Never Say Never (The Ladies Who Brunch 1)

“There’s no way, Noelle. He’s out there. You just have to be patient,” Damien says, pulling me closer to him. “And remember, keep an open mind. You never know who the love of your life could end up being,” he says, staring down at me with reverence in his eyes. “It could be the one person you thought you’d never think of again.”

“Never say never, huh, babe?” I press a kiss to his lips and then turn just in time to see Penelope and Amelia gliding over to us. “You made it!”

“Barely. Traffic is a nightmare around the Morgan Hotel because of this event.” Penelope kisses my cheek and then Noelle’s.

“Amelia? You doing okay?” I reach out to stroke her arm, not sure what state she’s in right now. One of my best friends is very fragile at the moment.

“What? Oh yes, I’m fine. Here to celebrate you, Charlotte. This is so exciting.” She plasters on a mask of enthusiasm, but I can tell she’s conflicted underneath. And I sympathize with her, knowing what it felt like when Damien came back into my life. I can only imagine how it must feel to have the man you fell for deny what you both know.

“Thank you all for being here. We’re just missing…”

“I know you were waiting on me for the night to truly begin!” A boisterous laugh comes from behind us as I spin around and see Aunt Gigi standing with her arms spread wide.

“Gah! You made it!” I run up to her, hugging her like my life depends on it.

“Of course! It’s not every day that my niece is named a Mover & Shaker in the city of Los Angeles. I wouldn’t have missed this for anything, Charlotte.”

“Thank you.”

Aunt Gigi pulls me aside once she’s greeted my friends and Damien. “Have you heard from your mom?”

“Yeah. She sent flowers today and her congratulations. But, things are still strained.”

“Just give it time.”

Like we agreed, my mother and I didn’t speak for almost two months. In that time, we both started seeing a therapist separately and then together for one session every two weeks. Last week, we dove into some pretty heavy topics, but I feel like we’re making progress toward healing. Things are far from perfect, but we’re moving forward, which is all I can ask for right now.

“We are. She asked if she could come, but I told her no,” I say, shaking my head. “I’m just not ready for that yet.”

“And you have every right to say no, Charlotte. Remember, boundaries are okay.” Squeezing my hand, she leads me back to Damien and my friends. “Seems your man is taking care of you though.”

“Damn right I am,” Damien replies proudly, clutching my waist. And I smile, knowing how well he took care of me this morning to calm down my nerves. It’s amazing what an orgasm can do for anxiety. Perhaps pharmaceutical companies should try marketing that instead of pills?

Just then, a voice comes over the sound system. “Ladies and gentlemen, if you could please take your seats. The event is about to start.”

“Anyone need more champagne?” Noelle asks our group. After collecting a count of our hands, she finds a server to deliver a tray full of glasses to our table right in front of the stage before the host of the event starts speaking at the podium.

“Tonight is about celebrating women and men who are making waves in Los Angeles this year, whether that be in their careers or through social media. And hey, some are doing both.” The crowd laughs. “The first nominee knows a little about this. Please help me welcome Charlotte Montgomery, Senior Advertising Executive for Revision Magazine, to the stage.”

Applause rings out as I stand and brush my hands down the front of my black dress, inhaling oxygen deeply so I don’t pass out.

“You got this, babe.” Damien winks up at me as I squeeze his shoulder before making my way up to the stage.

“Thank you,” I speak into the microphone as the applause dies down. “Honestly, I’m not sure I belong up here. But when the mayor of Los Angeles calls you and says he’d like to honor you for making a difference in the community, you smile and say yes.” I look out over the audience, zeroing in on my friends. “The truth is, this year I have learned more about myself than I ever realized. Stepping into your thirties brings a clarity with it that gives you permission to be who you want to be. A very wise friend of mine compared our lives to a spinning plate.” I glance at Amelia as she smiles. “As it spins, it naturally teeters toward one way or another as it seeks balance to keep moving. Every direction it tips can be labeled as an aspect of our lives that can feel off-kilter at times, but the key is finding a way to make you feel like you can continue to spin.”

“This year I’ve realized that I can handle anything that comes my way as long as I have a support system behind me—good friends, supportive family, and lucky for me, a man that loves me unconditionally.” I stare back at Damien as love floods my chest. “I may have become an internet sensation for snapping on people who doubted me, but in my life and career, I’ve connected with people who have experienced the same things, and I promise to continue to be a voice for women through Revision Magazine. You are never alone. Being a woman is not easy. We battle opinions and doubts at every turn, but oftentimes, the doubts we’re hearing the loudest are coming from within ourselves. However, I want women to realize that there is always someone you can talk to or someone going through the same things as you. And if you let them in, you might just find everything you’ve been looking for to help keep your plate spinning. Truthfully, I feel like my life has been shaken this year, but for the better. And if I can help inspire people to do the same through the magazine or a viral video on the internet, then I’ll consider myself lucky and keep moving forward toward a better me. Thank you.”

I step down from the stage, feeling relieved and honored that my story has inspired others, but grateful that at the end of the day, I feel stronger than I ever have because I found the capacity to stand up for what I want and who I am—and there’s a freedom in that which has changed my life for the better.

Once the event has finished and I say goodbye to my friends and our family, Damien and I share an Uber back to my apartment with anticipation in the air. His hands danced along my thighs all night as we sat at our table throughout the event, hinting at the promises he inadvertently made to continue our celebration once we were alone.

As soon as the door to my apartment closes, Damien presses me up against the wall. “I’m so fucking proud of you,” he says as his lips hover over mine.

“Thank you.”

“And I love you. I love the woman that you are, what you stand for, and how strong you’ve become.” He places his hand over my rapidly beating heart. “You are the only woman for me, Charlotte.”

“You are the only man for me, Damien. I love you.”

No other words are spoken as he locks his lips with mine and leads me back to my room, stripping us of our clothing before we fall into bed.

With no hesitation, Damien slides into me, pulling me flush against his body as we writhe and moan and make love to each other. And just when I don’t think I could feel any closer to this man, we reach our release simultaneously, and collapse in each other’s arms.

“I need something sweet,” I mumble against his chest as we lie in bed under the covers, sated after two very powerful orgasms. Fall has descended upon southern California, so the air coming through the slightly cracked window has a bite to it that requires a heavy blanket at night.

“You didn’t eat the cheesecake tonight?”