Charlie
Stevie was right. It’s been sixty-four hours (yes, I’m counting) and no contact. Not a single text message and it’s now mid-week. Clearly, my buffoon behaviour in the office put the nail in the coffin.
As each day passes, I grow more frantic and needy, analysing every minute detail about the weekend. Maybe the sex wasn’t as good for him as it was for me? Was he just looking for some company, a playmate for a few days? Is he bored now?
One eye remains permanently glued to the phone, torturing myself. I turn it on and off again and check the coverage. I’m worse off than if the weekend had never happened. Now I’ve had a taste of how amazing he is. Literally, a taste. And it’s gone, out of my reach.
Why did I build this up to be more in my head?
I’m mildly appeased by the fact that I get to spend time this evening with my nephew, Daniel. Daniel is Tristan’s son from his toxic marriage to Gemina. I never liked the woman.
Both Danny and I are Daniel’s godparents, which made for the most awkward christening ever. Every year Danny buys an obnoxiously expensive present, making mine look pathetic. I’m the fun godparent though.
Tonight, Tristan and Rebecca are going out for a firm event, so I’m babysitting. How he runs a law firm moonlighting as a socialite is beyond me. He’s always at some gala or drinks event. The man never sleeps.
At least I can work on my business case for the role vacancy while Daniel is sleeping. If my rejected heart will let me focus on anything other than Mr. fuck-me-all-weekend-then-ghost-me.
“Hi, Natalia.” I kiss the middle-aged Brazilian woman at the door. Natalia is Tristan’s housekeeper. He’s basically paying for a second mum; she does everything for him, from cooking to washing his underwear. The guy has no shame.
“Charlie, my darling.” She pulls me in for a tight hug, and I come in, taking my shoes off. Tristan’s place is always spotless, thanks to Natalia.
“Go right in. They’re in the lounge area.”
“They?” I ask, suddenly apprehensive.
“The boys, Rebecca, and her friend.”
I hear Jack’s loud laugh, then the dry, sarcastic Scottish voice, and girls laughing.
Fuck.
Sucking in a breath, I walk into the lounge area.
“Charlie!” Daniel runs at me, and I couldn’t be happier right now for his unconditional love. I try to steady my rising heartbeat as I kneel and embrace him.
He’s here.
Why didn’t Tristan share these vital details?
“How’s my number one nephew doing?”
“Your only nephew,” Daniel scolds. “I’m not stupid, you know.”
“No, you’re the smartest boy I know.” I ruffle his hair. “Are you going to beat me at chess tonight?”
He pushes his glasses up his nose. “Most definitely!”
“Charlie.” Tristan comes over and hugs me. “You are a star.”
I smile as I give him a kiss and cast my gaze around the room. Jack and Rebecca lean against the fireplace. Danny sits in an armchair with a hot redhead in a tight shift dress casually perched on his armrest. As if there aren’t ample other chairs to sit on. She swings her legs in a deliberate act of seduction, giving him an excellent view of them.
In contrast, I’m in sweatpants with a bird’s nest on top of my head.
While Jack and Rebecca greet me, my eyes collide with Danny’s.
“Charlie, this is Mara,” Tristan introduces me to the gorgeous redhead sitting too close to Danny.
Mara. My eyes go wide in recognition, and I look at Danny then quickly away. I notice with triumph that the love bite is still there.
Don’t pretend you aren’t on a date, dipshit, my inner voice screams at him.
I hate that he affects me so much that he controls my happiness these days.
“Hi Charlie.” She beams at me. If only she knew. “Tristan said you work at Nexus.”
“Lovely to meet you, Mara,” I manage to say, my heart plummeting. “Yes, I do.”
“Is Danny a friendly boss?” She giggles, giving him doe eyes. “I could imagine he’d be very demanding.”
Woman, don’t use me in your attempt to flirt.
“Very friendly,” I reply, my frosty tone not matching my words. “I’ll just go upstairs and get Daniel’s bath ready, Tristan.”
“Stay with us for a drink, sis?” Tristan shakes the wine bottle at me. “I haven’t seen you in a few weeks. You’ve been ghosting me,” he scolds.
“I came here to play chess in my sweatpants,” I reply, half-smiling. “You never tell me when you have company.”
I can’t cope with this. I can’t stay in this room to watch Danny Walker work his Casanova charm on another woman in front of me.
“Tristan, I’m going upstairs,” I say. “All, have a nice night. Mara, nice to meet you. Enjoy your date with Danny.”
The others chuckle, and Mara lets out a high-pitched giggle. She’s nervous and excited.
I’ve been there, girl.
Danny glares at me, and I turn before they can see the tears forming in my eyes. I’m barely inside the bathroom when Danny storms in behind me and shuts the door.
“What the fuck was that?” he hisses. I stare at him.
“What?”
“Your catty remarks down there.” He moves towards me. “It’s not a fucking date.”
Anger swells in my gut. “I know it’s a date. Asshole. Do I need to get tested for STDs? How many women have you had this week?”
The tension in his jaw tightens. “I’m here to see Tristan and Jack. I didn’t know Rebecca was going to bring Mara. Don’t give me this fucking shit, Charlie.”
His dark eyes hold mine, and I fight back the tears. I can’t cry in front of this bastard.
“Do you have a different woman every night of the week?” I cry. “Is that your tactic? I’m such a fool. Why did I ever go near you?”
“Fuck’s sake.” He glares down at me. “I don’t need this emotional rollercoaster. I thought we had a lovely weekend, and now the mad bitch is back.”
I slap him hard across the face. He stands frozen, taken completely aback before his eyes squeeze into thin slits.
“That better not have made a mark,” he spits out. “When you’re done with being a child, then we can talk.”
I turn away defiantly. “Enjoy your date, Danny.”
