Chapter 29
CHAPTER 29
OLIVIA
“ C harlie is going to be our family spokesperson for the filming,” Jack said once we were all settled in their dining room. “Colt has agreed to be featured as well and the rest of us are willing to appear, but we don’t want to be the focus.”
Cody shrugged as he shot his oldest brother an apologetic smile. “That’s what you get for being born first, man.”
Charlie stared impassively back at him. “Being born first also gives me the right to boss all of you around for life. I’m willing to talk some crap to a camera for a day for the privilege.”
Despite myself, I fought yet another smile. As weird as it was, I’d really missed the Andersons. Spending time with them was always fun and no matter how I felt about Charlie, I loved getting to experience the dynamic between them.
Cody opened his mouth, no doubt ready with a witty retort, but their mother gently cut them off. “Boys, let’s allow Olivia to talk, shall we?”
I smiled. “Thanks, Mrs. Anderson.”
Turning my attention mostly to Charlie and Colt, but making sure to make eye contact with everyone else occasionally as well, I dove right in. While I really was enjoying being back here with them, it still wasn’t easy for me to be in a room with Charlie.
The sooner I could get done here, the better.
“So, what we’re trying to achieve here is to make the viewer feel like they’re on the ranch with you. People are loving that kind of thing, where they’re sitting at home, at work, or wherever, and feel like they’re being transported somewhere else.”
“Why don’t they just go somewhere else, then?” Charlie asked, proving that we were going to have a rocky start to the day after all. “Or they could pick up a book. I’ve heard those can be a good escape too.”
I blinked at him, genuinely confused. “You’ve heard ?”
Wyatt laughed. “Charlie’s never been the bookish type. Just him ignore him and tell us what else you need, oh captain, our captain.”
Joining in his laughter, I gave my head a little shake to clear it of the fog of Charlie and looked at Colt again. “It’s really important for you to be authentic and in the moment. Be intentional with the information you’re sharing and communicate clearly.”
Colt snapped his fingers to his forehead in a salute. “Got it, Captain.”
I chuckled, emotionally bracing myself before I slowly moved my gaze back to Charlie’s. “Are we clear?”
“They called you captain , Liv. Not drill sergeant .” A crooked grin appeared on his lips. “If this is going to be any fun at all, you’re going to have to loosen up.”
“You’re going to have to shape up,” I said without skipping a beat. “Poke fun at me all you like, but it’s really important for the audience to feel like they’re here with you when they’re watching it.”
“Relax.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. Those eyes were calm and confident as they locked on mine. “We’ll charm the pants off them.”
I sighed. “Not everything is about people’s pants, Charlie. This is about connection. Transparency. Honesty.”
Out of nowhere, I realized that what I was saying wasn’t only applicable to the camera crew anymore. Jack stood up, grinning at me, and moved toward the door. “Yesterday, you mentioned that your team would need a quick tour of the main areas today. How about I show them around while you guys hammer out the details of the content?”
Mrs. Anderson smiled and followed him, glancing over her shoulder at me as she reached the door. “You’re doing an excellent job, sweetheart. We trust you. Let’s get your people something to drink. Then we’ll show them everything they need to see.”
“That sounds wonderful.” I returned her smile, turning to nod at the few key members of the team I’d brought with me. “We don’t need you in here for this and I want you to have the lay of the land by the time we get started. I’ll come join you when we’re done.”
One by one, they nodded and stood up, joining the Andersons before they disappeared. I wasn’t surprised when Mason shot to his feet, closely followed by Cody and Wyatt.
Mason smirked at me. “Good luck with these two. You’re going to need it. We’ll be authentic if we wind up speaking to the cameras at all, Liv. Don’t worry about us, but keep an eye on them. They’ll mess it up for sure if you give them half a chance.”
“I don’t intend to.” I gave Charlie a pointed look. “You’re a full-on country boy. I’m sure you can manage charming, intentional, and honest, can’t you?”
His jaw ticked, but as always, he wasn’t about to be outdone. “You’re a full-on city girl with an attitude right now, but I’m sure you can manage humble and patient, can’t you?”
My heart jerked in my chest and I lifted my chin a little higher, knowing that I needed to keep it together. While I’d learned that I didn’t know Charlie quite as well as I thought I did, I knew enough about him to know that poking fun at me and this banter was his way of engaging. Of getting me to pay attention to him when I’d gone out of my way not to the last couple times we’d seen each other.
It really wasn’t that difficult to figure out what he was doing. It was more the question of why he was doing it that baffled me. Why did he want my attention if having me around had been such a nightmare?
