His brain called him all kinds of a fool, but his blood and bones knew the truth. She was it for him, and if he couldn’t have her, then he wouldn’t make the mistake of trying to replace her again.
That door is locked.
Fucking door. He was so sick of hearing that from her. There had to be a way to make her see that it was only her he loved. The baby was a beautiful bonus, but with or without it Charlie was the one he wanted.
He chuckled remembering that she’d played hard to get when they were teenagers. He’d chased her for months before she’d agreed to go out with him, and that had taken him shimmying up the live oak tree outside her house and inching across the rooftop to her window. He’d never forget the look of acceptance on her face when she’d lifted the glass pane. Like she’d just been waiting for him to prove to her that she was worth making the grand gesture.
That was it. She needed a grand gesture. Something to let her know that he was in love with her and only her. He hooked a U-turn and headed to Wardell’s house. He parked down the street and made his way to the familiar tree. It had grown quite a bit in eight years, the branches thicker and denser. If she wanted him to prove how much he cared for her, then risking his life to scale this tree to her window should do the trick.
He jumped up and grabbed the lowest branch. With his abdominal muscles, he lifted his leg to loop a foot in the crook of the tree, so he could hoist himself up to sit. Several attempts later, he realized that cowboy boots were the wrong accessory to try and climb a tree.
Finally, he got himself into a sitting position and continued his ascent. As hard as he tried, he didn’t remember this much grunting and cursing the first time he made this trip. Limbs and twigs poked and scratched his arms and face, but he persevered. She was worth it. There was antibacterial cream for his skin, but only she could heal his heart. Oh, that was good. He’d have to say that when she tended to his wounds later.
Once at the roof line, he inched his way to the end of the branch, but the thing wasn’t prepared to withstand the twenty pounds of muscle that he’d put on since he was a teenager. It creaked, and then there was a crack. He lunged and dug his fingers into the shingles just as the branch broke. The denseness of the foliage kept it from falling to the ground. He’d have to come back tomorrow and remove it, so it didn’t fall and hurt anyone. But first, he had to figure out how to get the rest of his body on the roof.
The burning sting of sweat rolling into his cuts was a distraction he didn’t need. It was taking all his concentration to leverage the lower half of his body into a position that didn’t guarantee a fall. This was the highest point of the house, so it wasn’t a place he wanted to lose his grip. Thankfully, he worked out daily and was able to pull himself up into a sitting position.
The sight of the soft glow from her window twenty feet away made him want to beat his chest. She was his woman, and he was coming for her. There was a ledge under her window, so once he got there, he’d be home free. But before that happened, he had to maneuver down the gable carefully to not slip off. A fall from this height would not be good. He began his inching journey, but his foot slipped, and he slid ten feet before he jammed his boot into a recess in the roof. Raspy, sawing pants and old man groans filled the air as he rested and tried to get his pounding heart under control. His shirt stuck to his heaving chest. When the breeze changed there was a distinct aroma of body odor, and he was pretty sure there was a rip in the seat of his jeans. Fabulous. Didn’t matter though—all that mattered was getting to her. Besides, this would be a funny story to tell Pod when she was older.
With careful movements, he continued to scoot down the pitch of the roof. Both feet landed on the ledge, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Step by side-step he made his way to her window. Music was playing from the other side of the glass. When he got closer, he could see her sitting on the bed writing in a book of some kind. Her face free of makeup, her hair piled on her head, and her bent knees threw him back in time eight years. It was like replaying the very same scene. They would have a future because he had nostalgia on his side.
Charlie and Hank forever.
Chapter 49
Charlie poured her heart onto the pages of her journal. The night had been awesome in so many ways, but that kiss had messed with her head and emotions. All she’d wanted was to fall into Hank’s arms and never leave. The problem was that so much sadness was associated with him.
Loving and losing him, missing him to the point of pain. Believing they had a future only to have her stupid hopes crushed by three little text messages. The humiliating realization that his marriage to Karen hadn’t been what was keeping them apart, that he could’ve reached out to her but didn’t. Even his pursuit of her now hurt her heart, and made her feel manipulated.
