Chapter Twenty-Four
“Okay, that’s a wrap,” Charity said to Maureen a few hours later.
The bride and groom had already changed clothes and were on their way via limo to the airport to start their honeymoon. The reception was officially over, and the guests were making their way to the parking lot.
“You heading home to nurse that headache?” Maureen asked as she supervised the takedown of the table linens in the ballroom by her staff.
“That obvious?”
“Kolby told me.”
Charity remembered the icy glass of soda he’d sent over. The moment the caffeine hit her system, the pain began to ebb. Somewhat. “I’ve got a hot date with my couch and some chocolate candy.”
“Chocolate helps?”
“It never hurts.”
Maureen laughed. “Come into the kitchen. I want to give you something.”
Following her, she glanced around. “You seen Kolby?”
“He’s out by the gazebo. Both sets of parents asked for formal pics out there, so he told them he’d do it when the reception ended.”
“Oh.”
“Here.” Maureen handed her a paper bag. “It’s a bunch of chocolate-chocolate chip cookies I whipped up last night. Lucas has been pining for them and I finally took pity on him and made a batch.”
“Don’t you want these for him, then? I don’t want to deprive him.”
“That man’s never been deprived of chocolate in his life,” Maureen said with a huge grin. “I made three batches. One for him, another for the inn, and a third I froze for when he gets a craving. Or I do.”
“Thank you.”
She wrapped Maureen in a hug, which the woman readily returned.
“You’re still pale. You got anything going on tomorrow?”
“I have to teach a class, but other than that I can sleep in, since it's not until the afternoon.”
She hugged the innkeeper one more time, then grabbed her bag and headed toward the front door. Should she stop and check on Kolby? Tell him she was leaving?
Despite the soda delivery, she was still angry about finding him and Mandy in the hallway. Jealousy had prompted her to say what she had, an emotion she never would have bet in a million years she’d feel for him.
To be jealous of someone or something you could never hope to have was just ridiculous and a sure waste of time and energy.
After speaking with Olivia Joyner and telling her she was ready to be set up again on another date, she’d hoped to feel better about the whole lusting after Kolby situation.
Being proactive in her future was the goal, not sitting on the sidelines and wanting a man who didn’t picture a future with the same ending she did.
Why then did she feel so unsettled?
Blame it on the brain pain, she said as she started her car and pointed it toward her apartment. Forget Kolby. She needed to concentrate on herself and her life plan.
True to what she’d told Maureen, the moment she got home she changed into her pajamas, took just one headache pill, not the prescribed two, popped open a diet soda and settled on the couch with the bag of cookies and the television remote.
Sometime hours later, she woke with a crick in her neck and crumbs on her chest. Her headache had dulled and now all she wanted was her comfy bed.
Grabbing her phone, she checked her messages, saw one from Colleen asking about the event, and one from Liv.
Both requested she call them when she got a chance.
“Morning will be soon enough,” she mumbled as she drifted off under her comforter.
***
“Felicia called me last night and told me the wedding was perfection. She also told me I don’t pay you and Kolby enough.”
Charity grinned as she held her phone while pouring a cup of coffee. “The day couldn’t have gone better,” she said, omitting the Mandy drama.
“Oh, before I forget,” Colleen said, “Kolby won’t be in for a few days.”
Her heart skipped a beat or two. “Oh?”
“He went back to Concord early this morning. He’s gonna spend a few days there.”
“Is his mother okay?”
“Status quo. He just wants to be close. Do you have a minute to go over next week’s events?”
When they hung up twenty minutes later, Charity plugged in Liv’s number.
“I was hoping you’d call,” the matchmaker said. “After speaking to you yesterday, I realized I didn’t invite you to an event I’m hosting this Thursday evening.”
“What kind of event?” she clicked on her laptop calendar to view her schedule.
“Once a month I put on a speed dating event at a restaurant in Concord.”
“Speed dating? Like a round robin thingy?”
Olivia laughed, reminding Charity of champagne glasses tinkling.
“An apt description, but way more fun.” She explained what happened during the event.
“At the end, everyone hands in their note cards. If any of the numbers you’ve written for the men match with your number from them, I give you the contact info and leave it up to you to call, meet, and pursue a date if that's something you want to do.”
“So, if I like a guy, put his number down, and he subsequently puts mine down, we’re a match?”
“On paper, yes. I vet everyone and try to bring like-minded and compatible people together.”
“I like rock music, and so does the guy kind of thing?”
“Yes. Are you interested in joining?”
Was she? It sounded stressful. Charity was loath to put herself in any situation where she wouldn’t be chosen for something, memories of those early karate years when she was the only girl always on her mind.
But she wanted to meet a man. She wanted to get married, have a family, find her soulmate.
If she wanted all that she needed to forget about the past behavior of little boys and concentrate on the behaviors of grown-ass men.
“I’m in,” she said. A momentary panic speared through her, but she squashed it right away.
Sometimes, she heard CarlieRae’s voice whisper in her ear, you gotta let go, and let God, if you want somethin’ bad enough.
Truth, Mama. Truth.
“Perfect. I’ll text you the details – time, place, what to wear. I’m glad you’re doing this, sweetie. After what happened with Tom, I was fearful you’d want to continue.”
“You said the event takes place in Concord?”
“Yes, but don’t worry. I’m not inviting Tom. If you had declined, I might have. But I don’t want either of you to feel awkward.”
And that was just another of the thousands of reasons Olivia Joyner was so good at what she did, and why people looking for love flocked to her business door.
They rang off a few minutes later.
The week dragged, despite being busy every day.
With Kolby out of the office, and no word from him about why, she was lonely.
Admitting it was hard. But she missed him.
Missed his company in the office; missed him when she booked two new clients without him.
She had to give his photography spiel and show the couples his portfolio, tell them what he offered.
His work spoke for itself and they were captivated, but if he’d been there, his natural charm and winning smile would have impressed them even more.
Dang it.
It wasn’t fair the man had stolen her heart without even trying.
Life ain’t often fair, Baby-girl. You roll wit’ the punches, fight back, and hope the other guy walks away worse’n you.
“I know, Daddy,” she told the voice in her head. “Still... it ain’t fair.”