Chapter 20 Charlotte
TWENTY
CHARLOTTE
One Week Later
I wake up to an empty bed, the sheets cold where Koda should be.
A piece of paper crinkles beneath my palm, and I blink awake, squinting at the folded note resting on Koda’s pillow.
My heart does a little skip as I recognize his bold handwriting across the cream-colored paper.
*Morning, Gorgeous. Had to go out for a bit this morning, but I’ll be back this afternoon. And when I get there, be ready at 8 to explore your wildest fantasies. Love, K*
I sit up, clutching the note to my chest as a grin spreads across my face.
Explore my wildest fantasies?
Butterflies burst in my stomach at the possibilities, my mind immediately racing to all the ways Koda might surprise me tonight. The man has already introduced me to pleasures I never knew existed.
That’s when I notice the elegant black box sitting on the nightstand, tied with a silver ribbon that catches the morning light streaming through our bedroom windows. My fingers shake slightly as I reach for it.
The ribbon falls away easily, and I lift the lid to reveal tissue paper in the softest shade of blush pink. Nestled beneath is a gift certificate to the spa at Fit Mountain Resort. But it’s what lies underneath that makes my breath catch.
The most gorgeous dress I’ve ever seen in my life.
It’s the color of midnight, so dark it’s almost black, but with an undertone that shifts to deep blue in the light. The cut is a wrap style that will hug my curves perfectly while accommodating my growing bump.
Beneath the dress, nestled in more tissue paper, are a pair of sky-high black stilettos with delicate ankle straps and soles the color of fresh blood.
Louboutins.
I don’t even want to know how much these cost.
My phone is already in my hand before I fully process the decision to call Sarah.
“Please tell me you’re free this morning,” I say the moment she picks up.
“Well, good morning to you too, sunshine.” Sarah’s voice is thick with sleep, but I can hear the smile in it. “What’s got you so worked up at—” A pause. “Charlotte, it’s barely eight AM.”
“Koda left me a spa certificate and the most incredible outfit I’ve ever seen. I need backup for mani-pedis, and I need someone to help me figure out what the hell he’s planning for tonight.”
“Spa day?” Sarah’s voice perks up immediately. “I’m listening.”
“Fit Mountain Resort. Can you meet me there in an hour?”
“For their legendary cucumber mint pedicures? I’ll be there in forty-five minutes.”
I end the call and practically float to the shower, Koda’s note still clutched in my hand. The hot water feels amazing against my skin, and I take extra time with my hair routine, using the expensive leave-in treatment I’ve been saving. Whatever tonight holds, I want to look perfect.
An hour later, I’m sinking into the plush pedicure chair at the resort’s spa, Sarah beside me looking equally blissful as warm water swirls around our feet.
“So,” Sarah says, settling back into her chair with a contented sigh. “Spill. What’s the mountain man up to?”
I show her the note, watching her eyebrows climb toward her hairline as she reads.
“Explore your wildest fantasies?” She fans herself dramatically. “Damn, girl. That man does not mess around.”
Heat creeps up my neck. “I have no idea what he’s planning. The dress is gorgeous, but it’s so fancy. Where could we possibly be going in Cooper Heights that requires Christian Louboutin heels?”
“Wait, he bought you Louboutins?” Sarah’s voice rises enough that the nail technician working on her feet glances up with interest. “Let me see.”
I pull up the photo I took of the shoes, and Sarah actually gasps.
“Those are at least fifteen hundred dollars, Charlotte. Minimum.”
My stomach drops. “What? No way.”
“Way. I spent an entire afternoon lusting after a pair just like those at Nordstrom last month.” Sarah leans closer, studying the photo. “The man is clearly planning something special.”
The technician working on my feet—a petite woman with kind eyes—looks up from painting my toes a soft pink that complements my skin tone perfectly.
“Your husband sounds very romantic,” she says with a slight accent I can’t place.
“Oh, he’s not my—”
I start to correct her, then stop. What is Koda to me, exactly? Boyfriend feels too casual for a man who’s giving me his child and buying me designer shoes. “Thank you. He is.”
Sarah shoots me a knowing look but doesn’t comment on my slip.
“So how are things going with the pregnancy?” she asks as the technician moves to work on her feet. “You’re what, seventeen weeks now?”
I nod, my hand moving instinctively to my bump, which is just starting to show in fitted clothes. “Seventeen weeks tomorrow. Finally feeling human again.”
“And Koda? Still building furniture for the nursery every spare minute?”
“He finished the changing table last week. Hand-carved to match the crib.” I can’t keep the smile out of my voice. “Sometimes I catch him just standing in the doorway of the nursery, staring at everything with this look on his face like he can’t believe it’s real.”
