Loving David (23 page)

CHAPTER 11

Charlotte decided to make the morning coffee for a change, and every time her eye caught the sparkle of her ring she broke into a smile so big that she thought her face would crack. The ring was perfect for her---- simple and elegant and not at all flashy. It was startling how well David knew her after a relatively short time. She sighed happily as she dumped a mound of coffee grounds into the filter and started the machine. The front door opened, and Charlotte could hear David’s heavy breathing from his workout. She smiled again, waiting from him to come up behind her and plant a kiss on her neck as he always did whenever he came home from being out.

“Morning, love,” he said as he followed through with his morning ritual. “How does it feel to be engaged all of….” he looked at his watch, “….sixteen hours?”

“Fantastic,” she said as she pulled down two mugs. “So I was just leafing through the entertainment section of the paper, and you know what I discovered?”

David sat down on a kitchen stool. “What’s that?”

“
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
was never playing at the theater.”

“Really? You don’t say?”

“Yeah, how about that?”

David laughed. “Okay, you caught me. I asked them to show it especially for us.”

“And how did you get the ring inside a Cracker Jack box?”

“I’m entitled to some secrets, aren’t I?”

Charlotte poured coffee. “Only a few.”
“So how about we set a date? I was thinking next week.”

Charlotte sputtered on her coffee. “Next week? Slow down there, cowboy.”

“Like I told you, when you know, you know, and I don’t want to wait.”

“Okay, well, I’ve been thinking about a date, and how do you feel about----” Charlotte put down her coffee mug, “the lake, next year. Nice and quiet. Romantic.”

David was silent for a moment, a broad grin on his face. “I love it. It’s perfect.”

Charlotte smiled. “Good. I was hoping you’d say that. I just hope you feel the same way about me in a year,” she teased.

“Oh, I can guarantee I won’t feel the same way about you next year.”

“Excuse me?”

David chuckled and kissed her nose. “I won’t feel the same way in a year because----I’ll love you more.”

#

Charlotte twisted her ring around her finger and stared at her cell phone on the counter. David had gone to William’s house for tennis and to share the news about the engagement. Charlotte had begged off, saying she had a few things she wanted to get done around the house. The truth was that she wanted to try Karen one more time. Charlotte had reached out to her multiple times since their last phone call, but Karen kept blowing her off. Charlotte was determined not to give up, even if it meant driving to San Francisco and camping out on her best friend’s doorstep. Charlotte snapped her fingers and sent Karen a text expressing that exact sentiment. She put the phone back down on the counter and waited, toes tapping, fingertips drumming. About a minute later her phone dinged.

It was Karen.

“
Okay. Call me
.”

Charlotte grabbed the phone and dialed Karen. After three rings she picked up.

“I was starting to think maybe you died.”

“No such luck. I’m starting to think I’m like Cher and the cockroaches.”

Charlotte took a deep breath. “Well, I wanted to share some news with you.”

Karen was silent, so Charlotte plunged in. “David asked me to marry him yesterday, and I said yes.”

Karen still didn’t say anything, and Charlotte cleared her throat. “We’re thinking about getting married at the lake. You know, since that’s where it all started.”

Charlotte waited for a response and was about to erupt into tears when Karen finally spoke. “I’m happy for you Charlotte. And I really mean that.”

Relief washed over Charlotte as the tears came forth after all, though they were tears of joy.

“I can’t tell you how much that means to me, Karen.”

“Well, I’m glad my opinion counts for something.”

Charlotte reached for a paper towel to catch the drips from her nose. “It does.”

“So when’s the big day?”

“Um, well we haven’t set a firm date yet, but we’re thinking next year. Probably spring, but maybe sooner, maybe later. Don’t know.”

“A springtime wedding is always nice. Birds and flowers and all that.”

Charlotte took another deep breath. “I’d like you to be my matron of honor.”

