Page 7 of Back in the Texan's Bed
No one knew of his and Charlotte’s affair from years ago. They’d kept it secret for the obvious reason—him having sex with his employee had been inappropriate, at best. At worst, it was a power imbalance that he’d been too entitled, too damn infatuated and desperate for her to acknowledge. He’d justified it by convincing himself he’d never be the kind of asshole that would fire her if—no,when—their affair ended.
His father was that kind of asshole, though. His son involved with a staff member? Hell no. Rusty Edmond possessed enough good ol’ boy in him to rate that sin just under murder but above stealing.
That had been cause enough to keep their...relationship quiet. But he’d harbored another, more private one.
Charlotte had been his. His choice. His beauty. His secret haven from a world where he was judged by his name, his reputation. His entire life, his father had determined his schools, career, even the women he’d dated. But Charlotte? She’d been the one person—the one decision—that had been strictly his own.
She’d been special.
But he couldn’t tell Billy that—couldn’t tell anyone. And even if he’d been free to, he still wouldn’t. Because in some ways, Charlotte still remained the only autonomous decision in his life. And despite everything, he treasured that.
“Are you sure? I—” Billy frowned, his lips snapping closed as he studied Ross.
“What?” he asked, just shy of a snap. He wanted to be done with this conversation, hell, this restaurant that seemed to bear the stamp of Charlotte in its walls, in the decor, even in the scent of its food. Now that he knew she was the chef here—that she was back in Royal—she permeated everything.
“Fine. I’m just going to say it,” Billy said, setting the fork down and leaning back in his chair. “I might be out of line here, but there seemed to be...tension between you two. Am I wrong?”
“Yes,” Ross clipped out, but then inhaled, forcibly relaxing his jaw. “Yes,” he repeated, this time more evenly. “Charlotte was our head chef for a while before she left for another job opportunity. We were amicable, but that’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Okay, if you say so. I believe you.” But that steady, unwavering stare didn’t shift from Ross’s face, and he smothered the urge to snap at his friend again. Finally, Billy shrugged a shoulder and picked up his wine. “She’s a beautiful woman,” he observed before sipping from his glass. “And obviously talented and successful. So you wouldn’t have a problem with me asking her out? There wouldn’t be an issue because she used to be your employee?”
“Of course not,” Ross growled. Yes, honest-to-Godgrowled. Because just the thought of Billy’s fingers spanning that slender waist or cupping that dramatic flare of hips had him clenching his own wineglass so hard he feared it might shatter under the pressure. “I don’t have any claim on her. She was just our chef, for God’s sake. Do what you want.”
The words, the tone sounded angry to his own ears, so when the other man said nothing but pinned him with a speculative look, Ross didn’t challenge him on it. Didn’t snarl out another protest. Why bother? He didn’t believe his own damn self.
“I’m just going to say this, then leave it alone,” Billy murmured. “From one friend to another, whatever is eating at you? Deal with it before it deals with you. Now—” he took another sip of wine and set his glass on the table “—as for the advisory board, I was also thinking about approaching Lila Jones from the Royal Chamber of Commerce...”
Ross went along with the subject change, nodding and replying when appropriate. But his mind had drifted back to the past. To that day when she’d ended their affair. When she’d announced that she was moving to California. He’d been angry. Hurtful. Harsh. Not because he’d been in love—he hadn’t believed in that emotion then any more than he did today. Yet, it had shown him that wanting something for himself—believing someone could want him just for him—was a dream better left behind for the boy who’d once believed in superheroes, purple, singing dinosaurs and mothers who stayed.
And he’d stopped dreaming long ago.
Three
There were worse things in life than listening to your mother complain and nag. For instance, volcanoes exploding and drowning whole cities under their molten flow of lava. Wars that left countries devastated and torn. Pandemic viruses infecting the population and turning them into hordes of flesh-eating zombies.
Fireflybeing canceled.
Yes, so many worse things than having to sit quietly while your mother criticized your parenting.
But right now, Charlotte wouldn’t mind a zombie bursting into her house and chasing her around her kitchen. It would definitely be a good excuse to end this phone call.
Smothering a sigh, she pinched the bridge of her nose and prayed for patience. “Mom, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you myself about Ben, and that you had to hear about it when you called the restaurant,” she apologized.Again.“As soon as I got home, I rushed him to the emergency room. But I promise I would’ve called you this morning.”
“It was just so humiliating and hurtful to find out from an employee, instead of my daughter, that my grandson was sick,” Cherise Jarrett harped. Only the genuine hurt in her mother’s voice kept Charlotte from snapping back in irritation. “I know we’ve...had our differences in the past few years, Charlotte, but we love Ben, and when we couldn’t reach you...”
Had our differences. What a nice way of saying “estranged because you got knocked up and had a kid out of wedlock.”
But she clenched her teeth, locking the sarcastic words down. Wasn’t this part of the reason she’d returned to Royal? To try to heal the fractured relationship between her and her parents? She’d disappointed them three years ago when she’d called with the news that she was pregnant, but they’d also disappointed her with their reaction.
Brian and Cherise Jarrett had always been strict, conservative but loving parents. Charlotte had expected them to be worried and upset by her news, but not to practically disown her. Nor for them to be relieved that she moved to California so they could avoid gossip about their daughter having an illegitimate child. If not for her sister, brother-in-law and niece in California, Charlotte would’ve been all alone in the world. Her parents’ rejection and disapproval had been like a dagger to the chest, and for months she’d felt adrift, no longer anchored by their love and friendship.
But Charlotte had to give her parents credit. Once Ben was born, their cold demeanor had thawed. Her son and their love for him had helped bridge the divide that had sprung up between them seven months prior. Even if they allowed people to assume that she’d married and divorced while in California, and Ben was the child of that union. Yeah, that continued to sting. Still, now that she’d moved back to Royal with Ben so they could be closer to her parents, she hoped that distance, and the hurt, would disappear altogether.
Then there were days like today...
“They made me shut off my cell phone at the hospital, and it was after 2:00 a.m. when we arrived home. I didn’t want to wake you and Dad. Especially when Ben was fine. If it’d been more serious, I would’ve found a way to contact you guys. But his fever broke while we were there, and the doctor said it’s likely nothing more than a twenty-four-hour bug. So please don’t worry.”
“Still—”
