Chapter 10
chapter ten
Caleb
I still remember the horrified look on Charlotte’s face that first day she arrived on the farm and Rex nearly barreled into her.
Now she smiles when he’s around. She’s still timid and cautious, but if I can get her to be around him without trembling in fear, I’ll count that as a small victory.
Trent is one of the vendors, I can’t remember which, and he goes on and on about how much he loves German Shepherds.
I listen politely, but I already know he won’t be a good match for Rex when he says he lives in an apartment and has four other small dogs.
Rex needs a yard to play in, and it’s better if he’s the only animal in his future home.
Once Trent leaves, I turn to Charlotte. “What time should I pick you up?”
Her brow crinkles. “What do you mean?”
“For the dinner tomorrow. Will you be my date?”
She rolls her eyes. “You know I won’t.”
“I know,” I say, grinning to hide the sting of rejection, even though I knew the rejection was coming. “But I figured I could pick you up. Carpooling is good for the environment.”
“You don’t know where I live,” she says, checking something on her phone. “It would be totally out of your way since the restaurant is between my place and yours.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I do.”
I know it’s pointless. I know Charlotte has absolutely zero thoughts of me in a romantic way.
And I have sworn off dating, maybe not forever, but for now while my life is so busy.
I don't know why I asked, and what’s worse is I don’t know why a part of me aches with disappointment that she doesn’t even want me to drive her to the restaurant.
I knew it wouldn't be a real date. It would have just been me picking up a beautiful, insanely smart woman and driving her to an important business dinner. I’m losing sight of what’s important here.
The business I’ve set up that is pivotal to the success of me and my brothers. The nonprofit that is my life’s passion at work to save retired working dogs. And right now, the most important thing: the fundraising gala.
“I gotta get back to work,” I say. It feels like a lie, but I always have work to do. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
“Wear something nice,” she says.
I give her a little salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
I may be the CEO of Alden K9 but I’m not all powerful, apparently.
When Ethan suggested we all carpool to dinner together in the ugly old family van, I used my CEO powers to veto that idea.
My brothers used their majority to veto my veto.
So now I sit, dressed in my best suit, in my parents’ old minivan they used to haul us around as teenagers when we all had various sporting events to attend.
When they left the property to us, they left everything.
By some strange miracle, this van still runs.
The five of us could barely fit in the van back in the day, and now the lack of free space in here is even more suffocating.
“Man, it’s like old times!” Owen says, throwing his arm around Max and me from his place in the middle of the second row. “All we’re missing is Dad’s coffee breath and Mom’s complaining about his driving.”
“Thanks for coming back tonight,” I tell him. “You didn’t have to leave college for this but I appreciate it.”
“No worries,” he says, adjusting the teal and pink tie around his neck. He dressed well, but had to put his own spin on it. The tie has paw prints all over it. “It’ll look better to all the donors if the whole family is there. Plus it’s free Italian food, and I am so down for that.”
“I’m glad you’re here for one specific reason,” Max says, giving me a side eye. “You get to see Caleb act like a fool around his lady friend.”
“What the hell are you on about?” I say. I even wrinkle my brows to show that I have no idea what they’re talking about.
It’s all over from there. My voice was too defensive, too obvious. The whole freaking van bursts into laughter, each of my brothers taking turns poking fun at me.
“Just because a woman is planning our event and I am the person in charge of helping the woman plan our event doesn’t mean I’m in love with her. You guys are idiots.”
“We might be idiots,” Max says. “I’ll give you that. But you’re also in love with her.”
Owen rubs his hands together like an evil villain. “Oh, I cannot wait to see this. Caleb the womanizer suddenly settling down? Hey, Leo,” he calls out. “Can you look out your window and see if pigs are flying?”
Leo glances out the front passenger window. “Holy shit, look at that! Pigs are flying!”
“Caleb’s in love,” Ethan says, wiggling his eyes at me from the rear view mirror.
“I am going to murder each and every one of you if you don’t shut up and let it go.” I rub my forehead. “And for the love of God, please do not do any of this shit in front of her. She’s a professional event planner and we need her hard work to help the nonprofit succeed, got it?”
There’s no hesitation in my voice now. They understand, and they straighten up, which is good because we’re here.
The restaurant sits back from the road a bit.
There’s a large parking lot and mature pine trees scattered throughout.
Campioni’s is classy and elegant, but not so much that you need reservations to dine here.
It’s just nice enough that I can pretend like I belong here instead of where I truly belong, which is outdoors with the dogs.
We make our way back to the private event room.
I see her before I notice anything else.
Charlotte’s hair, which is always in a messy pile on top of her head, partially covered with sweat in the barn, is long and flowy today.
Don’t get me wrong, her messy hair is sexy…
but tonight? She’s an entirely new woman.
