But there was no sign of Charlie, and it surprised me that I was disappointed that he wasn’t here.
Was I a glutton for punishment?
Did I get a sick joy out of being aggravated?
I mean, look at your family. Maybe you are predisposed to this type of behavior.
“It looks great, Will. Thank you so much,” I said, making my way toward the door.
“Yeah. You’ve got a great eye. Even Charlie said so.” He chuckled. “He likes to give you a hard time, but between me and you, after we installed the chandelier and he looked at the cabinets, he told me that you could be an interior designer.”
I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. “Wow. A compliment from Charlie Huxley, huh?”
He shrugged. “There’s no denying you’ve got talent. Look at this place. It’s really something.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I was proud of the fact that I’d purchased my first home. And as much as the flood had been a frustrating experience, I was enjoying renovating the place and making it my own.
And I didn’t even mind living in Charlie Huxley’s guesthouse.
In fact, I was enjoying being there.
I sat on a barstool in the tiny bathroom getting ready for my date, and for whatever reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about that damn kiss with Charlie.
I’d definitely need to kiss Brayden tonight so I’d have something new to think about.
I slipped into my dark jeans and a cream sweater that hung off one shoulder, showing a little bit of skin. I wore my heeled black boots and drove the short distance to Sonny’s Ranch House. Brayden was waiting for me outside when I pulled into the lot. He was tall, his blond hair was cut short, and he wore a black trench coat. He helped me as I stepped out of the car before placing his hand on the small of my back and leading me inside.
We found a quiet table in the back and ordered steak and lobster, and the conversation flowed. He was nice and smart and even a little funny.
But I wasn’t feeling it.
Not even a little bit.
I kept checking my phone to see if Charlie had texted, as I usually went over to make something for dinner.
But he hadn’t messaged.
I tried hard to focus on Brayden as he told me about a recent case he’d taken on against a large corporation.
It was interesting. But my mind was elsewhere.
“So tell me about the wedding business. You’ve built quite a company, from what I can tell.”
I nodded and finished chewing the most delicious lobster. “Yes, we’re packed for the next year, and business is good.”
My gaze moved as if it were being pulled by a force.
Steve the owner moved past our table, with Charlie Huxley beside him.
The man I was trying hard not to think about just walked right past me.
Chapter Ten
Charlie
It had been a day, and now here I was at Sonny’s Ranch House at eight o’clock at night. Harper had a project I needed to help her with after school, and a bottle of glitter had exploded in my face. I’d gotten her fed and bathed before Steve Johnson called, sounding frantic because his refrigerator was acting up, and seeing as I’d built the home that he and his wife Cora lived in, he knew he could call for an emergency. I was fairly decent at fixing things, and I said I could get it going temporarily until he could get it replaced. I’d called my neighbor Abigail, and she’d come over to the house to sit with Harper until I got back. She and Cora were close friends, so she was happy to help.