Karen scoffed. “I know I’m old, but I just hate the way
matron
sounds. Can’t I be a maid? Or better yet, how about diva of honor? And I don’t have to wear an ugly dress do I? I mean I love you, but not that much.”

Charlotte burst out laughing, happy to have Karen back in her life. “You can have whatever you want. Just as long as you’re there. Oh, and mum’s the word on the engagement. We’re trying to keep the press from finding out as long as possible.”

“I’ll take it to the grave. Besides----can’t have my best friend getting married without me. What would people say?”

Charlotte fell silent. “That you’re the best friend a girl could ever hope for. And I
mean
that.”

“Even when she’s being a jackass, huh?”

“Even then.”

“Tell me all about how Mr. Wonderful proposed.”

The two friends spent the next two hours howling on the phone as Charlotte shared how David had put the ring in a Cracker Jack box, and Karen caught Charlotte up on her latest dating escapades. By the end of the conversation, all was right in the world again as Charlotte got her best friend back and Karen promised to come down one day soon for a celebratory dinner.

Charlotte was humming “Moon River” and folding laundry when David returned from William’s.

“Well you’re in a good mood. Can’t all be because of me.”

“Nope. I finally talked to Karen today. We’re good.”

“Ah, I’m so glad to hear that. I know how tough it’s been not having her in your life.”

“Yeah,” she mused. “Sometimes you don’t realize how much a person means to you until it’s too late.” She turned to David. “I promise to never take you for granted.”

“I know you won’t. Nor I you.”

#

The first time Charlotte got married had been at City Hall. She wore a simple white suit, and her wedding reception consisted of sharing a slice of cherry pie at a diner near Ben’s house. They’d never taken a honeymoon. Ben had reasoned because they had small families, it made more sense not to make a fuss, and why waste money on a honeymoon when they could save their money and take a trip later? Charlotte had gone along with it, but deep down she’d always felt cheated that she had never gotten a proper wedding. And that delayed honeymoon consisted of a day at the Santa Monica Pier six months later.

While Charlotte knew she didn’t want a big to-do, she definitely wanted to be an actual bride, which is what led her to the bookstore in search of bridal magazines and books. She got giddy as she collected a stack of magazines and pored over them in the café, her mind reeling with the possibilities of dresses and bouquets and DJ’s versus bands. She bought five magazines before she headed to the grocery store to do the shopping for the week. As she drove, she kept stealing glances at her ring and smiling, a habit she’d slipped into quite easily since becoming engaged.

“Charlotte King,” she said out loud, relishing the way the name sounded. “Mrs. David King. Charlotte Taylor King.” Charlotte smiled at the different incarnations, excited to spend time thinking about which one sounded best. It was mid-morning, so the market was quiet, and Charlotte took her time filling her cart, visions of her and David saying “I do,” dancing in her head.

Once Charlotte had checked everything off her shopping list, she headed to the checkout. Without even thinking she glanced at the magazine stand and gasped. Her and David’s pictures were splashed across every rag in the rack. Some were the entire cover and promised, “the real scoop on David King and his new lady love.” Others were smaller pictures of them from places she’d never even realized there’d been photographers---- trips to the bookstore, even them entering the movie theater a few days earlier. Charlotte shook her head and grabbed copies of every magazine with their picture and tossed the stack on top of her groceries.

Back at home she spread the magazines across her dining room. The pictures were pretty good; she was pleased to see she’d been caught at good angle most of the times. It was the headlines, though, that pissed her off. ‘David King Dates Erotica Writer!’ ‘King Captures a Cougar!’ ‘David and Charotica Out and About!’ She choked on the last one.

“Charotica?” she mouthed to herself. She leaned back. “That has to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

She couldn’t help herself ---- she was dying to know what the articles said, so she read and re-read each one at least three times. She wondered what had incited this sudden flurry of publicity over her and David. For the most part they were benign; how they’d walked the red carpet in New York and had been spotted all over L.A. together. There was precious little information about her other than she was a writer. Charlotte cringed at the sight of the covers of some of her books blown up to almost gigantic proportions. The article that really bothered her the most was the one that implied David was in need of a mother figure. Charlotte was startled by her cell phone’s chirp.

