Chapter 18 Charlotte #2
Koda follows immediately after, his own release triggered by the way my body milks him. His fingers dig into my hips as he empties himself inside me, his face buried in my neck to muffle his groans.
“Shit,” I whisper, suddenly remembering where we are. “Madison’s going to come back.”
We spring into action, frantically reassembling our clothes. I pull my tank top back on while Koda adjusts his jeans, both of us trying to look presentable. I’ve just gotten my sweater over my head when there’s a soft knock on the door.
“How are we doing in there?” Madison’s voice sounds slightly breathless, and when I catch sight of her through the crack in the door, her cheeks are flushed pink.
My eyes widen as realization hits me. Did she see us? Hear us?
“Great!” I call out, my voice pitched higher than normal. “Just trying a few things on.”
“Perfect. I have some more options when you’re ready.”
She disappears again, but not before I catch the knowing look in her eyes. My face burns with embarrassment and something that might be excitement.
“Do you think she...” I trail off, not sure how to finish the question.
Koda’s mouth curves into that smug smile I know so well. “Probably. Does that bother you?”
“I don’t know,” I admit quietly. “It should, right? But it kind of... doesn’t?”
His smile widens, and there’s something predatory in his expression that makes my pulse pick up.
“You like the idea of people watching you get fucked, don’t you?” His voice drops to that low rumble. “My dirty girl gets off on being seen.”
I wink at him. “Maybe.”
Koda chuckles. Then he leans in close, his lips brushing my ear.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Six hours later, I stand in front of the towering iron gates.
My hands smooth down the simple navy wrap dress we finally settled on after rejecting seventeen other options.
The fabric skims over my barely-there bump perfectly, and the color brings out my eyes according to Koda, though right now I’m pretty sure my eyes just look terrified.
“Holy shit,” I breathe and stare up at the massive stone mansion beyond the gates. “You didn’t tell me Dana lived in a castle.”
Koda chuckles as he presses the intercom button.
“It’s not a castle. It’s just a house.”
“Just a house?” I gesture wildly at the sprawling estate with its perfectly manicured grounds and what appears to be an actual fountain in the circular driveway. “Koda, there are literal turrets. And is that a tennis court?”
“Dana likes her space.” The gates swing open with a soft hum and he guides me back toward his truck. “And yes, that’s a tennis court. She plays every morning at six.”
Of course she does.
Because successful CEO sisters who live in mansions obviously start their days with athletic pursuits, while I can barely manage to brush my teeth without gagging.
The driveway seems to stretch for miles and winds through perfectly landscaped gardens that probably cost more than most people’s cars. My stomach churns with nerves as the mansion looms larger, all stone and mullioned windows and architectural details that scream old money.
“What if she hates me?” I whisper as Koda parks beside a sleek black BMW that’s probably worth more than my entire education.
“She won’t.” He reaches over to squeeze my hand. His thumb traces calming circles on my palm. “I promise, Charlotte. Dana’s going to love you.”
Before I can spiral further into panic, the massive front door opens and Dana Wilde steps out.
She is exactly what I expected and nothing like I imagined all at once.
Dana is tall and elegant, with Koda’s dark hair styled in a sleek bob and the kind of effortless confidence that comes from running a successful company. But her smile is warm and genuine as she approaches the truck, and something in my chest loosens slightly.
“There’s my favorite brother,” she calls out and pulls Koda into a fierce hug the moment he steps out of the truck.
“I’m your only brother,” he replies, but I can hear the affection in his voice.
“Details.” Dana’s eyes find mine as I climb down from the passenger seat and her smile widens. “And you must be Charlotte. I’ve heard so much about you.”
She steps forward with her arms open. Before I can overthink it, I’m being enveloped in a hug that smells like expensive perfume and something that reminds me of my own mother.
“It’s so wonderful to finally meet you,” Dana says and pulls back to look at me with kind eyes. “Koda hasn’t been able to stop talking about you for months.”
Heat creeps up my neck.
“Funny, he’s had plenty to say about you too. All good things, I promise.”
Dana laughs. It’s a rich sound that immediately puts me at ease.
