Under Contract (The GEG Series) (22 page)

“Bring them with you! Well, I mean, if you want to. Brooky would love to play with them, and so will the boys!” I sit next to her.

“Charlotte, no, I wouldn’t want to impose.” She shakes her head, then takes her first bite.

I watch.

Her eyes close and a slight moan escapes her throat.

I smile.

“I insist, Pauline! Besides, you’ll be imposing if you don’t.”

“How so?”

“I’ll feel terrible and make you leave early to go get those babies of yours.”

She laughs. “It’s crazy how well he knows you in such a short amount of time.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mitch told me not to bother with daycare—that you wouldn’t hear of it.”

I don’t know how to respond, so I say nothing. I put my efforts into eating instead.

“Charlotte.” She places her hand on top of mine. “Give him time. He’s just a little scared. He needs time to sort through his feelings.”

I look up at her. “I’m just terribly confused.”

“Time, baby girl, just time.” She taps my hand and goes back to eating.

“Your mom calls me ‘baby girl.’” I smile.

“My mom calls everybody ‘baby girl.’”

“Well thank you for popping my ‘I feel special’ balloon.” I smirk.

She laughs. “Well, thank you for being just the way everyone has described you.”

“They forgot to mention the ‘cranky morning bitch,’ though, didn’t they?”

“Yup!” She elongates the word and glances to the side. I laugh and smack her hand. She echoes my laughter.

You know that feeling you get when you meet someone you know will become a lifelong friend? Yeah—that’s the feeling I just got.

I settle into my pedicure chair, letting my feet soak. Maybe he’ll at least reply to my text now that he’s gone out of his way to do all of this for me. I pull out my phone and take in a deep breath. Here goes nothing ...

Thank you for sending Pauline to me. Thank you for knowing my kids so well.

Thank you for my spa day.

I hate this, Mitch.

I know I didn’t do anything to deserve this.

That’s what’s making it so hard.

If you can’t speak to me on the phone, at least text or email me.

I need to talk to you about something important!

I’ve been trying to tell you for over two weeks now. I have to make my decision this weekend.

We don’t have to talk about anything else but this.

I’m not telling you over text. I need your point of view ... your input.

This decision will affect us ... if there even is an “us” anymore.

If I don’t hear from you by Sunday, I will make the decision as if you weren’t in the equation.

Kind of like what you’ve done to me the past two weeks.

Hope you are well.

“Ugh!” I throw my phone down.

“What’s up, man?” Kyle looks up from the proposals he’s going over.

“Nothing.”

“The same nothing that’s been going on for three weeks?” He eyes me.

I ignore his question. “How are the proposals looking?”

He ignores mine. “Did you and Charlotte break up, Mitch?”

“No. I just need a break from her,” I say, rubbing my face. If I give him a crumb maybe he’ll shut up.

“Of course you do, man. All of that happiness was overwhelming the shit out of you! You must feel better now that you’re a miserable fucking prick again.” He aggressively opens another folder to make a comparison.

“Dude—when the fuck did they become brass?” I ask and push the folder I was looking at down to him. I should have thrown it at him.

“I’ll tell ya when! The moment you told me you didn’t want to ‘grow old’ with me and that things needed to change around here. The ‘we’re not rock stars’ speech—remember that?” He pushes himself away from the table, stands up, and starts pacing. “You gave me a glimpse of hope! I thought all my hard work had paid off, and maybe, just maybe, I could find a woman that makes me feel and act the way Charlotte makes you feel and act. Stupid me, huh? You yanked that hope away as soon as you showed it to me.” He sits, defeat on his face.

“You’re not a prisoner here. I’ll give you a good reference,” I say.

“Fuck you, Mitch!” he snaps, grabbing the folder I shot down to him.

“Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to?” I yell. “I’m your boss, Kyle, not some punk down the street! I will send your ass packin’ if you talk to me like that again!’

“Send my ass packin’, Mitch! How many guys did you go through before I came along? Do you think there’s another poor shmuck out there that will put up with your shit and still respect you at the end of the day?” he yells back.

I think for a moment. “No,” I say truthfully.

“Right—so fuck you, Mitch!” he snaps again. “Punk,” he adds under his breath.

I try to keep a straight face, but despite my attempts, I start to laugh. Kyle is unsuccessful as well.

“I fucking hate you, man.”

“Yeah—I hate you too.” He smirks.

After a few minutes, I toss the files onto the table. “It looks good to me. Did you find anything?”

“Nah, man ... it’s solid.” He tosses his as well and leans back.

“I’m sorry, Kyle.” I clear my throat.

“Forget it, Mitch. I don’t think there’s a future Mrs. out there for me anyway,” he states, staring at the wall opposite him.

