Page 68 of Degrees of Control

Sophia choked on her mojito. “I wouldn’t have gone to that shit-show for all the tea in China. William Hunter is a dickface and his wife is the world’s biggest bitch. They’re the worst. My whole family is theworst.”

Charlie squeezed the bride-to-be’s hand. Sophia had a habit of getting both aggressive and teary when drunk and this topic looked like it could tip her either way. “Easy, tiger. No more vodka for you.”

Sophia nodded. “Okay, but you are James’ girlfriend now right?”

“I don’t know,” Charlie repeated. “When James comes back we’ll talk about maybe getting together.”

The thought gave her dragon-sized butterflies, but it simply had to be done.

Hayley patted her head. “He’d be crazy to pass you up.”

“But if Jamesdoeswant to marry you…” Sophia asked, her ice-blue eyes wide. “Would you maybe want to maybe stay in America maybe?”

“I don’t know. I still have time to renew my visa and I don’t want to rearrange my life for another guy…”

“Buuuuuut?”

“I couldmaybeextend my stay for a few months.Maybe.”

Her friends squealed and Charlie felt three pairs of arms close around her.

“Don’t go counting your chickens,” she warned. “Like I keep telling you, James and I still have to talk…”

Deep within her right boot, Charlie’s phone buzzed. She extracted it to find a picture of James, blond hair in artful disarray, flashing up on the screen. She smiled and stood up. “I think I’m getting drunk dialed.”

“Oooooooooohh,” the girls sung in unison.

Charlie waved a dismissive hand and looked around for a quieter place to talk. Striding toward the nightclub’s balcony, she answered her phone. “Hey, James, how’s the party?”

There was a long, crackling interlude as the music thumping from James’ location battled the music blaring from the club. Charlie walked further outside, ignoring Hayley and Jordan who were both miming blowjobs at her.

“Charlotte? Charlotte? You there?”

She could instantly tell he was shitfaced. His words were bleeding together until his accent was just one big slur. Charlie shoved a finger in her right ear. “James? I can’t really hear you. I’m in a club—”

Suddenly his voice came down the line, clear as a bell. “Charlotte, I fucked up.”

A huge glut of adrenaline flooded Charlie’s body. Her stomach lurched and sugary energy drink burned in the back of her throat. She wanted to hang up but her fingers refused to do her bidding.

“I didn’t mean to, I just—it just happened.”

“What are you talking about?” She rotated on the spot, desperate to hear him better. Sophia spotted her and her cheerful expression instantly melted away. “What’s wrong?” she mouthed.

Charlie waved her hand to convey she couldn’t speak.

“What are you talking about?” she repeated to James.

“I should have told you sooner. I knew this was gonna happen. I fucked up.”

Unbidden tears began stinging in the backs of Charlie’s eyes. He sounded so far away, so drunk and confused. Had he slept with someone else? God, it sounded like he’d slept with someone else.

“I shouldn’t have done it, Charlie, I’m sorry.”

Her heart all but stopped. “Since when do you call me Charlie?”

James didn’t reply. There was a rustling noise and Charlie was sure he’d put his phone into his pocket. She wanted to scream at him, cry, beg for answers, but knew James couldn’t hear her even if he was sober.

“Wow,” she said to herself. “Weird night.”

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