Midlife Love Story

“Nothing,” Pippa insisted with a shake of her head, a small smile on her face. “You’re so good at that, multi-tasking with a baby in your arms. Can you pretty, please teach me your magic?”

I chuckled. “She’s so tiny and precious, and so well-behaved, it’s easy. Plus, she smells amazing, and it keeps me calm.”

“Ha!” Pippa guffawed, startling the baby, but she quickly settled. “Don’t let that sweet face fool you, she’s been fussy for the past two hours and now she’s so content. Why? What’s your secret?”

I shook my head and looked down at Ryanna. She was so small and beautiful, and I wondered if I’d ever get the chance to have a baby of my own. “Big boobs,” I told her with a laugh. “They’re like sleeping pills for babies.”

“Sorry kiddo, I can’t help you there.” Pippa laughed at her words that little Ryanna couldn’t understand. “I’m really sorry Carlotta.”

“I know, and if you really want to make it up to me, give me something I can work with. Colors? Type of flowers? Anything, please.”

She nodded and closed her eyes. “I can do this.” I gave her a few minutes to gather her thoughts, because I knew Pippa, like most women, had been thinking about her perfect wedding day for many, many years. “Okay. All right,” she sighed. “For colors I was thinking simple and elegant, white, gold and silver. For everything from the wedding party to the invitations and décor. Does that help?”

“Tremendously.” With a wedding date, cake choice and a color scheme, I could get quite a bit done and quickly. “Thanks Pippa and I’m sorry I had to come down so hard on you, but it needed to be done.”

“Obviously,” she laughed and shook her head. “We’re good, right?”

“Totally. This is business honey, and not at all personal, I just needed to give you a little shake.” My phone vibrated in my back pocket and I rolled my eyes, because it couldn’t possibly be good news, since bad news—Chase—was still staring at me. I picked it up in my most professional voice. “This is Carlotta.” I held my breath and listened to Margot’s worried concerns.

“Carlotta, the Wickham bride is having quite the fit. She’s three months pregnant and the couture designer who made her dress refuses to ruin the silhouette by expanding it for her pregnant belly. Can you believe it? I need you to work your magic or the wedding isn’t going to happen.”

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. This could not be happening, not today. “This wedding is next weekend Margo.”

“I know, and that’s exactly why she called me, to talk you into doing this huge favor for her. And for us if you really think about it.” I didn’t need to hear her long-winded rationale, because we both knew I would do everything in my power to avoid delaying a wedding date.

“I’ll make some calls, just tell her that she has to be willing to travel to a seamstress who can re-fit the gown.” I ended the call with a sigh and turned to Pippa. “I have to go put out another fire, but I’ll get back to you soon for more details.”

Pippa nodded and sent me an odd look I couldn’t decipher, even if I had time to think about it, which I didn’t. “You know where to find me.”

I nodded absently and pressed a soft kiss to Ryanna’s head. “I’ll see you later, Princess. Sleep well.” I handed the baby back to her mother and rushed away without a word to Chase, who seemed equally content to avoid me. My heels clicked on the hard wood floor as I hurried towards the front door and down the stone driveway.

“Carlotta, wait up!” Chase’s breathless voice sounded behind me, but like the angry coward I was, I quickened my step towards my truck.

Chapter 16

Chase

For a second I thought Carlotta would continue on without acknowledging me, but a few feet from her pearl monster, she stopped and turned to me. Her brown eyes held no emotion, her bland expression was unreadable.

“What is it, Chase?”

Her cool greeting didn’t bode well for me, so I nodded absently and waited for her eyes to connect to mine. “How are you, Carlotta?”

“I’m doing good Chase. How are you?” Her stiff, formal tone took me further off guard and my shoulders sank in disappointment.

“I’m good. Look, did I do something wrong?”

She shrugged off the question as if it was ridiculous. “What could you have possibly done wrong? I mean, I haven’t seen you since you slipped from bed in the middle of the night, what could you have done?” She tapped her chin, and she did it sarcastically if that was possible.

“I didn’t,” I insisted but it felt silly even to my ears. “Okay maybe I did, but it was only because I didn’t think you’d want people to see me leaving your house at that hour.” I knew that was a legitimate answer, but Carlotta wasn’t buying it.

One perfectly sculpted brow arched in skepticism and her lips pulled into a tight smile that wasn’t really a smile. “I think maybe it was you who didn’t want to be seen leaving my place at such a suggestive hour.” Her knowing tone was so smug, so all-knowing that I wanted to lie just to prove her wrong.

“Okay, maybe that’s true, but it’s not for the reasons you might think.” I didn’t know how to explain it without sounding like a horrible human being, but I owed it to her to at least try. “I’m mayor and that comes with certain expectations.”

“Expectations?” Her question wasn’t really a question, I knew enough about women to know that much. “Right. You’re not allowed to date unless it’s headed down the altar, right?” She laughed bitterly and shook her head. “I thought you were an elected official, not the Pope.”

“It’s not that,” I answered on a sigh. “It’s just that I can’t be seen like I’m some sort of cad about town.”