Chapter 19
Isaac
Tip #19: Be prepared for awkward interruptions. Romances at the office and in small towns come with a side of nosy onlookers.
T he heavenly scent of buttery waffle cones wafted through Cherry’s Dairy Bar as I sat next to Charlotte at our window-seat table, our legs almost touching under the worn linoleum tabletop.
Across from us, Samuel studiously avoided my gaze, focusing intently on his burger as if it could shield him from my burning irritation. Natalie, on the other hand, was happily chattering away. (Not because she wasn’t picking up that I was irritated, more because she just didn’t care.)
“What a happy coincidence running into you two at the cinema!” Natalie enthusiastically dunked a french fry in the vat of ketchup she’d collected for herself.
“Yes, quite the coincidence,” I drawled, shooting Samuel a pointed look.
Likely out of self-preservation, he continued to find his burger absolutely fascinating.
I’d told him earlier I wouldn’t be available for an after-hours work meeting as Charlotte and I were going to a movie at the tiny main street cinema. Low and behold, Samuel and Natalie just happened to appear at the movie theater and just happened to be going to the same movie as us.
Right.
The next time I busted into his house and he was dressed in another one of Natalie’s leopard-print bathrobes, I’d be taking a picture to share at our annual company picnic.
Charlotte popped a golden-brown onion ring into her mouth, a tiny dollop of sauce clinging to her lower lip.
I had to force myself not to stare.
Oblivious to my thoughts, Charlotte wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Thanks for inviting us to join you two for dinner.”
I resisted the temptation to sigh. Of course it was fun for her—she’d probably been grateful the nosy duo had hijacked the date.
I snagged an onion ring off Charlotte’s plate and crunched into it, the salt and grease serving as a consolation prize.
Charlotte glanced up at me and then nudged her plate closer, a silent invitation to help myself.
“Charlotte, have you been to the Dairy Bar before?” Natalie asked. “I won’t bother asking you, Isaac. This place doesn’t seem like your scene.”
I shrugged. “Grandfather loves the ice cream here, so I accompany him occasionally.”
Charlotte nodded, her long braid swinging. “It’s the same for me. My housemate and I come a couple times a year. I love their seasonal ice cream flavors.”
“They are amazing,” Samuel agreed.
Charlotte reached over and plucked a deep-fried cheese curd from my plate, popping it into her mouth without a second thought. I sat up a little straighter, encouraged by the casual intimacy of the gesture.
But when I glanced up, I caught Samuel watching me knowingly. I narrowed my eyes at him as Natalie and Charlotte launched into an animated discussion about ice cream flavors.
Samuel wiggled his eyebrows, then looked from me to Charlotte, then to our plates. A smirk settled on his face, which was doubly annoying because it looked just like my face.
This was exactly why I’d said no to a double date when Samuel had suggested it weeks ago. My twin was going to be insufferably smug all night.
I pointedly looked away from Samuel and casually draped my arm over the back of Charlotte’s chair. From the corner of my eye, I noticed her gaze wandering toward the ice cream counter, a telltale sign she was contemplating flavors.
“Personally, I love the sundaes,” Natalie chattered. “But Samuel always gets a shake.”
“That’s because if I get a shake, I know you’ll have a taste, pookie bear!” Samuel leaned in to his wife and kissed her on the top of the head at an unnecessarily loud volume.
I watched the display with disgust, but Charlotte looked from the ice cream counter to her plate, which still had a bite or two left of her sandwich.
Charlotte glanced up at me. “Do you want the rest of my BLT?”
I nodded, but as I reached for it with my free hand—I wasn’t going to move the arm I had resting on Charlotte’s shoulders until she said something—an idea struck. “Feed it to me?”
To my surprise, she actually did.
She picked up the remaining bit of her sandwich and held it to my mouth.
Never one to question gifts, I took a bite. The smoky bacon and crisp lettuce hit my taste buds as Charlotte’s delicate fingers brushed against my lips. Feeling bold, I let my tongue graze her fingertip, savoring the hint of salt left on her fingers from the onion rings and the jolt of electricity that passed between us.
