Page 45 of Gossip Game

“Hmm,” the older woman said. “Perhaps it’s time to get yourself some actual children.”

A lump formed in Charlotte’s throat. A child of her own had been a dream since she was barely out of her teens.

“You’re not subtle at all.”

“At my age, I don’t have that kind of luxury.”

Charlotte admired her handiwork with the brow pencil before reaching for some eye shadow. “I’m having a hard time finding a man who wants to take me on.”

She didn’t have to elaborate further. Meemaw’s humph sounded as frustrated as Charlotte felt.

“He’s a lot like his grandfather.”

“How so?”

Meemaw’s smile was a wistful one. “Ross didn’t want me to be tied down to a Navy pilot who would be off on a ship for six months at a time. He thought I deserved a man who’d be around to treat me like a queen every day.” She chuckled. “My daddy owned the furniture company that employed most of the people in these parts. Everyone thought we were next to royalty.”

She arched an eyebrow at Charlotte before she continued.

“Ross didn’t think he measured up financially, either. And neither did he want to be stuck in western North Carolina running someone else’s dream once my daddy died. He was going to be an airline pilot. He wouldn’t be rich. But he would be happy.”

Was that what was holding Noah back? Some neanderthal hang-up on the difference in their socioeconomic status? Charlotte almost laughed. Guess he possessed an ego after all.

What he didn’t realize was her money hadn’t come from working hard and employing a talent like his did. Noah’s wealth was worth so much more. And if she took away her trust fund and compared the measly salary that she paid herself from Truly next to the one he earned playing football, then he was the clear breadwinner.

Men are so stupid.

“Obviously he came around,” Charlotte said.

“You betcha he did.” She spread out her arms. “I’m irresistible.”

Both women laughed before Meemaw sobered up.

“Men need a little help connecting the dots sometimes. Once I spelled it out for him, letting him know in no uncertain terms that the only thing I needed in life was him, he came around.”

Charlotte stroked some blush on Meemaw’s cheeks as she contemplated the older woman’s words.

Could it be that easy?

Noah’s grandmother placed two fingers beneath Charlotte’s chin and lifted it until their eyes met. “Mark my words, that boy is in love with you. It’s obvious to anyone who sees the way he looks at you. Sure, I might have used underhanded tactics to get Noah to bring you home with him. But, know this, Charlotte Davis, if he didn’t want you here, he would have ignored me.”

She fingered the three silver affirmation bracelets on Charlotte’s wrist.

“Faith. Hope. Love.” She recited the single word inscribed on each one. “‘The greatest of these is love.’ Millions of women buy these from your company and wear them hoping to manifest these thoughts into reality. You should take a page from your own book and do the same.”

“Dude I must love your sister if I’m wearing your jersey and not mine,” Noah’s brother-in-law, Chris, remarked when he wandered up beside Noah at the pregame tailgate in the high school parking lot a few hours later. Alex’s high school sweetheart had played defensive back for Noah’s dad while Noah was still in elementary school. Suffice it to say, Chris was Noah’s first real football idol. He even threatened to run away from home when Alex and Chris broke up briefly.

Chris gave him a little shoulder check. “This is kind of crazy, huh? Although it’s probably second nature to you, seeing strangers decked out in your digits.”

Noah had to agree that it was still a little bizarre. Especially since so many people were wearing jerseys sporting his high school number, eleven years after he last took the field as the school’s quarterback. Maisy and Ainsley danced around in tricked-out versions his mother made for them, twirling their pom-poms with wild exuberance. A few folks milling around were even wearing a replica of his college jersey.

Not that Noah noticed any longer. The singular focus of his attention was on the gorgeous woman who had just rolled up with his mother and Meemaw. Charlotte looked like she’d just walked out of his high school fantasies, wearing his letterman jacket over a silk turtleneck. She’d paired it with the skin hugging jeans and boots she’d left home with this morning. An excited murmur rose from the crowd as the three women made their way over to Noah and his family.

“I hope you don’t mind.” She looked almost shy as she gestured to the jacket.

Mind? Nope, he didn’t mind at all. He liked the idea of her wearing something of his. Of her announcing to the world that she belonged to him. A vivid image of her wearing his jersey and nothing else swam before his eyes. Without thinking, he reached for the sides of the jacket and tugged it tighter around her. The move had the happy coincidence of bringing them closer together.

“Nah, I outgrew it years ago.” He lowered his voice. “It looks better on you than it ever did on me, anyway.”

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