Page 136 of Unexpected Forever
I swallow against the fear thick in my throat, trying to process all that’s been thrown at me. “But what if she doesn’t want me now? She’s admitted she kept her distance from people, but she didn’t do it with me.” I sigh and look down at my hand, balled into a fist. “I’ve probably fucked it all up now.”
Megan takes my hand. “Let me give you a little insight on Charley. Did she tell you about how her dad died?”
“She told me she was young when it happened.”
“According to Aidan, Charley had their father wrapped around her finger. All the girls did, but Charley was by far the one he doted on. She was a happy accident.”
She sighs. “Charley was only seven when their dad passed suddenly. It changed the way she saw things. Then Aidan went into the military, Del was in California, and Noah was dealing with his own issues at the time. All her protectors were gone.
“Aidan thinks that’s when she started looking outside the family. I know there was one guy in high school who hurt her. But she got her heart broken time and again. Until one day, I think she decided it was better to never get too close.”
My fists bunch and I clench my jaw so hard I worry my teeth will crack. I want to tear apart whoever the asshole is that hurt her.
Then it hits me. I’m the asshole.
Her gaze slides to mine, and I see disappointment in her hazel depths. “Of course, those times she had her heart broken are nothing like this. It was silly puppy love compared to this. If she let you in, she saw something in you that made her think you were worth taking a chance on.”
My heart sinks, my head throbbing not from the residual alcohol but from the knowledge I’ve lost the one thing I found that filled the void in my soul.
“I’ll give you another piece of unsolicited advice, Nate,” Lucas says, standing. “The media will always be who they are and so will you. Meaning, you’re someone they like to report on. At this point, they know who Charley is even if they don’t know much about her.”
“But she’s safe,” Megan says. “Del called in some favors.”
Lucas folds his arms over his chest. “But wouldn’t you rather be taking care of her yourself, instead of her brothers doing it?” He points at me. “Don’t let the fucking media be a reason to stay away from what’s important to you any longer.”
Looking from Megan to Darcy, he holds out his arms. “I think we need to let Nate digest this for a little while.”
The ladies rise, and my bewildered brain takes a minute to catch up to the fact they’re leaving. I stand and follow them out. “Hold on, why don’t you guys stay here tonight? We can talk some more.”
“We’ve got the jet waiting at the airport for Megan,” Darcy says.
I turn to Megan, eyes wide. “Stay, Meg-Pie? I can get you a flight back tomorrow.”
She wraps her arms around my waist and leans her head on my chest. I hug her and lay my cheek on her soft hair. “I’m sorry, Nate. You’ve got a lot of thinking to do, and it’ll be better to do it alone.”
I swallow hard and pull back, looking at each of them. I don’t want them to leave. They’re my only connection to Charley right now.
“Is she…feeling okay? It’s so close to her due date. She said she’d call me, but I haven’t heard from her.” And it makes my soul ache. I swallow again. “I-I just want to know she’s okay.”
“She’s fine,” Megan says. “Other than Braxton-Hicks, she’s had no signs of early labor or anything. I keep a close eye on her and have stayed at her place a couple of times to keep her company.”
“I’ve been calling her daily and driving her nuts,” Darcy says with a grin.
“You have?” I ask, bewildered.
“Yeah, I like her. She’s sharp and funny. We have a lot in common.”
I nod, wishing I could see her. Wishing I was with her at the house we’d madeourhome or she was still here. It doesn’t matter where because Charley has become my home.
We say our goodbyes and I shut the door behind them.
I walk back through the living room and stand in the middle of it, looking around and feeling like I’m seeing it for the first time.
I’ve been here alone for the last two weeks, but I didn’t feel alone until now. They weren’t here long, but it is a deafening quiet now that they’re gone.
As my brain processes all it was hit with over the last twenty minutes, I see how disgusting I let the place get.
I clean up the coffee table and kitchen, my eyes avoiding the spot where I made Charley scream my name. When I finish, I take a shower and head into the closet to get clean clothes.