Her eyes sparkle and her cheeks have a cute dusting of blush on them.
I don’t think I’ve seen her wear makeup before but now she’s a vision, all done up to perfection.
Her lips are the most different. Tonight, they’re painted a deep red, making them the focal point of her beautiful face. I can’t stop staring.
Her kissable red lips smile as she talks with a server. I’m so used to seeing her stressed but professional. Problem solving and downing coffees faster than I can brew them for her. Gripping her forehead in annoyance while talking on the phone.
But right now she’s able to bask in everything she’s accomplished through that hard work.
She moves around the room, greeting donors with a smile and handshake.
She seems to have a little inside joke or laugh with every single person, charming them into remembering her, into supporting the cause. I’m frozen in awe.
“Caleb!” she says, eyes lighting up when she sees me across the room. She glides over, taking my hand and squeezing it. “Every single donor RSVP’d yes,” she says softly. She does a microscopic little dance meant only for us and no one else to see. “Everything is going perfectly!”
“You’re incredible,” I say. “Thank you so much for everything.”
“Let’s go introduce you to Dr. Magana.” With my hand still clasped in hers, she leads me across the room.
“Dr. Magana, this is Caleb Alden.”
Our biggest donor is tall, with graying hair, and a lovely smile. She looks just like someone with a heart big enough to dedicate her life to saving animals. Instead of shaking my hand, she hugs me.
“We are so unbelievably grateful for your donation,” I tell her.
“I’m thrilled to help,” she says, squeezing my arm. “I’m always looking for more ways to give back, and Charlotte found me at the perfect time. Is she your girlfriend?”
My throat catches. Obviously the answer is no. I know that. Of course she’s not.
Why do I wish I could say yes?
Why do fantastical thoughts take over my brain, allowing me to imagine that yes, she’s my girlfriend, and we’re running this organization together? Before I can fumble out a real reply, Charlotte says, “No, ma’am, I’m his party planner.”
“Ah, so you do all the hard work a girlfriend would do but you get paid for it,” Dr. Magana says, winking at her. The two share a laugh while I’m still here unable to take my eyes off this woman.
What the hell is going on?
There are beautiful women all over the world.
On TV, the internet, and in real life. You can go to the tractor supply store and still run into a beautiful woman.
Women in general are beautiful. Their soft, flowy curves, delicate features, and ability to put up with men.
It’s all so lovely. That’s why I’ve spent my entire life flirting with every woman I meet. It’s fun. It makes me feel alive.
At least it used to.
Why is Charlotte making me feel like I’ve never even seen a woman before?
As she moves around the room, introducing me to donors and speaking confidently about the cause of my nonprofit, I can’t focus on a single word she says.
I feel like a Big Dumb Caveman next to her and she’s like a perfect goddess, working the room, effortlessly making everyone fall in love with her and the mission.
I don’t know what to do with myself. This is a new feeling entirely.
Maybe I should ask her on a real date. See what life would be like as a man who chooses a woman and settles down.
She turned me down when I asked her on a non-date, so the probability of her saying yes to a real date is probably zero.
“You okay?” Ethan says.
“Huh?” I blink.
“You good, man? You’re just standing here zoning out.”
I nod. “Yeah, yeah, just thinking about…the gala.”
“Well you’re at the pre-gala dinner now, and you’re kind of the whole reason we’re here, so act like it, bro.”
“Got it, thanks.”
Across the room, the woman I can’t stop thinking about connects her phone to the small projection screen that displays our logo on the wall. She starts a slideshow she’s thoughtfully crafted that features every donor’s name and business logo as well as photos of Rex and Rain and the K9 facility.
I make my way across the room, butterflies building in my stomach as I realize what I’m about to do. I don’t care about my self-imposed rules. I don’t care to flirt around with any and every woman anymore. I just want her.
Tom Laughran, high school football coach and co-owner of his dad’s automotive business, stops me to say hello.
He was one of my first donors so I can’t blow him off, even though every ounce of me wants to push past him and go talk to Charlotte right now.
Hell, I want to take her by the hand, pull her outside and kiss her under the stars.
The way she’s smiled at me every time our eyes meet tells me she might, maybe, feel the same.
But this is a donor dinner and I need to give Tom my full attention.
Once our conversation is wrapped up and I’ve promised to let him meet Rex next time he’s near the farm, I excuse myself and walk toward Charlotte.
The slideshow dings with a new text message.
Since it’s connected to her phone, it’s basically a big phone screen projected on the wall.
“Whoops,” she says, taking her phone off the podium. “Let’s put you in Do Not Disturb mode.” She chuckles, swiping away the text notification, but not before I saw it.
“What’s up” was all the text said. The sender? Someone saved into her phone as “Love of my life.”