30. Charlie
CHAPTER 30
Charlie
Grandma went home, and I can’t help but think that she went home lighter than she came, spending time in a new space for the holidays.
What I hadn’t expected to see was her enjoying her time with Alexander so much. It was good to see her smile. She seemed so relaxed and happy. It was the happiest I’ve seen her in a long time.
Magnolia and Nash stayed a couple of days but had to go home because of Magnolia’s work. Alexander and Grandma left on the same day, and now it’s back to justMax and me again.
Bryce left me a voicemail this morning. I can’t decide if he’s bluffing or not after I listen to his message.
Charlie, I want you to know I’m serious about us—so serious that I’m going to come see you and have a face-to-face talk. I can’t wait to see you.
Sure, now I have a boyfriend who decides to commit—when he’s acting crazy and weird. Good grief. I told him it was time to move on. Oh well. I won’t be going home for a while, so he’ll probably forget about me by that time.
It’s New Year Eve, and Darlene has informed me—we’re texting buddies now—that Max and I had better be at the New Year’s Eve party in town. There’s a disco ball.
Max and I haven’t been into town together since becoming an official couple, so that will make tonight interesting.
I’ve gotten a lot of backhanded questions when I run into town for groceries or supplies. Everyone wants to know what happened after the mistletoe kiss. And I guess the fact that I haven’t run for the hills screaming means that something is going on.
They’re not wrong. But I think it’s fun keeping people guessing.
I finish putting on the last of my makeup as my phone chimes, and I glance down at it.
Magnolia: For the record, I think it’s so cute that you and Max are together. I think he’s such a good guy.
Magnolia: Oh, and I totally called it.
That stinker. I set my blending sponge down on the counter so I can respond with both hands.
Charlie: Don’t get your hopes up. We’re fast approaching the time when most of my boyfriends abandon ship. He’s known me for six weeks now.
Magnolia: Stop being such a pessimist. You’ve just dated horrible people.
I pick up my sponge again—it’s wet. Dang it. Why do I always set it down in a puddle, and now I’ll have to wash it?
There’s a heavy knock on the bathroom door. “Gonna give a guy a chance to wash the cow crap out of his hair?”
I unlock the bathroom door and swing it open.
Max is standing there with a bemused look on his face—and that’s not all. He sure does have cow poo in his hair, but he also has it on his face, his chest, and all down his left side.
“I’m afraid to ask,” I say as I step out of the bathroom, careful to avoid getting too close to him.
“What? You mean I don’t get a hello kiss?” He takes a step toward me threateningly.
“Touch me, and you won’t live to regret it,” I fire back.
He laughs and heads into the bathroom as he explains, “A cow had a stuck calf, so I had to put her in the squeeze chute and help pull it. Everybody’s fine and healthy, but this was her parting gift for me.”
“It’s good to remember the people who help you,” I say in agreement as I lean against the door frame.
Max slips out of his shirt, using it to clean some of the green off his face.
His arm muscles bunch with each little movement. And those abs are nothing short of distracting.
“It could have gone a lot worse. I’ll take a little crap if it means everything turns out well.” He glances up and winks at me, catching me mid-ogle.
“Hey, why do I feel like you’re talking about me?”
He shrugs those shoulders, flexing his pecs at the same time. “Because I am?”
“You—” I take a threatening step toward him, but he holds up a green hand in warning.
I wisely step out of the bathroom and slam the door on his laughter.
An hour and a half later and we’re parked outside the Willow. We’re a little late to the start of the party because it took Max a long time of sudsing up to get rid of the smell.
“Are we really doing this?” Max asks me. “Are you sure about this? Because once we go in there together, everyone is going to know and be asking you a million questions.”
“I hate to break it to you, but they’ve already been asking lots of questions. I’ve been looking forward to walking in there holding your hand,” I say as I smile at him.
His eyebrows scrunch together. “I just don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. I’m happy to shout it from the rooftops, but I don’t want you to feel trapped in this just because it’s a small town.”
He looks so adorably unsure. I unbuckle my seatbelt and lean over to kiss him on the cheek. He has a little scruff growing again, and it’s at the scratchy stage. “I mean what I say. I want to be with you.” I lean back and give him a mock glare. “And if you keep acting like I don’t know my own mind, I might just throw a snowball at you.”
He grins. “I don’t think you need an excuse to do something ornery like that.”
I lean back, intending to check my makeup in the mirror, but Max reaches out faster than I can dodge and grabs the back of my neck, pulling me close for a hot and heavy kiss.
He’s thorough as he plunders my mouth, slipping his tongue past my lips to toy with mine. This isn’t a slow and savory kiss. It’s a complete and immediate takeover.
He reaches a hand down to grab the back pocket of my jeans and pulls me across the cab of the truck until I’m sitting on his lap.
He never breaks the kiss.
Reaching up, I thread both hands through his hair, twisting it around each finger. His scratchy beard scrapes against my cheek as he grasps my chin, tipping my head so that he can kiss me deeper.
I sigh and lean into it.
Kissing Max is becoming a favorite pastime of mine. I didn’t know I had been missing out on something so amazing the first few weeks I was here. And now? Now I know I never want it to end.
“Maybe we could just stay in the truck all night,” Max suggests in a husky voice when I pull back to catch my breath.
Lights cut through the back window as another truck pulls into the parking lot. I scramble off Max and back onto my side of the truck. A few seconds later, there’s a tap tap tap on Max’s window.
Max rolls the window down, and Zane looks at me with a lazy grin. “Everything all right in here? It was looking a little steamed up from the outside.”
