Page 7 of Second Time's the Charm

When she’d seen him, their gazes had held like they had the first time they’d met. He had thought the entire world revolved around her. He’d thought that summer in Alaska had been the turning point in his life. It was that summer when he’d found something more important to him than music. He had found Charm.

He remembered his second trip to Alaska the following summer. He had used all the money he’d received for his birthday to make the trip back. Knowing he would see her was what had kept him going that first year at Juilliard.

The timing of his trip back to Alaska had been perfect since her father and brothers had been out of the country on a business trip. Both he and Charm were older. She was seventeen and he was nineteen. They had experienced their first year in college and the challenges of a long-distance romance. Although the latter had been hard, they’d made it through and couldn’t wait to spend time together. From her text messages and phone calls, she was as eager for his visit as he was.

Although he’d been tempted to sleep with her that summer, he had refused to take things beyond hot and steamy kisses. An unplanned pregnancy was something neither of them needed.

Now, Dylan returned to the villa and showered. While standing under the spray he recalled how his second year of college had been harder than the first. With his studies and frequent band practices, Dylan realized he and Charm weren’t talking as much as they used to. When they did, their conversations and text messages were short and hurried. He had wanted to see her, and looked forward to the summer when he would visit her in Alaska again.

Then he’d had to break the news that his band would be playing at a coffee shop all of June, and if the customers liked them, then they would stay on for July and August. However, even with that hiccup, he had been determined to get away at some point during the summer even if for just a few days.

He would never forget that July night when she had walked into the coffee shop where he and his band were playing. He had been both surprised and elated to see her. The moment he’d finished performing, he had walked off stage, pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He then introduced her to Graham and the other members of the band.

When the coffee shop closed, he and Charm had walked around Times Square where he’d shown her the sights. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing more beautiful than seeing New York City at night. She hadn’t known he’d been stalling, giving Graham time to rush to the apartment they’d shared, make it presentable and then vanish for the night.

The minute he had her in the privacy of his apartment, one kiss led to another, then another. Unable to hold back the intensity of the need they’d felt after being apart for so long, they’d made love for the first time. Dylan was glad he’d known where Graham had kept his stash of condoms.

That night had been the most beautiful experience of his life. For him it had been all about making love and not merely having sex.

That morning he had put her in a cab to the hotel where she and her girlfriends, who’d made the trip with her, were staying. He and Charm made plans to meet for lunch at a restaurant overlooking the Hudson River.

While getting dressed to meet her for their lunch, he had received a text from her canceling their date. Last night was a mistake, Dylan. I only came to New York to break up with you and didn’t mean for things to get out of hand. It would be best if we don’t contact each other again. I’m no longer interested in engaging in a long-distance romance.

After reading that text, he’d gotten royally pissed. When he’d tried calling her, he’d discovered she’d blocked his number. Refusing to let her break up with him in a damn text, he had left his apartment for her hotel only to find two goons.

waiting for him at the entrance as if they’d known he would show up.

They had threatened him. Claimed they were Charm’s personal bodyguards and reiterated what the text had said, Charm didn’t want anything to do with him any longer. They warned him that if he tried contacting her again, they would come after him and break his fingers so he would never play a musical instrument again. Their threat on her behalf devastated him. He’d been a fool to believe he and Charm would have their own teenage love story that would end with a happily-ever-after.

The only good thing that happened amidst all his heartbreak was the call a couple of days later from a promoter who’d heard their music, liked it and wanted to book them for the summer at a club in England. Any penalties for breaking their contract at the coffee shop would be paid, the band’s fares to the UK would be covered, and the money they would be paid to perform was three times more than they were getting at the coffee shop. On top of that, they paid for housing. The offer had been too good to be true and in less than a week he and his band were on their way across the pond.

Not wanting to think about that time in his life anymore, he got out of the shower, dried off and put on clothes. Then he ordered breakfast. While eating, he looked at the resort’s activities for that day. None interested him. He decided to order his rental car be brought around so he could take the scenic two-hour drive to the Chichén Itzá ruins.

After ordering the car, he was about to go into the bedroom to change clothes when his phone rang. Recognizing the ringtone, he picked it up and said, “If you’re calling me again today to gloat about how much fun you’re having, Graham, I wish you wouldn’t.”

Graham chuckled. “No, that’s not it. I’m calling to warn you about something.”

“What?”

“Elise showed up here last night. I guess that court injunction for her to stay away from you has ended. Those two years came around pretty damn fast.”

“How did she know you guys were in Ireland?”

“Probably from the media. We’ve been partying a lot since we’ve been here. Anyway, she assumed you were with us. She thinks you’ll take her back.”

Dylan’s jaw tightened. “After she tried destroying my car the way she did? Fat chance.”

He had met Elise a few years after his breakup with Charm, and had made the mistake of giving her more attention than he should have. Although he’d told her countless times he wasn’t interested in a serious relationship, just safe, responsible sex, she’d refused to take him at his word. When he finally told her he didn’t want to see her again, she’d retaliated by slashing his tires, smashing his car windows with a hammer and spraying the exterior with black paint.

“What do you want to warn me about, Graham?”

“Elise got to Jimmi B when he was in one of his delicate moods and he told her where you were.”

Dylan released a loud expletive. Jimmi B’s “delicate mood” meant he’d been drunk. The band’s keyboardist would give you the combination to his safe if you asked for it while he was intoxicated. “I’ll alert the front desk. I don’t know if I can keep her off this resort but I can make sure she’s not allowed anywhere near my villa. I can’t deal with Elise right now, especially after seeing Charm.”

“Charm? You saw Charm?”

Four

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