“Don’t say that, man. Look at me.” I shrug. “Never in a million years did I think there was a Charlotte out there for me.”

“And what are you doing about that, man, besides acting like an asshole and pushing her away?” Kyle scoffs.

“I’m ... I ... don’t know. It’s been a long time since I felt this way. I’m scared. I was excited. Now I’m just scared.” I lean my elbows on the table and bury my head in my hands.

“You’re a fucking pussy!” Kyle spits out.

I jerk my head up and hold my hands open. “Dude!”

It’s all I’ve got.
I am a pussy.
Fuck—what’s wrong with me?

“You’re going to lose her, Mitch! I’m talking to you as your friend now. You are going to lose her!” He straightens up the folders. “I don’t know what happened with your wife.”

“She died,” I say, cutting him off.

“Shit.” His tone becomes remorseful. “I’m sorry, Mitch. When? How?”

“Twenty years ago. She was hit by a drunk driver. She was pregnant. I lost her and Isabella that day.” I take in a shaky breath. I’ve never told this to another soul. No one, outside of the people in my life at the time, knows.

“Christ,” Kyle says under his breath.

“Kelly was the love of my life. No one held a candle to her. No one ever occupied my thoughts, my heart, like she did,” I continue, feeling as if a floodgate has opened. I don’t think I could stop now if I tried.

“Until Charlotte.” Kyle half smiles.

“Until Charlotte,” I agree. “I didn’t realize it until that day you told me I was ‘done.’ It was then that I also realized I had forgotten to remember Kelly. The guilt hit me so hard—I couldn’t breathe.”

“Guilt?” His brows snap together. “Guilt for what? I didn’t know Kelly, but if she loved you as much as you loved her, I doubt she’d want you to be miserable and alone for the rest of your life. Which do you think she’d prefer—for you to have one-night stands, or to go home to somebody who loves you as much as she did? Someone worthy of your love in return.”

“You don’t understand. I was supposed to be with her that night. I worked late.” I stand up and head over to the window, our last conversation playing in my head.

“Hey, Mama, I’m leaving now.”

“Oh, good! I’ll have Mom pack up dessert and I’ll meet you at home. Wink wink.”
She giggled.

“Again, sweetie? You’re gonna kill me!” I laughed.

“He’s twitching, isn’t he?”

“You have no idea.” I shifted in my chair.

“Oh, I think I do. Don’t worry, baby. I’ll massage that right out for you.” I could hear her smile.

“Mmm ... and how’s my other girl?”

“Kicking like crazy. She’s going to be a Rockette, I tell ya!”

“She can be whatever she wants to be. Kelly?”

“Yes?”

“Thanks for letting me hold your hand at the ice-skating rink.”

“Thanks for telling me I was cute like Debbie Gibson.”

“I knew right then.”

“Knew what?”

“That one day, I may not marry Debbie Gibson, but I was definitely going to marry Kelly Foster.”

“And since Debbie was able to shake your love, I thankfully have not.”

“You never will, Mama. I love you so much, Kelly.”

“I love you, Mitch, with every breath I take. Until my dying day—I love you.”

“See you soon, honey.”

“Bye, babe.”

Little did we know—that
was
her dying day. Thinking back on the conversation is almost eerie.

“Mitch. Mitch!”

I snap back and look at Kyle. “Sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t make that douchebag drink and drive.” He walks over to me. “Man, you’ve lived with this a long time. Maybe Kelly sent Charlotte in your direction.”

“Kelly would’ve loved Charlotte.” I smirk. They’re a lot alike.

“Mitch, you suffered long enough. It’s okay for you to be happy again, and have that happiness with Charlotte.” He pats my back.

“Yeah, I guess. I just ... I need time.”

“Don’t take long, Mitch. A woman like Charlotte may not wait around.” He heads back to collect the folders off of the table.

“Oh, she’ll wait,” I say, secretly thanking God there’s a contract. “But I will make sure to slowly remind her again of my intentions.”

“What are your intentions?” He grabs his jacket.

“To make her mine—permanently.” I turn and pick up my coat as well. “Kyle, we’re going to bust our asses in Germany and try to get this trip shortened significantly.” I open the door.

“Are you telling me we’re not rock stars, Mitch?” Kyle stops and raises his brows at me.

“This tour is ending sooner than planned. Hopefully refunds will not be necessary.” I chuckle.

“Good. Let’s start brainstorming over dinner—I’m starved.” He heads out.

“Me too—I’m fiending for a burger.”

“Mitch?” He hits the button to the elevator.

“What?”

“I fucking hate that you’re the best date I’ve had in years.”

“Uh ... thanks?” I laugh.

“Don’t back out of this!” He shakes his head and pushes past me onto the elevator.

“I won’t.” I follow him.