I laugh and glance at Penny. “I promise I won’t feed him Vegemite if he can’t sleep.”
“Oh, I forgot about that night.” Penny laughs and fills in the blanks for Zara.
“Where is Summer?”
“At preschool. Our nanny is collecting her as Frank has business meetings until late. So… we should get down to why we are here as I need to be home before six-thirty.”
Zara makes a call and asks for refreshments to be brought in, then places Carson Jr. on the floor to play with toys. While it’s a casual meet-up, I can’t help but feel nervous.
We take a seat around the table.
“First of all, why do you need help?” Zara asks.
Both wives are now wearing poker faces, something, I assume, they learned from their husbands.
“I want Charlotte back, but she won’t respond to my texts.”
“Sadly, we don’t always get what we want in life,” Zara quips.
“No. But I have denied myself for too long. Your husband is the one who told me to fight. It was two years ago, and he called me a coward for not trying. Now I’m back, I realize how much time we have wasted and how stupid I was not to try.”
“What did Jobe say?” Zara probes.
“Something along the lines of life will never be as good without the right people in your world. So you’ll move heaven and earth to fix whatever damage you have done.”
She smiles at me. “He’s the best.”
“He called me a coward for walking away.”
“Well, this is true,” Penny muses. “You were great for each other. But no one spoke about you when you left. It was as though the conversation was banned.”
“I left because I didn’t want her or the family to be disappointed in me. I couldn’t take it. Yeah, I was a fool, but I’m back and ready to fight for her.”
“Byron is not going to lie down and?—”
“I know,” I interrupt. “I’ll deal with him later. This is about Lottie and me. We deserve happiness just like her brothers have found.”
“I disagree with you.” Zara stops talking to wave in the staff as they place refreshments on the table and promptly leave. “Lottie has been with several people since you, and even now, she is with someone. Your teammate, right? Ryan?”
“River,” I correct, and Penny giggles. “We know they’re not together. She’s trying to fill the void I left behind.”
“Don’t get cocky.” Penny eyes me. “You’re expecting a lot from us.
“I’m sorry.” I shake my head. “Every time I try, she blows it up.”
“That’s a no in my eyes,” Zara says softly so as not to disappoint me.
“Her kiss didn’t indicate no.”
“You kissed? When?” Penny’s eyes round with curiosity. While I didn’t want to reveal secrets, I’m running out of options to convince her family that I am worth the risk.
“When she deliberately had my white shirts dyed pink, I went to her home to confront her. One thing led to the other. But I walked away because we need to begin slowly so I can win her trust. But her walls are higher than ever like she has the damnDawn Wallall around her.”
“How did you get her address?” Penny asks suspiciously.
“Jobe gave it to me.”
“So she’s kissed him already,” Zara murmurs to Penny, and they make a face at each other. “Okay, so here is the plan…” she continues. “We arrange for Lottie to come here for a girls’ day.”
