Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Charlie
C harlie was bouncing as she made her way along Cape Wilde’s Main Street a few days later, coffee in hand. She couldn’t wipe the smile from her face.
She’d seen Rhett every day. Picnics by the ocean. Boat trips to see the puffins that migrated to the area. Drives to nearby towns to the many markets that seemed to be a constant fixture in the holiday season. Every chance Rhett could get away from work, he spent with her. And she, in return, put off her real reason for being in Cape Wilde.
But she couldn’t put it off anymore. She tried to put Rhett out of her mind. She needed to focus on the offer she was about to make to the owner of the land she intended to buy. But, try as she might, her thoughts drifted back to Rhett.
Despite the way their first meeting had gone, Rhett had insisted that they take things slowly. He knew she was only there for a little while, and she figured she could always visit again. It was a bit of a drive from New York, but she never took her PTO. It might be nice to have somewhere—and someone—to visit. And when the resort project started, she’d see if she could get on the team. Then she’d see him almost every day.
She grinned, imagining the future with her hottie outdoorsman by her side. It was almost as if she could feel Rhett’s large hands on her. His touch was like fire, lighting her up inside in ways she had thought were long dead.
Charlie liked her curves, and she wasn’t ashamed of her body. But that didn’t mean she was immune to nasty comments. She had once been set up on a blind date, only to have the guy tell her he was sorry, but she was too fat for him. Her father constantly commented on everything she ate as a teenager until she stopped eating in front of him, which wasn’t particularly hard considering how much he worked.
And even the supposedly friendly comments could get to her. Like the woman in her spin class at the gym telling her how much of an inspiration she was for working out in a sports bra. But she didn’t say that to any of the size four women in the class who were doing the same.
So when Rhett looked at her as if she was the most gorgeous woman he’d ever laid eyes on, she had bloomed inside. She couldn’t wait to see him again tonight after he finished work.
The few times they’d talked about work, she’d said she was in investments in New York, which was what she usually said when she didn’t want people to judge her for her money. Sinclair Properties was so well known on the east coast that it never took long for people to treat her differently. And she didn’t want Rhett to treat her differently.
He said he worked in the family business, something about doing tours of the local area. Considering the odd hours he worked, that made sense to Charlie. She didn’t push, knowing he’d tell her more when he was ready.
So she’d saved his number into her phone as ‘Cape Wilde Cutie’, which had him blushing when she’d shown him. It seemed like Mr. Sex-on-legs was a little under appreciated, which she planned to rectify. Over and over again.
He was all broad shoulders and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see into her soul. When he smiled and that dimple appeared in his left cheek, her stomach flip-flopped.
She took a deep breath and huffed it out, trying to focus. Charlie’s ponytail swung back and forth as she strode up the street, this time in ballet flats and a cherry red wrap dress that made her feel like she belonged in the 1940s. The fabric had white polka dots on it, and a little frill at the neck where the deep vee crossed over to tie at her hip. She’d worn her favorite red lipstick to match, her large tote with her laptop and folio inside slung over her shoulder.
She mentally ran over the proposal she’d prepared. It was a good one, an offer above market value, but within her father’s allowed budget for the project. All things going to plan, she could get the paperwork signed today and then have a few more days to enjoy her stay in the town.
A few more days to enjoy spending with Rhett.
She took a sip of her coffee, sighing. It was delicious, a surprise considering she’d never really had passable coffee outside New York. The man who served her every day at Wilde Buns—the name of the bakery that had her lips twitching in amusement—had even remembered her order.
Charlie stopped in front of a rundown shop and glanced at the address on her phone calendar. ‘Cape Wilde Outdoor Adventures’ was painted on the glass window in faded colors. It was the right place, and it looked like the owner wasn’t having a good time of it, going by the peeling paint.
She glanced down the street at the other shop fronts, cheery pots of flowers flanking the steps and bright displays in the windows. Frowning, she compared them to the empty pots with stubbed out cigarette butts instead of plants, and a shop window apparently used to store old archive boxes.
Maybe the owner would be happy to sell the land to her? Her father hadn’t succeeded, but times changed. It certainly looked like they could use the money. Only one way to find out, she figured, pushing the door open on squeaky hinges, the bell attached to the door jangling loudly.
The dusty interior could really do with some work, she thought as she examined the mountain of camping gear stacked in the corner and what had obviously once been a reception desk but was now piled high with guidebooks and maps that teetered precariously.
The sound of booted footsteps had Charlie turning, a polite smile on her face. Until Rhett walked into the room, wiping his hands on a rag.
