Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Hope
Charlie made me laugh. I was on the stairs, almost in tears, over his stupid joke about a movie we’d both seen as kids. I wiped my eyes, and his family waved for us to join them on the patio.
I gazed at the buffet of food and walked next to him.
His story about skiing past a pack of bears sent goosebumps down my spine, but I doubted Charlie ever knew fear at all, since he’d never had worries of any kind.
I sighed, but then my phone played a twenty-year-old pop song that served as the ringtone for my squad.
I stopped and checked. “Avril’s calling. I’ll join you in a minute.”
He kissed my cheek. We were public, and his family clearly saw us together. I sighed, imagining a real kiss again. He let me go. “I’ll make you a plate.”
“Thanks.” I smiled brightly then found a small library and headed to the seat near the window. “Hey, I’ll be back tomorrow. What’s going on?”
“Fuck, I forgot you were out of town,” Avril said, her tone on edge.
My hairs stood up. “It’s okay. What’s so urgent?”
“They didn’t give me the promotion.” Tears followed.
I sucked in my breath. “Oh no. Why?”
“Because I’ve been seen too many times at cocktail hour.”
I tensed. We all went together most nights, and so did half of Manhattan. I hugged my waist, wondering if more companies had that policy. “By who?”
“Jeffrey Lauglin, which is ridiculous because he’s the one at all the bars, drinking way more than I ever do. But since I’m in the stupid blogs as your friend, it shows I’m not management material.”
“That’s stupid.” I slumped into the chair near me and let my shoulders hit the back. I remembered him approaching our table a few months back. “Did he sabotage you because Kelly wouldn’t go out with him?”
“I don’t know, and I’m not putting that on her.”
“Good.” I sat up as I heard the Norouzi family outside, laughing. My job was to be there right now, and Avril was brilliant. I would keep an eye out for a job listing that matched her skills, but I said, “I’m short on time, since I’m a guest here, but when I get back, we’ll talk about it, okay?”
“Not all of us are so lucky that we just get engaged to a trillionaire and stop caring about money.”
My skin prickled. I hadn’t won the lottery, but I didn’t have Avril’s pressure to pay for her sister’s hospital bills either. “Ouch.”
“I’m sorry. I’m having a shitty day. Look, have fun and talk to you soon.”
I tucked my phone into my small pocketbook.
I wished I could help my friends, but I was a mess too.
As I stepped on the balcony, though, it was like I saw glowing people who clearly had life figured out.
My heart skipped a beat. I could pretend for a little while that I belonged among them.
Charlie waved for me and had a seat in the middle of his family.
“What’s going on with Avril?” he asked.
His brothers were talking around us. I placed my napkin on my lap. “She didn’t get the promotion.”
Charlie tilted his head. “What does she do?”
I picked up my silverware. “She’s an analyst. She wanted to be the senior financial analyst.”
Next to me, a taller, younger version of his father said, “Have her send me her resume.”
Charlie raised his eyebrows. “Yeah, Kir?”
Last night had been a blur of meeting his family. I gazed at the man who was the reason I was sitting here.
“We could always use talent at work," he said. "Father ultimately makes those calls, though.”
Smiling, I nodded. Kir then turned his attention back to another one of his brothers, but he seemed nice.
My heart beat so fast right as I asked, “Is he on the level?”
Charlie nodded. “Warren runs the company these days, but Kir is his right hand.”
I took out my phone. ”I’ll text her to get it ready.”
I sent the message, then we ate. I listened to his brothers talk about how Charlie was always the fearless one that his mother worried about the most. Everything matched what I assumed about him, but it was fun to listen.
As I sipped my coffee, I noticed most of the Norouzis were sipping tea, including Charlie.
A few of his brothers stood, and he asked me, “Are you ready to play football?”
In my dress? I’d always been picked last in gym glass, not that he knew that. I shook my head. “I think I should sit this out and watch you, Charlie.”
