Page 6 of Sweet Redemption
I studied her hand for a second before taking it. “Markus Landry. But you can call me Mark.”
“I like Markus better.”
That was honest. “Fine. Then call me Markus.”
“You’re not from around here, Markus Landry. Chicago?”
My eyes widened in surprise. “How’d you guess?”
“It’s my knack. Nana always said I had a gift for languages and accents.”
“Knack?” I questioned, not quite understanding what she was talking about. “Languages?”
“Yes. My Nana said I have a way of remembering different languages and certain accents from different parts of the world. Of course I can’t remember what day of the week it is sometimes, but languages and the way people talk—their accents, I’m good at.” She gave me a wink and another smile.
I scanned the tiny town and then stared back at her. I hated to be presumptuous, but one look at this woman and I saw only a country girl. “Really. You mean a linguist.” My slight condemnation was apparent because Charlie’s smile faded.
Her eyes narrowed on me and said, “Vous êtes un connard.”
I froze. I hadn’t taken French since high school and one year in college for fun but… “Did you just call me a dickhead in French?”
Charlie’s eyes sparked with laughter before she spoke. “You understand—well, good. It fits,” she said with a flush across her cheeks. “I’m heading to Arlene’s. Call me there, Mike.” She trudged passed me and called out from over her shoulder, “Are you coming, Mr. Landry?”
“Wait.” I caught up to her. I reached out and touched Charlie’s arm to stop her from going any further. “I’m sorry. It’s been a shitty day, and I shouldn’t have—”
“What? Been a stuck-up jerk, thinking I’m some country bumpkin who doesn’t have a brain in my head? Have you ever heard the saying about assuming…”
I raised my hands to concede, because she called me out on what I was thinking. “Yes, you’re right. And I’m sorry. I had no right assuming you weren’t capable of…” I lost my train of thought as my eyes rove over Charlie’s bold in-your-face attitude while she glared back at me.
Damn, she’s pretty. Especially when she’s riled.
I couldn’t help but grin like some loon. I actually found her genuine and bold attitude so refreshing. “I know this isn’t an excuse but it has been a bad week and…I lost my mother and my head still isn’t screwed on right.” I blurted out. What the hell was I thinking? I couldn’t help myself, but something about Charlie brought my feelings out of me. “I am sorry for…being a dickhead.”
The tension in her jaw relaxed, though she kept her small frown. Did she not believe my sincerity?
“Well, I’m sorry that you lost your mother. It still doesn’t excuse you for being—”
“Charlie?” A woman’s shrill voice interrupted her mini tirade. We spun toward the cherry red F-150 extended cab that pulled up in the street next to us.
“Hey, Lila,” Charlie called out. There was no warmth to her greeting. I had a feeling these two women weren’t friends.
“Who’s he?” Lila asked with a chin lift and a wide toothy smile that reminded me of a cougar ready to pounce on her meal.
“This is…” Charlie turned to me. “What’s your name again?” A level of embarrassment blushed across her cheeks.
“Markus Landry,” I addressed the bleached blonde in the truck.
“Well, from the looks of you two, I arrived just in time. I’m heading to Arlene’s for brunch. Need a ride?” Her long red fingernails, matching the truck’s paint, tapped the steering wheel.
I said yes at the same time Charlie said no. We both looked at each other for a second before Charlie rolled her eyes at me. She actually growled low, before she turned to Lila. She pasted on a fake smile. “Thanks Lila. That would be wonderful.”
“Yes, that would be great.” I responded with gratitude. I wasn’t in the mood to trudge through the snow in my Chucks.
Charlie climbed in the back while I sat anchored next to the passenger side door. I hadn’t needed to look over to feel the hostility building in the cab of the truck between the two women. I also knew Lila ogled me from top to bottom when I slid into the passenger side.
“So…Arlene’s is the best place in town for good food?” I asked, hoping to break some of the tension and the silence.
“It’s the only place in town. But the food is great,” Charlie explained. Her body remained stick straight as though she didn’t want to touch anything inside the cab. She even kept her eyes on the road ahead and her face impassive. Whatever had happened between these two, it wasn’t good.