Broad shoulders stretched the fabric of his flannel shirt, which was unbuttoned over a white tee shirt. A very tight white tee shirt that did nothing to hide his muscular torso. It was his uniform, she’d discovered. Flannel and denim. She didn’t hate it at all.
Besides, the man had muscles on top of muscles and there was something about a broad-shouldered man in butt-hugging jeans that made her knees weak.
The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up over broad forearms, and as he folded his arms over his chest, her gaze jumped to his face.
“Morning, what can I—” he broke off as he looked and saw her. He smiled and tilted his head. “Charlie? What are you doing here?”
At first, Charlie wondered if she’d made a mistake, but no, she’d definitely come to the right place. Was Cape Wilde Outdoor Adventures the family business Rhett had said he worked at? She’d just have to ask Rhett where the owner was.
“Um, hi Rhett. I wanted to speak to Henry West,” she said, pulling the folio out of her tote to give herself something to do.
“Henry West?” Rhett’s smile fell, and his eyes focused on her folio with suspicion.
She took a step closer and his eyes—those intense blue eyes she’d drowned in last night—snapped to hers.
“Yes, he’s the owner, isn’t he? I wanted to talk to him about the land out at?—”
Rhett’s hands tightened into fists. “The land. You’re here about the land.”
“That’s right. I work for Sinclair Properties?—”
Rhett closed his eyes and laughed, but it was bitter and humorless. “I should have known.”
This was not going well at all.
“Sorry?”
He shook his head. “I knew it was too good to be true.”
“What was?”
“You.”
His blue eyes were so fiercely angry that she took an involuntary step back.
“I knew you were too good to be true.”
“I don’t understand.” Charlie’s head was swimming. What was he talking about?
“Let me explain then, beautiful.”
The endearment did not sound at all complimentary and she flinched.
“Henry was my grandfather. He died and left me the business. I own the land. But you knew that already, didn’t you?”
“What? No!”
He shook his head, crossing his arms in front of his broad chest. “Don’t deny it. You people have been trying to get us to sell for years. For what? To knock down all the trees and build some huge resort that would kill the atmosphere of our town? Let alone what it would do for the local environment. Not going to happen.”
Charlie’s chest clenched. He really thought the worst of her. That she’d come here to what, seduce him into selling the land? She felt sick at the thought. Of all the things her father had done, there’s no way he’d stoop to prostituting his daughter to get a deal.
You told your father you’d do anything to prove you belonged in the business.
She cringed.
“No, Rhett. I didn’t come here to seduce you into selling the land.”
He scoffed and looked to one side, refusing to meet her eyes.
She closed the distance between them, lifting a hand towards him and then dropping it when he flinched away. “I’m the same person?—”
He laughed again, and she ground her teeth in frustration.
“—despite what you think of my father’s company.”
He turns on her, staring daggers at her. “You’re Sinclair’s daughter?”
Oh, that was a mistake. She grimaced and nodded.
“Your father—” he almost spat the word “—would come to town every year or two, trying to bribe my grandfather to sell the land. Pop had the same answer that I do. No.”
She felt torn. This deal had to work, or she’d lose everything she’d worked so hard for. But all her daydreams about a future with Rhett were slipping through her fingers, too. There had to be a way she could make this work, or she’d lose Rhett and her father would never give her any responsibility again.
“Look, this time it’s me, not him, and there’s a different proposal. Would you just look?—”
Rhett smiled like a predator. “Oh no, beautiful. I’ve been running this business since I was fifteen years old. Trust me when I say there will never be a deal with your dad.”
Charlie blinks up at him, not sure what to say. This has not gone at all like she’d planned. It felt like someone had taken her entire world, turned it upside down and was shaking it. How had everything gone so wrong?
“Will you at least look at the offer?” She tried again, her tone pleading as she held out the folio, expecting him to take it from her hands. His lips pressed together in a thin line and his gaze was icy. She stepped back and let go of the folio, but he didn’t take it.
She watched as the contents fluttered to the ground, paper spilling around his feet like all her lost hopes and dreams.
Her father will never let her take on anything of importance. She’ll never be his heir. She would always be the unworthy daughter.
“Get out,” Rhett practically snarled.
Charlie reared back at the venom in his tone. Biting her lip, she tried one more time. “Rhett, I?—”
“I said get out!” He didn’t shout, but it was a near thing. The tendons in his neck strained and he was practically spitting with anger.
Charlie turned and darted for the door, barely hearing the cheery jangle of the bell as she made her escape.