The tap, tap, tap on her window scared the crap out of her.
What in the world? It couldn’t be.
Yep, Hank was standing on the ledge outside her window. This was how he’d convinced her to finally give him a chance and go out with him when they were teenagers.
“What a manipulative asshole.” She stormed to the locked window, threw the latch, and shoved the thing open.
“Hey.” His charming grin only threw gas on the fire of her anger.
Her arms crossed over her chest. “What are you doing here, Hank?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” His bravado slipped a bit. “I’m showing you how much you mean to me.”
“What happened to your face?”
That goofy grin was back in place. “Don’t worry about that. There’s ointment for my wounds, but you’re the only cure for my soul.”
She only arched her brow.
His sheepish expression was adorable and infuriating. “That sounded less cheesy in my head.”
“I hope so. Otherwise, you’re an idiot. Go away, Hank.” Her hands went to the window to close it.
“Wait. Okay, I can see this hasn’t worked the way I’d hoped it would, but I want to talk to you, Charlie.”
“No.”
“At least let me in, so I don’t have to climb back down.” Disappointment rolled off him like the winds of a thunderstorm.
Not gonna let it affect her. This was for Pod as much as her. Charlie had to know that she couldn’t be manipulated. Done with being coerced, bullied, or seduced into doing something she wasn’t ready or didn’t want to do, she strengthened her resolve. Too much of her life had been lived that way. Not anymore. But she didn’t want him to break his neck, so she stepped back so he could crawl through the window. “Fine.”
“Thank you.” He adjusted his grip and then his stance to maneuver through the window. Time slowed to frames of pictures as he slipped and caught himself at just the right moment.
“Holy crap.”
“Don’t worry, Charlie. I know what I’m doing.” Another adjustment, another twist of his body, and one minute he was there, and the next he wasn’t.
“Hank!”
Hank realized his mistake with Charlie just before he fell. She’d seen what he was doing as handling her, and since hindsight is an excellent teacher, he could now see the error of his ways, especially rolling off her roof. The ground rose up to meet him, and it wasn’t happy to see him.
Every particle of air was knocked from his lungs. With his hands resting on his stomach and the stars overhead, he lay there assessing his body and the situation. Had she truly locked him out of her life? His spasming diaphragm screamed yes. He knew his heart would break at the realization, but currently, it was working overtime to keep him alive. Several minutes passed, and he thought she’d left him there to die.
The screen door slammed. “Hank.” She dropped to her knees beside him. “Are you hurt?” Shaking fingers fluttered over his body. “What am I saying? Of course you’re hurt. You just fell ten feet to the ground.”
He wanted to tell her he was probably going to be okay, but he wasn’t wholly convinced of that yet. He hadn’t figured out how to breathe again.
Her phone appeared in her trembling hands. “Do you need an ambulance?”
Somewhere he found the strength to wrap his hand around hers. “No.” It was barely a whisper, but she must’ve heard him because she put her phone away.
“Are you sure?”
He nodded and hauled in another beautiful breath. “I’m fine. Just knocked the wind out of myself.”
“Really?”
He covered her hand that rested on his chest. “Really.”
“Are you sure?”
His facial muscles somehow managed to push up the corners of his lips. “Yes.”
Her concerned expression evaporated, and anger clouded her features. “What the hell was that, Hank?”
“What?”
“Why were you trying to climb in my window? Who does that? I didn’t ask you here, and instead of showing up at the front door like a sane person, you try to crawl into my room via a window. What did you think would happen?”
“Charlie, I…” What did he think would happen? “I don’t know. I just want to prove to you that I want you.”
“By crawling into my window? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
He carefully pushed himself into a sitting position. “What can I do to persuade you to give us a chance, then? Tell me, and I’ll do it.” The blood in his veins froze at her stony appearance.
