Page 15 of Love in Tandem
His mom’s arms circled around him, her face smacking into his chest. “Oh, this has got to be the best weekend of my life.” She lifted her face to the cathedral-like ceiling. “Patrick, I’m ready to join you. Our boys are going to be fine. Tell Jesus to get another room ready. I’m coming soon.”
Okay, even for Darla this was quite the reaction. “So, you’re not mad?”
“Mad? Why would I be mad? I’ve been praying for this moment every day for the past two years. Okay, technically I prayed about it for Ben. But this is even better.”
“What exactly is this moment? And how is it better?”
She dragged him by the hand into the restaurant. He barely had time to register the glass display of cheesecake up front, the colorful wall murals in the dining area, and the woman who appeared to be consoling a group of teary-eyed customers next to a piano before his mom twirled to face him.
“Stop playing stupid. You and Charlotte! Oh, I can’t wait to tell everyone. Talk about a surprise.” She smacked him on the arm. “I should have known when she mentioned the spinach. You always were my little Popeye, weren’t you? But I can’t believe you guys kept it such a secret. Especially since Ben and Shannon have clearly moved on from the two of you.”
Zach’s mouth opened, probably with the intent to form words. Words along the lines of huh? But all the words stuck in his throat. Because sure enough, there stood Charlotte. Next to the cheesecake display. Wearing a blue knockout dress.
How he’d missed her on the first sweep of the room, he didn’t know.
Before he could say anything, his mom tugged him closer to Charlotte and joined their hands together. Her hand felt small. Soft. Out of reflex, he squeezed it. Then for some reason, didn’t let go.
Maybe because his mother’s voice had thickened with tears. “Your father would’ve been so happy about this.” She looked back and forth between Zach and Charlotte. “He loved you like a daughter, you know. The same way I do. Oh, this is so . . . I just can’t . . . a bit awkward I suppose . . . your brother after all . . . and you and Shannon . . . but maybe . . .”
She continued speaking in stilted sentence fragments while Zach stared at Charlotte. Her knockout dress. Her flushed cheeks. Her shell-shocked gaze. Her knockout dress. What in the world was she doing here?
“Could you just give us a minute?” Zach asked when it became clear his mother was never going to stop rambling and Charlotte was never going to explain anything so long as his mother kept rambling.
“Of course.” His mom motioned like she was locking her lips up and throwing away the key. “I’ll let you two be the ones to tell everyone. Just don’t take too long. This is still Ben and Shannon’s special weekend. Let’s not keep them waiting. Or try to trump them, okay? Even though . . .” She grinned and nodded her head like a rabid bobblehead doll. “This sort of does. Shh. I didn’t say that.”
With a giddy squeal, she pumped her fist before rushing down a narrow hallway. A chalkboard sign with the words Wedding Rehearsal Dinner and an arrow pointed after her.
Without a word, Zach dragged Charlotte out of the restaurant in the same manner his mother had dragged him inside less than two minutes ago. When they reached a quiet spot next to a giant fern and a door marked Utility Closet, Zach released her hand. “Okay, out with it. What is going on?”
Charlotte took a shaky breath.
Then another shaky breath.
“I have something to tell you, and I’m not really sure how to say it,” she said after two more shaky breaths.
Zach hadn’t seen Charlotte in two years. Not since Ben had dumped her. Not since she’d wept in Zach’s arms and he’d awkwardly patted her on the back because he didn’t know what else to do with an attractive crying woman clinging to his torso. Well, other than kiss her.
Which come to think of it, he might have. A little bit. Just on the temple. Nothing serious. But come on, she was crying. Zach never could stand to see a girl cry. Especially not a girl like Charlotte. He’d known her forever. She was fun. Sweet. A little cuckoo at times, but hey, a person could have worse faults. And unfortunately, she did. She never wanted to leave Illinois.
Zach couldn’t completely blame his brother for breaking off their engagement. But he could blame him for waiting until the last minute to do it. That was a jerk move. So of course Zach had felt the need to console the poor girl when he stumbled upon her bawling her brains out.
But since then, Zach hadn’t given that night a second thought.
But . . . Oh no. What if Charlotte had given it a second thought? What if she’d given it third and fourth thoughts? Did she . . . Did she have feelings for Zach? Is that why she was here? Had she been harboring some sort of unbridled passion for him ever since that night he consoled her with awkward back pats and unserious kisses in an empty church sanctuary?
Of course. Why else would she be here? Why else would she have led his mother to believe they were a couple? She loved him. What other explanation could there be?
She lifted her gaze, her blue eyes holding his in captivity as she wet her lips, no doubt in anticipation of all the serious kisses she expected to receive after confessing her eternal love for him. “Zach . . .”
He wet his lips. Not in preparation for anything. They were just feeling a little chapped.
“Melba Clark is dead. I’m so sorry. Bye.”
Then she spun, opened the door behind her, and disappeared inside the utility closet.
Charlotte never should have changed out of her pajamas.
If she’d left them on, it would’ve prevented this moment—standing inside a utility closet, clutching a broom handle with one hand and frantically searching for a light switch with the other, while one of the most ruggedly handsome men on earth, who just so happened to be her ex-fiancé’s brother, politely knocked on the door, inquiring whether she’d lost her mind.
