Chapter 17 Charlie
CHARLIE
Charlie climbed the stairs to the penthouse suite, her heart still racing from what had just happened in the hallway. Her hand tingled where Logan's had been. Her lips still felt the phantom pressure of that accidental kiss.
She kept replaying it. The electricity when their hands touched. The jolt when their lips met. The complete lack of control she'd felt in that moment.
Charlie Burke didn't lose control. She was a lawyer. She dealt in facts and evidence and things that could be proven in court. She made careful, considered decisions based on logic and reason.
What had just happened downstairs had been neither careful nor logical.
She paused on the landing, taking a deep breath. She needed to compose herself before facing Holly. Her sister had always been able to read her like a book, and the last thing Charlie needed right now was questions she couldn't answer.
Questions like: Why are you flushed? Why can't you stop touching your lips? Why do you look like someone just turned your entire world upside down?
Charlie straightened her shoulders, forced her professional mask back into place, and opened the door to the suite.
The sound hit her first. Laughter and excited chatter. Trinity and Maddy sat on the sofa, heads bent together over what looked like sketches and fabric swatches. An overnight bag sat on the floor beside the sofa.
"Aunt Charlie!" Trinity bounced up, her face glowing with excitement. "Guess what? Gran and Isabella said Maddy could stay with us for a few days! She's helping me and Jane decorate the ballroom for the dance."
Charlie blinked, trying to process the words through the fog still clouding her brain. "Oh, that's great, sweetheart."
"We're going to make it so beautiful," Maddy added, her enthusiasm matching Trinity's. "Jane has all these ideas, and Trinity is so good at organizing everything."
"That sounds wonderful," Charlie managed, looking around. "Where is your grandmother?"
"Here!" Holly rushed out from her bedroom, dressed and ready for their day in St. Augustine. She wore jeans and a soft blue sweater, her dark hair pulled back in a casual ponytail. She stopped when she saw Charlie, taking in her appearance with obvious concern. "You're not ready?"
Charlie glanced down at herself. She was still wearing the slacks and sweater from her morning conference call with her new client in Miami. "Oh, no, the business call went on a bit longer than expected."
It wasn't exactly a lie. The meeting had run long. She just wasn't ready to explain she’d had two different meetings and she couldn’t explain the second meeting in front of the girls.
"I'll be ready in a few minutes," Charlie said, grateful for the reprieve.
She ducked into her bedroom and closed the door, leaning against it for a moment. Her reflection in the mirror across the room showed exactly what she'd feared. Flushed cheeks. Slightly dazed eyes. The look of someone who'd just had their world tilted on its axis.
"Get it together," she muttered to herself.
Charlie forced herself to move, to focus on practical things.
She changed quickly into something more casual for sightseeing.
Jeans, a comfortable sweater, and walking shoes.
As she dressed, she tried not to think about Logan.
About the way his hand had felt in hers.
About that accidental kiss that had felt anything but accidental.
She went to her wardrobe and opened the safe hidden inside.
The foreclosure documents sat on top of her laptop.
Charlie placed the laptop carefully inside with the document and locked it.
She couldn't risk those documents being seen by anyone who shouldn't see them.
Jack's situation was precarious enough without adding gossip to the mix.
Grabbing her purse and keys, Charlie checked herself in the mirror one more time. She looked almost normal now. Almost.
She opened the door to find Holly, Trinity, and Maddy waiting.
"Ready!" Charlie called, forcing brightness into her voice.
"Finally!" Trinity teased, but her tone was affectionate.
They made their way down to the parking lot, the girls chattering excitedly about their plans for the ballroom. Charlie let the conversation wash over her as she drove, grateful for the distraction.
Holly gave directions to a parking area near the historic district, her knowledge of St. Augustine clearly coming from her having studied it a few times before their trip. The girls bounced in the backseat, Maddy pointing out landmarks and her favorite spots as they passed.
Charlie tried to focus on driving, on the conversation, on anything except the memory of Logan's touch. But her mind kept drifting back. The way he'd looked at her. The shock in his eyes had mirrored hers. The fumbling escape that had ended in that impossible kiss.
Holly glanced at her a few times, concern evident in her expression, but she didn't say anything. Not yet.