Silence stretched between them like the moments before the drop of the guillotine.
In an instant, he saw it all so clearly. “Oh.” There was nothing he could do. The door was indeed locked, and apparently, so was the window.
She didn’t blink. She didn’t waver. And she was beyond his reach.
Stubbornness was his middle name, especially when it came to getting what he wanted, but even he knew it was time to admit defeat. It just about killed him and went against every fiber of his being, but he officially threw in the towel. “I understand.” The slow painful crawl to his feet made his head swim. “You don’t need to worry about me bothering you anymore. I’ll respect your wishes.” The distance to his truck seemed too far to walk, but he’d do it if for no other reason than to regain some of the dignity he’d just lost.
“Hank.”
He glanced back at her expressionless face. “Yeah?”
“My lawyer will be in touch with you about a parenting arrangement.”
He nodded. There wasn’t anything else to say that would change her mind. He could see it in the set of her shoulders, and the way she held her head. He blessedly made it to the truck without fainting. A turn of the key and he headed for the minor emergency center, hoping the doctor could do something for the ribs he was pretty sure he’d broken. Too bad Doc Simpson couldn’t do a thing about his broken heart.
Chapter 50
The scent of BBQ floated on the air, as did the laughter and chatter from the guests at Scarlett’s party for Jack and Luanne. Charlie had hung pretty close to Honey and Wardell’s side until Hailey arrived. She wasn’t really in the mood to socialize, especially with people she didn’t know well. So she was relieved when her friend showed up at the party. “I’m so glad you came.” They went to get in line for food.
“I wasn’t going to come.” Hailey adjusted the Zachsville Raiders ball cap she wore. “But Derek’s mom insisted she wanted to stay with Lottie for a while, so here I am.”
Charlie picked up a plate and handed one to her friend. “How is Lottie today?”
“Irritated that she can’t go outside and play, but otherwise she’s fine.” The relief in her friend’s voice was unmistakable.
Charlie glanced around. “Is Roger with you?”
Hailey plopped a spoonful of potato salad onto her plate. “No. He got called out of town. One of his client’s computer systems went offline, and he had to go get them up and running before tomorrow.”
“You don’t seem very broken up about him not being here.” She’d noticed the apathy that Hailey exhibited toward her boyfriend.
She shrugged. “I like Roger’s company, but if he can’t be around, then that’s alright too.”
They finished filling their plates and made their way to an empty table. Charlie noticed that she had twice the amount of food that Hailey did. “I keep forgetting I’m only eating for two, and not fifteen.”
Hailey laughed. “Thankfully, you’re not puking your guts up anymore. I swear, I’ve never known anyone who’s been as sick as you when they were pregnant.”
The sweetness of the BBQ sauce burst across Charlie’s tongue as she licked it from her finger. “What can I say? I’m an overachiever.”
“Yeah. I’d say that.” Hailey’s fork stopped halfway to her mouth and stared beyond Charlie’s shoulder. “Oh, my Lord, I think my ovaries just purred.”
“What?” Charlie glance behind her. “Oh, my.”
Luanne was making her way to their table with the most gorgeous man Charlie had ever seen, and she’d seen her fair share of gorgeous guys. In fact, two of the hottest men she knew were at this party, but Jack and Gavin didn’t have what this man had. Besides his good looks, he practically glowed with…something. It was the “It” factor that everyone in Hollywood wanted.
“Hailey and Charlie, I’d like you to meet Jack’s cousin and our newest recording artist, Beau Callan. Beau, this is Hailey Odom and Charlie Klein.”
The cowboy tipped his hat. “Ladies.”
Luanne placed her hand on Beau’s arm. “Hailey owns Boon’s Saloon, one of the oldest honky-tonk’s in Texas. I’m hoping we can talk her into letting you work on your material and sets at her bar, before you go on the road.” She gave Hailey a hopeful look.
Before Hailey could respond, Luanne gasped, “Oh, shit, Aiden is sticking his hands in the apple cobbler Honey made. I’ll be right back.” The feisty fairy headed toward the pie-stealing preschooler.
