Un-Break my Heart: Book 2 (The Heart Trilogy) (50 page)

“Don’t give up before you’ve even told him” I reassured, this time my hands soothed as I ran them up his back. As the shower switched on above us I poured James his coffee and got to work on our favourite weekend treat of bacon sandwiches. Mitchell soon appeared

“Morning Dad, Steph, any chance I could grab the keys to the bike”

“Sure” James replied, tossing them in his direction.

“Don’t be long, the bacon is almost done”

We both watched him head outside and then the roar of a bike engine. He revved it a couple of times and then Charlie appeared, still snuggled up within her dressing gown.

“He’s not going without me, is he?” she asked, plaintively.

“Of course I’m not” Mitch replied, strolling into the kitchen “I just wanted to hear how she sounded”

I saw him brush a quick kiss onto her lips before settling down at the kitchen table.

“Smells great, have we got any maple syrup”

“God Mitch, you’ve turned all Yankee on us” James laughed, at his son’s request.

“So what are your plans for the day” James asked, as we happily munched together.

“Take the bike for a spin, probably catch up with Simon” Mitch replied.

“Ok, well I’ve booked us a table at the local Indian for later and Darren and Sophie will be joining us”

“Great Dad, it will be good to catch up with everyone. I’m probably going to go and see Mum tomorrow”

I watched as James’ face fell and Charlie grimaced at the thought.

“It’s ok, I’ll go on my own” he said, grinning at her to lighten the mood.

As we cleared up I looked across at James.

“I’m going to have to tell him later” he groaned.

“Yes, but if you don’t she will tomorrow and I think that will be far worse” Pulling me close he held me tightly. We were still locked together when we heard the front door shut and the roar of a bike leaving the driveway.

Chapter 61

Out on the bike they roared along the main roads until slowing down to a halt outside “Power Pack” the bike shop. Climbing off Simon spotted them and headed out.

“Is the bike ok” he asked, as he gave Mitch a quick slap on the back.

“Yes, this is the first ride out on it and so far so good” Mitch responded, happy to see his friend.

“So how was the States”

“Great, but it’s even better to be home. I just wondered if you have any shifts going as I could do with the work and the money” Mitch asked.

“What, didn’t they pay you” Simon grinned.

“Yes, but it’s already been swallowed up with getting my website for the dance school built. I just need some more while I get everything up and running”

He looked up to see Charlie wandering around the showroom, her hand glancing across the smooth metal of all the different bikes.

She spotted him watching and smiled across as she headed back to his side.

“You’re looking gorgeous” Simon said, giving her a hug.

“Thanks Simon, seen much of Julia recently” she asked, as she watched him blush.

“Yeah, we’ve seen each other a couple of times, but it’s hard when I’m working so much”

“Exactly” Mitch jumped in “I can run this for you and give you that time”

“Ok, you’re on. How does three days a week sound, although one will be a Saturday” Simon replied.

“Ok, so long as I get time off for auditions” Mitch grinned, shaking his mate’s hand.

“Yeah, that’s a given as I’m hoping some of your luck will rub off on me one day” Simon said.

“Oh it’s Charlie you have to rub for luck” Mitch joked, as he pulled her close and planted a kiss on her upturned mouth.

“Yeah, right” Simon replied “Go on, off you go and stop turning my shop into your love shack”

Charlie heard the radio blasting in the back ground to her Mum’s new station.

“You’ve been listening to the new radio station then” she asked.

“Yes, I’m thinking about getting an advert done for the shop, any chance you could swing me a good deal as you’re Mum’s in charge” Simon asked.

“I’ll ask her later” Charlie responded “We’re off out for family meal this evening” Feeling Mitchell’s hand in hers she turned to him and waited.

“Yes, come on let’s finish off our visiting for the day so you have time to get ready”

Climbing back on board the bike they headed for the café in town where they were meeting Shelley and Kyle.

“Shelley, Kyle” she shouted, dismounting at the same time as she tried to pull her helmet off. Mitch caught and steadied her while she removed it and then he fastened them to the bike. With Charlie at the table Mitch grabbed them a coke and a sandwich before heading over. He spotted a brief look pass between Charlie, Shelley and Kyle but it was all smiles as he put the tray down.

