed by her schoolgirl crush, and wishes she could contain herself. But Charlotte has always led with her heart more than her head. Her head tells her over and over again to avoid romance. Didn’t she leave home to avoid jumping into a relationship? In a way, yes. She needed to get away from being forced to date a total asshole. But is it fair to even call that romance? She doesn’t know much about relationships or romance, but her head tells her anything that Richard Berk could offer was absolutely not right for her. She decides that she owes it to herself to at least give her heart a chance. If it all blows up in her face, she will call it a lesson learned.
Mason appears, dimly lit by the lights surrounding the castle. “Holy smokes,” he says, looking her up and down. “You look stunning.”
“Thanks,” says Charlotte. Mason leans in to give her a hug and Charlotte’s whole body lights up at his touch. If a moment could last forever, she’d want to remain in this one.
“So, I hope you don’t mind the open water.”
“What do you mean?” Charlotte asks.
“I mean, walk with me. Our ride is waiting,” he says mysteriously. He reaches for her hand, but Charlotte dismisses it. She wants to take things as slowly as possible, and handholding feels a little too forward.
“Fine, fine. I get it. I’ll hold my own hand,” jokes Mason.
“Sorry,” says Charlotte, wondering if she should turn back now and get out of this. She knows it’s not fair to give him mixed signals.
Mason laughs. “Don’t feel bad. I get it. We’re taking it slow. I respect that,” he reassures her.
“Thanks,” Charlotte sa
ys. They walk down a path leading them away from the castle and towards vast darkness.
Charlotte glances down and notices Mason actually holding his own hand. She laughs. “You dork.”
“Oh, you finally noticed,” says Mason, flashing her that classic crooked smile. Charlotte just shakes her head and smiles.
“Where are we going?” she asks as he leads her further into the darkness. She’s admittedly nervous. At night time, the castle grounds are far spookier than they are during the day. In the distance, Charlotte sees a small light bobbing up and down.
“Here’s our ride,” says Mason, and they get close enough for Charlotte to see that it’s a boat. Well, not quite a boat. This appears to be a small yacht.
“Driving to any restaurant would take hours,” he explains. “This makes the most of our time together. Plus, I want to impress you. Is it working?”
Charlotte smiles. “We’ll see,” she says. She can’t deny that the family of butterflies that have taken up residency in her stomach are going crazy.
Mason leads Charlotte onto the boat. It’s somehow even bigger on the inside than it appears from the outside. Towards the bow of the yacht, Charlotte sees a table for two, set up with a candle and a bouquet of roses; it is picture-perfect. Mason jumps ahead of her to pick up the roses from her seat and light the candle. He pulls out her chair and hands her the roses.
“Are you impressed yet?” he asks, flashing his crooked smile. His eyes are big and sweet. When she looks into them, a little bit of her heart melts. She can’t help it. There’s just something about him that is pulling her towards him like gravity.
“Not bad,” she jokes.
“Be right back,” he says, quickly dashing to the boat’s cabin. Charlotte looks out at the water, which is pitch dark except for the glow around the boat and a sliver of light reflected by the moon. It’s a magical view.