“Oh, I’m very real. And very excited to finally meet the woman who’s made my grumpy brother smile again.”
“I’m not grumpy,” Koda protests, but he’s grinning as he says it.
“Please. You’ve been a bear for years.” Dana loops her arm through mine and leads me toward the front door. “But lately you’ve been practically whistling show tunes. I was beginning to worry you’d had some kind of personality transplant.”
The inside of the house is even more impressive than the outside, all soaring ceilings and elegant furnishings that somehow manage to feel welcoming instead of intimidating.
Dana leads us through a foyer that’s bigger than my entire apartment into a living room with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the grounds.
“Can I get you something to drink?” she asks and moves toward what appears to be a fully stocked bar. “Charlotte, I picked up some sparkling apple cider that’s supposed to be amazing. Non-alcoholic and easy on the stomach.” She glances at Koda. “And I know you’ll want your usual whiskey.”
“You didn’t have to go to all that trouble,” I say, genuinely touched.
“It’s no trouble at all.” Dana pulls out a bottle of amber liquid for Koda and reaches for the cider. “I did some research on what’s supposed to be gentle on sensitive stomachs.”
The thoughtfulness of the gesture, combined with how naturally she’s handling everything, makes me feel welcome in a way I hadn’t expected.
It’s nice, being considered like this.
“I cannot wait to be an aunt in a few months.” Dana practically vibrates with excitement as she pours the drinks.
Koda settles beside me on the plush sofa.
“Don’t worry,” he says with a grin. “We’ll be calling you to babysit soon.”
“How are you feeling?” Dana asks and hands me a glass of the sparkling cider. “I remember my friend Claudia was so sick she could barely function for the first few months.”
“Much better now,” I say and take a sip. It’s perfect. Bubbly and sweet, and it settles easily in my stomach. “The first trimester was rough, but I’m finally feeling human again.”
“That’s wonderful. And school’s going okay?” Dana settles into an elegant armchair across from us and tucks one leg under her.
“Yep. I just finished my third quarter, actually.” I lean forward slightly and relax into the conversation. “We’re doing advanced color techniques right now, which is my favorite part. There’s something really satisfying about mixing formulas and watching them come to life.”
“That sounds amazing. Do you have a specialty you’re focusing on?”
“I’m leaning toward color and styling. I love the transformation aspect. Helping people see themselves differently.” I smile and think about some of my recent projects. “We’ve been doing a lot of corrective color work lately, which is challenging but rewarding when you get it right.”
Dana nods thoughtfully.
“That takes real skill. And patience, I’d imagine.”
“Definitely. Some processes take hours.” I glance at Koda, who’s watching me with that soft expression that still makes my heart skip. “But it’s worth it when someone leaves feeling more confident.”
“Speaking of which,” Dana says with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Did you know that you’re the first person he ever let cut his hair other than our mom?”
I turn to stare at Koda, who’s suddenly very interested in his whiskey.
“Seriously? Ever?”
Koda’s ears turn bright red. “It’s not that big a deal,” he mutters.
“Are you insane? It’s a huge deal!” Dana laughs and clearly enjoys her brother’s embarrassment. “He wouldn’t even let me trim his split ends when we were kids.”
“You tried to give me a mohawk when I was twelve,” Koda points out.
“That was one time! And it would have looked amazing.” Dana grins at me. “The point is, he’s very particular about his hair. The fact that he trusted you with it says everything about how he feels about you.”
I look at Koda with new eyes and remember that first time I cut his hair in his cabin. How nervous I’d been, how he’d sat so still and patient while I worked. I thought he was just being nice, but knowing now that he’d never let anyone else touch his hair makes the memory even more precious.
The conversation flows easily after that. Dana asks about my plans for the future, how I met Koda. She shares embarrassing stories about his childhood that make me laugh until my sides hurt and make him threaten to leave her out of his will.
Watching them together is a revelation. Seeing this playful, lighter side of Koda that he keeps hidden from the rest of the world.
When Dana announces that dinner is ready, she leads us into a dining room that’s somehow both elegant and cozy, with warm lighting and a table set for three.
The meal is delicious. Some kind of herb-crusted chicken that doesn’t trigger any nausea, roasted vegetables, and bread that melts in my mouth.