Hailey gave Beau an assessing look. “You any good? I mean, you’re pretty as they come, but can you sing?”
Beau laughed. “I’m alright.” He swung the extra chair out and straddled it with his arms crossed over the back. “This place of yours any good? I mean, you’re hot as fire, but does this club live up to the hype?”
Charlie wasn’t sure how Hailey remained so unaffected by the cowboy’s crooked grin as the two squared off into a staring contest. After several seconds that sizzled with something that made Charlie blush, Hailey chuckled. “Hell yeah, it lives up to the hype.”
Beau winked. “Same here.”
Charlie had to intervene, or everything around them was about to catch fire. “You’re not from Zachsville are you, Beau?”
The friendly smile he gave her wasn’t laced with the same challenge and the I’d like to eat you alive overtones as the one he’d given Hailey. “No, I’m from West Virginia. I’m actually just visiting Jack and Luanne right now. I have to head back tomorrow. There are a few loose ends to tie up before I move down here. I should probably be back in a couple of months.” He said the last part to Hailey.
Hailey shrugged. “I don’t know why you’re telling me.”
He cocked his head. “So you’re ready for me, darlin’.”
“Pardon me?”
The gotcha grin snuck back onto his face. “To book me at the club.” His eyes went wide in mock shock. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Miss Hailey.”
Charlie snorted sweet tea through her nose. Beau laughed and patted her on the back.
“Har-har.” Hailey wasn’t amused. “So you’re a comedian as well as a singer?”
He cocked his head and met Hailey’s dismissive stare. “I can be anything you want me to be.” He stood and replaced the chair. “I need to find Jack.” He held his hand out to Charlie. “It was nice to meet you, Charlie. Any tips you have about show business are welcomed.”
“Nice to meet you, Beau. Watch your money.”
“Got it.”
He tipped his hat to Hailey. “I look forward to satisfying you—”
Hailey huffed out a laugh. “I seriously doubt you coul
d satisfy me.”
“If you’d let me finish.” His cocky grin was back in place. “I was going to say I look forward to satisfying you and your customers’ entertainment needs.” He wagged his finger in her direction. “You’ve got a dirty mind, Hailey Odom.”
She crossed her arms and gave him a stony look.
He glanced at Charlie. “Tough room.”
“You may have met your match, pretty boy.” Charlie felt he needed to be warned.
“You may be right.” He laughed.
Reesa Capland sashayed up to the table. Long legs, perfect blonde hair, and golden, sun-kissed skin, she was five feet, eight inches of Texas bombshell. She ran pink tipped nails over Beau’s bicep. “Beau, you promised to show me your guitar.” Her pouty tone and big innocent eyes made her look like a wholesome porn star.
“That I did, Reesa, darlin’.” He threw his arm around her shoulder. “If you ladies will excuse me—I’ve got a promise to keep.”
“Fine with me,” Hailey said, but the two had already turned to leave.
“I don’t think show me your guitar means the same thing to them as it does to us.” Charlie chuckled. She noticed Hailey following Beau’s progress through the crowd. “Do I need to douse you with water?”
Hailey pulled a face. “Why?”
“Because the two of you were burning up the air. I think it was insta-lust.”
“No way. He’s just one of those irritatingly arrogant and shiny men who thinks every woman wants in their pants. I’m not that woman.” She scooped up a spoonful of baked beans. “Not my type. Besides, he was all over Reesa. How long could they have known each other? He’s only been in town a day or two. Beau Callen is a player. Definitely, not my type.”
Charlie decided to eat her dessert first. “If you say so.”
“I do.”
“So tell me about Roger. Why doesn’t he ever come to the club?”
Hailey peered at her over a corn cob she’d just taken a bite of. She lowered it to her plate and wiped her fingers on her napkin. “Not much to tell. He’s nice. He’s cute. He’s kind to Lottie.”
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