“Long time Mitch, how was the tour of the States?” Kyle asked.

“Fantastic” Mitch replied, as he joined in with the conversation. Charlie was already mid flow talking about their surprise appearance at the end of the final show i
n
Miami.

“I’m so jealous” Shelley breathed, in the slight pause.

“So apart from the opening night at the club have you guys been dancing much” Mitch asked
.
Charlott
e
aimed a discreet kick in Kyle’s direction before he could open his mouth.

“Not much really, Zack has offered us some more work and Shelley is dancing for him once a month now” Kyle replied, careful not to mention the type of dancing.

“I think I’d better go and talk to Zack again now I’m back as it would be good to get something going locally, especially as my girl has already been dancing there” Mitch said, smiling across at Charlie. Shelley looked at her in surprise and was about to say something when Charlie gave her a little dig in the side.

“Yes, I told Mitch I did a dance night for Zack” she said, guardedly. Hoping her friend would realise that this did not include mentioning what type of dancing it actually was.

“Cool, he’s good to work for, very fair” Shelley replied “And the club nights are really busy too”

With plans in place to meet up soon and Charlie back in college on Monday for another week before Christmas they stood up.

“See you Monday” Charlie said, pulling Shelley into her embrace. The feeling of her softness and lips made Charlie blush and remember.

“Monday” Shelley breathed, watching them as they climbed onto the bike together. She had missed Charlie more than she imagined she would and was hoping that they would renew their more intimate relationship soon.

Kyle watched his girl and as the bike roared away he turned to her.

“So you kind of like Charlie” he asked.

“Oh yes” she breathed “I hope that I can get her to persuade Mitch into a foursome with the two of us”

“Now I like the sound of that” Kyle said, catching his girlfriend’s look of desire at the thought “Do you think she will?”

“Not sure yet, give me a little time to warm her up to the idea as Mitchell is so smitten he won’t be able to say no”

With horny thoughts running through their minds they finished their drinks and headed back to their flat. Just the idea was enough to fuel their passion.

Back at home Charlie and Mitch were about to head upstairs when James caught them.

“Mitch I need to speak to you about something important, and Steph needs a quick word with Charlie” he said, his tone ominous.

“Sure Dad” Mitch replied, giving Charlie’s hand a quick squeeze. Charlie bit her lips as she wandered through to the kitchen, perhaps her Mum had found out about the burlesque.

“Hi Mum, you wanted to talk to me about something” Charlie asked, the nerves made her voice shake.

“Yes, it’s about your dancing at Dusk till Dawn” I replied, watching her face colour and then fade to whiteness in an instant.

“Oh god, Mum, I’m so sorry, I should have told you but I kind of got talked into it by Shelley” she stammered.

“Look, I am angry but more so that I ended up finding out from a tiny photo on an advertising leaflet in the club”

“I didn’t think you’d approve”

“I don’t approve and it made it kind of awkward when I ended up meeting Mr King” I continued, watching her eyes start to brim with tears.

“He’s a nice guy but he took advantage of you and Shelley, especially as he knew you were too young to even do it. Shelley is technically old enough at eighteen and I blame her in part for leading you astray”

“I only did it the once, I really wanted the money to get Mitchell a nice birthday present” Charlie whispered, her eyes downcast “I promise I won’t do it again”

I waited as Charlie sniffed away her tears and looked up at me again.

“Is that what James is telling Mitchell about” she asked, her face the colour of chalk against the bright red of her lipstick. I shook my head

“I hope you've already confessed to Mitchell about it, after all he is your boyfriend and deserves to know the truth, whatever he might think” I replied. She nodded and remained silent for a few minutes. I could hear the clock ticking as I wondered how things were going with the more serious news that James was imparting. My daughter looked at me and opened her mouth to say something then stopped as she heard footsteps in the hallway. The front door slammed and a second later we both heard the bike pull away as James appeared looking ashen in the doorway.

Charlie looked at him and then back to me, her expression one of panic.

“What’s happened” she asked into the silence “Please tell me”

I turned to James who wearily came to sit beside me at the table. Tears streamed down his cheeks, as I moved my hand to wipe them away.

“What’s wrong” Charlie pleaded, her voice shaking with emotion and dread.

