Chapter 41 Cole
Cole
Charlotte sat cross-legged on a patch of grass outside, her head bowed to a book in her lap.
I watched her from the window in Roy’s office.
Lavender dungarees wrapped around her shapely body, and her dark hair fell in two loose ponytails.
She was studying a patch of daffodils. A frown furrowed her brow and she tapped her lips with her pencil.
My heart was full of everything. Hope that one day she’d want me the way I wanted her.
Fear that she never would. An ache that I’d never be worthy of her.
“This looks bad, son.” Roy moved closer, studying my swollen eye in the dim light of his study.
Usually, my father didn’t leave a mark. He’d been so frustrated with me, he’d got sloppy. He was more skilled with words as weapons than fists. I dragged my gaze from the window.
“It’s nothing.”
The sentence left my mouth fluidly. No tricky sounds. It was f and s that gave me the most problems. Sometimes q. If I could avoid words that began with those letters then the stammer was undetectable these days.
Roy watched me and cleared his throat. “Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when the storm comes.” He gestured to the open book on the desk in front of me.
“The Count of Monte Cristo. It’s one of my favorites.
” His eyes roved over me again. “If you give me a name, I can help you.”
No. He couldn’t, but I loved him for wanting to.
No one could. I could only help myself. And I would.
My father would pay for the misery he’d inflicted on all of us.
It wouldn’t always be like this. Some of us were playing the long game.
I’d have power, too. One day. “I walked into a door. No need to worry.” I sat at the desk and grabbed my Latin textbook. “Shall we carry on?”
The sheets were cold next to me when I woke up.
I grabbed my phone to check the time. It was already 9 a.m. I took a quick shower, threw on a robe and found Charlotte sipping coffee on the balcony.
She wore a white sundress with a sunflower print.
Tinted-pink sunglasses perched on her chestnut hair, which was still damp from the shower. Beautiful.
“Good morning.”
Her eyes slipped to me and drifted away. “Morning.”
I sat tentatively next to her. The sounds of the awakening city filtered on a welcome breeze.
Tension crackled between us, and I had a feeling like I’d sat an exam I hadn’t studied for and got all the answers wrong.
It was always so natural when we were pretending to be other people.
I had to fix this. Her words from last night resounded in my head.
You brought me here because it was convenient to shaft your father.
I was an afterthought. No. Charlotte had never been an afterthought for me.
She was every thought. She was also right about everything she’d said last night. I’d lost this hotel anyway.
Somewhere along the line I’d lost perspective.
It wasn’t doing either of us any good, chasing this so relentlessly.
It had to end. I had to change things. I couldn’t lose Charlotte.
I’d choose her over anything every time.
I couldn’t allow her to think she was an afterthought.
But what did it matter if she wouldn’t forgive me?
What if I couldn’t change? What if I could never be the kind of man that deserved her?
She avoided my gaze. “Are you working today?”
“No.”
I want to spend the day in bed with you.
Let me make love to you. Let me make you happy.
For reasons beyond me, I couldn’t speak the words out loud.
She’d say no. I should have kept to the contract, except after this time together, the contract felt ridiculous.
This was real for me. The contract was easy and safe, but I didn’t want that anymore.
What did I have to do to make her mine for real?
“I’ll get ready. I just need to do my makeup.”
She got up, and I grabbed her hand, holding her still. “You don’t need to do anything. You look beautiful like this.”
She gave me a faint smile. “I appreciate it, but I definitely need makeup.”
No. She didn’t need to do a thing. The goodness inside of her shone through her eyes and her smile. It was natural and radiant. Effortless. “No. I mean it. You’re beautiful, Charlotte. Exactly as you are.”
Our eyes locked and lingered for too long.
The most natural thing in the world would be to pull her down onto my lap and kiss her, but it was also the hardest thing after last night.
Did she even want that from me? She was set on enduring me and protecting herself from me.
Who could blame her? I had to do better.
Whatever it took. I’d make it up to her today.
There had to be a way. With a slight frown, she released my hand and disappeared to the bathroom.
My phone buzzed in the pocket of my robe as I returned to the suite. Theo’s grumpy image flashed on the screen. This photo always gave me a wave of amusement. Even in a candid moment at a wedding, his facial expression was “I’m over all of this shit.”
“Gabe’s on his way.” Theo’s voice was rough.
My body became suddenly alert. “Now?”
