As he pulled up in front of Give Me Sugar, he was disappointed not to see Charlotte’s car already there. He got out anyway. Before he could even shut the truck door behind him, he heard a woman’s voice call his name from across the street.
He turned and saw Justine coming out of her aunt’s salon. She was walking across the hot pavement in her bare feet, doing an odd shuffle because her toes were in some kind of pink foam contraption, and her head was covered in foil.
“What the—”
Before Nate could mutter another word, he saw a truck turn onto Main Street from a perpendicular road half a block away. Parked cars would conceal Justine from the driver until it was too late.
“Justine, stop!”
“What?” she asked, but kept shuffling forward.
Without another second’s hesitation, Nate launched himself across the road just ahead of the truck, and plowed over Justine. He rolled to keep from cracking her head on the pavement, and his shoulder hit hard.
As the truck rumbled by, Nate laid still, afraid to open his eyes. When he heard Justine crying, he realized he had to face it sooner or later.
The first thing he saw was Justine’s face, contorted by shock and tears. Her foil covered hair trembled around them, and her heaving chest was pressed to his. “Are you okay?” He asked disentangling himself and sitting up. He rubbed at his shoulder, wincing as he rotated it experimentally.
“Thanks to you. You saved me,” Justine said, her voice getting louder with each word. Then she launched herself at him and banged her nose to his as she pressed a kiss on his very unwilling mouth.
He gripped her shoulders and pushed her away. Her lips still reached for him in a fish-like pucker that would give him nightmares for years.
“You two-timing low-life. How could you do this to me?”
Nate looked past Justine’s foil flaps and saw Charlotte standing over them with her arms crossed. “Charlotte, help me.”
“You look like you’re doing fine to me. You said not to listen to all the rumors. I should have known better than to trust you.”
Nate was more irritated than he remembered ever being in his life. With an edge of panic at what Charlotte thought, and a very real desire to get out from under this boney leech of a woman, he said, “Justine, get off of me before I throw you back in the road.”
Justine gasped and sat back. Not trusting her not to jump on him again, Nate pushed off the pavement and got to his feet. He stepped away, and pulled his shirt down. As he peeled a sticky candy wrapper off his jeans, Justine moaned.
“I think I’m going to faint,” she said in a weak voice.
“Then I’d suggest you go sit on that bench over there. And look before you go cross the road from now on.”
Not waiting around for Justine to think of another way to hang on him, Nate grabbed Charlotte’s hand and pulled her back across the road, careful to take his own advice and look for cars first.
When he got to his truck, he pulled her up next to it. She leaned back, biting her lip. “Now what the heck are you talking about? You know darn well I’d never—”
But before he could finish, Charlotte burst into laughter. She laughed so hard, she had to wipe her eyes and hold herself up by grabbing his shoulder. And as irritated as he was, he was smart enough not to step away. Whatever it took to get Charlotte to touch him voluntarily.
“That was… the funniest thing…I’ve ever seen.”
“What was?” Nate’s voice was one step away from a growl. “When she nearly got herself run over or when I almost broke my shoulder trying to save her?”
Charlotte’s eyes were still sparkling with humor. “When she was trying so hard to kiss you and you were holding her off, but her lips were like…”
Nate watched as Charlotte imitated Justine’s pucker-lips, and decided there was only one way to stop her. He bent down and pressed his lips to her distorted ones. Charlotte breathed in sharply through her nose, then her lips relaxed beneath his for an instant before she started kissing him back. When her lips parted slightly, it took every ounce of his strength to step away. “That’ll teach you to make kissy lips at me,” he said, darkly.
For once, Charlotte didn’t have a comeback.
Nate looked around and saw that Betsy and Justine were glowering at them from across the street in front of the Cut and Curl. To his left, Millie and all her customers were watching them through the windows of her shop. “Let’s get out of here. Where’s your car?”
“Jill dropped me off,” Charlotte said, her voice quiet and a little shaky.
