32. Henry and Charlotte
A week had passed since the rodeo dance, and tonight, Henry and Charlotte were going out to dinner with Josh and Effie.
He desperately needed a second opinion, so he urgently dialed his future daughter-in-law.
“Help! I’m having, believe it or not, a wardrobe crisis.
Can you come over?” Though he had woken up every morning with Charlotte in his arms, he explained to Effie, “I want to look my best. It’s only our second date, really, and you know Charlotte will be magnificent.
” Undoubtedly, his life’s value had increased exponentially with her in it: the sun shone brighter, the breeze felt more refreshing, his food tasted better, and he had to match her in the sunshine and positivity she exuded. Or try to, anyway.
The benefit of his son and Effie living just around the block meant she arrived two minutes later, with a knock on his bedroom door.
“Henry! Has a tornado been through Beverley?” Strewn across his bed were a dozen shirts, all tossed aside for various reasons.
“Well, I see why you rejected these,” Effie remarked, pointing to the bed.
“They’re fine under normal circumstances, but not if you want to drive Charlotte mad. ”
“I don’t know if that’s my intention.” Henry flushed. What Effie didn’t know was that he had already figured out at least a hundred different ways to drive Charlotte mad, and they all had the same effect on him, too.
Effie laughed. “Trust me. She wants to be driven mad.” Effie ducked into his closet. “No. No. No. Ah, we have a winner!” She presented a long-sleeved royal blue western shirt he hadn’t worn in years.
“Are you sure? I may have gone up a size or two since I bought that.”
Effie eyed him. “Trust me. Even if it’s a little tight, Charlotte will go crazy.
Maybe even more if it’s tight,” Effie winked.
“I’m kidding, Henry. Try it on over your t-shirt.
” Henry complied, and Effie clapped her hands.
“See! I knew it! And that color? Makes your blue eyes pop! You know brown-eyed women love blue-eyed men!” She batted her own golden-brown eyes at him.
“I have to get home now and make sure Josh and I look as good as you and Charlotte!” She kissed his cheek. “See you in a bit!”
Ready to surprise Henry when he arrived, Charlotte was waiting in her driveway, giddy with anticipation, despite the fact that she’d seen him less than four hours ago.
Her heart thumped when he pulled up to the curb.
“Hey.” She leaned into the open window of his car, greeting him with a kiss.
“I thought we’d take the Tempest.” She dangled the keys in front of him, and he beamed at her, which was the reaction she was looking for.
She scooted back so he could open the door, and when he stepped out, the rays of the setting sun highlighted his silvery blond hair.
“You look so handsome.” She greeted him with a kiss.
“I love this color on you! I especially love the way your shoulders look.” Her fingers trailed down the front.
“And snaps again? Are you trying to seduce me before dinner?” Henry’s hands slid from her waist down to the curve of her bottom, pressing her into his solid strength.
With her hair flowing around her, she was stunning, and he wrapped a palmful of her dark hair around his hand, letting strands sift through his fingers. “I’m sure we can spare fifteen minutes, right?”
By the time they arrived at the Cattlemen’s Club Steakhouse, they were breathless and flushed, and Effie flashed Charlotte a knowing look with her eyebrow raised. Charlotte fought back a grin and lost, mindful that her neck showed the evidence of their late arrival.
Drinks were ordered and appetizers chosen before Henry’s heart rate settled into a normal pattern. “Dad, mind if I drop by the shop tomorrow? I think I need some new brake pads. I’ll do them myself, but I thought it’d be nice to bring some breakfast over, and we can eat first.”
“You can come, but I won’t be there.”
Josh reacted with an open-mouthed stare. “What? But it’s Saturday.”
“I’m taking the day off,” Henry grinned to Charlotte, who rubbed her hand up his thigh underneath the table.
“You’re taking tomorrow off. Saturday. The day you’ve always said is the busiest day of your week?” Josh moved aside to let the waiter place their appetizers on the table.
Effie passed around platters of sausage-stuffed mushrooms and grilled shrimp with garlic butter.
“Babe, if your dad wants to take tomorrow off, why don’t we let him do that?
” Effie took her fiancé’s hand in her own, bringing it to her lips for a kiss.
“It’s good, right, Josh?” She nudged him under the table, which Charlotte felt, since Effie’s foot grazed her knee on the way to Josh’s.
“Obviously,” Josh acknowledged. “I’ve just never known him to take a day off.” Then, he leaned over to kiss Effie’s forehead.