Charlotte blinked hard, shifting in her seat. I could’ve sworn I saw a blush creeping up her neck.
Across the table, Samuel flaunted his smug smile. At least Natalie had the decency to hide her sappy smile behind her last french fry.
“Natalie,” I announced, “you’ve officially become my favorite sibling. Quite the feat, considering you’re an in-law.”
Samuel scoffed. “Whatever. You’ve been nicer to her than me ever since we started dating.”
“That’s because you’re an idiot, and I didn’t want you to mess up your big chance with her,” I countered.
Natalie laughed, a warm sound that filled our section of the Dairy Bar. “Thanks, Isaac.”
I shrugged, then expectantly looked down at Charlotte, waiting for her to feed me the last bite.
She held it up, and I half expected her to jab it into my mouth with enough force to choke me so I wouldn’t lick her again. Instead, she fed me just as nicely as she had the first time, though I could swear her hand was shaking a little bit.
Could I take that as more proof she was romantically aware of me? Had I successfully been promoted from the position of boss/friend to a romantic possibility?
Samuel stood up. “I guess that’s our cue to leave the lovebirds alone for a bit. Nat and I are going to check out the ice cream flavors. We’ll be right back.”
Natalie waved to us as she got up and led the march up to the ice cream counter.
As they walked away, I turned to Charlotte with a grimace. “I apologize for my nosy brother. I didn’t think he’d ambush us at the theater like that.”
She surprised me by laughing. “Are you kidding? This is fun!”
“Just wait,” I warned. “The charm will wear off when the Warners keep on lurking around us during our dates.”
The word dates hung in the air between us. Charlotte’s smile faded, and I became acutely aware of how close we were, my arm still draped around her shoulders.
Times like this reminded me just how beautiful she was. The soft glow from the vintage lamps caught the golden flecks in her brown eyes, and her smile was enough to render me stupid.
Without thinking, I reached over and picked up the tail of her braid, caressing the loose end.
We leaned in closer, the din of the diner fading away. I could smell her perfume mingling with the scent of vanilla from the nearby ice cream counter. My heart thudded with a painful longing in my chest as our lips inched closer?—
THUNK!
I turned, ready to glare at whomever had shattered the moment, only to find myself face-to-face with a pair of bulging eyeballs pressed against the glass of the Dairy Bar’s window. The eyes belonged to a rotund man with a beer belly, his flannel shirt straining against his girth as he leaned into the window.
“Samuel, is that you?” His voice was muffled despite his hollering as it filtered through the glass window. “What the heck are you doing?”
Before I could respond, another face smooshed itself next to Beer Belly’s. This one belonged to a tall, skinny guy who oddly had the same look Natalie got when she was silently judging someone.
“Nah, that’s the twin,” the tall guy said, squinting at us.
I raised my fingers in a halfhearted hello, amused despite my annoyance at the interruption.
Beer Belly kept peering at us like we were exotic fish in an aquarium. “How can you tell? Oh—wait! I forgot. The twin wears glasses.”
His companion shook his head. “That’s not the giveaway, Uncle Mike. It’s the emotionless, blank expression! The twin could clean up on poker night.” He elbowed Beer Belly. “Mental note: Say no if Sam asks to invite him.”
I felt Charlotte shift under my arm, which I realized was still draped around her shoulders. I looked down to find her biting back a laugh.
“They must be Natalie’s relatives,” she whispered.
“Undoubtedly,” I agreed. “I never worried about being misidentified as Samuel until he married into the Mann clan.”
The Manns were like Fox Creek’s very own rabbit population: numerous, everywhere, and impossibly nosy. They were the gossipy backbone of our little town, and now, thanks to my dear twin, I was related to them by marriage.
Charlotte shivered as my breath tickled her ear, and I had to resist the urge to pull her closer. I would have happily remained occupied with her, but Natalie’s relatives weren’t going to let me off so easily.
