Page 87 of Love in Tandem
But something, a whisper deep in his soul, told him that wasn’t the move he should make. Not this time. Charlotte didn’t need a grand gesture. Charlotte needed Zach to stay put until she figured things out.
And this time Zach was going to get things right.
Cool water washed over Charlotte’s feet, softening the grainy sand to mush between her toes before the tide pulled the foamy spray back to the ocean. She’d been walking the shoreline all afternoon, same as she had every day since her brother Will had arrived.
Will. Her brother. Here. She couldn’t believe it.
As happy as she was to see him, she had to admit that there had been a brief moment when she’d hoped it was somebody else at the door a few days ago. Somebody who’d changed his mind about California.
Charlotte dug the balls of her feet into the wet sand. A couple of seagulls landed close to the shoreline. Charlotte watched them, the breeze stirring up the ends of her hair. When they scuttled off, Charlotte almost envied them.
Which was stupid. And not like herself at all. Charlotte didn’t envy birds. Because Charlotte didn’t scuttle. Charlotte stayed put. Charlotte saw things through. Which is why she would of course stay in Bailey Springs, continue on with the music program, and help her parents out with the new baby.
Charlotte glanced at the cottage, where Mom was probably still napping. Sophia was right. Their mom had a new glow and happiness about her. But Charlotte thought that had more to do with having all her children under one roof again, rather than growing another baby inside her body. That part was definitely making her tired. Hence the naps.
When Mom wasn’t napping, they’d gotten into a routine of playing games and drinking tea. Well, Charlotte drank tea. Mom pretended to drink the probiotic, natural energy tea Charlotte had found a recipe for online, then dumped it down the sink when she thought nobody was looking. To be fair, the tea did taste like metal.
Every evening Sophia would fix supper, and afterward they’d gather outside by the fire pit, talking about everything and nothing. Sophia had found a guitar somewhere and presented it to Charlotte. “Didn’t I tell you playing the guitar by campfires was totally your thing?”
Charlotte knew it wasn’t possible to make up for lost years, but boy did they come awful close this past week. Finally, the vacation her parents deserved. All five of them. Together.
Everything Charlotte could have hoped for at the beginning of this summer was working out. Her job. Her mom’s health. Even seeing her brother again.
So why did Charlotte feel like she’d never stood on shakier ground in all her life?
Motion drew her attention away from the shoreline. She shielded her gaze from the sun. The slight limp, wiry shoulders, and hands in the pockets quickly told her it was Will.
Charlotte turned to face the ocean. When he reached her side, he did the same. “She’s still sleeping,” he said.
Charlotte nodded because she didn’t know what else to say. The wind tugged a strand of hair loose from her ponytail. She tried replacing it behind her ear a few times before giving up. They stood together in silence, letting the ocean do all the talking.
Her brother buried his hands deeper into his pockets. She gave him a sidelong look as the wind pressed his shirt against his torso. He looked fit. Healthy. Better than she’d ever seen him before. Which begged the question. “Why’d you avoid me for so long?”
Mingled in those conversations about everything and nothing the past couple of nights, she’d learned Will hadn’t been avoiding his family after his prison release. No, he’d just been avoiding her.
His head dipped toward the ground where he dug his bare feet in the sand next to hers. “Because . . .” He must have shrugged at least five times before finally saying, “Remember that night in the barn?”
Of course she remembered that night in the barn.
“You ever wonder why I didn’t come back?”
Only all the time. She nodded.
He lifted his face, one eye squinting shut in the bright sunlight as he glanced at the cottage, then focused on Charlotte. “Because I didn’t think you needed me. And by the time I realized maybe you did . . . I guess I figured I’d hurt you too much to come back.”
She didn’t know whether to slug him or hug him. Because yeah, he’d definitely hurt her. But he was her brother. All she’d ever wanted was for him to come back. Then and now.
Flicking a tear from the corner of her eye before he could spot it and clam up because he thought she was about to get all emotional, she bumped her shoulder against his. “Well, I’m glad you’re back now.”
Even if he was too late to loosen the ropes holding her in place. Because that was the problem, wasn’t it? The real problem she couldn’t explain to Sophia. Yes, something had happened on the trail. She’d finally gotten a little taste of adventure. And yes, she’d fallen in love with Zach. But none of that mattered. Not when she couldn’t break free from the responsibilities wrapped around her, tying her down to her hometown.
Responsibilities that up until the bike trip, she’d been glad to have wrapped around her, securing her in place. Because up until now, she’d never realized that one day she’d have trouble breaking free.
Lost in her thoughts, it took her a moment to realize her brother was clearing his throat and twitching his shoulders as if he were about to start another marathon shrugging session. “You okay?” Charlotte asked.
“Not really. I can’t figure out how to say this without sounding like an idiot.”
“Well, then maybe you should just say it.”