“Hello?” she answered in a huff.

“Is Charotica home?” Karen teased. “I have to say, you look pretty smokin’ in those photos. Love looks good on you.”

“How much do you think the genius who came up with ‘Charotica’ got paid?” Charlotte asked, too irritated to have heard anything Karen said.

“Too much. Besides your new name, how are you?”

“Would you believe I bought a stack of bridal magazines today?”

“So you’re really getting into this bride thing, huh?”

“Yeah.” Charlotte chuckled. “Who would have thought?”

“Just remember not to get carried away and pick out some fugly
maid
of honor dress.”

“You can wear whatever you want. Even a poncho.”

“Well, I won’t go that far. I’ll do you proud. Promise.”

Charlotte heard the front door open and saw David come in. She smiled, and he came over and gave her a peck on the neck before he signaled that he was going to take a shower.

Charlotte sighed. “Listen, Karen, I gotta go. I’ll call you later.”

“So long, soon-to-be Mrs. Wonderful,” Karen sang before she hung up.

Charlotte laughed and went to put her groceries away. Fortunately, there wasn’t a whole lot of damage done by her leaving everything out on the counter while she’d taken her trip into the land of tabloid trash.

David came out wrapped in only a towel; his chest glistening with drops of water, and Charlotte almost dropped the bottle of wine she was holding. He came over to give Charlotte a proper kiss when he walked by the pile of tabloids splayed across the dining room table.

“What’s all this then?” he asked as he rifled through them and picked one up. He chuckled as he read the cover of one.

“Let me guess… Charotica?”

“Come on; you have to admit it’s rather clever.”

“No, it’s stupid.”

“Okay, we do look happy in this picture though.” He held it up for her inspection. It was a shot of them stealing a quick kiss at a farmers’ market. “I just might want it framed.”

Charlotte snorted. ‘So, do I leave ‘Charotica’ in the picture or should I crop around it?”

“Oh leave it in, please.” Charlotte rolled her eyes and joined him at the table. “Did you read the articles?”

Charlotte wrapped a chunk of hair around her finger. “I skimmed a few.”

David tossed the magazine back on the stack. “You know, Charlotte, someone gave me good advice once, which I’m now going to pass on to you. Don’t read the articles. Look at the pictures all you want, but don’t read the articles.”

“Sage advice.”

#

Charlotte adjusted her laptop again and tried to will the words to fill the page. She’d hit a bit of writer’s block, and all she wanted was to flop back into bed and wait for inspiration to strike.

“Too bad David’s busy,” she mumbled to herself. William was starting him on a press junket for his new movie, which was coming out in a few weeks, and he was having lunch with a reporter in Beverly Hills. Then he was off to make the rounds of a few entertainment shows. Her e-mail dinged, and she saw a note from her publisher.

“Hey Charlotte,

Awesome news! Just wanted to let you know we’ve seen a huge spike in sales for current titles, and there’s been crazy demand for some of your backlist. Stores are having trouble keeping you in stock ---- woo hoo! I’ll keep you posted, and look for a big fat check soon!

Dale”

Charlotte shook her head, disgusted. “Whatever happened to the days of selling your books on merit and not tabloid glory?” And what was that crack about expect a “big fat check?” Like that was the only reason she was with David. The e-mail was enough to spur some words for the page, and Charlotte went on a writing tear for the better part of the day. David showed up around three, exhausted.

“Hey, babe, how’d it go?”

David plopped down on the couch and closed his eyes. “The next time I say the words ‘To Have and To Hold,’ I better be standing across from you at an altar with an
officiante
of some kind.”

Charlotte snuggled next to David on the couch. “Considering that its weeks before the movie comes out, my guess would be no such luck.”