At the end of the day though, I was doing my best to put on a face like he meant nothing to me. The truth wasn’t quite that simple, but I couldn’t let him know that. I couldn’t let him see how hard this was, or that I couldn’t help but feel all the things for him, or that on the inside, all I wanted was to be close to him.
Despite what I’d overheard, that connection between us hadn’t faded at all and neither had my attraction to him. Charlie Anderson still did things to me that I didn’t understand, and I still wanted him in all the ways I had before.
Why did he have to say those things about me? Why did I have to hear them?
Colt cleared his throat, drawing me out of my thoughts and back to our training session. “Anything else, Liv?”
“Yes.” I blinked hard, forcing my brain to focus on the task at hand. “When you’re talking to the camera, look directly into it. People like to feel that you’re looking at them. Speak clearly and concisely, and if you’re pointing something out or showing it to the camera, remember to move aside after so the cameramen can get a good shot.”
“All of this seems surprisingly logical so far.” Colt grinned at me. “I’m kind of looking forward to it now. Thanks, Liv. You’re the best.”
“We’re not done yet.”
Colt checked his watch and grimaced. “I’ve got to get going. Charlie is going to be the main focus, right? He’s the only one you really need here.”
I bit my teeth but didn’t argue. “Do you really have to go?”
He nodded. “I had to call the vet last night to come check on a few of the cows. They’ll be here soon, but Charlie can let me know what I missed.”
“Sure.” I blew out a slow breath through my nostrils, smiling. Colt stood up, waved, and left, and I glanced back at Charlie. “And then, there were two.”
“The way it was meant to be.” Those blues locked on mine, but to my surprise, he didn’t start joking around or poking more fun at me. In fact, he seemed a lot calmer now that it was just him and me. “Alright, Liv. Talk to me. What else do I need to know for when your cameras get here?”
I drew in a deep breath in an attempt to calm my racing heart. Then I centered myself and got back to the training. Charlie was attentive and pretty sweet for the rest of the session. After we were done, I was packing up when the inevitable finally happened and he brought up the dreaded rodeo.
“Can we please talk about what you heard?” he asked quietly.
I shook my head, my gaze on the rolling pastures outside the window rather than on him. “I don’t need any more information, remember? I heard what I heard and that’s that.”
Picking up my things, I slung my bag over my shoulder and left, deciding that I’d meet the others back at the office instead. I didn’t need another tour of the property and they’d come in their own vehicle, so they didn’t need me to wait.
As I climbed into my car, I felt him watching me, but I was grateful that he was letting me go instead of pushing the issue. He didn’t chase after me or try to stop me from leaving. He simply stared from the porch as I pulled away.
As I got onto the dirt track that led to the main entrance, I glanced into my rearview mirror, surprised to find him still staring after me. Across the distance, I could only just make out the expression on his face, but he seemed kind of sad.
The corners of his mouth were turned down, the look in his eyes forlorn and even his shoulders seeming kind of slumped. My heart gave an uncomfortable squeeze at seeing him like that. It sure didn’t look like he didn’t want me around.
Maybe there’s more to the story?
As I left the ranch, I realized that it was time to call for backup. I’d heard what I’d heard, and I’d thought that was it, but now that I wasn’t so sure, I needed an outside opinion. I didn’t want to be that girl, who forgave some asshole just because he seemed unhappy about being dumped.
Not that I’d dumped him, but… urg. Well, I know what I mean.
“Call Lacey,” I said out loud and the sound of ringing flowed through my speakers.
“How did it go?” she asked when she picked up. “Are you still on the ranch?”
“Nope. I left the team there to get the tour, but I couldn’t stay.” I gripped my steering wheel harder, pressing my foot down on the gas now that I was on blacktop again. “How do you feel about a girls’ night at my place tonight? Tell London too.”
She chuckled. “I’m always down for a girls’ night. Should we do a charcuterie thing? We can each bring a board to share. I’ve been craving that.”
“As long as it comes with wine,” I replied dryly. “That man is driving me to alcohol. I swear, whenever I think I’ve got a grip on what’s going on in his head, something changes drastically.”
“I’ll bring two bottles,” she volunteered. “I’ll talk to London about it after our next meeting. We’ll see you tonight.”
“See you tonight.” I hung up and stared at the landscape ahead as it changed from countryside to city outskirts, and then I was back downtown and driving into a parking garage that made me feel like I’d been hallucinating wide open spaces and countryside just thirty minutes ago.
