Chapter 28 Charlotte
TWENTY-EIGHT
CHARLOTTE
I walk into the house after a long shift as a cart girl and find Jude lying on the ground in the living room as Ava rests on his chest. It’s so adorable, and I wish I hadn’t left my camera in my room this morning, because I want to capture the moment.
My camera is quickly filling up with photos of Jude and Ava, and I love it and wish this were another one I could capture on film.
It’s been two weeks since I moved in with Jude and Ava.
Two weeks of me always taking photos of them.
Two weeks of spending every spare second with them.
Two weeks of lingering stares from Jude.
Two weeks of him making me coffee every morning.
Of me going to bed thinking about him.
Of us taking care of Ava. Of it feeling like we’re a family when I know we’re not.
Two weeks of torture because as much as I love living with Jude and being there for him as he navigates this new life with Ava, it’s also brutal to live with him.
I used to be able to pretend I was immune to him. His flirting didn’t work. I didn’t notice if he looked at me too long. Now, I’m all too aware if he’s looking at me when he doesn’t need to be. If his skin brushes against mine, it’s all I can think about for days after.
I thought I’d be able to push all nonplatonic thoughts of him to the back of my mind and focus on being friends, but it’s getting hard. I think I’m catching feelings for Jude. Feelings that won’t go away, no matter how hard I try.
“People at the club are wondering where you are,” I tell Jude, setting my bag on the kitchen counter and immediately making my way to him and Ava.
“Doubt it,” Jude notes, giving me a smile as I sit down next to the two of them. The moment Ava sees me, she smiles, and it completely melts my heart. She’s only started doing that recently. She smiles at Jude way more, but I’ll still take what I can get.
I narrow my eyes on him as I get comfortable on the floor.
“You’re typically at the club every day, and you haven’t been there in over two weeks.
People are absolutely asking about you. I had to tell them you were in the city because I’m not a good liar, and I didn’t know what else to say.
” I hadn’t realized how much people associated me with Jude until he didn’t show up at Pembroke for two weeks, and suddenly, everyone was asking me about his whereabouts.
“Telling them I’m in Manhattan is perfect,” Jude responds. He presses his lips to Ava’s forehead before lifting her off his chest and handing her to me. “Want some baby snuggles?”
I laugh and gladly take Ava from him. I love my job at the club, but after working three days in a row, I’m excited for my days off again so I can spend more time with her.
I’m lucky to have the weekend shift. It’s when we get the best tips, and now that it’s warming up, it’s getting busier and busier.
“I do need baby snuggles, but I feel like we should maybe talk about what your plan is regarding Ava. You can’t hide here forever. ”
Jude sighs. He folds his hands behind his head and lies back, his gaze staying pinned on me. “It’s not that I’m hiding. I’m just figuring out how to tell everyone about Ava. I want to do it the right way.”
I nod because I understand he’s in a tough position.
He knows everyone at the club. They’ll immediately notice it when he shows up with a baby all of a sudden.
But I also don’t want him to feel like he has to stay locked away all summer because of her.
I play with Ava for a moment before I look back at Jude.
“You show up, you tell everyone she’s your daughter, and you leave it at that. ”
He laughs, and I hate how the deep, throaty sound makes my entire body warm.
It’s been over two weeks since I moved in with him, and I wish I could say that it’s been easy keeping him in the friend zone, but that would be a lie.
When we’re not working, we spend every second together, and things just don’t feel the same as they used to.
He used to laugh without me feeling it through my entire body.
My heart didn’t race just at the sight of his smile.
He used to just be Jude, my charming best friend.
Now, he’s someone totally different. Someone I have feelings for that I can’t even begin to understand.
“I don’t know if your plan will work or not. I think people will have lots of questions. I know my mom and dad did,” he adds on at the last minute.
A week ago, Jude finally told his parents about Ava after getting the paternity test back.
It was obvious that Ava was his child, but I can’t help but wonder if part of the reason he waited to tell his parents was to confirm she was his biologically.
I wasn’t with him when he got the results, but I know he was stressed beforehand.
He already loves her so much, and he was afraid of losing her if they came back negative.
I look over Ava’s head to narrow my eyes at Jude. “You said your parents took the news great.”
He smiles as if he wasn’t expecting me to call him out like that.
“They did,” he responds slowly, the cocky tilt of his lips doing funny things to my stomach.
“They’re thrilled to have a grandchild and upset that they’re out of the country with commitments and can’t make it here for a few weeks to meet her.
Even with all of their excitement, they had a ton of questions.
I answered what I could, but I don’t want to have to answer the questions of people who aren’t family.
I want to keep Ava as private as I can.”
All I do is nod as I try to think how to respond.
To be honest, I have questions for Jude as well when it comes to Ava, the biggest one being who her mother is.
Does he still talk to her? Does she really want no involvement?
I want to know, but I also don’t want to be rude.
If he wanted to tell me, he would. “You show up and introduce her as your daughter, tell everyone she’s perfect, and then say you won’t be answering any more questions about it.
You’re Jude Kensington. People listen to you.
And even if they do ask questions, it doesn’t mean you have to answer them. ”
He stares at me for a bit before his gaze flicks to Ava, then focuses back on me again. “Why do you have to be right?”
I can’t help but smile. “Telling me I’m right? You might as well be talking dirty to me.”
Jude’s eyebrows rise to his hairline, and I freeze because I realize I definitely shouldn’t have said that.
Ava squirms in my lap as she plays with a piece of my hair, but I can’t focus on her.
I can’t focus on anything but Jude. His lips spread into a smile I can only describe as lethal.
He lets his gaze slip to my lips for just a moment before his brown eyes meet mine.
“Give me a chance, Char, and I can talk far dirtier than that.”
My entire face gets hot. Even my chest feels flushed as my lips part, and I fail to even come up with a response.
We’re toeing a dangerous line. I know it. He’s got to know it too. But that knowledge doesn’t stop my body from shivering, even though I’m not even remotely cold.
Before I can say anything else, a knock at the front door captures our attention.
Jude rips his gaze from mine, his smirk disappearing as he stands up and makes his way to the door.
“Were you expecting anyone?” I ask, my voice coming out breathier than I intended it to.
Jude shakes his head as he stops in front of the door. “Not that I know of.” He looks through the window and then looks over at me with wide eyes. “Oh shit,” he whispers.
My grip on Ava tightens. “What? Who is it?”
Jude presses his back to the door as his eyes scan the room. “It’s Lucy and Cal.”
It’s my turn for my eyes to go wide. “What? She told me they weren’t coming until next week.”
“Well, they’re here,” Jude mutters. He leans to the left and glimpses through the window next to the door again.
“You know we can see you, right?” Cal yells from the other side. “Stop ignoring me and open the door.”
I frown. “Have you been ignoring him?”
Jude shrugs. “I just didn’t know how to tell my best friend over the phone that I’m a dad.” His words come out quiet but rushed.
“Jude!” Cal yells from the other side of the door. “You’re being weird. Open the door.”
I know it isn’t the time, but I can’t help but laugh at the sight of a wide-eyed Jude. He stares at me as if I’m supposed to help in this situation, but I don’t know what he expects me to do. Cal’s already seen him, and he’s incredibly stubborn. He won’t be leaving until Jude opens the door.
“Everything okay in there?” Lucy asks, my best friend’s voice softer and gentler than her fiancé’s.
“I think you’re going to have to open the door and tell them about Ava,” I whisper. I give him an encouraging smile. “Think of it as practice for telling everyone else at the club.”
Jude groans before turning around, grabbing the handle, and opening the door.