That was a lie.
Charlie was far from being a bitch, even though she tried to play the part of one. She didn’t know any of us knew about how she volunteered at the battered women’s shelter once a week. Or the pet shelter on Town Lake every Saturday morning. I’d seen her at a cancer fundraiser last year, and I overheard her asking to keep her donation anonymous. It was later I found out she had donated $300,000.
Charleston Monroe didn’t have a bad bone in her body. She was perfect. Beautiful. Smart. Sexy.
Jesus, Middleton. Snap out of it.
I didn’t have time to think about Charlie.
“I’ll go grab the number while I’m thinking about it. We’ll call them first thing Monday morning.”
Pam grinned. “Back to work! It’s super crazy busy in here. I’ll make the rounds.”
I placed my hand on her arm and gave it a friendly squeeze. “Thanks, Pam.”
Her eyes lit up. “Any time, Tucker.”
Turning, I headed to my office. Hopefully everything was okay with Charlie. I hated how she was going through this alone. But then again, she wanted it that way. She’d always wanted to fly solo, so why should I be concerned?
When I opened the door to my office, I froze. Charlie sat in the chair at my desk and looked as if she was about to cry. She appeared so defeated. She opened her mouth to say something, and my entire world stopped when I saw the tears streaming down her face.
I should have gone to her. Pulled her into my arms to comfort her. But I didn’t. I stood there like an asshole as she buried her face in her hands while her sobs filled my office. The words in the letter she wrote me flashed before my eyes.
“It was a mistake. We need to forget this weekend ever happened. There could never be anything between us.”
“Charlie!” Terri blurted out as she ran around the desk.
Pulling her up, Terri wrapped her arms around Charlie. I’d never in all the years I’d known Charleston Monroe seen her cry.
Not once.
She was the strongest woman I’d ever met. Even at her parents’ funeral she didn’t cry. I had snuck in at the last minute and sat off to the side where I knew she wouldn’t see me, but I could see her. I watched Charlie like a hawk, ready to rush in if she needed someone. Why in the hell I thought she would want me was beyond me. Wishful thinking, maybe? Her chin had quivered so many times it actually made my own eyes water. When it was time for them to close the caskets, she stood, walked up to her parents’ caskets and took in a slow, steady breath. She said something to her father, then turned to her mother and smiled. It was the saddest smile I’d ever seen in my entire life.
As soon as Charlie’s crying had started in my office, though, it stopped. “I’m okay. I’m fine.”
It was that quickly she pulled herself together. There was the all-business Charlie I knew. God forbid anyone see the other side of her. The side I knew she had buried deep down.
I walked into the room and headed to the file cabinet. “I’m sorry to interrupt. I needed a number.”
Our eyes met, and I fought to keep the tightness down in my chest. Charlie was hurting, and I just ignored it. Just dismissed her feelings as though she’d dismissed mine all those years ago. I was a prick, and I knew it. She wiped her tears away and shot me a dirty look. So maybe the cold-hearted act I was playing was a bit much. After all, she suffered a major loss only a week ago.
“Of course you’d walk in now, wouldn’t you? Go ahead, M-Middleton. Make a smart-ass comment about how I broke down. How karma is a bitch and so am I, because I know you want to go there with me.”
Stopping, I slowly shook my head. “It’s okay to cry, Charlie.”
Her teeth sank into her lip as her chin trembled. “No, it’s not.” Her head dropped and her fucking chin started to quiver. “It’s not ever okay.”
Her last words were barely a whisper.
God, who told her she couldn’t show emotion?
She started toward
the door and tripped. Jesus, those fuck-me shoes she wore were going to be the death of her and me. I’d never in my life saw anyone stumble like she did.
Terri caught her as Charlie yelled out, “Son of a fucking bitch!”
“Do you kiss people with that mouth?” I blurted. I wasn’t sure why I was acting like a dick. I guess it was just something we did to each other.