That was just one more thing I was loving about Texas so far. The diversity of not only the landscape, but the people, the cultures, the building styles, and just the city itself. A sigh escaped me as I realized that already I didn’t quite feel like a New Yorker anymore—despite the fact that these last few days I’d been very intentionally dressing like I used to.
Thankfully, I had enough work to distract me from Charlie and from how much Texas was already changing me. I would also be a city girl at heart, but this whole country thing sure wasn’t bad either.
When I stopped at the grocery store on my way home to pick up what I needed for my charcuterie board, I kept an eye out for Ms. Burl, but she wasn’t there today, which was strangely disappointing. After grabbing what I needed, I went home and changed into shorts and a tank top. I’d only just finished putting together my platter when Lacey and London arrived.
My sister grinned when I opened the door and she held up two bottles of wine. “The food is in my car, but take these and pour us a glass, will you? It’s been a day .”
I chuckled and took the bottles from her. “You got it. Will you close up behind you once Lacey is inside?”
She nodded, glancing over her shoulder to watch our friend park behind her in my driveway. “As long as there’s wine waiting for me, I’ll do anything.”
Laughing, I wondered what Liam had done this time—because her day most definitely involved him— and I turned and went back to my kitchen to fulfill her request. Or maybe it’d been more of a demand.
Either way, I had cold wine ready for them when they joined me and the other bottles were already chilling in the fridge. Lacey smiled gratefully as I handed hers over, but before she’d even taken her first sip, she widened her eyes at me and insisted on getting her answers.
“Are you going to tell us what happened yet?” She waved her free hand in my general direction. “This relaxed, comfortable look is what you’ve had going on since we got here, but ever since the weekend, you’ve been all uptight and put together.”
I laughed. “Gee, thanks. Good to know I don’t look put together when I’m comfortable.”
She rolled her eyes at me. “Don’t be dramatic. You know exactly what I mean.”
“I do,” I admitted, carrying my wine to the living room with me. I’d already taken my charcuterie board there and we sat down with our asses on the floor around my coffee table, sipping our wine and snacking while we talked. “Okay, so what do you want to know?”
“All you’ve told us so far is that it was over with Charlie,” London said. “You haven’t told us why or what he did.”
Lacey swallowed a cracker she’d popped into her mouth and nodded. “Outside of telling us that you got with him, we also didn’t know there was anything going on between you that could be over, so I feel like we’ve got some catching up to do.”
I shook my head. “Not really. We weren’t officially together or anything like that, but it felt like things were moving in that direction.”
“Until?” my sister asked as she brought her wine closer to her lips. “Am I going to want to throw this in his face real soon?”
I shrugged. “You’re going to have to tell me, but I overheard him talking to Dallas after the rodeo last weekend. They didn’t know I was still there. I had to go back for my purse while they were loading up some of the animals.”
“What did he say?” Lacey’s eyes narrowed. “It must’ve been pretty bad.”
“I didn’t stay for the whole conversation, but what I heard was bad enough.” I took a long sip of wine before I finally forced the words out of my mouth. “Basically, he said that he had been clear about it with his dad from the beginning that he didn’t want to work with a woman and that it’d been a nightmare for him having me there.”
“Whoa.” London frowned. “What else?”
“I don’t know. I left after that.”
“You left ?” she asked, her head suddenly shaking back and forth. “Nope. I’m not buying that as the whole story. There has to be more to it. You need to go to him and demand an explanation.”
Lacey arched an eyebrow at her. “Why? If she already heard him being two-faced, why should she waste her time?”
I laughed. “Thanks, guys, so much help.”
“Well,” London said as she moved her gaze back to mine. “I think you should hear him out. In the meantime, just be happy that you can get some space while you feel like you need it. Liam never shuts up and he’s everywhere all the time. There’s no escaping him. I don’t get to have any space.”
“At least he keeps you on your toes.” I grinned at her. “You can’t deny that he’s been challenging you.”
“No, I can’t.” She sighed.
Lacey smiled a suspicious smile and I frowned. “What? Spit it out, Lace.”
“I think he likes you,” she said to London. “Seriously, you should see the way he looks at you when he doesn’t think anyone is watching.”
London scoffed. “No way. We could never look at each other like that. If he’s looking at me at all, it’s because he’s plotting my murder. He’s been around forever. We’ve known each other since we were kids.”
“I could totally see it,” I said, chuckling as I swiped my phone off the counter. “Let’s Facetime Abigail and see what she thinks. I miss her, and I’m pretty sure she’s going to take our side.”