“Good.” He took her hand again and walked her around to the passenger door. Surprisingly, she didn’t argue about getting in, so in only a few seconds, he was able to back out and escape all the curious eyes.
“Where are we going?” Charlotte asked.
“My house.”
“You kissed me,” she said, staring at him.
“You deserved it.”
“Why are we going to your house?”
“Because we’re going to have dinner together one way or another.”
“What exactly happened back there?”
“The fool woman came running at me and didn’t even watch for cars.”
Charlotte slapped a hand over her mouth, but was unable to stop the chuckle in her throat. “If you were trying to convince people you and Justine aren’t having a fling, rolling around with her on Main Street probably wasn’t the way to do it.”
“Hardy har har.”
A minute later, they pulled up to his house and passed through the gate, Charlotte said, “Wow. Your house is beautiful. It looks like something from Gone with the Wind.”
“Thanks. I’m glad you like it. I’ve been restoring it for the last several years. Let’s go inside and let my cook know we need dinner and then I’ll give you a tour.”
“Sounds good.” But as she walked up the steps to the veranda with him, she said, “I admit I’m surprised you didn’t have a custom-built mega mansion delivered on a flat-bed trailer.”
“One room at a time, maybe?” He pinched her side. “You’re so funny tonight. Seriously though, I’ve always loved history and this place fascinated me as a kid. I hated seeing her falling apart.”
“That’s awesome. Looking at it now, it’s hard to picture this place anything but perfect.”
Nate nodded and looked over his home with pride. “I’ll show you pictures from before the renovations. Let’s go find Sara and see what she can whip together for us.”
But before he even opened the front door, the sound of a car coming through the gate caught his ear. Charlotte turned with him and they watched together as a gleaming black Audi swept around the circle drive.
“Oh no.”
“You know who it is?” Charlotte asked.
“Yes.” He turned to her. “It’s an old friend of mine. She… we...”
“Spit it out, Nate.”
“That’s just it. I don’t know what to say. She wants more than friendship from me, and I was okay with that until I met you. But we haven’t had a chance to talk about that yet.”
“You and her?”
“Yeah. So, keep that in mind, please? I have no idea why she’s here.”
Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Well, it’s pretty obvious to me. You certainly have a lot of pots on the fire.”
Before Nate could think of a suitable retort, Alexa got out of her car and came towards them, climbing the steps with an exaggerated sway to her hips and a firm click of her heels.
“Nate, darling. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Her eyes had barely left Charlotte since she got out of the car.
“I’m afraid you are. I wish you’d called.”
“You’ve never minded me dropping by before.”
Nate clenched his teeth together. “Charlotte, this is my friend Alexa.”
“Nice to meet you,” Charlotte said, her voice perfectly polite, but tighter than usual.
Alexa just nodded. Nate wa
tched her in surprise, wondering if she’d always been this arrogant and he just hadn’t noticed. This was an incredibly awkward situation.
“Charlotte and I are going to have some dinner. Would you like to join us?”
“Actually, I think I’ll text Jill to come and pick me up,” Charlotte said. “You have company now and Jill is only in town one more day. We should do this another time.”
Nate hated the thought of Charlotte going home, but he knew he could deal with this better if she wasn’t here. “I think you’re right.” He gripped her hand. “But I’ll see you at the game tomorrow?”
She nodded and pulled out her phone. He shook his head. “Let me ask Sam to take you home.”
Charlotte nodded. “That would be faster.”
Nate led the way inside and said, “You know your way around, Alexa. I’ll be right back.”
Charlotte followed him down the hall. “She’s been here a lot, huh?”
The universe really had it out for him today. He could practically see Charlotte pulling back from him emotionally. “Yes, but it’s not like you’re imagining.”
He knocked on the door to Sam’s private quarters, then stood awkwardly in the hall while they waited.
Charlotte looked around with curious eyes. “I guess the tour will have to wait.”
His chest warmed with hope. Maybe she wouldn’t completely shut him out. Man, this woman was impossible to figure out.
