Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
L iving in a town with a population barely cresting five thousand made it very hard to avoid people. So color Charlie surprised when she managed to avoid another run in with Luc until the moment she stepped into her next anger management class. This time, the sexy infuriating man had already arrived and was greeting people as they walked in. He graced her with a killer smile that did not make her stomach jump and pitch like the first drop of a roller coaster.
No, it most certainly did not.
He seemed back to his calm, happy self. Whatever jumped up and bit his ass the other day when he drove her and Cassie home had obviously been temporary. She didn’t feel any coolness or weird vibes coming off him now.
Give him time, Charlie. You’re good at pissing people off.
She couldn’t tell if that cynical voice in her head belonged to her brothers or her own inner fear. Don’t get her wrong, she liked who she was. She liked being known as the chick who didn’t take crap from anybody, but at times she wondered if all the bristling she did was just a way to keep everyone at an arm’s length.
A chuckle escaped her lips as she took her seat next to Apple. Keep people at an arm’s length? Good grief, one class in and she was starting to think in therapy mumbo jumbo. She was fine. If people couldn’t handle the real her then they could bounce. No skin off her nose.
“I got the scoop on Professor Hottie,” Apple muttered, staring across the room at Luc. “We gotta start calling him Doctor Hottie because he’s the new therapist who’s working—”
“At the hospital. I know.”
Bushy white eyebrows rose. “Oh really, and how do you know that, missy?”
No sense hiding it since she had to have her car towed and tires fixed. Hell, she was surprised word hadn’t gotten back to Apple.
“I blew a tire the other night and Luc came along and gave me and Cassie a ride home. They got to chatting and stuff.”
“Mmmmm hmmmm. He took you girls home, did he? What a white knight thing to do.” Apple snorted. “Never trusted a white knight.”
“Amen,” she said, lifting her fist up for Apple to bump.
“Although,” Apple mused, sitting back against her chair back. “Sometimes those good boys are the wildest in bed.”
X-rated images of Luc using that clipboard he always had in class against the naked flesh of her ass as he punished her for being a “bad girl” filled her mind. Her body heated as she envisioned him stripping every item of clothing off her body, caressing her naked skin with his large hands and soft lips. A rush of desire enveloped her, her face flushed with warmth. The skin burned when she placed a hand to her cheek. When the old woman cackled, she scowled, dropping her hand.
“Stop it! You’re terrible. Cassie was there the whole time. Nothing…naughty happened or will happen.” It couldn’t. Not with Luc.
“Oh child, you’ve got it bad.”
“I do not!”
“Yes, you do. Want to know how I know?”
Not really, but Apple would tell her anyway so no point in stopping her.
“Because any woman who takes one look at that tall, delicious piece of man would be a fool not to have it. He’s handsome, charming, and works to help people. Real life hero stuff.”
All true. Didn’t mean she had a thing for Luc.
“If I were you, I’d snatch him up before someone else does.”
She glanced in the direction Apple was not-so-subtly nodding to see Kim standing by Luc’s side, hand on his arm, laughing at whatever the hell he said. If the woman stood any closer, she’d be cling-wrapped to the guy. Whatever. She didn’t care. The only reason she felt a slight bit of annoyance was because Kim was technically married. Her husband may step out, but that didn’t give Kim the right to go catting about herself. She should just divorce the bastard and be done with him. Using Luc as revenge against her husband was just low. And it wasn’t fair to Luc, either. That was the only reason this dark, sick feeling rolled around in her gut.
Yup. No other reason.
If Luc wanted to be complacent in the affairs of a desperate housewife, who was she to stop it? But, looking at the guy, he didn’t seem to be encouraging Kim’s attempt at flirting. In fact, she noticed—because she was staring far too intently—he gently took Kim’s hand off his arm, took a step back and motioned for her to take her seat. The woman complied with a little pout.
“Strike out.” Apple sucked some air through her dentures. “Don’t know why that poor thing doesn’t just divorce that waste of space called her husband. She doesn’t need him, and lord knows the prick hasn’t been around enough to be any sort of father to poor Bella.”
Her thoughts exactly, but then again, she wasn’t in the relationship. She had no idea what went on behind closed doors. All she knew is that she’d never let a man treat her that way. Exhibit one, her ex. The day she caught him cheating she’d kicked his ass to the curb.
And then he sold Puddles.
Melancholy tried to sweep its way over her, but she pushed it aside. Now was not the time.
“Good morning, everyone. I’m glad to see you all again. I want to begin today by going over the breathing exercises we learned last week.”
Everyone settled down as Luc called the class to order. Stepping into the middle of the circle of chairs, he glanced around the room. His gaze landed on her briefly and for a moment she forgot to breathe all together.
“Okay, deep breath in and let it out. Count to four on the inhale,” he paused, motioning with his hands to breathe in. “And let it out, counting to eight on the exhale. Visualize all the tension and anger leaving your body.”
“I think this would work better if I visualized our instructor entering my body,” Apple whispered.
She choked on the breath exiting her lips, laughter bursting out of her at the unwanted image of Apple and Luc doing the nasty. “Oh shit, Apple! I’m going to need my mind bleached by the truck load.”
“Women age like fine wine my dear. We don’t need any little blue pills to keep the fires roaring. Though, an industrial size can of lubricant is sometimes necessary.”