Max has the gall to chuckle. “Everything is just dandy.”
They both snicker like they’re still in middle school.
“Well, I’m glad things are working out for you two,” Zane says with a laugh as he pushes his cowboy hat back. “For what it’s worth, I’ll be here waiting if Max does something stupid.”
Max grunts something that sounds like a threat, but I just laugh. “It’s okay, the person Max should be most worried about is me.”
I smile sweetly at Max, who looks at me with a devious grin. “Is that so?”
He reaches for me, and I scramble to open the door and jump out of the truck before he can get me. I barely make it out between the snow and laughing so hard.
I end up on my ass in the snow. Max and Zane walk around to my side of the truck.
“Wow,” is all that Zane says.
I’m laughing too hard to stand up again, and Max solves that problem by bending down and picking me up himself.
“Stop! You’re going to hurt yourself,” I manage to say between laughs as he just deadlifts me from the ground and carries me, bridal-style, toward the building. Zane holds the door open for him so he can carry me inside.
“Do you think anyone will notice my wet butt?” I ask Max as I loop my hands around his neck.
“No,” he says with a laugh as he looks down at me. “I think they’re too busy wondering why I’m carrying you.”
I jerk my gaze away and look around the room. Oops. That’s right. Not a lot of room to hide at the Willow. And we’re late, so we’ve made a heck of an entrance.
There’s music playing and still some chatter from the people trying to be polite and not stare…but about half of them don’t mind staring.
Henry is nudging Darlene’s arm and pointing at us. Bliss’s mother is angry again. Billy Madden looks disheartened. Sharon from the Pine Star Café is watching us with a big smile on her face.
“Now might be a good time to put me down,” I suggest.
“Nah, this is too much fun.” Max grins.
“Well?” Darlene yells out. “Is it official?”
Max raises his eyebrows and looks around the room at all the familiar faces. “I hope it’s alright, but I brought my girlfriend with me tonight!”
A shrill whistle splits through the air, and I find Bliss is the guilty party. A loud group of cheers go through the air, and Max finally sets me on my feet.
“That’ll do,” he says with a laugh. He gives me a quick kiss then grabs my hand. “Let’s get a drink.”
Maybe Max was right to be worried. I’ve been asked twice when the wedding date is—once in front of Max, and his eyes didn’t bulge in surprise the way they should have. Instead, he just winked and reminded me that I had told him I was ready for this.
The next time someone asked when we were getting engaged, I told them we were waiting until the end of the month.
Despite the nosey questions and over-the-top excitement, it’s really nice to be somewhere where people care enough to ask.
Somewhere around ten at night, the door to the Willow swings open, and I watch in horror as Bryce walks inside.
Bryce.
The same one who broke up with me because I didn’t fit his mold.
The same one who was embarrassed to introduce me to his family.
I glance around the room for Max, but he’s occupied, deep in conversation with Hubert Jefferson.
I swallow the lump in my throat. I can do this. I can handle whatever Bryce is going to say. But I hate it when people make you feel insignificant.
Bryce beelines for me. He stops in front of me and reaches for me. I leap back and bump into Bliss.
“Sorry,” I mutter.
Bliss slips a hand under my arm squeezing real quick. “I’ll be right here,” she whispers then lets go of my arm.
I glance back at her and see her give me a reassuring nod before she turns to assess Bryce.
Oh, I like her. If I wasn’t sure before, I’m sure now. Women know when another woman is afraid. It’s just a question of if they’ll do something about it or not.
Bryce has never been violent with me, but I’ve seen his temper. And the fact that he’s followed me all the way out to Pine Ridge when I’ve made it clear we’re done? That’s some definite unhinged behavior.
“I’m here,” he says by way of greeting.
“I can see that,” I reply flatly.
“I told you I want you.” He smiles. “That’s why I’m here. I want us to start the New Year together. Doesn’t that sound great?”
“Wait, is this the guy who broke up with you?” Bliss asks incredulously.
“Yes,” I grit out.
Darlene steps toward us with Henry at her side. “This is the jerk that dumped you?”
Bryce looks around in confusion. “Why would you tell people that? I just needed some space.”
“You broke up with me, Bryce. And I made it clear we weren’t getting back together, so I don’t know what you’re doing here.”
He looks confused as he runs a hand through his hair. “I know I broke up with you. But I changed my mind! I’m willing to be with you while you sort out your life.”
I freeze. “Sort out my life?”
“Yeah, I realized you’re probably just going through a phase, and we can work through it together.”
I press a thumb to the middle of my forehead, trying to physically shove away the tension headache forming there. “Bryce…you said you didn’t like that I’m too loud. Too much. That I work in a mostly male field.”
“But see, that’s the thing! I met someone who runs a painting crew, and it’s all women. It would be the perfect job for you.” He smiles brightly as though he’s solved all our problems.
“Do you ever listen to the words coming out of your mouth?” I shake my head. “I’m sorry you wasted your time by driving out here, but there will be no future between us.”
“ You don’t get to end things between us!” he barks out, his eyes going dark. “It’s over when I say it’s over. Besides, who else is going to be willing to be in a relationship with you?”
Could my embarrassment be any more complete? He comes to this small town, telling everyone how I’m not good enough, that I should change who I am. They’re all listening to his ridiculous words right now, and it’s making me look ridiculous.
I hope Max isn’t hearing any of this.
But then I feel a hand press against my back, and I know he’s here.
And somehow, even though this could be the most embarrassing moment of my life, I know it’s going to be okay because Max is here.