Sam opened the door and Nate said, “Sam, something’s come up. Can you take Charlotte home for me?”
Sam’s eyebrows rose. “Of course. But what came up?”
“Alexa’s here,” Nate said.
Sam didn’t say another word, even though his expression said it all for him. Sam knew this was the worst possible thing that could have happened to Nate tonight, and he didn’t even know about the Justine disaster. Nate would never hear the end of it once he had.
“I’ll call you later,” Nate told Charlotte.
“Okay,” she said, following Sam back down the hall. Then she looked back over her shoulder. “I might even answer.”
Nate followed slowly, pausing in the doorway to watch as Sam left with Charlotte. He sighed and turned to find Alexa.
“Well, that was a surprise, darling,” Alexa said as he went into the formal living room. She was reclined against the back of the leather sectional, her heels kicked off on the floor.
“What was?”
“Finding you at home with a woman. I’ve never known you to have a fling before. Who is she?”
Nate leaned against the mantel of the fireplace. “She’s the mother of one of my t-ball players. They moved in about a month and a half ago. She’s a hairstylist.”
“She’s very pretty.”
Nate looked straight at her. “She’s beautiful.”
Alexa’s brows rose. “Well, if it’s like that, darling, there’s nothing more to say. I hope we can still be friends?”
The tension in Nate’s shoulders relaxed and he smiled. “Of course. Thanks for being so understanding.”
Alexa smiled. “I just want you to be happy. Now, did I hear you have a t-ball game tomorrow? I’d love to watch.”
Chapter Thirteen
Charlotte followed behind Jill as they climbed up the bleachers at the ball field Tuesday night for the first game. She wore her new t-ball mom t-shirt, even though it was a bright orange she never would have worn otherwise. On the front it said, “I teach my kids to hit and steal” and on the back, it said, “Chester Cheetahs” and Taylor’s name and number.
“Oh man, it’s hot,” Jill complained.
“And it’s only May,” Charlotte said, sitting down in their usual spot behind the magpie mommas.
“It won’t be any cooler in Dallas,” Jill said, “But at least I’m inside in the AC most of the time.”
“You won’t have as much fun stuck in your stuffy office though, admit it.”
Jill opened her mouth to answer, then shut it. “Who is that?”
“Oh my gosh. That’s the Alexa chick I told you about. But what is she wearing?”
Jill raised her sunglasses for a better look and laughed. “Well, who doesn’t wear a pristine white halter-neck jumper with gold embroidery to a small-town t-ball game.”
“She belongs on the cover of Vogue, not these dusty bleachers. Is she crazy?”
Jill grinned. “Nate does have a way of collecting loony women. Not that I’m implying anything about you.”
Charlotte narrowed her eyes at her friend but didn’t comment. She was too busy watching Alexa prance her way towards them. Poor Sam walked behind her. It was the first time she’d seen him in anything but business clothes, but he didn’t look any more relaxed in slacks and a polo shirt though. Maybe because he was clearly on escort duty.
Jill’s laugh rang out. “I hope Nate is paying that man well.”
“I know, right?” Charlotte chuckled.
“Where’s she going to sit? Oh my gosh! She’s coming this way.”
Alexa turned her fine-boned face their direction and wrinkled her nose—though that could have been because the sun was shining in her eyes. Then with a slow, cat-walk worthy swing to her hips, she moved to the bleachers and climbed up, her heels clacking on the metal with each step.
She didn’t move to sit next to Charlotte, but on the same row across the aisle. First though, she turned to Sam and said, “Oh no. Sam, will you be a darling and clean that for me so I can sit down?”
For a moment, Sam seemed lost, but he brushed his hands over the metal bleacher, cleaning it with his bare palms. When he was done, he stared down at the red dust on his skin, helplessly, then brushed them off on his slacks. Oblivious to his difficulty, Alexa sat down and perched her designer handbag on her lap.