With Apple one could either be horrified or entertained. Charlie chose entertainment, always. Her sides ached as she tried unsuccessfully to hold in the laughter at the woman’s salacious statements. Everyone knew Apple liked to shock people, but what most people failed to see was that the old lady was funny as hell.
“Something amusing, ladies?”
Uh oh, busted. Trying to get a hold of herself, Charlie shook her head. “Nope. We’re good.”
“We’d be better if you taught with your shirt off.”
The words were muttered so quietly only Charlie could hear—the sneaky biddy’s intent no doubt—and she broke out into gut clenching chuckles once more.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I just, um, I’m fine now. Sorry. Go on.”
Dark eyes glanced back and forth between her and Apple. Luc tilted his head, lips curling at the edges. Oh no, that wasn’t a happy smile. She grew up with three brothers. She knew a call-her-on-her-bullshit smile from a mile away. All she could do now was hope he called out Apple and not her.
“Actually, Ms. Jackson.”
Crap!
“I believe I would like your help with this next exercise. If you don’t mind?” He motioned for her to come join him. She absolutely did mind, but knowing there was no way out of it, she stood and headed toward him.
* * *
Luc watched as Charlie came toward him with all the distrust in the world burning from those bright blue eyes. The woman had a chip bigger than all of Texas on her shoulder. “Back off” vibes radiated off of every inch of her body. He knew the look. Hell, he’d lived it. All that bravado was just a cover. A wall of ice to protect oneself against a world of pain inside. And, dammit he wanted to help. He wanted to help them all. That’s why he did things like this. He knew what it felt like to be so angry at the world, at yourself, that you could barely function. To hold onto so much pain that the only thing you could do to keep it from overwhelming you was lash out at anyone and everyone around you.
The woman standing two feet in front of him, a bored look on her round face, a cool daring challenge in her eyes, might not be as bad as he was, but he could still see her anger. He saw her pain. She could fight it all she wanted, but he would help her. He’d try his damned best.
Admittedly, it threw him the other day when she told him she owned a bar. He wasn’t a big fan of bars. No surprise considering his past, but he didn’t begrudge others enjoying them. He knew where to place blame. An addict could find their fix anywhere. They didn’t need a bar to get drunk. And in his experience, most business owners with liquor licenses were very responsible with their customer’s limits. Otherwise, they could be held accountable.
Besides, it wasn’t like they were in a relationship. He wasn’t dating Charlie Jackson. He was helping her to control her anger. And nothing more.
“We’re going to try something. I want you to trust me.”
She snorted. “My mother always said never to trust a man who says, ‘trust me.’”
Fair point. “Okay, then trust the process.”
At her skeptical look, he sighed. She was a tough nut, he’d give her that, but he had patience on his side. Something he’d worked long and hard for.
“I want you to close your eyes.”
He waited. She arched one brow, but when he didn’t continue, she rolled her beautiful sky-blue eyes before closing them tight.
“Now, go back to the last time you felt angry. Can you see it?”
“Yeah.” Eyes still closed; her lips turned up in an impish grin. “Some dude tried to shame me for being too busy to keep up on car maintenance.”
He cleared his throat to hide the laughter. One thing for sure, Charlie was one smartass woman, and he found that surprisingly charming. But in truth, he hadn’t shamed her. He also had a sneaky suspicion there was a deeper reason for her forgetfulness and quick rush to frustration, one rooted in neurodivergence. But he wasn’t her therapist, so he wasn’t going to suggest it. Yet.
“I’m sure he was just trying to help. Trying to be a good neighbor by offering advice. But he could have offered it in a better, less judgmental way, I suppose.”
She cracked one eye open. He shook his head. Once she’d closed it, he spoke again.
“Try again, but this time find a moment that didn’t irritate you or merely inconvenience you, but really twisted you up inside. I want you to look deep and pick a time when someone did or said something to you that hurt.”
Her brow drew down, mouth tightening.
“Think of a moment when the pain was so intense it changed, morphed from pain to rage. When all you could think of was how it was eating you alive and you had to react. Had to lash out, before the hurt consumed you.”
“Puddles.”
The word left her lips on a whisper. He had no idea what it meant, but judging by the tension in her body, the agony encompassed in that one word, they were getting somewhere.
“Good. Now I want you to push past the anger and rage and investigate the sadness behind it. Look at what is truly painful about that moment and face it. Don’t mask it with fury. Acknowledge the root of the problem and accept where the anger came from.”
Her eyes snapped open. The pale blue depths overflowed with emotions, anger, sadness, fear. He saw it all in her gaze. Raw and exposed as she stared at him. She blinked back the fine sheen of tears trying to escape. Calling the wetness back with a force he recalled all too well. She was hurting, but she didn’t want to admit it. He could respect that, but he also needed her to recognize where her anger came from. Otherwise, she’d never move on from it.
“Neat trick.” Her voice was husky, emotions she tried valiantly to hide, clogging her throat. “You gonna guess my weight and height next? Do I win a prize if you get it wrong?”
Not quite ready to face her demons. That was okay. They had time and he wasn’t giving up on her. Not on any of them. He made a vow to himself to make a difference in people’s lives. To repay the second chance he’d received. No matter how resistant she was, he would help Charlie Jackson. Whether she thanked him or not.