A few of the women walked onto the field, and he pointed. “You sure?”
But the others were wearing jeans and shorts. I kissed his cheek, wishing I'd kissed his lips. “I’ll cheer for you.”
Staff cleaned up the table, and those of us not playing moved onto the field to lounge chairs and oversized umbrellas inching closer to the beach.
I found a spot and cheered loudly as Charlie raced past with the ball.
As I settled back in my seat, Roxanne pushed her chair closer to me. I sat up as I wanted to impress her.
“You and my son are really nice to see.”
Heat rose to my face, and I lowered my head. “You’re very kind, Mrs. Norouzi.”
“Roxanne, please.”
I tensed. She’d told me that. I nodded. “I’m sorry. I’m not used to… Roxanne.”
“Not used to what, dear?”
Having a mom . I let out a sigh and met her gaze. She wouldn’t understand. No one ever did, but I owed her the truth. “Did Charlie tell you my parents both died in the same horrible accident?”
She squeezed my arm. “No. I’m so sorry. I checked every family had someone to care for any children personally, and the only one without was my infant Charlie.”
I’d been staying with my grandparents. There had been no survivors of the explosion in the sky, but it was nice that his mother had checked on me years ago. I smiled. “You did. I was raised by my grandpa, and he was great, but I’m not used to having a mother figure around.”
She hadn’t let me go. She was holding me like I mattered to her. “That had to be hard growing up when you hit puberty.”
Charlie had lucked out even if he didn’t believe in luck. I sighed. “It would have been nice to have someone other than the school counselor, but anyhow, I’m only telling you this because Charlie loves you and you’ve been good to me.”
She stroked my arm gently. “Charlie seems more grounded with you. I’m hoping he follows his heart and stops trying to take a job that doesn’t suit his interests. He’s hiding out at his father’s company when he needs to fly.”
Interesting. She saw the suit as ill-fitting for him too. I sucked in my bottom lip, trying to stop myself from asking, but curiosity won. “You don’t think Charlie should work at your husband’s company?”
One of her sons flagged her from across the spectators' section. She stood as she said, “He can do what he likes, but he’s always been bolder than this. I’m hoping he figures out his next dream to chase, though I want to say if you truly wanted your own bedroom last night, I have extra rooms.”
“It’s okay.”
“Charlie never knocked sheets on the floor before. He knew I liked everything folded and neat.”
“Right. We were… um…”
“Don’t explain. Please. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I’m hoping you help nudge Charlie to his next level.”
Charlie was fun and needed to move. I had no idea how he was in an office, but if he needed a better idea on his life than I’d brainstorm solutions.
The game ended soon after, and Charlie ran toward me, sweating slightly, and I was tempted to throw my arms around and kiss him, since he was one hundred percent sexy enough. I hugged my hands to my sides to quell the desire.
He smiled. “How was my mom?”
I glanced over my shoulder and saw her from across the crowd. I went to my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “She’s watching us…” As I settled, I answered his question. “She wants you to be who you are without trying to fit in.”
We walked back to the main house, and his father stopped us. “We’re going to go sailing, dear. Come.”
Charlie waved. “On our way to change. Meet you at the yacht.”
Once again, he hadn’t told me. I swallowed and decided it didn’t matter. As we entered the house, I said, “I’ve never been on a yacht.”
Charlie took my hand as we were walking with his family. “We’ll get boat shoes and shorts, so the wind doesn’t get to you.”
At least some explanation. I looked up as we made it to the stairs. “Okay, a quick change and a ponytail.”
He winked at me. “That’s my girl. We’ll head home later today.”
"Girl" was offensive, but coming from Charlie, I let it slide. “I hope you don’t call women at work girls.”
“I… probably wasn’t refined.”
“We can work on it.” I smiled and kissed his cheek. Honestly, he had a pass with everything, since technically we were a lie, but more importantly than that, today he made me feel like I belonged. And I liked that feeling a lot.