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Authors: Kennedy Layne
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still in the truck anyway, not
that he’d retrieve it. He needed the cold to cool him off or otherwise he might make
a move that both of them would regret. It wasn’t like anything was going to change.
Hadn’t Daegan said that earlier this week?
The leaves were rustling in the light breeze and the sounds of music could be heard
from the fall festival that had kicked off an hour ago after the football game. Neal
stepped off the wrap-around covered porch, having noticed earlier that it had been
repainted recently. Charlotte had kept up the property and it looked just as good
as it did when he’d left town. She’d chosen a Navaho red for the wood along with matching
shutters. The live oak tree out front had already changed colors, so the house and
lawn looked like a Thomas Kincaid painting. At least it got his mind off of what was
waiting for him inside.
Finally Neal’s eyes adjusted to the dark and he didn’t see anything or anyone that
stood out. Patrolling the small property, he took his time as he went around the house
and grounds. His head was a hell of a lot clearer than it was ten minutes ago. Walking
back up the porch steps, he saw that Charlotte was waiting for him with his coffee
and it was then that he decided the time alone hadn’t done a damn bit of good. When
she handed it over to him, her warm fingers brushed his and he knew it was done on
purpose. What the hell did she want from him?
“I’m sorry for what I did to us back then,” Charlotte said, her voice barely above
a whisper. Neal wasn’t even sure he’d heard her correctly, because if he had the anger
he’d kept at bay would finally be released and they had other pressing issues to deal
with. “I handled it poorly and—”
“I’m going to stop you right there,” Neal replied in a hardened tone. “What happened
is in the past and that’s where it needs to stay. We don’t need to rehash it. Our
misfortunate circumstances don’t erase the fact that we grew up together and that
Mandy is like my sister—which is why I’m here. I think it’s best that we stick to
that, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t.” Charlotte raised her voice, but it wasn’t loud enough to cover up the
sound of a car door. Neal had seen the headlights fifteen seconds prior and had recognized
Mandy’s older vehicle. He wasn’t sure why she’d come home early, but it was perfect
timing. He wasn’t being dragged into this conversation despite Charlotte’s obvious
intention. “We’ve never talked about—”
“You’re right, we haven’t spoken about it…and for damn good reason.” Neal turned away
from Charlotte to face the street, where Mandy was making her way up the short manicured
walkway. “This is how you wanted it, Char.”
Chapter Seven
‡
C harlotte finished sprinkling some powdered sugar on the French toast and then placed the platter in the middle
of the table, where the rest of the settings were arranged. It was eight o’clock in
the morning, although Neal had left the house a little before six. She figured he’d
be back soon to talk to Mandy and cooking breakfast gave Charlotte something to do
while she thought over their behavior last night. He might not want to talk about
the past, but she did. His remark about them being teenagers and making it sound as
if their youth wasn’t of importance left her feeling somewhat bereft. What they had
felt for each other back then was real. It just hadn’t been the right time.
“Morning,” Mandy muttered as she walked into the kitchen wearing a pair of sweats
and an old T-shirt that had the insignia of their high school. She snatched a piece
of bacon from the table as she made her way to the refrigerator. “Why aren’t you at
the store?”
“I’m having Pam open it for me. It’s not like Neal comes home that often,” Charlotte
replied, taking a seat at the table and picking up her coffee. Last night Mandy
that he’d retrieve it. He needed the cold to cool him off or otherwise he might make
a move that both of them would regret. It wasn’t like anything was going to change.
Hadn’t Daegan said that earlier this week?
The leaves were rustling in the light breeze and the sounds of music could be heard
from the fall festival that had kicked off an hour ago after the football game. Neal
stepped off the wrap-around covered porch, having noticed earlier that it had been
repainted recently. Charlotte had kept up the property and it looked just as good
as it did when he’d left town. She’d chosen a Navaho red for the wood along with matching
shutters. The live oak tree out front had already changed colors, so the house and
lawn looked like a Thomas Kincaid painting. At least it got his mind off of what was
waiting for him inside.
Finally Neal’s eyes adjusted to the dark and he didn’t see anything or anyone that
stood out. Patrolling the small property, he took his time as he went around the house
and grounds. His head was a hell of a lot clearer than it was ten minutes ago. Walking
back up the porch steps, he saw that Charlotte was waiting for him with his coffee
and it was then that he decided the time alone hadn’t done a damn bit of good. When
she handed it over to him, her warm fingers brushed his and he knew it was done on
purpose. What the hell did she want from him?
“I’m sorry for what I did to us back then,” Charlotte said, her voice barely above
a whisper. Neal wasn’t even sure he’d heard her correctly, because if he had the anger
he’d kept at bay would finally be released and they had other pressing issues to deal
with. “I handled it poorly and—”
“I’m going to stop you right there,” Neal replied in a hardened tone. “What happened
is in the past and that’s where it needs to stay. We don’t need to rehash it. Our
misfortunate circumstances don’t erase the fact that we grew up together and that
Mandy is like my sister—which is why I’m here. I think it’s best that we stick to
that, don’t you?”
“No, I don’t.” Charlotte raised her voice, but it wasn’t loud enough to cover up the
sound of a car door. Neal had seen the headlights fifteen seconds prior and had recognized
Mandy’s older vehicle. He wasn’t sure why she’d come home early, but it was perfect
timing. He wasn’t being dragged into this conversation despite Charlotte’s obvious
intention. “We’ve never talked about—”
“You’re right, we haven’t spoken about it…and for damn good reason.” Neal turned away
from Charlotte to face the street, where Mandy was making her way up the short manicured
walkway. “This is how you wanted it, Char.”
Chapter Seven
‡
C harlotte finished sprinkling some powdered sugar on the French toast and then placed the platter in the middle
of the table, where the rest of the settings were arranged. It was eight o’clock in
the morning, although Neal had left the house a little before six. She figured he’d
be back soon to talk to Mandy and cooking breakfast gave Charlotte something to do
while she thought over their behavior last night. He might not want to talk about
the past, but she did. His remark about them being teenagers and making it sound as
if their youth wasn’t of importance left her feeling somewhat bereft. What they had
felt for each other back then was real. It just hadn’t been the right time.
“Morning,” Mandy muttered as she walked into the kitchen wearing a pair of sweats
and an old T-shirt that had the insignia of their high school. She snatched a piece
of bacon from the table as she made her way to the refrigerator. “Why aren’t you at
the store?”
“I’m having Pam open it for me. It’s not like Neal comes home that often,” Charlotte
replied, taking a seat at the table and picking up her coffee. Last night Mandy
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