“Wow, two whole days.” She laughed again.
Then I claimed her lips with another kiss. We needed to be up soon, and I needed one more time with her before then.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Hope
* * *
The sun was already up when I peeked out the window and rushed to take a shower. As I washed my hair, I thought about Charlie, who was still fast asleep. He hadn’t believed what anyone else thought about me. And it was nice. I would like to think I would be a good girlfriend or fiancée if all this were real.
I stopped at the buffet set up for us and grabbed a coffee. Then I headed right into the office. Working for Charlie meant we needed to start strong. And I figured airports were going to be our best resource to get leads. They knew what customers wanted in the area. So I found the staff names and contact information of the three hubs that served New York and sent management emails.
Then I found Kir’s email address and sent him messages.
Charlie joined me thirty minutes later, after I’d finished my cup of coffee, and I smiled up at him. “I scheduled our first meeting with your brother for this afternoon. And I scheduled a meeting with the JFK Airport director so we can find out the wants and needs she has.”
He tugged a seat closer, holding up his phone. “Hope, we… we’re on the blog again.”
I flinched. If I was naked again and the world saw it, I would have to cut my hair and change everything I could. “I figured they wouldn’t get our pictures through the blackout curtains you had.”
“It’s not that.”
I took a deep breath. Then I gazed at his phone, and my eyes widened. Bullshit. I held my tongue, since swearing wasn’t normal in his world. My muscles still twitched. “Wait… I’m not pregnant.”
Then I decided to pull up the blog on my laptop to read. Charlie sat beside me. “Windell is quoted as saying we told him last night in the park.”
I squeezed his arm as I scanned the article. “He’s a liar. I’m so sorry.”
He smiled at me. “It’s okay. So I’ve been talking to Maman, telling her it’s not true. Kir was more upset since he quit his job to join us, but he calmed down when I convinced him there was no baby.”
“Good.” As I continued to read, my heart thumped faster. They had receipts. “What’s this? You paid my student loans and credit cards?”
He nodded. “I don’t want you to have any worries. I was going to surprise you.”
I never wanted to burden him, and I wasn’t sure how to live debt free. “You need to start talking to me if you’re going to do something.”
“I wanted it to be a present.”
It sounded nice. Though I would owe Charlie, even if he broke up with me, I couldn’t hate him. “Not telling me is the problem.”
“I’m sorry.” He’d done more than anyone else ever had.
I finished reading the article. “They are saying I blackmailed you with my unborn baby after losing my job.”
He squeezed my hand. “It doesn’t matter. It’s a hit piece. You’re not pregnant, and I needed you to be prepared to brush it off.”
I nodded then remembered he’d been safe every single time. I cupped his face. “Does your family often get hit pieces like this?”
He shrugged, and his stomach grumbled. “It happens. We have money, but anyone who knows you won’t take it seriously.”
I moved closer to him. “You don’t always have to comfort me.” I cupped his face.
“Good, so you’re ready to focus on work?”
I closed the internet browser. “Yes, lies and liars don’t matter.”
He moved to stand. “Good attitude. Let’s hit the breakfast Fuller set up.”
