Page 128 of Quiet Longing

Just after dessert, she and Nuala went to visit the ladies’ room, and as soon as they left, Aidan plonked himself down in the seat Charli had just vacated.

“So, you two are fucking, then?” he stated casually, and I was just glad Tristan was busy flirting with his date and Derek was on the phone with one of his kids.

“You’ve always been a nosy bastard,” I grunted, slugging back the last of my wine.

“Hey now, I’m merely an observer of human interactions. It’s clear in the way you’ve both been looking at one another all night. It was always going to happen. Put you two in a room, and it’s pure chemistry. Has been since you were teenagers.”

“I distinctly remember you chancing your arm with her back then,” I commented.

Aidan chuckled. “Chancing my arm was pretty much all I did at eighteen. Luckily for everyone, I’ve matured since then.” He paused to eye me, his expression sobering a little. “So, is this a rebound from Stephanie or—”

“Charli isn’t a fucking rebound,” I practically growled, and he raised his hands.

“I only ask because the last time Charli was here, she looked like she was going through it. Now, I don’t know what happened to her, but I can make a few educated guesses. And if my guesses are accurate, I wouldn’t want to see her being used in whatever battleground is going on between you and your ex.”

“There is no battleground. We’re over. Have been for a while.”

“You sure about that? Because she turned up at the opening and glued herself to my side for the better part of an hour. I eventually had to tell her outright that I wanted no role in whatever game she was playing to make you jealous.”

“Fuck,” I groaned. “I’m sorry, Aidan. Steph can be a little—”

“Vindictive? Yes, I got that. All I’m saying is, your love life is still a bit messy if she’s trying to get with your friends to make you jealous. I wouldn’t like to see Charli become a casualty of whatever else your ex-fiancée tries.”

“She won’t be. I won’t let anything happen to Charli,” I said, my mood souring. Aidan patted my shoulder, his look meaningful. He stood just as Nuala and Charli returned and retook their seats.

I should’ve given more heed to Aidan’s warning because he was right. Steph had made herself scarce the last few weeks, but it turned out she wasn’t done getting her own back. I wanted to believe she’d take the high road, but it turned out that was too much to ask for.

A few days later, I spotted Charli making a dash through the hotel lobby mid-morning, a distraught look on her face. On instinct, I went after her, only catching up with her a short distance from both our offices.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, my features narrowing in a concerned frown.

Her lip wobbled as she turned to face me before swallowing down what appeared to be a lump in her throat. “It’s nothing,” she answered, barely meeting my gaze, which told me something wasdefinitelyup.

“I know that’s not true. You’re upset.”

I cupped her shoulder gently, and she met my gaze, releasing a tired breath. “The last couple days, I’ve noticed some of the other staff giving me odd looks. I couldn’t figure out what was going on, so I mentioned it to Maeve when we were in the office. Well, Maeve began acting shifty, and her conscience obviously got to her because she finally confessed Stephanie’s been spreading a rumour about us.”

My hand on her shoulder stiffened as my frown deepened. “What kind of rumour?”

Charli sniffled. “It’s ridiculously untrue. She’s been saying that the reason you broke up with her was because you and I were having some kind of long distance affair behind her back and that I moved here to be with you.”

I swear my vision flashed red for a second. “She saidwhat?”

“Look,” Charli replied gently. “I know it’s just a rumour, and that things will die down after a while, but I got upset because I don’t want people to think I’m some homewrecker.”

I gripped her other shoulder, pulling her closer. “No one’s going to think that because I’m going to set them all straight.”

My attention went over Charli’s head—and almost like the conversation had summoned her—Steph appeared at the other end of the hallway, her face buried in her phone as she tapped out a text.

“Hey! You!” I shouted, and she looked up, eyes widening like a deer caught in the headlights. At least she had the common sense to try and flee. Steph shoved her phone in her pocket and turned on her heel, but I caught up to her easily.

“What kind of bullshit have you been spreading around this place?” I demanded.

Steph puffed up her chest and folded her arms. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, pull the other one. You’ve been lying about Charli and me. Are you actively trying to lose your job? You do realise her uncle is your boss, and he adores her. If he finds out about this, he’ll be well within his rights to let you go.”

There was a flicker of apprehension in her eyes, and I knew it was dawning on her how badly she might’ve messed up. Steph could be like that. She liked to talk shit but never expected consequences because she could just flutter her eyelashes, flash her pretty smile, and get away with things. She also tended to lash out when she was cornered, which was why her gaze narrowed on Charli, who’d come to stand beside me.

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