“He’ll be landing soon. He was supposed to be here yesterday, but he stood Philip up.”
“You’re kidding?”
I had no idea if my father was still here. If I got down to that lobby, then I could speak to Gabe first. Maybe it wasn’t too late to get the hotel after all. This was too good an opportunity. I couldn’t miss a chance to speak to him alone. “Thanks. I thought you didn’t want to help me?”
“I don’t,” Theo grunted.
“I’m going to send you the details about the art tutor later.” I hung up.
Charlotte emerged from the bathroom. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“What’s going on? I’ve never seen you move so fast.”
“Something’s come up.” I scrambled to find clothes and yank them on. “I have to go.”
“Go?”
“I need to get ready. Gabe’s on his way.”
Her face dropped. “What about the Trevi Fountain?”
“This is about the hotel. It won’t take me long. I’ll come back after I’ve spoken to him.”
“The hotel. Right.” She nodded woodenly. “So everything else gets dropped?”
No. It’s not like that. I just had to act on this now. “I’ve been waiting for Gabe to get here. I have to jump on this.”
I scoured the dressing table, looking for my cuff links. There was too much crap on here. Jewelry. Perfume. Loose change. This was what happened when you let someone else into your space. Total fucking chaos.
Charlotte watched me warily. She folded her arms. “I suppose I’ll just do my own thing this morning then.”
I finally located the cuff links under one of Charlotte’s bras, and I could have kissed them.
“No. Look, I’m sorry. I’ll be back later.
We can still go.” I dashed toward the bathroom to brush my teeth.
“Call Renata if you don’t want to wait. See if she’ll go with you.
” My shin slammed into the sharp edge of the coffee table in my haste. A jolt of pain shot up my leg. “Fuck!”
“You want me to go to the Trevi Fountain with Renata?”
The chill in her voice held me at the bathroom door.
I sighed and pressed my forehead to the cool doorframe.
My leg throbbed from where I’d bashed it.
There was nothing I wanted to do more than spend a morning with Charlotte, but this opportunity had just dropped into my lap.
It was too good to miss. If I played this right, I could have it all.
I could get this hotel in the bag and go with Charlotte to the Trevi Fountain afterward.
“I have to speak to Gabe before my father does. We can catch up later.”
“There is no later. We’re flying home this afternoon. I told Tiff I’d be back for her birthday.”
“Then we’ll come back to Rome another time. It will be fine.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Who were you on the phone to just then? Why were you talking about my art tutor?”
Really? Now? I gave my teeth a hurried brush, using the opportunity to stall my reply. “He can’t get away with fucking you over like that. That’s not how things work. Theo’s going to help us.”
She blinked, disbelieving. “Theo?”
I dashed past Charlotte into the bedroom and fiddled with my tie in the mirror. The knot was too tight and small. I’d have to do it again. “Theo’s good at finding dirt on people. There’ll be something.”
Her lips pressed flat. “It was years ago.”
“It doesn’t matter how long ago it was. He can’t get away with it.”
Her mouth dropped open. “I don’t want that. I didn’t ask you to meddle.”
I tied another lousy knot in my tie. My father could already be down there with Gabe and I couldn’t even get my fucking tie straight. “If it’s a problem, I’ll call Theo and tell him to drop it. I just won’t allow someone to get away with treating you—”
“It was years ago. You’re butting your nose into something that doesn’t concern you.”
Fine. As soon as I’d spoken to Gabe, I’d call Theo. I’d only been trying to help. A growl of exasperation left my lips. “I don’t have time for this. Can you help me with this tie?”
“No.” Her voice was brittle. “I hope your meeting is worth it.”
She snatched her purse and slammed the door on her way out.
The lobby was chaotic and crowded. A lively group of women in matching pale-blue sweatshirts dominated the small space.
In the middle, with a huge blue duffle bag slung over his shoulder, was the man himself, Gabe Rivers.
I bided my time, watching him smile and make jokes with the staff.
I intercepted him before he made it to the elevator.
“Gabe? Hello.”
He stilled, and astonishment flashed in his green eyes. “Cole? What are you doing here? Are you stalking me?”
I held my gaze level. Yes. That’s exactly what I’m doing. I forced a smooth smile. “Stalking? No. Of course not. I’m here on honeymoon with my wife. Charlotte’s always wanted to visit Rome. It’s her first time.”