The Bachelor (Chandler Brothers 1)

Charlotte shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to add to her friend’s insecurities. Besides, she’d never thought Roman turned to Beth on the rebound. Charlotte hadn’t let herself believe she’d meant that much to him. But thinking of it now, her stomach began to flutter at the possibility.

But Beth’s ego needed boosting right now, not Charlotte’s. “Give me a break. You were the perky head cheerleader. He couldn’t resist you,” she said, revealing what she’d believed in her heart at the time.

Beth rolled her eyes, amusement and humor back at last. “We had fun, but that’s all it was. Nothing serious or irresistible about it. I was getting over Johnny Davis, and Roman was getting over you.”

“Beth …”

“Charlotte …” her friend parroted, hands on her hips. “Now it’s my turn to explain some facts of life to you. There are different kind of guys and relationships. There’s the forever guy, and then there’s the rebound guy. Also known as the interim guy. The one you have fun with and move on. That was Roman for me, and me for him.” She paused in thought. “I think it’s time you figure out what Roman is for you.”

“How did you manage to turn this conversation back to me?” Charlotte asked.

“Because we’re friends, like you said. You need me as much as I need you.”

“Well, I promise to explain Roman to you one day.” When she could explain him to herself.

Beth glanced down at her watch. “I’ve got to go. Rick will be here any minute.”

“That playboy is the last man you should be getting involved with! Especially while you’re still engaged.”

Beth laughed. “Rick and I are friends. F-R-I-E-N-D-S.”

Charlotte exhaled a sharp breath of relief.

“Rick listens and he makes me laugh. I need both right now. Talking to a guy is actually giving me the confidence to face David—and my fears.” Her smile faded. “Then I need to face life on my own—and figure out who I am and what I need.”

“What if we’ve miscalculated David?” Charlotte felt compelled to ask. “What if he loves you and—”

Beth shook her head. “I’ll never know if he fell for me or the woman he thinks he made me into—did I tell you he wants to fix my nose?”

Charlotte shot out of her seat. “Don’t you dare—”

“I’m too smart for that—thanks to you and Rick.” She hugged Charlotte tight. “You’re a good friend.”

“Ditto.” She squeezed Beth back.

A knock sounded at the door and Charlotte ran to get it.

Samson stood outside, his graying hair damp and a stack of letters in his hands. “Don’t you get your mail?” he muttered. “Leave things outside and they’ll blow away or get wet in the rain. Here.” He shoved his hand out and waved a stack of letters in her face.

“Thanks, Sam.” She took the letters out of his hand and dug into her pocket for the money she remembered shoving in there this morning. “You know I never would have remembered to get those on my own.” She held out her hand, crumpled bills in her fist. “Can you drop a bottle of soda off here if you get a chance, and keep the change, okay?”

He grumbled but took the money, a flash of gratitude in his dark eyes. “Anything else you can’t remember to do yourself?” he asked.

She swallowed a laugh. “Stop by Monday morning. I’ll have a package or two you can drop off at the post office for me.” She’d be finished packaging some panties among other things for her customers by then.

As a special part of her service, Charlotte liked to surprise customers with their special orders when she finished them early, instead of calling and having them come to the shop to pick up their order. “How does that sound?” she asked Sam.

“Like you’re lazy. I’ll see you then.”

Charlotte grinned and locked the door again behind him. The poor, misunderstood man. She shook her head, then began sorting through the mail when the phone rang. “I’ll get it,” she called out to Beth.

She grabbed the receiver. “Charlotte’s Attic, Charlotte speaking.”

“It’s Roman.”

His deep voice wrapped her in warmth and her insides twisted with longing. “Hi, there.”

“Hi, yourself. How’s it going?” he asked.

“I had an incredibly busy day. You should have seen the lines outside the shop.”

“I did. Couldn’t miss them. But I did miss you.” His voice dropped a husky octave.

Tremors of awareness rippled through her. “I’m easily found.”

“Can you imagine the headlines if I actually walked through the front door of your shop?”

She bit down on her lower lip. If her shop had been the beneficiary of today’s headlines, Roman had probably suffered in reverse. “That bad?”

“Let me put it to you this way. I’ve been accused of cross-dressing by Chase’s secretary, called a potentially convicted felon by my own mother, and more than one woman waved a pair of those panties you’re so fond of my way.”