“This is incredible,” I say around a bite of perfectly seasoned potatoes. “Did you cook all this?”
“Goodness, no.” Dana laughs. “I have a meal service. I can barely make toast without setting off the smoke alarm. But I made sure everything was pregnancy-friendly.”
I appreciate the consideration more than I can say. Dana has this way of making accommodations feel natural rather than like special treatment.
“So tell me about Worthington Sports,” I say, genuinely curious. “Koda mentioned you’re the CEO now. That must be exciting.”
Dana’s eyes light up.
“It is. Challenging, but exciting. We’re in the middle of expanding our outdoor sports line, which has been my pet project since I started.”
“Is that why you moved to Wyoming? To be closer to the action?”
“Partly.” Dana takes a sip of her wine. “But honestly, after fifteen years in Boston, I was ready for a change. The corporate scene there is cutthroat in a way that started to wear on me. Here, I can still run the company but actually have a life outside of work.”
“Do you miss it?” I ask. “Boston, I mean.”
“Sometimes. I miss the museums, the restaurants, the energy of the city.” She smiles. “But then I wake up to mountain views every morning and remember why I left. Wyoming has a way of getting under your skin.”
“It really does,” I agree and think about my own journey here. How this place has changed me in ways I never expected.
“And having Koda nearby is a bonus,” Dana adds and reaches over to squeeze her brother’s hand. “We spent too many years with a whole country between us. It’s nice to be able to do this. To just have dinner on a random weeknight.”
The warmth in her voice makes my throat tight.
This is what family should be. People who choose to be in your life, who make time for each other, who celebrate the small moments.
“Speaking of family,” I say and reach into my purse, “we have something to show you.”
I pull out the ultrasound photo, the black and white image I’ve been carrying around like a talisman since yesterday. My hands are trembling slightly as I pass it across the table to Dana.
Her face transforms as she looks at it. Wonder and joy light up her features.
“Oh my gosh,” she breathes and studies the image. “I can actually see the baby. Look at that little profile!”
“Sixteen weeks,” I say proudly. “Everything looks perfect according to the doctor.”
“This is incredible.” Dana traces the outline of the baby with her finger. “My first nephew or niece. Do you know what you’re having yet?”
Koda and I exchange glances and I nod encouragingly. His grin is so wide it practically splits his face as he stands up and starts unbuttoning his flannel shirt.
“Actually,” he says and reveals the t-shirt underneath, “we found out yesterday.”
The shirt is pale pink with “Girl Dad” written across the chest in bold letters.
Dana gasps. Her hands fly to her mouth.
“A girl!” she exclaims and jumps up to hug Koda fiercely. “You’re having a daughter!”
“We’re having a daughter,” I correct, and Dana immediately turns to pull me into the hug, too.
“I’m going to spoil her so much,” Dana says. Tears shine in her eyes. “She’s going to have the most amazing wardrobe and the best books and... oh, I need to start planning the nursery. Do you have a theme picked out? Colors? I know the most amazing decorator...”
“Dana,” Koda interrupts and laughs. “Breathe. We just found out yesterday.”
“Right. Sorry. I’m just so excited.” Dana wipes her eyes and smiles through her tears. “A little girl. She’s going to have you wrapped around her finger from day one.”
“Already does,” Koda admits. His hand moves to rest on my bump. “The moment I saw her on that ultrasound, I was done for.”
Dana moves back to the bar and refills our glasses with fresh drinks.
“This definitely calls for a toast,” she says. Her voice is thick with emotion. “To family.”
The word hits me like a punch to the gut.
Family.
I have one of those. Or I did, before I chose to keep this monumental secret from the man who raised me.
I can see my dad’s face in my mind, the way he looked the last time we spoke. Would he be happy about becoming a grandfather? Would he understand why I didn’t tell him? Or would this be just one more disappointment in a long line of them?
I force the thought away and push it down deep where it can’t touch this moment.
Not now. Not tonight.
“To family,” Koda echoes and raises his glass of whiskey.
I lift my cider. The bubbles catch the chandelier light like tiny stars.
“To family.”