I hear him slam the door before I let the tears fall.
***
Tristan came home around midnight, so I was in bed by half-past. I didn’t ask him if Danny went home alone. I didn’t ask Tristan much at all. I claimed to be tired and made a quick getaway.
Being in bed is pointless since I have no chance of falling asleep now, knowing some other girl might be lying in that giant bed right now.
In the dark, my phone buzzes and I pick it up, thinking it’s Tristan checking if I’m home.
“Before you speak, don’t fight with me,” the familiar Scottish voice says hoarsely. “I’m outside.”
All my muscles go rigid. “Give me a minute.” I stare down at my old grey pyjama shorts and swear. I don’t have time to fix my hair or my bloodshot eyes.
Throwing on a sweater, I sneak through the sleeping flat and down the stairs.
When I open the door, he is leaning against his car, his arms folded and a look of impatience on his face.
His eyes linger on my shorts for a moment before returning to my face. ‘Nice,’ he says softly as he walks towards me.
“I’m a bit worried you’re going to ask me for a threesome,” I grumble, looking around to see if Mara is in the car.
He cocks a brow in amusement. “I think the other girl would feel very left out if we had a threesome.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Listen, I can’t stay.”
“I wasn’t letting you in,” I reply, my chin raised in defiance.
“This fighting between us needs to stop, Charlie. One day we’re lovers, the next enemies.”
I open my mouth to speak, then close it.
“I can’t promise you commitment. But I’m not dating Jen or Mara or any other girl right now. The truth is I’m only interested in you.” His eyes blaze as he waits for my reaction.
Can I do casual?
“I care about you … a lot,” he says softly. “I also don’t want to share you with anyone else. But you have to stop bickering with me.”
“You didn’t contact me,” I whisper. “I thought you were ghosting me.”
He lets out a long sigh. “These past few days have been hectic. Just because I didn’t message you doesn’t mean I wasn’t thinking of you.”
I lower my eyes to his chest. “I thought you regretted it.”
“Regret it?” he grins, forcing my face up again. “That was the most carefree weekend I’ve had in years.”
His fingers sweep over my lower lip. “It’s taking every ounce of self-control not to yank down these grey shorts and fuck you on the doorstep.”
“You didn’t even kiss Mara?” My eyes narrow at him.
“No,” he says, taken aback. “Truth be told, I found her irritating. Now, will you give me something to hold onto while I’m in New York?”
“What do you—”
I’m cut off by his lips launching onto mine, and we kiss with such tenderness, my knees buckle slightly. His arms catch me, pressing my body tight against his.
My breasts brush against his lower chest, and I get on my tiptoes, desperately clawing at the back of his neck.
I want this man more than I’ve ever wanted anyone.
His tongue pushes between my lips, forcing himself deeper into my mouth, and I open to let him in.
I push a hand under his shirt wanting skin on skin and he holds me tight against his groin, his length hardening by the second.
“Fuck.” His voice is low and gravelly as he pulls away from the kiss. “My driver’s watching over the street. I need to go back to mine to catch a flight to New York early in the morning. I have to go.”
“Ok,” I reply through ragged breathing.
“Sleep well, gorgeous.” He kisses my forehead, and I stare after the beautiful beast as he walks towards his car.
***
“You can come in now, Charlotte.” David from the Nexus HR team pokes his head out the door to where I’m sitting. I’m top of the line of five nervous looking Dunley Tech colleagues.
Statistically at least 2.5 of us will get the chop.
I stand up and shuffle into the room in my tight pencil skirt. How Jackie walks around in these all day is beyond me.
I thought rocking up to the meeting groomed and with my hair not looking like I had just rolled out of bed might support the fight for my job.
David takes a seat behind the desk and smiles, lifting his pen ready to write.
Even though this has been labelled a casual chat to talk through my options, my cheeks burn as the two of them watch me.
“Charlotte,” David starts.
“You can call me Charlie.”
He nods. “Charlie. I’m David and this is my colleague, Samantha.”
Samantha stops writing to give me a curt nod.
“We want to make sure you are comfortable with the three options and what they mean to you.”
I nod, rubbing my clammy hands on my pencil skirt.
“Obviously the first option is simple, your job remains as is and you continue as normal. This depends on how your job fits in with the direction of the company. Going forward, you’ll be reporting to Janet Dixon as Mike is leaving us.”
“Mike’s gone?” I gasp, my eyes widening.
“Mike’s position was no longer required,” Samantha replies, deadpan. I make a mental note to ask Stevie what happened.
“The second possibility is redundancy, either voluntary or,” David says, clearing his throat, “mandatory.”
“We are looking to communicate with everyone as quickly as possible on this,” Samantha says in a voice that tells me this is nothing new to her. “We understand how difficult this can be.”
“When will I find out?” I ask in a strangled voice.
David smiles sympathetically at me. “We’re still assessing your team. Circa two to three weeks I should think.”
“The third option is where you move into a new role in the company,” Samantha says in a mechanical way that tells me she’s going through the motions. This is probably her thirtieth time this week. “We have advertised jobs internally first before going to market. I must stress it is a highly competitive market.”
Way to go, sister, thanks for the vote of confidence.
“There is a position I’d like to apply for.”
“Yes?” David raises his eyebrows.
“The Designer role,” I say quietly, my knees jerking.
Samantha looks down at paperwork and frowns. “It’s quite a senior role. Your experience doesn’t seem to match?”
“But anyone can apply, right? Can I submit a business case with my ideas?”
“Yes.” She shrugs, in such a way that says she thinks I’m wasting my time. “The deadline is next Monday. Be warned we’ve had twenty applicants already directly from Nexus.”
I narrow my eyes in defiance. Fuck you, woman. I’ll show you and Danny Walker that I can do this.
I have five days to write the best damn business case ever.