Charlotte ducked her head to hide her smile, touched by Henry’s thoughtfulness. He had told her this morning that he was thinking of taking the day off, but had not confirmed it, and her mind filled with possibilities for them. “So, tell me how the wedding planning is going.”
“Everything is really coming along. Only one thing, actually, since there are a few extra invitations.” Effie turned to Josh. “Are you sure about—”
Josh cut her off, “Yes. And the answer is still no,” his tone stern. “Effie is concerned I’ll have second thoughts about not reaching out to Mom.”
Henry’s stomach dropped. He’d support his son’s decision no matter what, but would not look forward to seeing his ex-wife at the wedding.
The risk that she could ruin it in some way, or at least dampen the happy day, was too high.
Plus, he had no interest in knowing where she was, and the last thing he wanted was an address. “And you’ve decided…?”
“I want our wedding day to be all about love. And when I think about Mom, that’s not what I feel. So no.”
Effie held up her hands. “Okay, I just wanted to check one last time. And with your dad here, in case he had an opinion.”
“I will support whatever Josh wants.” Henry suspected that his son’s stubborn streak would make it impossible for Melanie to be invited, and he hoped that held true.
Their food arrived, and once everyone had their entrée, Charlotte cut into her filet Oscar.
“And how are the alterations on your dress coming along?” Effie had mentioned that her gown had been a size too small when it arrived, but with the date of the wedding so close, she had chosen a seamstress in town to do the work.
Between bites of her trout almandine, Effie brought out her phone to show Charlotte pictures of her wedding dress, warning Josh, “No peeking!”
Josh raised his eyebrows. “As if I would ever. I fully respect your wish to knock me off my feet on our wedding day.” He brought Effie’s hand to his mouth to kiss the top. “Like you do every day.”
“Oh, babe.” With her other hand on the back of Josh’s neck, Effie pulled his head to hers. Henry’s heart warmed with the easy affection his son shared with Effie.
Charlotte scrolled through several photos of Effie wearing her altered gown, and tears caught in her throat.
“Oh, Effie, it is stunning. I can’t wait to see you in it in person.
” Nor could she wait to be on the arm of the man sitting next to her, and she tingled as his hand stroked up her knee to the inside of her thigh.
Their server, Nevaeh, came around to ask about dessert, and Effie yawned. “Yes, but can we get ours to go? I’ve had a long day. The girls had cross-country practice at five this morning, so this early bird needs her nest.”
“No problem,” Neveah responded. “My sister woke me up this morning when she left for it, so I get it. Everyone for takeout dessert then?” Charlotte nodded after confirming with Henry.
With their desserts between them in the front seat, Charlotte studied Henry behind the wheel of her Tempest, excruciatingly attractive. Moving the food to the back, she leaned over the expanse of the front seat and ran her hand down his arm. “Do you know how sexy you are, Henry?”
He shook his head, chuckling as he slipped the key into the ignition. “Is it the shirt? Effie said you’d like it.”
Sliding closer to him, Charlotte pressed her lips to his ear, “Oh, it’s the shirt, but mostly it’s the man in the shirt.
” Powerless to keep her hands off him, she hooked one leg over his lap, thankful that both the design of her classic car and the cut of her skirt allowed her enough room to sit astride his lap.
Henry had mindfully parked the car at the far end of the lot, telling her that it was well away from anyone who might ding one of the doors, and at this moment, Charlotte appreciated his carefulness even more.
Cupping his aroused face in her hands, she kissed him, softly at first, until one of them deepened it.
Charlotte tore her lips from his. “I’ve wanted you all night.
” Her hand slid down the front of his chest, popping the snaps, until she reached his waistband.
“Charlotte,” Henry growled, “all I could think of during dinner was how the candlelight twinkling in your hair made me want to see your curls around your bare shoulders, like this.” He gently tugged the shoulders of her dress down.
“Because then I could tip your head back, and do this.” His tongue tasted her neck, sucking at the base, before his lips moved down, pulling on the neck of her dress even more until he exposed the lacy cups of her bra.
“And then I’d remember how your thighs are so warm…
so soft…and all I wanted was to be between them.
” She gripped his shoulders as she cried into his mouth.
Forgetting about his car at Charlotte’s, they ended up at Henry’s house because it was closer to the restaurant. In his bed, he drew a circle on Charlotte’s stomach with his thumb, unable to remember a time of greater contentment.