“That’s so sweet.” Sarah’s expression softens. “You two are going to be amazing parents.”
The spa’s peaceful atmosphere wraps around us like a warm blanket. Other women chat quietly in nearby chairs, the sound mixing with soft instrumental music and the gentle hum of the pedicure jets. I let myself sink deeper into the chair, feeling more relaxed than I have in weeks.
“Have you thought any more about telling your dad?” Sarah asks quietly.
My contentment dims slightly.
“Actually, we decided to tell him after my showcase next weekend. We’re going to take him out to lunch.”
“That’s good timing. Neutral location, other people around.” Sarah nods approvingly. “How are you feeling about it?”
“Terrified,” I admit. “But also relieved. I’m so tired of lying to him, Sarah. I hate that I’m keeping something this huge from him.”
My phone buzzes with an incoming call, interrupting our conversation. Adrian’s name flashes on the screen, and my stomach instantly knots with dread.
I haven’t spoken to Adrian since I found out about what happened between him and Koda during their “sparring” session.
“Seriously?” Sarah’s eyebrows shoot up as she sees the caller ID. “What does *he* want?”
I hesitate, my finger hovering over the screen. “I should just get it over with. Maybe he’ll finally take the hint and leave me alone.”
Sarah’s expression darkens. “I’ll be right here if you need backup.”
I swipe to answer and put on my most neutral tone. “Hello?”
“Charlotte, hey.” Adrian’s voice sounds deliberately relaxed. “Long time no talk. How have you been?”
“What do you want, Adrian?”
“I was calling to say congratulations.” There’s a pause that feels calculated. “I heard through the grapevine that you’re expecting. That’s wonderful news.”
“I... where did you hear that?”
“Oh, you know how it is in a small town like Cooper Heights. Word gets around.” His tone is light, but there’s an edge underneath. “People talk. The street has eyes and ears everywhere.”
“Even if I am pregnant, that’s none of your business.”
“Come on, don’t be like that,” Adrian replies. “I think it’s great news. Really. I was thinking we could grab lunch or dinner to celebrate. Maybe that Italian place you mentioned liking? My treat.”
“No thanks. I don’t want to hang out with you anymore.”
“Is this about Koda? The whole sparring thing?” Adrian’s voice takes on an even sharper edge. “You know that wasn’t my fault, right? He’s the one who got aggressive.”
I snort. “That’s not how I heard it went down.”
“Well, I’m sure Koda had his own version of events.” There’s a bitterness in his tone now. “I’m worried about you, Charlotte. Koda’s twice your age. Now you’re having his baby? This whole situation seems really intense. If you ever need someone to talk to—”
“I don’t.” I cut him off firmly. “I have plenty of people to talk to. People I actually trust.”
“So that’s it then?” There’s an anger simmering beneath his words now. “You’re just going to shut me out completely? All because of him?”
“I need to go.” I keep my voice level despite my racing heart. “Don’t call me again.”
“Wait, Charlotte—”
I end the call and set the phone down on the counter, my hands shaking.
Sarah stares at me, eyes wide. “How the hell did he find out you’re pregnant?”
“I have no idea.” My voice is barely above a whisper. “We’ve been so careful. I’m not showing that much yet.”
Sarah frowns, picking up my phone and switching it to silent mode. “This is seriously creepy, Charlotte. Like, stalker-level creepy.”
“I know.” I grip the edge of the pedicure chair to steady myself. “The way he said ‘word gets around’ and ‘the street has eyes’... it sounded almost threatening.”
“Because it was threatening.” Sarah’s protective fury is both comforting and alarming. “You need to tell Koda about this. Like, immediately.”
“He’ll lose his mind. You know how he gets when it comes to Adrian.”
“Good. He should lose his mind. This isn’t normal behavior.”
The technician working on my feet has been pretending not to listen, but I can see the concern in her eyes as she glances up at me.
“Is everything alright, miss?” she asks gently.
“Yes, thank you.” I force a smile I don’t feel. “Just some unwanted attention from someone who can’t take a hint.”
She nods knowingly. “I have a cousin who had similar problems. She had to get a restraining order. Sometimes these men, they don’t understand no means no.”
Her words hang in the air between us, and I exchange a loaded glance with Sarah.
Is that where this is headed? The idea seems extreme, but then again, so is Adrian somehow finding out about my pregnancy and calling to “congratulate” me.
Sarah and I finish our pedicures in relative silence, both of us lost in our own thoughts. When we move on to manicures, I try to recapture the earlier excitement about tonight, but Adrian’s call has left a shadow over everything.