“Shall I tell her” I asked James. He nodded and turned away to hide his pain. Moving around the table I held Charlie in my arms and waited a few minutes to compose my thoughts.

“Do you remember that night when I came back to the house when I had originally planned to head home” I asked. Charlie nodded and waited.

“Well, the reason I stayed was because Felicity turned up at the wine bar to speak to James. She told him that Mitchell was not his son” I choked on the final word, tears were now sliding down my cheeks and falling into my daughter’s hair.

“No” she whispered “No, that can’t be true, can it?”

She wrenched free of my arms and stood up to look at the two of us.

“This must be some sort of sick Felicity joke to split us up” she cried, her gaze flicking between the two of us.

“I’m not sure it is Honey, I wish it was but Mitchell really needs to talk to his Mum about it” I replied, torn between holding James or my daughter and in the end standing redundant.

“Where’s he gone” she demanded “You shouldn’t have let him leave like that” her cries jolted James to the core.

“I couldn’t stop him, he just stormed out saying it was lies and he didn’t want to believe it until he had proof” James managed to say.

Running from the room I heard Charlie on the stairs, her sobs breaking my heart with every step. Turning to James I reached for him and held him close as his tears subsided and instead he shook in my arms.

“I told him I was still his Dad, whatever the outcome if he wanted to take the test”

“Do you think he will” I asked, carefully.

“I don’t know, as he stormed out he said he needed to think”

“I hope he hasn’t gone straight to her”

“I don’t think so, he just needs some time alone, but I hope he’s careful on the bike”

Upstairs Charlie grabbed her phone and wiping the tears away sent a message to Mitchell.

“Please come home safely, I love you” was all she put. Then turning on the stereo she found their song and put it on loop, every moment her ears attuned to either her phone or a bike returning to the driveway. Every minute ticking by seemed to last an age, how could she do this to them? She was an evil bitch and when Mitchell returned she would tell him so. She hoped he had not gone straight to her? She knew he could be hot-headed sometimes but she also knew that he was sensible most of the time.

Hearing an engine die outside Charlie rushed to the window but it was just Darren and Sophie who had pulled into the driveway. She heard the front door open and hushed voices downstairs as James filled them in on the devastating news. Just then her phone beeped and she looked down at the screen.

“I’ll be home soon, just needed some time alone with the news. I need you x” Mitchell had sent. Wiping her tears away she slowly headed downstairs and found everyone in the kitchen, Pam and Peter included. All eyes turned to look at her

“It’s ok, he says he just needed time alone and he will be back soon” she shared. James caught her eye and tried a weak smile in her direction.

“Thank
s
Charlotte” he said.

“We’ve cancelled the table but ordered take away instead, just in case anyone is hungry” I said.

Darren stood up and Sophie followed.

“I think we’d better go, just tell Mitch that if he needs anything” his voice trailed off. James stood up and hugged his eldest son, his one true son if Felicity’s revelation was true. Sophie just looked bewildered as she smiled at all of us before they headed home.

“We’ll wait until he comes home” Pam said, reaching for her son in his hour of need. We all just waited; the take away arrived and went cold in its containers. In the end Pam and Peter headed home and Charlie went upstairs. It was gone midnight when the bike pulled up in the driveway. Mitchell climbed off it and wearily headed inside. James had already gone up to bed so I smiled carefully at him.

“It’s ok Steph, I’m going to see Mum in the morning” Mitch said.

I watched him climb the stairs and enter his room, I hoped Charlie would have more help in her open arms than anything I could say at this late hour.

Climbing the stairs I saw the light still shining from the crack in their doorway. Opening the bedroom door I closed it quietly and climbed in next to James, his arms reached for me and I held him close. It was my turn to be his rock to cling too.

“He’s home” I whispered “He’s safe” I wanted to add for now but didn’t. How could anyone be safe when Felicity had anything to do with it?

Mitchell found Charlie in the foetal position amid the duvet cover. She looked up at him, her eyes red rimmed and searching. Opening her arms she watched him crumple into them, his leather jacket still hung from his shoulders. His scent a mixture of sweat and worry as she eased him into her embrace.

“Why” he moaned “Why did she have to say anything” his voice shook as he tried to contain the tears that threatened to spill at any minute.