They parked and walked through the historic district, colonial architecture dressed in Christmas finery.
Garlands draped across old buildings. Wreaths hung on doors that had stood for centuries.
Horse-drawn carriages passed by, bells jingling, carrying tourists through streets that looked like they'd been pulled from a Christmas card.
Street performers played holiday music on corners. The smell of roasted chestnuts and hot chocolate drifted from vendors. Everything felt magical, timeless, like stepping into a different world.
They found a Christmas market set up in the plaza, booths selling handmade ornaments, local crafts, and holiday treats. Trinity and Maddy wanted to explore everything, pulling Holly and Charlie from booth to booth with infectious enthusiasm.
Charlie found herself relaxing slightly. The normalcy helped. She bought hot chocolate for everyone, and they sipped it as they wandered, the warmth spreading through her chest and settling some of the chaos in her mind.
Holly purchased some handmade ornaments, each one unique and clearly crafted with care. Charlie watched her sister examine each piece with the expert eye of someone who understood quality and artistry. This was Holly's element. Beauty, history, and things made to last.
They continued through the market, stopping to watch a glassblower create delicate ornaments, to sample fudge from a local chocolatier, to admire hand-carved nativity scenes. The girls were enchanted by everything, their excitement contagious.
As they walked, Charlie felt the tightness in her chest begin to ease. This was good. This was what they'd come here for. Family time. Making memories. Letting Trinity be a kid again instead of carrying the weight of her father's deployment and her grandparents' divorce.
"Can we go down to the waterfront?" Maddy asked, tugging on Holly's sleeve. "They set up a holiday carnival this year. It's not big, but it's really fun."
Holly checked her watch. They still had a few hours before they needed to get back to the inn. "That sounds perfect."
They made their way toward the water, following the sound of carnival music and the laughter of children. The holiday carnival was small but charming, with a carousel, a Ferris wheel, swinging chairs, and various game booths decorated with Christmas themes.
Trinity and Maddy's eyes lit up.
"Can we go on some rides?" Trinity asked, her voice holding that hopeful note that made Charlie's heart squeeze.
Holly smiled, already reaching for her wallet. "Of course. Have fun."
She gave Trinity money for tickets, and the girls rushed off toward the carousel, already debating which horses to ride.
Charlie and Holly found a bench nearby where they could watch the girls and rest their feet. They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, watching Trinity and Maddy climb onto brightly painted horses. The carousel started with a cheerful melody, and the girls waved as they circled past.
"Okay," Holly said, turning to face Charlie. "What's going on with you?"
Charlie tried to deflect. "What do you mean?"
"You've been distracted all morning. And you looked completely rattled when you came back to the suite." Holly's gaze was knowing, concerned. "I know you, Charlie. Talk to me."
Charlie sighed, looking away. "It's nothing. Just work stuff."
"Charlie." Holly's tone was gentle but firm. "I know you."
Charlie hesitated. Part of her wanted to tell Holly everything. About Logan, about that impossible moment in the hallway, about feelings she couldn't explain and didn't know what to do with. But the words wouldn't come.
So she changed the subject instead.
"Actually, I know about your offer to help with the restorations at the inn."
Holly's expression shifted immediately to guilt. "Oh. Charlie, I'm so sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"For offering to work during our vacation!
" Holly looked genuinely distressed. "I know we're supposed to be relaxing, spending time with Trinity.
And here I am, planning to spend hours restoring furniture.
" She shook her head. "I didn't even think about how that would affect you and Trinity.
Oh no." Her eyes widened with realization.
"You're going to be stuck entertaining Trinity alone while I work.
I'm sorry. I'll move things around. I can't have you not enjoying your holiday. "
"Holly, it's okay," Charlie said firmly. "Actually, I'm helping the Christmas family too."
Holly's eyes widened. "What?"
Charlie glanced around, making sure no one was close enough to overhear. She lowered her voice. "The inn is being foreclosed on. There's a development company trying to force them out. Logan asked me to look at the legal documents, and I agreed to help."
She explained about the meeting that morning, the questions she'd asked Jack, and the research she needed to do. Holly listened, her expression shifting from surprise to relief to frustration.