21. Clouded By Stupidity
21
CLOUDED BY STUPIDITY
N ot again.
Charlotte pushed back from her desk and moved to the front door. She’d seen the Porsche pull into her driveway and was going to meet Landon before he could set foot on her property.
She opened her front door and walked the few steps to stop at the top step so when he came around she was there with her hands on her hips.
“What has happened to you?” Landon asked.
“What?” she asked. It was the horrified look on his face that had her looking around that maybe slime had exploded on her house and she was covered in green goo.
“You don’t look anything at all like the woman I fell in love with.”
She couldn’t even hold the snort back on that. He’d never loved her. Never even said those words.
He was more along the lines of saying “the same” when she told him she loved him.
Now she knew it wasn’t love and she was just clouded by stupidity.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said.
“Your clothes. They are so...basic. And your hair. It’s not styled. You don’t have any makeup on either.”
She started to laugh.
Yep, all the things she did...or didn’t do daily now.
She got up, showered, found clothes and got to work. If she had to be on a video call, she put a bit more effort into her appearance.
She never realized how freeing it was to not care about those silly things.
“I’m working,” she said. “I don’t have to see anyone and this is what I wear.”
Landon got a sympathetic look on his face. “I know, you’re grieving our breakup,” he said. “It’s why you let yourself go. That and moving out here. Why don’t you stop being silly and come back to me where you belong?”
She started to laugh. Truly laugh. “I’m not grieving anything,” she said. “Sorry. What’s the matter, do you need someone to host a party for you again? One of your friends has a new girlfriend and you need to show me off?”
Landon’s face twisted some into the expression of an ugly prick that she’d wished she’d seen in the beginning.
Live and learn.
She was learning now.
“Just cut it out, Charlotte, and pack a bag to come back to me. I’m sure your landlord can find someone else to rent this place.”
She growled. “I own this house. I bought it. It’s mine and I’m not leaving. But you’re leaving.”
Landon didn’t look as if he believed her. Then Marco started to bark and claw at the glass door.
“What is that? Do you have a dog too?”
An even more appalled look on his face. Landon thought pets were filthy.
“I do,” she said. “I found he’s more stable in my bed than you were.”
“What does that mean?” Landon asked. He looked down at his shoes as if he thought walking on her sidewalk he might have stepped in poop. She wished he had.
“It means I always know where he is. I don’t have to wonder.”
“You’re still holding onto that. I’ll change,” Landon said.
“I don’t care if you change or not,” she said. “If you do, maybe the next idiot will have better luck with you than me.”
She could almost see the moment that Landon finally realized she was speaking the truth.
“I don’t believe you. You’re still trying to work it out,” Landon said. “Or maybe you’re hoping your new neighbor will find some interest in you. You like the men with the money. He’s too young for you, though the money criteria is there. Or maybe you just have some itches that need to be scratched before you come to your senses.”
She was insulted over his words, but it was not the first time he’d done that to her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said. “Are you getting senile?”
Landon smirked. “Foster Carlisle,” he said. “When he stopped me a few weeks ago here, I thought he looked familiar. It took me a few days to place him. Just saying, if you don’t watch yourself, he’ll be knocking on your door. Or maybe you want him too for the money and all.”
She wasn’t going to show any reaction to the fact that Landon recognized Foster. Or that his last name wasn’t Mitchell.
“You’re crazy,” she said, pointing her finger. “You can leave. I’m going back to work. I’m not sure how many more times I need to tell you we are done. I mean it.”
She turned and walked back into her house and locked the door, then picked up Marco for a comforting snuggle.
The minute Landon’s Porsche sped down her street, she went to her computer and typed in Foster Carlisle to see who the hell he was.
She read he was VP of Digital Technology and then saw the name of the corporation.
No...
Then she clicked on images to find any photos of him.
There he was, with his brother, billionaire West Carlisle.
She spent the next hour reading anything she could on Foster, which wasn’t much.
But she did find out more about his family.
He hadn’t lied to her.
He was one of eight kids. His mother and two of his other siblings seemed to be living in North Carolina. The youngest, Talia. He’d said that name.
His father had died in the service too.
She was so furious that she had no idea who he was.
Here she was spilling her guts to him that she always ended up with older men and those with money. Though she knew Foster had a good job and had to have some money due to his house and boat, she didn’t think it was this kind of money.
More money than anyone else she’d dated, she’d bet.
Not a billionaire like his brother. Or like Drew was, but still.
“Urgh!!!!”
Marco let out a whine.
This was one of those times she wished she had some close friends she could call for advice.
There was only one person who could help her and she wasn’t sure she wanted to bother her sister.
Rather than call, she sent a text to see how Amanda was doing.
It was after lunch and she wouldn’t be surprised if her sister was busy or maybe even napping.
When the phone rang, she jumped, then looked down to see it was Amanda.
“Hi,” she said.
“I thought I’d call you,” Amanda said. “Harper just went down for a nap and so did Liam. The house is quiet and I’m on the deck soaking up the views.”
“That’s wonderful,” she said. “Are you resting up like you should be? Getting enough sleep?”
“I feel great,” she said. “I really do. We are in a nice routine on top of it.”
She debated for a few seconds if she wanted to unload on her sister and when the first tear fell she had to. “I just found out who Foster is and I’m so mad.”
“Who is he?” Amanda asked. “I thought you knew and were getting along so well.”
“His name is Foster Carlisle. Foster Mitchell Carlisle.”
“So he lied?”
“No,” she said. “That is the funny part. I played it back in my head and realized he told me the truth. That he was named after his father’s friend, the names were reversed. So I’m assuming that guy was Mitchell Foster. I just assumed.”
“How did you find out?” Amanda asked. “And why are you upset?”
“Landon showed up here an hour ago all but begging me to go back with him. That is until he got a look at me in my normal attire now.” She started to laugh hysterically. “He was conceited enough to think I looked like hell because I was grieving him.”
“You looked fine when I saw you,” Amanda said.
“He didn’t like the fact I was in shorts and a T-shirt. He was in a suit. It’s almost ninety out and he’s standing in my front yard in a suit as if he was getting ready to go kiss some client’s ass.”
“You’re swearing,” Amanda said. “You don’t do that often. Back to Foster.”
“He’s West Carlisle’s brother. Billionaire West Carlisle.”
“Oh,” Amanda said. “But it’s his brother, not him.”
“I know,” she said. “But he still has money. Here I told him all my sordid dating past and he probably thinks I’m after him for his money.”
“First off,” Amanda said, “you didn’t know who he was so you couldn’t be after him for anything other than what you know and have told me. What you feel for him. Just remember that.”
“I’m trying to tell myself that.”
“Then keep doing it,” Amanda said.
“I feel as if he played me,” she said. “That it was some game. I know he’s guarded. I get it.”
“Maybe you should ask him why he is,” Amanda said. “Didn’t you tell me before that he doesn’t like people or crowds? He doesn’t like going into the City either.”
“Yes,” she said. “All those things.”
“Did you stop to think that maybe if people know who he is, they’d look at him differently?” Amanda asked. “I’m not trying to make excuses for him. I don’t know him like you do. But I know what it’s like to be married to a man who is known by his last name.”
“I know,” she said. “That is why I called you. Give me advice.”
“I’m not sure what to tell you other than to hear him out. Ask him the hard questions. Don’t go light. Don’t let him off the hook, but listen too. To me, if you brush this off like it’s not a big deal, it will set the tone for future issues. Just saying.”
“Good advice,” she said. “Something I’ve learned in the past too. The same reason Landon came back. Because I always waiver and never stand my ground.”
“Now is your chance to show you have changed.”