The beer-bellied man—Uncle Mike, apparently—rapped his knuckles on the glass again. “Sorry, Twin!” His muffled voice barely made it through the glass. “Didn’t mean to accuse you of cheatin’!”
His lanky companion flashed me a thumbs-up. “Good going, though. Your date’s cute! She seems like a winner!”
I caressed the top of Charlotte’s shoulder with my fingers. “Did you hear that? They think you’re a winner.”
“They also thought you were Samuel,” Charlotte said.
“End the night at Pike’s Peak, kid,” Uncle Mike continued. “A good make-out session up there is how I won my Sally over.” He winked conspiratorially. “But you didn’t hear that from me.”
Charlotte made a very interesting noise—I made a mental note to see if I could get her to repeat it, as it sounded like a promising combination of mortification and interest.
The skinny guy’s face contorted in disgust. “Uncle Mike, that’s gross! I didn’t need that window into your romantic life with Aunt Sally.”
“Oh, grow up,” Uncle Mike scoffed, jabbing a finger at his nephew. “You’ve got kids. You know how this works.”
What followed was a truly spectacular display of maturity as the two grown men devolved into a petty shoving match right there on the sidewalk.
I turned to Charlotte, who was watching the spectacle with relief since they’d stopped talking about us. “I’m so glad Samuel married into this family,” I said. “He deserves them.”
Charlotte laughed, the sound like music to my ears. “Come on.” She nudged me with her shoulder. “Warner Print is basically the workplace equivalent of the Mann family.”
“I won’t argue that.”
Charlotte tapped a finger on my thigh. “You can’t argue that because you’re part of what makes Warner Print so unique.”
As I studied Charlotte, her eyes sparkling with laughter and cheeks flushed, I felt a pang in my chest.
Crap.
I was going to miss working with her. Charlotte was… she was everything. Brilliant, funny, kind. The thought of not seeing her every day—of not talking in the confines of my office or grabbing lunch with her between meetings—physically pained me.
But her happiness mattered more than my selfish desires. If leaving was what she needed, I’d respect that. Even if it felt like losing a limb.
“Isaac?” Charlotte’s voice broke through my brooding. “Is everything OK?”
I blinked, focusing on her concerned face. “Yes. Sorry. I was just pondering how I’m going to survive without you keeping me in line at work.”
Her expression softened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something in her eyes. But before I could analyze it further, Natalie and Samuel returned, sliding into their seats across from us.
“Good news!” Natalie drummed her fingers on the table. “They have key lime pie ice cream AND honey almond today!”
“I didn’t know they had a key lime pie flavor,” Charlotte said.
“They only make it in the spring,” Natalie said. “I like it because it’s tart, but I think today I’m going to go with honey almond.”
“If you ask, they’ll give you a sample,” Samuel said.
Charlotte stood up—my arm sliding off her shoulders—and brushed off her jeans. (I deeply enjoyed seeing her in casual clothes.) “Great, I think I’ll go wash my hands and do just that. You all can order if you like.”
Mourning the loss of her body tucked against my side, I adjusted my position in my chair. “Nonsense. Take all the time you need.”
Charlotte gave me a small smile, then walked off, navigating her way through the maze of diner tables and booths.
The moment Charlotte was out of earshot, Natalie slapped her palms on the table, startling me. “Isaac Warner, I think you’ve actually made progress!”
“What?” I blinked, caught off guard.
Samuel nodded enthusiastically. “She’s right. Charlotte’s definitely warming up to you.”
I frowned. “Based on what?”
“You shared food,” Charlotte said.
“That’s nothing new,” I said. “Charlotte frequently uses me as a convenient garbage disposal when we’re eating out.”
“Maybe, but you can’t tell me Charlotte frequently hand-feeds you as part of that,” Samuel said.
Pleased with my brother’s observation and equally happy I wasn’t preening over nothing, I nodded. “I see your point.”
