Page 104 of Charlie and Her Sweet Escape
“Fine.” I groaned and turned toward them, but all my grumpiness disappeared at the sight of the three of them standing there. Their arms were folded in an identical manner, and I wondered if they even realized it.
I’d missed them so much. But I’d also been avoiding talking to them. After hugging them when we’d first walked in, I’d allowed myself to be pulled in every direction so I wouldn’t have to hear about how upset with me they were.
The time for reckoning had come. And I was glad to have Charlie by my side for it. She was edging away from us, but Ireached out my hand and clasped hers desperately. I couldn’t do this alone. I didn’t want to have to. She stepped closer to my side and gripped my arm, steadying me.
“Guys. I’m so sorry,” I said, not able to look any of them in the eye. We were standing near the huge garbage bin behind Icy Asp, which was giving off the faint odor of trash.
“For not winning?” Jules asked, his expression too blank to read.
“No—”
“For falling in love with my amazing sister-in-law?” Rosie squeezed Charlie’s elbow affectionately.
“That’s not?—”
“For excessively parading around in front of the camera without a shirt on?” Haydn winced. “Lia’s little sister watched the show, man.”
“If you’ll just?—”
“Does Lia’s sister have a crush on Ben?” Jules asked.
Haydn let out a frustrated huff. “Ben was showing off his abs for all the eleven-year-olds in the world to see and have lengthy conversations about while I was within hearing. It was uncomfortable, is all I’m saying.”
“I wonder if she drew any pictures of them,” Charlie murmured, so low only I could hear it. “Those abs have been breaking little girls’ hearts for a long time.”
“That sounds really sketch,” Rosie whispered, so apparently, Iwasn’tthe only person who could hear Charlie.
I wanted to tease and joke around, too, but the weight of worry over what they’d think of Dad coming onWildkept me from relaxing. The show may have edited him to be a hero, but they hadn’t made up anything I’d said—only selectively left out any of the tenser conversations we’d had.
“No,” I cut in, frustration lacing my tone. “I’m sorry for the thing with Dad.”
“Oh. That.” All the humor was cut off from Jules’s expression. Just as I feared, they looked angry.
“Dad shouldn’t have done that,” Rosie said, and if angry steam could be coming from her ears and nose, it would.
“I didn’t know he was coming,” I said.
“Of course you didn’t,” Jules said. “This is the kind of thing they do—ratings at any cost. Even if it’s unethical.”
“But Bennett,” Haydn said, softly, “we didn’t know you were still in contact with Dad.”
“I’m not. I wasn’t. Not really.” I sighed as Charlie traced her fingers soothingly down the inside of my arm. “We text now and then. But it’s nothing.”
“Why didn’t you tell us, though?” Rosie asked. The hurt in her voice was like a rusty nail driven straight into my heart.
“Because he’s not a good person. I know that. I know it even more now, after he used me to make money on the show.” I needed to be honest. Tell them everything. That was the whole point of this conversation, even if it scared me. My stomach twisted in knots as I continued. “But I also remember so many good things from before he left. And it gets confusing.”
Haydn nodded. As the oldest, he had more memories of Dad than any of us. “He had his good moments, Bennett. You don’t have to be ashamed of looking back on them fondly.”
Jules still had his arms folded like a barrier between us. “I want absolutely nothing to do with the man. Even more so now, after watching him on the show.” He swallowed, and I could tell it was taking a lot for him to say what he did next. “For the record, he doesn’t deserve to be in your life to any extent. But that’s not my decision to make for you, and I’ll try to respect that.”
“Same,” Rosie said. “I’m not saying Ineverwant to talk to him again, but I might not. It was strange seeing him getemotional.” She chewed on her top lip. “I don’t remember Mom crying.”
She’d been so young. And our brains had a way of protecting us from traumatic events. There were whole months I didn’t remember from the last year of my mom’s life, but the crying was forever etched into my memory.
Jules threw an arm around Rosie’s shoulders in a rare display of physical affection. Haydn then put his arms around Jules’s shoulders and mine. Rosie put her arm around my shoulders next. We brought our heads close, like we were in a football huddle. The four Forrester siblings.
“We love you no matter what, Bennett,” Haydn said. The other two nodded in agreement. “We’re here for you. Always have been. Always will be.”