“Hello,” she said, smiling at them with wide, glossy lips.
“Um, hello,” Charlotte said. Alexa’s smile seemed totally insincere, but Charlotte was determined to be nice if it killed her. “Do you like t-ball?”
“I have no idea. I’m here to see my man at work.”
Charlotte swallowed as a knot formed in her throat. “Your man?”
Smiling like a cat who caught the canary, Alexa said, “Nate. You know. Oh, we’re not an official couple, but I figured you would have guessed we’re in a relationship by now.”
Jill leaned around Charlotte. “You do know there are many different kinds of relationships, right? You might want to check with him what kind you have.”
Alexa narrowed her eyes, then smiled like a cat. “I’m not sure who you are, but trust me—he made our relationship abundantly clear last night.”
Charlotte thought she was going to be sick right there on the stands, until Sam said, “Do you mean before or after you left at eight o’clock?”
Sam hadn’t even taken his eyes off the field as he spoke, but Charlotte had a sudden urge to hug him. It had already been six-forty-five when she left, so Alexa had only been there for an hour.
Alexa didn’t bother to answer Sam. He’d called her out so perfectly. But that still left fifteen minutes where anything could have been said between Nate and Alexa. And heck, under different circumstances, she’d do more than talk if she had fifteen minutes alone with the man.
Jill, who was trying but failing to smother her laughter after what Sam said, waved when she saw Delynn walking up. To Charlotte’s surprise, Delynn climbed up a few steps and asked in her carrying voice, “Hey girls. Who’s the high dollar hooker over there?”
Alexa gasped and Jill sputtered a laugh behind her hand. Charlotte glanced sideways at Alexa’s tight face. “Delynn, be quiet. Her name’s Alexa. She’s here visiting Nate.”
“I thought you and Nate were together. What’s she doing here?”
Charlotte lowered her voice. “I don’t know, but would you please be quiet?”
“Sorry, but her nose is so far up in the air, she’ll drown if it comes on to rain. Have you got an opening on Friday? My niece is getting married and needs a
hair appointment real bad.”
Charlotte couldn’t help but smile. “For you? I’ll make it happen even if I’m booked solid.”
“Thanks, girl. Let me know if you have any trouble with the Ice Queen over there.”
Charlotte could have sworn she heard Sam choke down a laugh, but before she could confirm it, Jill tugged on her sleeve. “Look, Taylor’s up to bat.”
Smiling with pride, Charlotte got her phone out to take a video, excited to see what he would do in an actual game.
Besides watching Taylor play with a focus and intensity that made her proud, Charlotte enjoyed watching the other kids. There was a tall boy who was a great runner, but couldn’t throw the ball for anything, so if he fielded a hit, he preferred to chase the batter down. One time, the batter led him on a merry chase in a figure eight around first and second bases, totally oblivious to the coaches’ pleas to touch the base.
Another kid was really small for his age, but clearly wasn’t going to let that stop him from being the biggest play maker on the team. To him, this meant sliding into every base and diving for every ball with spectacular gymnastics. When he was put at catcher, he slid three feet to grab the ball every time, even if it had already come to a stop against the fence. This resulted in his shoe getting tangled in the chain links at least three times. Jill unabashedly took videos of him.
“So we can laugh about it later as much as we want,” she whispered to Charlotte. “Because we can’t laugh now, in case his mama hears and comes over to whip our butts.”
During the game, Charlotte occasionally glanced over to Alexa who was always either staring at her phone or looking painfully bored. Luckily for her, t-ball games were only forty-five minutes long, regardless of how many innings had been played, so her suffering was of short duration.
Charlotte and Jill stayed in their seats while the teams shook hands and then ran to their dugouts to get their game treats and gather their belongings. Alexa however, stood and pranced over to stand by Nate on the field, where she was largely ignored, except by Justine, who gave her the stink-eye. Sam stayed where he was, looking miserable.
Charlotte leaned towards him. “You don’t get paid enough for that.
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