“There’s no way she would have done that if she wasn’t at least a little into you.” Natalie continued on her rampage. “I think you successfully landed yourself in the romance zone. Congratulations!”
“Maybe,” I conceded, “but I’m far from winning her over. She keeps reminding me she’d never date someone with my… priorities.”
Samuel groaned. “You still haven’t fixed that?”
“There’s nothing to fix.”
Samuel and Natalie exchanged weighted looks.
Apparently it was some sort of telepathy, because Natalie once again slid out of her chair. “I’m going to order our ice cream. You two should have this conversation between yourselves.”
As she left, Samuel’s lovesick gaze followed her. Then he turned back to me, his expression hardening into a scowl.
I braced myself, knowing exactly where this conversation was headed. “Let me guess, this is the part of the date where you lecture me about my work habits again?”
Samuel leaned forward, his jaw set. “I wouldn’t have to if you’d understand why this is so important. Charlotte’s right to be hesitant about a relationship if you’re going to prioritize the company over her.”
“I’m not questioning Charlotte’s feelings. It’s well within her right to say no,” I snapped.
“Then why do you refuse to change for her sake and put your relationship before work?” Samuel pressed. “You’re crazy for her. Honestly, I don’t know how you’re going to manage to hold things together without her in your life in some capacity.”
I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming on. The clink of dishes and chatter of other diners suddenly seemed too loud.
“Are you afraid?” Samuel asked, his voice softening.
I narrowed my eyes. “Afraid of what?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking.”
I took a deep breath, the scent of butter and waffle cones filling my nose. “I’m not afraid. My reasoning is the same as it’s always been. Warner Print is our family legacy. We have a responsibility to our employees.”
Samuel nodded. “Yes, but loving Charlotte more than the company isn’t going to endanger those things.”
My chest tightened.
How could I explain that Warner Print was more than just a job to me? It was my purpose—the only thing that made me worthwhile. The thought of letting not just our employees but also our family down… it was unbearable.
“I don’t understand why everyone’s so obsessed with my priorities,” I argued. “Why does there have to be an order at all? No one asks Mom which of us is her favorite child.”
Samuel’s shoulders relaxed, the tension easing from his face. A hint of a smile played at his lips. “That’s because no one needs to ask. We all know Chuck is her favorite.”
I recognized the olive branch—our mother’s obsession with her so-homely-he-was-cute dog was a family joke. “True,” I said.
My brother’s eyes softened with concern. “Look, Isaac.” Samuel leaned into the table. “I’m worried about you. This obsession with perfection, pouring everything into the company… it’s not good for you long-term. You’ll burn out or work yourself right into the hospital.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but Samuel held up a hand. “Let me finish. Charlotte is fantastic for you. You’re comfortable with her in a way you aren’t with anyone else. She makes you relaxed and happy. Genuinely happy.”
My heart clenched at the mention of Charlotte’s name. Images flashed through my mind—her brilliant smile, the way her eyes crinkled when she laughed at one of my dry jokes, how she always seemed to know exactly what I needed before I even asked.
Samuel hesitated, then added quietly, “I don’t want you to lose that. Because I know, whether it’s years or decades from now, you’d regret it deeply.”
His words hung heavy in the air between us. I sat in silence, mulling over what he’d said.
“Just think it over, OK?” Samuel’s voice broke through my reverie.
I mutinously stayed silent. As far as I was concerned, there was nothing to think over. I loved Charlotte, and I needed Warner Print to be the best it could be. End of story.
“Honey buns,” Natalie called from the ice cream counter, sparing me from the need to reply. “What size shake do you want?”
“A large,” Samuel said. “And remember, my love! Save the planet—ask for just one straw!”
I leaned back in my chair. “You know, no one buys your pious attitude—everyone in Fox Creek knows you want one straw because you want to swap spit with your wife.”
“Maybe so,” Samuel haughtily said. “But I don’t want to hear that from you, finger licker.”